Stir-Fried Pork and Plums With Fresh Herbs

Name: Stir-Fried Pork and Plums With Fresh Herbs
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 25 min
Total time: 35 min
Ingredients: 1 garlic clove, finely grated or minced; 1 (1-inch) piece fresh ginger, finely grated or minced; 1/4 cup red wine vinegar; 2 tablespoons fish sauce; 1 tablespoon soy sauce; 2 tablespoons dark brown sugar; 2 teaspoons toasted sesame oil; 1/2 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

By Yewande Komolafe

Published July 31, 2025

Stir-Fried Pork and Plums With Fresh Herbs — Ryan Liebe for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Simon Andrews

Total Time: 35 minutes
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 25 minutes
Rating: (0)
Comments: Read comments

This combination of pork with plums is a superb way to incorporate fresh fruit into an easy and exciting one-pan meal. Pork belly is quickly stir-fried to create a crisp exterior, and renders oil in the pan to blister slices of plum. (Apricots, peaches or nectarines will work just as well here.) Of course, you could pull out your wok for this, but a large cast-iron skillet will do just fine. With a mix of sweet, sour, spicy and savory in the sauce, this dish packs a complex array of flavors in every bite. Serve immediately over cooked rice or thin noodles and peppery or bitter greens.

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Ingredients

1garlic clove, finely grated or minced
1(1-inch) piece fresh ginger, finely grated or minced
¼cup red wine vinegar
2tablespoons fish sauce
1tablespoon soy sauce
2tablespoons dark brown sugar
2teaspoons toasted sesame oil
½teaspoon crushed red pepper
Salt
1pound pork belly (see Tip)
1tablespoon canola, safflower or grapeseed oil
6firm black plums, quartered and pitted
2scallions, thinly sliced, plus more for garnish
8cilantro 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

Ingredient Substitution Guide

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.

Tip

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.