Onions with Pork Julienne (洋葱炒肉丝)

I learned this recipe from my father-in-law. It is said to be his favorite, go-to recipe. It’s another one using pork julienne with added vegetable(s). The ingredients are few, yet the result is quite amazing. Onion slices become sweet and savory, yet remain slightly crisp at the same time. The pork julienne complements the onions extremely well by adding both umami and a QQ texture to the dish.

For this recipe, the pork julienne only needs to be cooked to 60% doneness beforehand. So as soon as some of the pork julienne starts turning white, transfer them out. There will still be plenty of pink ones left. Leaving the pork julienne less-fully cooked allows more cooking time together with onion slices, which helps bring out a better overall flavor.

If you want to try pairing pork julienne with vegetables, try my other pork julienne recipes, including Green Beans with Pork Julienne and Yuxiang Pork Julienne.

Low Carb

Preparation Time:  25 minutes

Total Time:  35 minutes

Servings: 2 – 4 people

Ingredients:

Pork Julienne:

• 1/2 lb (~225g) pork tenderloin¹
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt (or 1/4 teaspoon table salt)
• ~3 tablespoons water
• 1/2 teaspoon vegetable oil + 2 tablespoon vegetable oil
• 1 tablespoon corn starch

Other ingredients:

• 2 – 3 medium yellow or sweet onions
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1 – 2 teaspoons dark soy sauce ²
• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil

Preparation:

1. First make the pork julienne by following steps 1-4 from my previous Shredded Pork/Pork Julienne recipe. For this recipe, make sure the pork julienne is only cooked to 60% doneness. There will still be many light-pink-colored pork julienne pieces. Set aside.

2. While marinating the pork, prepare the onions. Cut the onions into 1/2-inch-thick (~1.25cm) slices.

3. Once the pork julienne has cooked, heat a large nonstick pan under medium heat. When the pan is warm, add the sliced onions, stirring a few times. Add the 1 teaspoon of kosher salt, stirring to mix. Keep tossing for a few more times then cover the lid for about half a minute. Remove the lid and the onions should be half translucent.

4. Pour in the dark soy sauce, mixing well. Cover the lid again for another half a minute. Remove the lid and add the pork julienne, stirring and tossing. Cover the lid again for half a minute. After removing the lid again, toss the onions with pork julienne a few times and turn off the heat. Enjoy right away!

Bon Appétit

Notes:

1. You can also use chicken julienne instead of pork julienne. The same method applies to the chicken (make sure to use boneless, skinless chicken meat). With chicken meat, you can even skip the starch when marinating.

2. Make sure to use dark soy sauce, which is thicker, sweeter, and a lot less salty than light soy sauce. The main purpose of adding dark soy sauce is to add color and a richer flavor. Some dark soy sauces have deeper color than others. To make sure you are not over using, start by only adding 1 teaspoon, and add the 2nd teaspoon in step 4 only if the color of the sliced onions does not change to a caramel color.

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