Fish-Fragrant Pork (Yuxiang Rousi)
鱼香肉丝
Sichuan's famous 'fish-fragrant' pork stir-fry — despite the name, there's no fish. The complex sauce combines spicy, sweet, sour, and salty in perfect harmony.
📋 Ingredients
What Is Fish-Fragrant Pork (Yuxiang Rousi)?
💡 Ingredient Notes: Fish-Fragrant Pork (鱼香肉丝, yú xiāng ròu sī) is one of Sichuan's most famous dishes — and confusingly, contains no fish at all. The name refers to a classic Sichuan flavor profile (yú xiāng wèi 鱼香味) traditionally used to cook fish, repurposed here for pork. The signature sauce combines sour (vinegar), sweet (sugar), salty (soy), and spicy (pickled chili) into a complex, layered flavor that hits all your taste buds at once. The key ingredient is pickled red chili paste (泡椒酱) — fermented Sichuan chilies that give the dish its signature tangy-heat.
Ingredients You'll Need
For the Marinade
- 350g (¾ lb) pork tenderloin, cut into thin 5cm strips
- 1 tbsp light soy sauce
- 1 tsp cornstarch
- 1 tsp cooking wine (Shaoxing or dry sherry)
For the Sauce
- 2 tbsp Sichuan pickled chili paste (泡椒酱)
- 1 tbsp sugar
- 1 tbsp Chinese black vinegar
- 1 tbsp light soy sauce
- 1 tsp sesame oil
- 1 tsp cornstarch mixed with 2 tbsp water
For the Stir-Fry
- 50g wood ear mushrooms (黑木耳), soaked and shredded
- 100g bamboo shoots, shredded
- 1 carrot, shredded
- 1 bell pepper (red or green), shredded
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tbsp ginger, minced
- 3 scallions, white parts chopped, green parts for garnish
- 3 tbsp cooking oil
📝 Instructions
Marinate the pork
Toss the pork strips with soy sauce, cornstarch, and cooking wine. Let sit for 10 minutes while you prep everything else.
Mix the sauce
In a small bowl, combine the pickled chili paste, sugar, vinegar, soy sauce, sesame oil, and cornstarch slurry. Stir until sugar dissolves. Set aside.
Prep all vegetables
Have everything shredded and ready — this dish cooks in 5 minutes once you start. Heat your wok until smoking.
Stir-fry the pork
Heat 2 tablespoons oil in the wok over high heat. Add the marinated pork, spread it out, and let sear for 30 seconds before stir-frying. Cook until just cooked through (no pink), about 2 minutes. Remove and set aside.
Cook aromatics and vegetables
Add 1 more tablespoon oil to the wok. Add the garlic, ginger, and scallion whites — stir for 15 seconds until fragrant. Add the bamboo shoots, wood ear mushrooms, and carrot. Stir-fry for 1 minute.
Combine and sauce
Return the pork to the wok. Give the sauce a stir (cornstarch settles) and pour it in. Stir-fry vigorously for 30 seconds — the sauce will thicken and glossy-coat everything. Add the bell pepper in the last 10 seconds (keep it crisp).
Serve
Transfer to a plate, scatter with scallion greens. Serve immediately with steamed rice.
💡 Pro Tips
- 💡💡 The pickled chili paste (泡椒酱) is non-negotiable for authentic flavor. Regular chili flakes won't give the same tangy depth.
- 💡💡 Cut everything into similar-sized thin strips — the dish should look elegant, not chunky.
- 💡💡 Mise en place is critical. Once you turn on the stove, everything moves fast. Have all ingredients prepped and within arm's reach.
- 💡💡 The cornstarch in both marinade and sauce creates that classic glossy coating (called '包浆' bāo jiāng).
📊 Nutrition Facts
❓ Frequently Asked Questions
Why is it called 'fish-fragrant' if there's no fish? The name refers to a Sichuan flavor profile originally used for cooking fish — a mix of pickled chili, garlic, ginger, vinegar, and sugar. The technique was so good that Sichuan cooks started applying it to pork, eggplant, and other ingredients. The 'fish-fragrance' is a flavor memory, not an actual ingredient.
How spicy is this? Medium — the heat comes from pickled chili paste, which is tangy and warm rather than fiery. You can adjust the amount to taste.
Can I substitute the pickled chili paste? If you can't find Sichuan pickled chili paste (泡椒酱), use doubanjiang mixed with a little extra vinegar and sugar as a rough substitute. The flavor won't be identical but will still be delicious.
