SichuanMedium 35 min serves 2

Twice Cooked Pork (蒜苗回锅肉)

Name: Twice Cooked Pork (蒜苗回锅肉)
Total time: 35 min
Yield: 2 servings
Cuisine: Sichuan
Ingredients: pork belly (pre-boiled/char siu); garlic sprouts (suan miao); doubanjiang (fermented chili bean paste); light soy sauce; dark soy sauce; shaoxing wine; garlic cloves; ginger slices; cooking oil; sugar

蒜苗回锅肉 · suan miao hui gu rou

家庭快手版 · Home version: 家庭快手版——用现成卤肉快速回锅，周末家常味。

Twice-cooked pork is a Sichuan home-cooking legend. Thinly sliced pre-boiled pork belly is pan-fried until the edges curl and caramelize, then tossed with garlic sprouts and doubanjiang. My grandmother made this every Sunday — the house would fill with that smoky, spicy aroma that made everyone rush to the table.

Recipe author: HǎoWèi Test Kitchen

Home-cooking research team

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

More pork recipes →Quick & Easy Comfort Food

Ingredients

pork belly (pre-boiled/char siu)五花肉（预先卤过或叉烧）🛒 local250 g
garlic sprouts (suan miao)蒜苗🛒 local4 stalks
doubanjiang (fermented chili bean paste)郫县豆瓣酱🏮 asian1.5 tbsp
light soy sauce生抽🏮 asian1 tbsp
dark soy sauce老抽🏮 asian1 tsp
shaoxing wine绍兴酒🏮 asian1 tbsp
garlic cloves大蒜🛒 local3 cloves
ginger slices姜片🛒 local3 slices
cooking oil食用油🛒 local1 tbsp
sugar白糖🛒 local1/2 tsp

🌶️ Adjust to your taste

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

Spice level

Saltiness

Oiliness

Make it vegetarian

Instructions

1Slice the pre-boiled pork belly into thin strips about 5 cm long and 2 mm thick. Slice the garlic sprouts on the diagonal into 3 cm pieces, separating the white and green parts.
🔍 Look for Medium-high
Visual: pork slices translucent at edges
You know it's right when: ready to fry
2Heat the wok over medium-high heat with cooking oil. Add the pork slices in a single layer and fry without stirring for 1 minute until the bottom is golden and slightly crispy.
🔍 Look for Medium-high
Visual: golden edges curling up
You know it's right when: sizzling sound
3Stir the pork, push to one side. Add doubanjiang to the empty side and fry for 10 seconds until the oil turns red. Add ginger, garlic, and the white parts of garlic sprouts.
🔍 Look for Medium heat
Visual: oil turning deep red
You know it's right when: aromatic
4Pour in shaoxing wine, light soy sauce, and dark soy sauce. Toss everything together for 30 seconds.
🔍 Look for High heat
Visual: sauce coating evenly
You know it's right when: bubbling
5Add the green parts of garlic sprouts and sugar. Stir-fry for another 30 seconds until the greens are wilted but still crisp. Serve immediately.
🔍 Look for
Visual: greens glossy and wilted
You know it's right when: ready

Tips

· Use pre-boiled pork belly (卤五花肉) from the Asian supermarket — saves 40 minutes vs. boiling from raw.
· The key is high heat and quick cooking — this dish should take no more than 5 minutes of actual wok time after prep.
· Garlic sprouts (蒜苗) are different from scallions — they have a thicker white stem and flat green leaves. If unavailable, use thick-stemmed scallions.

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

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

What's the difference between light and dark soy sauce?

Light soy (生抽) is the everyday salty seasoning — thin and salty, used in most recipes. Dark soy (老抽) is thicker, darker, slightly sweet, and used mostly for color (braises, fried rice). If you only buy one, get light soy. For dark soy's color: 1 tbsp light soy + a pinch of sugar + a few drops of molasses.

Source: HǎoWèi pantry guide

Ingredient swaps

Can't find an Asian-market staple? Use these.

Swap: light soy sauce
→ regular soy sauce
Ratio: 1:1 · Slightly saltier — dial salt back by a pinch.
Swap: dark soy sauce
→ light soy + ½ tsp sugar + drop of molasses
Ratio: 1:1 · Gets the color without the bottle.
Swap: shaoxing wine
→ dry sherry or mirin (less sweet)
Ratio: 1:1 · Both add the same warm fermented depth.

Don't make these mistakes

The traps every home cook hits — and how to avoid them.

✗ Crowding the pan — ingredients steam instead of sear.
✓ Fix: Cook in batches; give each piece room to brown.
✗ Adding sauce too early — the wok cools and flavors dull.
✓ Fix: Push food up the wok wall, add sauce to the hot center, toss fast.