Stir-Fried Pork and Plums With Fresh Herbs
Updated August 6, 2025
Ryan Liebe for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Simon Andrews
- Total Time
- 35 minutes
- Prep Time
- 10 minutes
- Cook Time
- 25 minutes
- Rating
- Comments
- Read comments
Advertisement
Ingredients
1 garlic clove, finely grated or minced
1 (1-inch) piece fresh ginger, finely grated or minced
¼ cup red wine vinegar
2 tablespoons fish sauce
1 tablespoon soy sauce
2 tablespoons dark brown sugar
2 teaspoons toasted sesame oil
½ teaspoon crushed red pepper
Salt
1 pound pork belly (see Tip)
1 tablespoon canola, safflower or grapeseed oil
6 firm black plums, quartered and pitted
2 scallions, thinly sliced, plus more for garnish
8 cilantro sprigs, chopped, plus more for garnish
Arugula or other peppery or bitter greens, for serving
Steamed white rice or cooked thin egg noodles, for serving
Nutritional analysis per serving (4 servings)
30 grams carbs; 82 milligrams cholesterol; 771 calories; 30 grams monosaturated fat; 10 grams polyunsaturated fat; 23 grams saturated fat; 66 grams fat; 2 grams fiber; 975 milligrams sodium; 14 grams protein; 15 grams sugar
Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
Powered by
Preparation
- Step 1
In a small bowl, stir together the garlic, ginger, vinegar, fish sauce, soy sauce, brown sugar, sesame oil and crushed red pepper. Taste and season with salt if necessary and set the sauce aside.
- Step 2
Cut the pork belly into ½-inch-thick slices, then cut each slice into 1-inch pieces. Heat a large cast-iron pan over medium-high. Add the pork and cook, stirring occasionally, until the edges are crispy and lightly browned but the centers are still plump and meaty, 7 to 8 minutes.
- Step 3
Turn the heat down to medium. Add the oil and plums and cook without stirring until slightly caramelized, 6 minutes.
- Step 4
Turn the heat back up to high, pour in the sauce and cook, stirring to coat everything, until the sauce becomes a sticky glaze and the plums are tender, 5 to 6 minutes. Add the scallions and cilantro.
- Step 5
Serve the pork and plums alongside arugula and rice or noodles, with a sprinkling of additional sliced scallions and cilantro leaves.
Markets sell pork belly with or without its skin, and you can use either type in this recipe. You also can find pre-sliced pork belly from the freezer or refrigerator section in most Asian markets; it works well here and saves you a step.
Private Notes
Comments
Could you use chunks of pork tenderloin instead?
@Ray I think your comments speak to the fact that the amount of fat in pork belly, although always a fatty cut, can vary. Perhaps the recipe could be amended to tell us approximately how much oil should be in the pan when we add the plums? But if you’re an experienced cook, it makes sense to consider how much oil you have in the pan before you add the plums. If it seems excessive, pour some off (but not down the drain!).
Just cooked this with a few modifications, and it turned out delicious. Harris Teeter didn’t have pork belly, so I got a strip of fatty bacon and lean pork chops instead. I also used only two large, fist-size black plums, but added two small zucchinis, a vidalia onion, and two small sweet peppers. As for the sequence, first I made the sauce as suggested in the recipe, then cooked one bacon strip cut in pieces and chopped onion for maybe 5 minutes, then added pork chops sliced in thumb-sized chunks and sliced sweet peppers. Added a bit of sauce as there wasn’t enough fat in the wok. Cooked for six minutes, then added two black plums cut in small pieces, cooked for a couple of minutes, then added sliced zucchini and the remaining sauce and cooked 5 minutes longer. Added cilantro on top before serving. Next time I might add a bit of honey or brown sugar, but it was really good as described.
I used half tenderloin, half pork belly to make it a bit less fatty - cooked tenderloin in the pan first until browned (a couple minutes) removed, followed the recipe as is, and then added it back in with the sauce in at the end
Doubled the ginger to replace the garlic and parsley instead of scallions (allergic to alliums). My plums were very ripe and almost disintegrated; next time I'll use less ripe fruit. I chunked the pork loin chops I had on hand; less fatty than belly slices, but still needed to remove a little fat. However, the sweet/sour/sticky sauce was wonderful - next time, I'll double it. Served with rice and a rocket & watercress salad; my husband requested mashed potatoes next time. Yum!
Sensational. Made with a peach. Reminded me of Orange Chicken. Delicious and fast. Used a large stainless steel heavy bottom pot because cleaning caramelized cast iron can be tough.