It's a Cook's Illustrated recipe.
Spicy Stir-Fried Pork, Asparagus & Onions with Lemon Grass
Serves 4 as a main dish with rice
Ingredients:
Pork
12 oz pork tenderloin
1 tsp fish sauce
1 tsp soy sauce
Sauce
2 Tbs fish sauce
1/3 cup canned low-sodium chicken broth
2 tsp juice from 1 lime
1 Tbs brown sugar
1 tsp cornstarch
Garlic/Lemon Grass Mixture
2 medium cloves garlic, minced (about 2 teaspoons)
1/4 cup minced lemon grass from 2 stalks*
3/4 tsp red pepper flakes
1 Tbs peanut or vegetable oil
Stir-Fry
2 1/2 Tbs peanut or vegetable oil
1 lb asparagus, cut on bias into 2-inch pieces
1 large onion, cut into 1/4- to 3/8-inch wedges
Garnish
1/4 cup chopped fresh basil leaves
To prepare:
Pork
Freeze the tenderloin until firm but not frozen, 45 minutes to 1 hour. Then cut the tenderloin crosswise into 1/4-inch strips.
Combine pork, fish sauce, and soy sauce in small bowl.
Sauce
Whisk remaining fish sauce, chicken broth, lime juice, sugar, and cornstarch in measuring cup.
Garlic/Lemon Grass Mixture:
Combine garlic, lemon grass, red pepper flakes, and 1 tablespoon oil in small bowl.
Stir-Fry
Heat 1 1/2 teaspoons oil in 12-inch nonstick skillet over high heat until smoking; add half of pork to skillet and cook, stirring occasionally and breaking up clumps, until well-browned, about 2 minutes. Transfer pork to medium bowl. Repeat with additional 1 1/2 teaspoons oil and remaining pork.
Add 1 tablespoon oil to now-empty skillet; add asparagus and cook, stirring every 30 seconds, until browned and almost tender, 4 to 5 minutes; transfer to bowl with pork.
Add remaining 1 1/2 teaspoons oil to skillet; add onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until beginning to brown and soften, about 2 minutes.
Clear center of skillet, add Garlic/Lemon Grass Mixture to clearing; cook, mashing mixture with spoon, until fragrant, about 1 minute, then stir mixture into onions. Add pork and asparagus; toss to combine.
Stir Sauce to recombine, then add to skillet; cook, stirring constantly, until sauce is thickened and evenly distributed, about 30 seconds. Transfer to serving platter; sprinkle with basil and serve.
*To use lemon grass, peel off 3 or 4 of the tough outer leaves to reveal a creamy white interior, then trim off the bottom inch or so of the stalk. Of what remains, the bottom 4 or 5 inches can then be minced.
Spicy Stir-Fried Pork, Asparagus & Onions with Lemon Grass
Serves 4 as a main dish with rice
Ingredients:
Pork
12 oz pork tenderloin
1 tsp fish sauce
1 tsp soy sauce
Sauce
2 Tbs fish sauce
1/3 cup canned low-sodium chicken broth
2 tsp juice from 1 lime
1 Tbs brown sugar
1 tsp cornstarch
Garlic/Lemon Grass Mixture
2 medium cloves garlic, minced (about 2 teaspoons)
1/4 cup minced lemon grass from 2 stalks*
3/4 tsp red pepper flakes
1 Tbs peanut or vegetable oil
Stir-Fry
2 1/2 Tbs peanut or vegetable oil
1 lb asparagus, cut on bias into 2-inch pieces
1 large onion, cut into 1/4- to 3/8-inch wedges
Garnish
1/4 cup chopped fresh basil leaves
To prepare:
Pork
Freeze the tenderloin until firm but not frozen, 45 minutes to 1 hour. Then cut the tenderloin crosswise into 1/4-inch strips.
Combine pork, fish sauce, and soy sauce in small bowl.
Sauce
Whisk remaining fish sauce, chicken broth, lime juice, sugar, and cornstarch in measuring cup.
Garlic/Lemon Grass Mixture:
Combine garlic, lemon grass, red pepper flakes, and 1 tablespoon oil in small bowl.
Stir-Fry
Heat 1 1/2 teaspoons oil in 12-inch nonstick skillet over high heat until smoking; add half of pork to skillet and cook, stirring occasionally and breaking up clumps, until well-browned, about 2 minutes. Transfer pork to medium bowl. Repeat with additional 1 1/2 teaspoons oil and remaining pork.
Add 1 tablespoon oil to now-empty skillet; add asparagus and cook, stirring every 30 seconds, until browned and almost tender, 4 to 5 minutes; transfer to bowl with pork.
Add remaining 1 1/2 teaspoons oil to skillet; add onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until beginning to brown and soften, about 2 minutes.
Clear center of skillet, add Garlic/Lemon Grass Mixture to clearing; cook, mashing mixture with spoon, until fragrant, about 1 minute, then stir mixture into onions. Add pork and asparagus; toss to combine.
Stir Sauce to recombine, then add to skillet; cook, stirring constantly, until sauce is thickened and evenly distributed, about 30 seconds. Transfer to serving platter; sprinkle with basil and serve.
*To use lemon grass, peel off 3 or 4 of the tough outer leaves to reveal a creamy white interior, then trim off the bottom inch or so of the stalk. Of what remains, the bottom 4 or 5 inches can then be minced.