Smoky Cured Pork and Bell Pepper Stir Fry

Get ready to discover your new favorite weeknight dinner, a dish that delivers a powerful punch of smoky, savory flavor in just about 10 minutes. This stir-fry is the perfect example of how simple ingredients can create something truly spectacular with the right technique. We’re talking tender-crisp bell peppers mingling with salty, lusciously fatty slices of cured pork, all brought together in a hot wok with a fragrant trio of garlic, ginger, and scallion. The cooking process is a thrilling, high-heat stir-fry that’s incredibly easy to master, even for beginners. The result is a dish bursting with a unique, smoky aroma and a gentle, satisfying warmth that will have you coming back for more. It’s fast, it’s easy, and it tastes absolutely sensational.

To get started, let’s gather our ingredients. The beauty of this recipe is its short and impactful list. You will need:

Ingredients:

• Bell Peppers: 2 medium-sized, preferably thin-skinned varieties like sweet Italian peppers or Hungarian wax peppers. Standard green or red bell peppers also work beautifully.
• Cured Pork: 4-5 thin slices. The star of this dish is traditionally La Rou, a type of Chinese cured pork belly that is air-dried and beautifully savory. If you can’t find it at a local Asian market, don’t worry! There are fantastic, easy-to-find substitutes. Thick-cut smoked bacon or Italian pancetta are both excellent choices and will provide that same delicious, smoky, and fatty profile. You could even use a firm, cured Spanish chorizo.
• Aromatics: 3 cloves of garlic (minced), a 1-inch piece of ginger (peeled and thinly sliced), and 1 scallion (thinly sliced).
• Oil: 1 tablespoon of a neutral cooking oil, like canola, vegetable, or avocado oil.
• Seasonings:
  • Salt: About 1/4 teaspoon, or to taste (be mindful as the cured meat is already salty).
  • White Pepper: A pinch.
  • Oyster Sauce: 1 teaspoon.
  • Light Soy Sauce: 1 teaspoon. For an extra umami kick, look for brands labeled “premium” or “first extract.”
  • Sesame Oil: 1/2 teaspoon for finishing.
  • Chicken Powder (optional): A tiny pinch. This is a common flavor enhancer. You can easily omit it or substitute with a tiny pinch of sugar to round out the flavors.

Now for the fun part—the cooking! Stir-frying is all about having your ingredients prepped and ready to go before you even turn on the stove, a practice known as mise en place. It happens fast, so you’ll want everything within arm’s reach.

Instructions:

1. Start with your beautiful bell peppers. We’re using two for this recipe, which is perfect for a side dish or a meal for one.
2. Wash the peppers thoroughly. Then, remove the stems and seeds. Instead of slicing them, try tearing them into rough, bite-sized pieces, about 1 to 2 inches in size. This rustic method creates more surface area and uneven edges, which are fantastic for grabbing onto the sauce.
3. Prepare your other ingredients. Mince the garlic and slice the ginger and scallion. Now for the pork: if you are using authentic La Rou, it can be quite firm. It’s a great pro-tip to boil or steam it for 10-15 minutes to soften it and render some of the excess salt before slicing it thinly. If you’re using bacon or pancetta, you can skip the pre-boiling step and just slice it. Arrange everything in small bowls next to your stove so you’re ready for action.
4. Place a wok or a large skillet over high heat. Add your tablespoon of cooking oil. When the oil is hot and shimmering, toss in your prepared aromatics: the garlic, ginger, and scallions. Stir them around for about 15 seconds until they become incredibly fragrant. Be quick—you don’t want the garlic to burn! Immediately add the bell pepper pieces and the sliced cured pork. Stir-fry everything vigorously over high heat, constantly moving the ingredients around the wok. Now, add your seasonings: the salt (start with a small pinch), white pepper, oyster sauce, and light soy sauce. Continue to stir-fry everything at a high temperature.
5. Cook for another 1-2 minutes until the peppers are just tender-crisp. You want them to be heated through and slightly softened, but still have a pleasant bite and a vibrant color. Turn off the heat. For the final touch, drizzle in the sesame oil and add the optional pinch of chicken powder. Give it all one last toss to combine everything beautifully, and then immediately transfer the stir-fry to a serving plate.

The moment you plate this dish, you’ll be hit with that incredible, smoky “wok-hei” aroma—a sign of a truly great stir-fry. The taste is a delightful dance of textures and flavors. The smoky, salty pork provides a rich, savory depth that is perfectly balanced by the natural sweetness and slight crunch of the bell peppers. The garlic and ginger provide a warm, aromatic backbone, while the simple sauce ties everything together. This dish is absolutely perfect served hot over a simple bowl of steamed rice, making for a quick yet deeply satisfying meal. I truly hope you give this recipe a try; it’s a wonderful way to experience a blast of flavor with minimal effort. I’d love to hear how it went for you in the comments—did you find La Rou, or what substitute did you use? Enjoy