Chinese Bacon and Morel Mushroom Stir-Fry

Serves
serves 4
Time
20 minutes

Published on August 5, 2019

While this dish is traditionally made with bamboo mushrooms called zhu maodu, morels are a great substitute—and an excellent foil for the rich Chinese bacon and salty, spicy Pixian broad bean chile paste.

This dish—typically made with zhu maodu, or the brown tripe-like cap of the bamboo mushroom—can be made with morels instead, which have a similar texture and are widely used in Sichuan cooking. You can find cured, smoked Chinese pork belly or bacon (la rou) and Pixian broad bean chile paste—a salty, spicy, and fermented staple seasoning of Sichuan cuisine—at Chinese markets.

Featured in: What It Takes to Be a Bamboo Harvester in China's Sichuan Province

Equipment

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Ingredients

2 Tbsp. vegetable oil, plus more as needed
5–6 dried xiao mi chiles, or substitute Thai or arbol, cut into ¼-inch pieces
3 large garlic cloves, thinly sliced (1 Tbsp.)
One 1-inch piece fresh ginger, peeled and thinly sliced (1 Tbsp.)
10 whole green Sichuan peppercorns
2 large scallions, pale-green and white parts only, cut into 1-inch pieces
¹⁄₂ small green bell pepper (2 oz.), cut into 1-inch pieces
4 oz. smoked Chinese pork belly or bacon (la rou), thinly sliced lengthwise against the grain, then cut into 2-inch pieces
1 tsp. Pixian broad bean chile paste
1 cup fresh morel mushrooms or reconstituted dried morels, cleaned and halved lengthwise
Kosher salt

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Instructions

Step 1

In a wok over very high heat, add the oil, and swirl the pan to coat its surface. When the oil is smoking, add the chiles and cook, stirring constantly, until they are fragrant and darkened, about 1 minute. Add the garlic, ginger, Sichuan peppercorn, scallions, and bell pepper, and cook, stirring frequently, until fragrant (avoid browning the garlic), about 1 minute. Add the bacon, and continue stir-frying until the meat is lightly browned at the edges, 2–3 minutes. Use a wok spatula or wooden spoon to push everything in the pan to one side, then add the broad bean chile paste to the center of the wok. If the pan is very dry, add an additional tablespoon or two of oil. Cook the paste, stirring constantly, until darkened, 2–3 minutes. Add the morels and stir well to combine. Continue stir-frying just until the mushrooms are tender, 2–3 minutes.