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Smashed cucumber and pork Szechuan stir-fry
Serves: 4
Prep time: 10 mins Total time: 
Recipe photograph by Martin Poole
Smashed cucumber and pork Szechuan stir-fry
Recipe by Anna Glover
Our smashed cucumber and pork Szechuan stir-fry recipe is a satisfying main packed with spices
Serves: 4
Prep time: 10 mins Total time:
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Nutritional information (per serving)
Calories
150Kcal
Fat
10gr
Saturates
31gr
Carbs
2gr
Sugars
2gr
Fibre
1gr
Protein
14gr
Salt
0.5gr
Anna Glover
Anna is our former Creative Food Editor, and a cookery writer and food stylist. She loves a challenge and is known for whipping up interesting flavour combinations. She’s still in search of the best pizza in the world
See more of Anna Glover’s recipes
Anna Glover
Anna is our former Creative Food Editor, and a cookery writer and food stylist. She loves a challenge and is known for whipping up interesting flavour combinations. She’s still in search of the best pizza in the world
See more of Anna Glover’s recipes
Ingredients
- 2 tsp groundnut oil
- 250g pork mince
- 1 large cucumber
- 1 garlic clove, crushed
- ½ tsp crushed dried chilli flakes
- ¼ tsp Szechuan peppercorns, crushed, or a few grinds of the Jamie Oliver Szechuan Chilli & Ginger Salt Grinder
- 2 tsp soy sauce
- 2 tsp sesame seeds
- 1 tbsp rice vinegar
- 2 spring onions, trimmed and finely sliced diagonally
Serving suggestion
- 2 x 250g pack of steamed jasmine rice, to serve
Step by step
-
Heat the oil in a wok on a high heat. Add the pork, breaking it up with a wooden spoon, and stir-fry for a few minutes until starting to brown. Turn the heat down to medium and cook the pork for another 10 minutes, stirring every 2-3 minutes to pick up any bits sticking to the wok. You want the mince to turn crispy and golden.
-
Meanwhile, halve the cucumber lengthways, scrape out the seeds with a teaspoon and discard. Cut the halves into long strips, about 2cm wide, then cut into bite-sized pieces. Bash each piece with the flat of the knife blade, pressing down with your palm to smash and crack the cucumber.
-
Turn the heat back up under the wok and add the garlic, chilli flakes and Szechuan pepper to the pork mince. Stir-fry for another minute. Add the cucumber, toss with the mince and cook for 5 minutes. Add the soy sauce, sesame seeds, rice vinegar and half of the spring onion and toss again for a few more minutes. Serve with the remaining spring onions scattered on top, accompanied by steamed jasmine rice.
TipMake this a vegetarian dish by omitting the pork, or replace with diced firm tofu for a vegan main course.
Chef quote
Smashed cucumber is a classic Chinese side dish, here transformed into a satisfying main. Roughing up the cucumbers means they absorb all the lovely flavours from the garlic and chilli.