Serves2
- Active time:30 min
- Start to finish:35 min
December 2009
For black fungus
-
1
oz
black fungus (tree ears; 1/2 cup dried)
-
1
cup
boiling water
For Osmanthus Syrup
-
1/2
cup
water
-
1/2
cup
sugar
-
1
tablespoon
dried osmanthus flowers (see cooks' note)
For stir fry
-
2
tablespoons
vegetable oil
-
6
oz
boneless pork chops (3) thinly sliced across the grain at a 30° angle less than 1/8-inch-thick
-
2
garlic cloves, minced
-
1
tablespoon
rice vinegar
-
1
tablespoon
soy sauce
-
1
tablespoon
osmanthus syrup
-
Prepare black fungus: Put fungus in a bowl and cover with boiling water. Steep until fungus is softened, about 15 minutes. Drain fungus and thinly slice lengthwise.
-
Make syrup: Bring water and sugar to a boil in a small heavy saucepan, stirring until sugar is dissolved, then add flowers and simmer 1 minute. Let stand 5 minutes. You will need 1 tablespoon.
-
Stir-fry: Heat a wok over high heat until smoking, then pour oil down sides of pan. Add pork and stir-fry, spreading pork on bottom and sides of wok to cook quickly, until pork turns white, about 1 1/2 minutes. Add garlic and stir-fry 30 seconds. Add fungus and stir-fry 30 seconds. Add vinegar, soy sauce and 1 tablespoon syrup and toss pork to coat with sauce.
Cooks' Note: Osmanthus flowers are available by mail order from TeaSpring.com. For a different but very pleasant floral flavor, you could substitute dried chamomile flowers for the Osmanthus. Strain them out of the syrup before using.
