Adding apple cider or juice to this stir-fried pork with apples and kale can enrich the flavour.Danielle Matar/The Globe and Mail
Stir-fries are the back-pocket recipe of many time-challenged home cooks. Toss fresh or frozen veggies and some protein alongside garlic and soy sauce and dinner is on the table – with only one pot in the sink. But although it's handy to have a one-dish meal that you can get on the table quickly in your back pocket, everyone eventually tires of baby corn and teriyaki sauce.
This week's challenge was to come up with a superfast weeknight stir-fry that doesn't taste like a superfast weeknight stir-fry. This one with pork, kale and apples uses all the techniques of the traditional Chinese method, but the finished dish is something completely different.
The total cooking time is about 20 minutes.
If the suggested spices don't appeal to you, any Moroccan or Middle Eastern spice blend on hand would be fine. Frozen, chopped kale works well – add it to the pan straight from the freezer. This technique also works with boneless chicken breasts and shrimp (which require much less cooking time).
In this recipe, the spice-coated pork is quickly sautéed before onions and apples are tossed in. The whole dish is bound with apple cider or juice to enrich the flavour. Serve alongside steamed new potatoes, rice or crusty bread, or on a bed of sautéed greens.
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Laws of a good stir-fry
- Make sure your pan is hot before adding protein.
- Chop veggies to a uniform size.
- Line up all ingredients before turning on the stove.
- Put harder veggies that take longer to cook into the pan first.
- Don’t overcrowd the pan.
- Finish with a sauce once everything is cooked through.
Stir-Fried Spiced Pork with Kale and Apples
1 lb (500 g) pork tenderloin
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp ground ginger
1/2 tsp ground fennel or anise
Salt and freshly ground pepper
2 tbsp olive oil
1 cup thinly sliced onions
3 cups thinly sliced apples such as Gala, Pink Lady or Braeburn (about 2 apples)
1 tbsp brown sugar
1/2 cup apple cider or apple juice
4 cups baby kale
1 tbsp butter, cut in pieces
Method
Slice pork lengthwise through the centre, then cut into 1-inch cubes.
Combine cinnamon, ginger and fennel. Sprinkle half over the pork. Season with salt and pepper.
Heat frying pan or wok over medium-high heat. Add oil and let heat. Add tenderloin pieces and sauté 3 to 4 minutes or until golden brown on the outside and medium rare inside. Remove to a plate.
Add onions to pan and sauté for 1 minute. Add apples, remaining spice mixture and brown sugar. Toss together and cook for 3 minutes or until apples soften. Add apple cider and cook 2 more minutes. Add pork and any juices.
Reheat for 1 minute, then stir in kale and toss until kale wilts, about 2 minutes. Stir in butter and season with salt and pepper.