SichuanMedium 25 min serves 2

Yu Xiang Shredded Pork (鱼香肉丝)

Name: Yu Xiang Shredded Pork (鱼香肉丝)
Total time: 25 min
Yield: 2 servings
Cuisine: Sichuan
Ingredients: pork loin; bamboo shoots (canned, julienned); carrot (julienned); doubanjiang (chili bean paste); chinkiang vinegar; light soy sauce; sugar; cornstarch; garlic cloves; ginger (minced); scallions; cooking oil

鱼香肉丝 · yu xiang rou si

家庭快手版 · Home version: 家庭版——无鱼却有着鱼香味道的传奇川菜，酸甜微辣是灵魂。

Yu xiang (鱼香) literally means 'fish fragrance' — but there's no fish in this dish! The flavor profile was inspired by the way Cantonese fishermen season fish with garlic, ginger, scallion, and chili. Today it's one of the most ordered dishes in Chinese restaurants worldwide. My first time making this was a disaster — I used too much sugar and it was cloying. After three attempts I finally got the balance right: sweet, sour, salty, and spicy all in harmony.

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 loin猪里脊🛒 local200 g
bamboo shoots (canned, julienned)笋丝（罐头）🏮 asian80 g
carrot (julienned)胡萝卜（切丝）🛒 local1 small
doubanjiang (chili bean paste)郫县豆瓣酱🏮 asian1 tbsp
chinkiang vinegar镇江香醋🏮 asian1.5 tbsp
light soy sauce生抽🏮 asian1 tbsp
sugar白糖🛒 local1.5 tbsp
cornstarch玉米淀粉🛒 local1 tbsp
garlic cloves大蒜🛒 local4 cloves
ginger (minced)姜（末）🛒 local1 tsp
scallions小葱🛒 local2 stalks
cooking oil食用油🛒 local2 tbsp

🌶️ 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

1Cut pork into thin strips 5 cm x 3 mm. Marinate with 1 tbsp shaoxing wine, 1/2 tbsp light soy sauce, and 1 tsp cornstarch for 10 minutes.
🔍 Look for 10 min
Visual: meat glossy with starch coating
You know it's right when: liquid absorbed
2Make the yu xiang sauce: mix chinkiang vinegar, remaining soy sauce, sugar, and 1 tsp cornstarch with 2 tbsp water in a small bowl. Set aside.
🔍 Look for
Visual: sugar fully dissolved
You know it's right when: sauce ready
3Drain bamboo shoots and cut into matchstick strips. Julienne the carrot. Mince garlic and ginger. Cut scallions into 3 cm lengths.
🔍 Look for
Visual: all vegetables cut into uniform strips
You know it's right when: prep complete
4Heat oil in a wok over high heat. Add the pork and spread flat — sear 20 seconds without stirring, then stir-fry until color changes to white.
🔍 Look for High heat
Visual: pork turning opaque white
You know it's right when: sizzling
5Push pork to one side. Add doubanjiang to the empty side and fry 10 seconds until red oil appears. Add garlic, ginger, and white parts of scallions. Stir for 15 seconds.
🔍 Look for Medium-high
Visual: oil turning deep red
You know it's right when: aromatic
6Add bamboo shoots and carrots. Stir-fry 30 seconds, then pour in the prepared sauce. Toss quickly until the sauce thickens and coats everything.
🔍 Look for High heat
Visual: sauce glossy and thick
You know it's right when: bubble rapidly
7Add green parts of scallions, toss 10 seconds, and serve immediately over steamed rice.
🔍 Look for
Visual: scallion greens wilted but vibrant
You know it's right when: ready

Tips

· The sauce balance is everything: 1.5 tbsp vinegar : 1.5 tbsp sugar : 1 tbsp soy is the golden ratio. Adjust to taste but keep the sweet-sour anchor.
· Canned bamboo shoots are convenient and work perfectly — just rinse and squeeze dry to remove the metallic taste.
· Yu xiang flavor is the 'four delights': sweet, sour, salty, spicy — all four must be perceptible but none overpowering.

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

It's too spicy. How do I tone it down?

Add a dairy element (a swirl of yogurt, milk, or a spoon of peanut butter) — dairy fat binds the capsaicin. Sugar or honey also helps balance heat. For next time: remove chili seeds (they hold most heat) or halve the dried chilies and add chili oil at the table instead.

Source: HǎoWèi flavor guide

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

I can't find Sichuan peppercorns. What do I use?

Honestly, there is no true substitute — the numbing (má) sensation is unique. Best local approximation: 1/2 tsp black pepper + a little citrus zest for warmth and brightness. If you cook Sichuan food regularly, buy them online; they keep for months in an airtight jar.

Source: HǎoWèi substitution engine

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.

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.