Cantonese-Style Fried Pork Belly with Bell Pepper and Onion Recipe
Cantonese cuisine favors delicate, slightly sweet flavors and meat sliced into thin pieces. This fried pork belly with bell pepper and onion is a simple pan dish that’s a bit like Polish bacon with onions, but in a version with soy sauce and ginger. Perfect with a bowl of rice when you’re craving something hearty but don’t want to stand over the stove for half the day.
This dish combines the comforting idea of bacon with onions with the lighter, aromatic flavors of Cantonese cooking. Thinly sliced pork belly, ginger, soy sauce, and crisp vegetables create a quick stir-fry that feels both familiar and a bit exotic, perfect for a weeknight meal.
Chef's tips
Slice the pork belly as thinly as possible so it cooks quickly and renders some fat without becoming tough. High heat is key: preheat the pan or wok well so the meat sears instead of stews. Taste the sauce before adding it to the pan and adjust the balance of sweetness and acidity to your liking by adding a bit more sugar or vinegar.
How to serve
Serve in deep bowls over steamed jasmine rice or with rice noodles. Add a side of lightly pickled cucumbers or a simple Asian-style slaw with cabbage and carrot for freshness. Sprinkle with sliced spring onions or toasted sesame seeds just before serving for extra aroma and texture.
Ingredients
- boneless pork belly sliced into thin pieces; you can also use pork neck - 350 g
- bell pepper sliced into strips - 1 piece
- bell pepper sliced into strips - 1 piece
- onion sliced into thin wedges - 1 piece
- garlic chopped - 2 cloves
- fresh ginger cut into thin matchsticks - 10 g
- light soy sauce - 2 tablespoons
- dark soy sauce for color; can be replaced with an extra tablespoon of light soy sauce - 1 tablespoon
- sugar preferably brown - 1 teaspoon
- vinegar or apple cider vinegar - 1 tablespoon
- oil for frying - 1 tablespoon
- water for the sauce - 50 ml
- pepper to taste
Preparation
- Slice the pork belly into very thin pieces, preferably across the grain. If the pork belly is soft, you can chill it slightly in the freezer for 20–30 minutes to make it easier to slice.
- Remove the seeds and cores from the bell peppers and slice them into strips. Slice the onion into thin wedges. Chop the garlic and cut the ginger into thin matchsticks.
- In a small bowl, mix the light and dark soy sauce, sugar, vinegar, and water. Set aside.
- Heat the oil in a large frying pan or wok over high heat for about 1 minute. Add the pork belly and fry for 5–7 minutes, stirring often, until some of the fat has rendered and the slices are lightly browned.
- Add the onion, ginger, and garlic. Stir-fry for 2–3 minutes, until the onion softens and becomes slightly translucent and the garlic becomes fragrant.
- Add the bell peppers and stir-fry for another 3–4 minutes, until they soften slightly but are still crisp.
- Pour in the prepared sauce. Stir for 2–3 minutes, until the sauce thickens slightly and coats the pork belly and vegetables. Season with pepper to taste.
- Serve immediately with hot rice or rice noodles.
Storage
No storage information available for this dish.
This recipe is great for days when you’re craving something rich and satisfying but don’t want to cook for hours. It’s also very flexible: you can use whatever bell pepper colors you have on hand and adjust the sweetness or acidity of the sauce to match your mood.
