Stir-fried chayote with sliced pork
Chayote — known in Hong Kong as hap jeung gwa — sliced and quickly stir-fried with marinated pork and carrot: crisp, sweet, tender and light, and very easy to make.
- 25 min
- Serves 2
- Stir-fry
- Easy
Why it suits you: Qi-stagnant types are prone to low moods, a tight chest and frequent sighing, and as autumn deepens at Hanlu, with shorter days and longer nights, spirits sink more easily. Chayote regulates qi, settles the middle and soothes the liver; lean pork moistens dryness and carrot strengthens digestion. Simple, light and quick, it's an easy dinner that leaves you feeling brighter.
Method
Prep 15 min · Cook 10 min- 1Peel the chayote, remove the seed and cut into thin slices. Slice the carrot and garlic.
- 2Slice the pork thinly and mix with the soy sauce, sugar, cornflour and sesame oil; leave for 10 minutes.
- 3Heat ½ tbsp oil and stir-fry the pork over a high heat until almost cooked, then lift out.
- 4Add the remaining oil, fry the ginger and garlic until fragrant, add the chayote and carrot and stir-fry for 2 minutes. Add the water, cover and cook for 2 minutes until the chayote softens.
- 5Return the pork, toss well, check the seasoning and serve.
Cautions
- Peeling chayote releases a sticky sap, so wear gloves if your skin is sensitive.
Chef's tips
- Choose small, smooth, pale green chayotes for the most tender flesh, and scoop out the soft seed in the middle.
The TCM view
Chayote is sweet and cool, entering the lungs, stomach and spleen, regulating qi, settling the middle and soothing the liver, clearing heat without harming the stomach. Pork is sweet, salty and neutral, nourishing yin and moistening dryness; carrot strengthens the spleen and aids digestion; ginger warms the stomach and tempers the chayote's coolness; garlic moves qi.
