Home-styleEasy 25 min serves 3

Stir-fried Pork with Tri-colour Bell Peppers (彩椒炒肉)

Name: Stir-fried Pork with Tri-colour Bell Peppers (彩椒炒肉)
Total time: 25 min
Yield: 3 servings
Cuisine: Home-style
Ingredients: pork loin, sliced 3 mm thick across the grain; red bell pepper, cut into 2 cm diamonds; green bell pepper, cut into 2 cm diamonds; yellow bell pepper, cut into 2 cm diamonds; garlic, sliced; ginger, sliced into thin coins; light soy sauce; Shaoxing wine; cornstarch; oyster sauce; neutral oil

彩椒炒肉 · cǎi jiāo chǎo ròu

家庭快手版 · Home version: Restaurant woks velvet the pork in a cornstarch-and-egg-white slurry and flash-fry it in a cup of hot oil so every slice stays silky. At home, a 1-teaspoon cornstarch coating and a hard sear in 2 tablespoons of oil gets you 90 percent of the texture with a fraction of the oil.

彩椒炒肉 is the weeknight answer to 青椒肉丝: same technique, but the skinny hot green peppers are swapped for sweet red, yellow and orange bell peppers. It appeared in Chinese home kitchens in the 1990s when greenhouse bell peppers became cheap year-round, and it is now the dish parents make because children will actually eat the vegetables — they are sweet, crunchy and the colour of a cartoon.

Recipe author: HǎoWèi Test Kitchen

Home-cooking research team

Reviewed by HǎoWèi editorial team · Last updated 2026-08-29

More pork recipes →Quick & Easy Kid-Friendly

Ingredients

pork loin, sliced 3 mm thick across the grain猪里脊（逆纹切 3 毫米片）🛒 local300 g
red bell pepper, cut into 2 cm diamonds红彩椒（切 2 厘米菱形块）🛒 local1 medium (about 150 g)
green bell pepper, cut into 2 cm diamonds绿彩椒（切 2 厘米菱形块）🛒 local1 medium (about 150 g)
yellow bell pepper, cut into 2 cm diamonds黄彩椒（切 2 厘米菱形块）🛒 local0.5 medium
garlic, sliced蒜片🛒 local3 cloves
ginger, sliced into thin coins姜片🛒 local4 slices
light soy sauce生抽🏮 asian1 tbsp
Shaoxing wine绍兴黄酒🏮 asian1 tsp
cornstarch玉米淀粉🛒 local1 tsp
oyster sauce蚝油🏮 asian1 tsp
neutral oil中性油🛒 local2 tbsp

pork loin, sliced 3 mm thick across the grain: Partially freeze for 30 minutes to slice thin easily.

🌶️ Adjust to your taste

Pick a level and we'll show exactly how much to change — no more "适量".

Spice level

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Instructions

1Toss the pork slices with the Shaoxing wine, 2 teaspoons of the soy sauce and the cornstarch. Massage for 30 seconds and rest 10 minutes.
🔍 Look for 静置 10 分钟 · 10 minutes resting
Visual: 每片肉裹上一层薄而微黏的浆，碗底无积液Each piece is coated in a thin, slightly tacky film; no liquid pools in the bowl
You know it's right when: 捏一片肉感觉滑手且会回弹Pinch a slice — it feels slippery and springs back
This is velveting, the single biggest difference between homemade and takeout stir-fry.
2Heat the wok dry over medium-high until hot, add 1 tablespoon of oil, and lay the pork in a single layer. Leave it alone for 45 seconds.
🔍 Look for Medium-high 45 秒 · 45 seconds
Visual: 贴锅面变不透明、出现浅金斑点，上面仍是粉色The underside turns opaque white with light gold spots; the top is still pink
You know it's right when: 滋滋声由高变低，说明表面水分收干The sizzle drops in pitch as surface moisture cooks off
3Flip and stir-fry for 30 seconds more until just cooked through, then transfer the pork to a plate.
🔍 Look for Medium-high 30 秒 · 30 seconds
Visual: 没有生粉色，肉片仍油亮湿润No pink remains but the slices still look glossy and moist
You know it's right when: 锅铲轻压肉片有弹性不柴硬Slices feel firm but yield easily when pressed with the spatula
4Add the remaining oil, then the garlic and ginger. Stir for 15 seconds, then add all three peppers and raise the heat to high.
🔍 Look for High heat 90 秒 · 90 seconds
Visual: 彩椒表皮变亮发油光，边缘出现少量起泡焦点Pepper skins brighten and glisten; edges take on a few blistered spots
You know it's right when: 彩椒蹭锅发出吱吱声，闻到清甜的草香和糖香The peppers squeak against the wok and smell sweet, like grass and sugar
Keep peppers slightly underdone — they should still snap when you bite them.
5Return the pork with the remaining soy sauce and the oyster sauce. Toss for 25 seconds so the sauce clings.
🔍 Look for High heat 25 秒 · 25 seconds
Visual: 薄薄一层琥珀色酱汁裹住所有食材，锅底不积汁A thin amber glaze coats everything; no sauce pooling at the bottom
You know it's right when: 酱汁起泡变稠、不再飞溅Sauce bubbles thickly and slowly rather than spitting
6Turn off the heat, taste, and adjust with a splash of soy sauce if needed. Serve straight away over rice.
🔍 Look for
Visual: 三色椒块分明配焦香肉片，仍在冒热气Three clearly separated pepper colours against browned pork, steam still rising
You know it's right when: 装盘油亮而不是水汪汪Plate looks glossy, not wet

Tips

· Cut peppers into the same size as the pork so everything cooks in the same 90 seconds.
· Pork tenderloin also works and is even more tender; reduce the sear by 10 seconds.
· For a spicy version swap one green bell pepper for two long green chilies.

Sources & references

Quantities, technique notes, and substitution ratios are cross-checked against established Chinese cookery references and standard food-science sources.

Read our editorial policy
Fuchsia Dunlop, Land of Plenty: A Treasury of Authentic Sichuan Cooking
USDA FoodData Central — ingredient nutrition and portion data
Traditional Chinese family-kitchen practice and regional taste records

Common questions

Is there a vegan substitute for oyster sauce?

Yes — 'mushroom oyster sauce' (often labeled vegetarian/vegan) is sold in most Asian grocers and increasingly in mainstream supermarkets. It behaves 1:1 and adds the same glossy umami. Watch labels if you're also gluten-free; most brands are GF, some aren't.

Source: HǎoWèi substitution engine

Can I skip Shaoxing wine? What's the substitute?

Dry sherry is the closest 1:1 swap (fidelity ~80%). No sherry? Use a splash of white wine plus a little water, or just skip it and add a tiny extra pinch of sugar — the wine's job is depth and removing meat's gamey notes, and a good marinade covers most of it.

Source: HǎoWèi substitution engine

Why do you cook the aromatics (garlic/ginger) first on low heat?

Aromatics contain oils and sugars that turn bitter if scorched. Gentle heat (low-medium) lets garlic and ginger release their fragrance without browning too fast. If the pan is too hot, garlic goes bitter within seconds — that's why we always add aromatics first, before the main ingredients.

Source: Chinese Cooking Demystified technique library