Sweet and Spicy Stir-Fried Cucumber and Pork Belly Salad

Ingredients

• 3 cucumbers (Trim the ends, remove the seeds, and cut into thin diagonal slices)
• 150 g pork belly (thinly sliced) (Cut into 2 cm-wide pieces)
• 1 かけ ginger (Cut into thin strips; approximately 15 g)
• 2 tsp sugar (Seasoning mixture A)
• 1 tbsp sake (Seasoning mixture A)
• 1 tbsp soy sauce (Seasoning mixture A)
• 2 tsp sesame oil (For stir-frying)
• salt (A pinch)
• pepper (A pinch)

Steps

1. 1

   Trim the ends of the cucumbers and cut them in half lengthwise. Use a small spoon or similar utensil to gently scrape out the seeds little by little. Removing the seeds helps keep the finished cucumbers crisper. Cut the cucumbers into 2–3 mm-thick diagonal slices.

2. 2

   Cut the ginger into thin strips. Cut the pork belly into 2 cm-wide pieces. Measure out the sugar, sake, and soy sauce in advance.

3. 3

   Put the sesame oil and ginger in a frying pan and heat over low heat. Cook the ginger without letting it burn until fragrant.

4. 4

   Once the ginger is fragrant, add the pork belly and stir-fry over medium heat for about 2 minutes. Cook until the meat changes color and releases a moderate amount of fat.

5. 5

   Add the sugar, sake, and soy sauce in that order. Add a pinch each of salt and pepper, and stir-fry until the seasonings coat the pork well.

6. 6

   Turn off the heat and add the cucumbers to the pan. Toss gently so the cucumbers warm slightly in the residual heat without becoming crushed.

7. 7

   Transfer to a serving dish while the cucumbers are just slightly softened but still retain their juicy, fresh texture.

Notes

The key is not to continue stir-frying the cucumbers; add them after turning off the heat and toss them in the residual heat. A small spoon makes it easier to remove the cucumber seeds.

Nutrition per serving

• Main dish
• Salad
• Stir-fry
• Pork
• Summer dish
• Sweet and spicy
• Easy
• Quick cooking