Shredded Pork with Garlic Sauce (鱼香肉丝, Yu Xiang Rou Si)

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• 1/4 cup dried wood ear mushrooms (yields about 1 cup after soaking)
  Ingredient note

  Source: 1/4 cup dried wood ear mushrooms (yields about 1 cup after soaking)
• 8 oz pork loin
  Ingredient note

  Source: 8 oz pork loin
• 1 tablespoon + 1 tablespoon Shaoxing wine
  Ingredient note

  Source: 1 tablespoon Shaoxing wine; Source: 1 tablespoon Shaoxing wine
• 1 teaspoon peanut oil
  Ingredient note

  Source: 1 teaspoon peanut oil
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
  Ingredient note

  Source: 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/8 teaspoon white pepper
  Ingredient note

  Source: 1/8 teaspoon white pepper
• 1 teaspoon + 1 tablespoon cornstarch
  Ingredient note

  Source: 1 teaspoon cornstarch; Source: 1 tablespoon cornstarch
• 3 tablespoons rice vinegar
  Ingredient note

  Source: 3 tablespoons rice vinegar
• 2 tablespoons soy sauce
  Ingredient note

  Source: 2 tablespoons soy sauce
• 2 tablespoons water
  Ingredient note

  Source: 2 tablespoons water
• 3 tablespoons sugar
  Ingredient note

  Source: 3 tablespoons sugar
• 2 tablespoons peanut oil (or vegetable)
  Ingredient note

  Source: 2 tablespoons peanut oil (or vegetable)
• 1 tablespoon doubanjiang
  Ingredient note

  Source: 1 tablespoon doubanjiang
• 3 cloves garlic (, minced)
  Ingredient note

  Source: 3 cloves garlic (, minced)
• 2 teaspoon ginger (, minced)
  Ingredient note

  Source: 2 teaspoon ginger (, minced)
• 1 each medium carrot (, julienned yields 1/2 cup once cut)
  Ingredient note

  Source: 1 medium carrot (, julienned yields 1/2 cup once cut)
• 1 each Anaheim pepper (, or long red pepper or both, julienned yield 1/2 cup once cut)
  Ingredient note

  Source: 1 Anaheim pepper (, or long red pepper or both, julienned yield 1/2 cup once cut)
• 1/2 cup bamboo shoots (, sliced)
  Ingredient note

  Source: 1/2 cup bamboo shoots (, sliced)

1. Add wood ear mushrooms to a medium-sized bowl and hot water to cover. Soak until the mushrooms turn tender throughout, 20 to 30 minutes. Once done, rinse the mushrooms and gently rub them with your fingers to remove any dust. Drain, cut into thin slices, and set aside.
2. Slice the pork loin into round, 1/8” (4 mm) thick pieces. Stack the slices and further cut into 1/8” (4 mm) thick strips. Add the Shaoxing wine, peanut oil, salt, and white pepper. Mix with your fingers until the wine is fully absorbed. Then add the cornstarch and mix again until evenly coated. Marinate for 15 minutes while preparing the rest of the ingredients.
3. Combine all the sauce ingredients in a medium-sized bowl. Stir to mix well and set aside.
4. Heat 1 tablespoon of oil in a large skillet over high heat until hot. Add the marinated pork while separating the pieces, so they do not overlap too much in the pan. Cook without touching until the bottom turns golden. Flip and cook the other side until just cooked. Transfer the pork to a large plate.
5. Turn the heat to medium-high and add the remaining 1 tablespoon oil and the garlic, ginger, and doubanjiang. Stir and cook for a minute or so, until the aromatics are evenly coated with the doubanjiang.
6. Add the carrots, soaked wood ear mushrooms, and bamboo shoots. Cook and stir until the carrots begin to wilt, about 1 minute.
7. Add the peppers and cooked pork. Stir the sauce to dissolve the cornstarch again and pour it into the pan. Immediately stir everything together until the sauce thickens, 30 seconds or so. Transfer everything to a plate.
8. Serve hot over steamed rice as a main dish.