Spicy Pork and Chile Stir Fry

This is perhaps my wife's favorite dish that I have been making for some time now. I also really enjoy it as I wouldn't post it if I didn't love it as well. This is an awesome dish if you want a somewhat easy prep and one that is flavorful and that you can change up as well by adding different ingredients and different amounts of heat depending on your mood. I'll be making this tonight in what hopes to be the Warriors 4-0 nail in the coffin win over whiney LaBron (if I didn't make the shot, I must have been fouled) James and his Cavs.

Ingredients (serves 3-4)

6 Tbs soy sauce, divided

2 Tbs rice wine or dry sherry

4 tsp cornstarch

1 1/2 lbs to 2 lbs of ground pork

6 tsp of sesame oil, divided

1 lb of asparagus cut into pieces

1 lb of Asian eggplant cut into pieces

green onion (thinly sliced)

1 red jalapeno chili (seeded)

1 green jalapeno chili (seeded)

2 Tbs minced ginger

3 Tbs oyster sauce

1 Tbs honey

1 Tbs minced garlic

Instructions

Whisk 2 Tbs soy sauce, rice wine and cornstarch in a large bowl. Add pork and blend together with hands.

Heat 2 tsp of sesame oil in a wok or large frying pan. Add garlic, red and green chili and ginger. Stir fry until fragrant...about 1-2 minutes.

Put aside into bowl.

Meanwhile, in a steamer, steam your asparagus and eggplant until slightly softened....3 minutes should do the trick. Set aside.

Add remaining 4 tsp of sesame oil to the work or frying pan and cook the pork mixture until browned and cook through. Once cooked through, drain the fat and add back in the asparagus, eggplant and chili/ginger mixture. Add in the rest of the soy sauce, oyster sauce and honey. Bring to a simmer and cook until asparagus and eggplant are to desired crispness. You may want to add a little more honey if the mixture seems to salty...add about a tsp at a time and taste. It can go from salty to sweet pretty quick. It's that right in between flavor that you are looking for...the savory and the sweet together.

Last add the green onions on top and toss to combine.

I like to serve with some kind of rice....fried rice, white rice, brown rice, they all work. You can also substitute any veggies you like if asparagus or eggplant aren't your thing. Broccoli works good, green beans as well. I usually toss in mushrooms too. Add some shrimp to this to put it over the top! If you like it even more spicy, rather than seeding the peppers, just slice them up seeds and all. Even more en fuego? Use some serrano or thai chili. Anything more spicy will be taking away flavor from the dish.

Wines that pair well:

Try a fruit forward Sauvignon Blanc or Chardonnay for the whites. Your best bet for the red's would be something on the lighter side like a fruity Pinot Noir.

Beers are made for this dish:

A standard lager works great for this dish. A Sapporo or Singha would go great with this, or if you are an IPA person, a lighter session IPA like Founders All Day IPA or Firestone Walker Easy Jack would go great with this meal. Even a standard Belgian Pale Ale would pair nicely...think Leffe Blond. Heck even a Tripel would work...Chimay White Label is a good example. This is a very beer friendly dish.