Equipment
Ingredients
Main Components
- 400 g ground pork, raw
- 400 g mung bean sprouts, rinsed and dried
- 15 ml neutral cooking oil
Aromatics
- 50 g scallions, chopped
- 15 g garlic, minced
- 10 g ginger, minced
Stir-Fry Sauce
- 30 ml light soy sauce
- 15 ml dark soy sauce
- 15 ml shaoxing wine
- 10 ml toasted sesame oil
- 5 g granulated sugar
- 1 g white pepper, ground
Nutrition (per serving)
Nutrition is estimated per serving. Nutrients without complete source data are omitted.
Full nutrition
- Calories
- 376 kcal
- Protein
- 21 g
- Carbohydrates
- 11 g
- Fat
- 28 g
- Fiber
- 2 g
- Sugar
- 6 g
- Sodium
- 684 mg
- Saturated Fat
- 9 g
- Monounsaturated Fat
- 10 g
- Polyunsaturated Fat
- 3 g
- Cholesterol
- 72 mg
- Potassium
- 545 mg
- Calcium
- 48 mg
- Iron
- 2.3 mg
- Magnesium
- 53 mg
- Phosphorus
- 259 mg
- Zinc
- 2.8 mg
- Vitamin A
- 9 mcg
- Vitamin C
- 18 mg
- Vitamin E
- 0.2 mg
- Vitamin K
- 59 mcg
- Vitamin B6
- 0.6 mg
- Vitamin B12
- 0.7 mcg
- Thiamin
- 0.83 mg
- Riboflavin
- 0.39 mg
- Niacin
- 5.5 mg
- Folate
- 76 mcg
- Water
- 175 g
Sources: Aggregated Public Data, USDA FoodData Central
Method
Thoroughly drain the washed mung bean sprouts and pat them dry with a clean kitchen towel. In a small mixing bowl, whisk together the light soy sauce, dark soy sauce, Shaoxing wine, sugar, and white pepper. Set aside.
Heat a wok or large skillet over high heat until smoking lightly. Add the neutral cooking oil, then add the ground pork. Break the meat apart with your spatula and cook undisturbed for a minute to develop a crust, then continue stirring until heavily browned. Always wash hands and utensils after handling raw meat to avoid cross-contamination. Ensure the pork is completely cooked through and reaches a safe internal temperature of 74°C/165°F.
Push the cooked pork to the sides of the wok. In the center, add the minced garlic, minced ginger, and the white parts of the chopped scallions. Stir-fry briefly just until their raw bite softens and they become highly fragrant.
Add the drained bean sprouts to the wok and immediately pour the prepared soy sauce mixture over the ingredients. Toss rapidly over high heat to coat everything evenly. The goal is to heat the sprouts quickly without causing them to release excess water.
Remove the wok from the heat. Stir in the toasted sesame oil and the reserved green parts of the scallions. Toss one final time and serve immediately.
Chef's Notes
- Drying the bean sprouts is the most critical step. Any residual water will drop the pan temperature, changing the cooking method from a high-heat stir-fry to a steaming process, which destroys the signature crunch of the sprouts.
- Dark soy sauce is essential here for its rich, molasses-like caramel color rather than saltiness. It gives the ground pork that appetizing mahogany hue characteristic of restaurant-style stir-fries.
- Wok cooking happens in a matter of seconds. Always pre-mix your liquid ingredients in a bowl beforehand. Measuring individual sauces directly into the wok while cooking will almost certainly lead to overcooked, soggy vegetables.
Storage
Refrigerator: 3 days — Bean sprouts will lose their crunch and release moisture upon cooling and reheating.
Reheating: Reheat quickly in a hot pan to revive some texture, or microwave until just warm.
Troubleshooting
Bean sprouts are soggy and releasing a pool of watery liquid at the bottom of the wok
Cause: Sprouts were not dried properly before cooking, the wok was not hot enough, or they were cooked for too long.
Fix: Use a slotted spoon to serve the solids, leaving the excess liquid in the pan.
Prevention: Ensure wok is smoking hot before adding the sprouts, dry them well, and strictly limit the stir-fry time to 90 seconds max.
Pork is grey and steamed rather than browned
Cause: The pan was crowded or not preheated sufficiently.
Fix: Continue cooking until the liquid evaporates, then allow the meat to fry in its own rendered fat until crisp.
Prevention: Allow the wok to heat until a bead of water evaporates instantly before adding oil and meat. Do not stir immediately upon adding the pork.
Cultural Context
Stir-frying bean sprouts with meat is a foundational home-style dish across many provinces in China. It elegantly showcases the core culinary philosophy of contrasting textures, pairing the watery, refreshing snap of quick-cooked sprouts against the savory, chewy richness of caramelized ground pork in a single pan.
