Korean Spicy Pork Bean Sprout Stir-fry (Kongbul)

Quick answer

Total time: 27 min
Level: Easy
Servings: 2 servings
Ingredients: 8

About this dish

Kongbul reduces a gochujang sauce around pork shoulder before adding bean sprouts for only about 1 minute over high heat.

Three hundred grams pork is cut into bite-size pieces, 120 g onion is sliced thinly, and 1 green onion is chopped and held for the final toss. The sauce combines 2 tablespoons gochujang, 1 tablespoon gochugaru, 1.5 tablespoons soy sauce, and 1 tablespoon sugar. It is mixed in advance until no sugar grains remain. The pork is spread as broadly as possible in a pan heated thoroughly over high and stir-fried for about 2 minutes. Once its outer color changes and fat begins to appear in the pan, the onion and sauce are added and the heat is reduced to medium. Scraping and turning for about 2 minutes coats the meat before the thick paste can stick firmly to the bottom. If the pork releases a large amount of liquid, the heat is raised again for a short reduction. Two hundred fifty grams bean sprouts go in only after the sauce looks thicker and glossy on the pork. They are tossed over high for about 1 minute, just until they begin to lose volume. The thickest pork piece is checked for doneness, and the green onion follows for 30 seconds. Delaying the sprouts gives the meat and sauce time to reduce first while limiting how long the sprouts remain over heat.

Ingredients

servings

IngredientAmountUnit

pork shoulder300 gg

bean sprouts250 gg

onion120 gg

green onion1 eaea

gochujang2 tbsptbsp

gochugaru1 tbsptbsp

soy sauce1½ tbsptbsp

sugar1 tbsptbsp

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Instructions

Read the steps as a cooking flow: prep, heat, seasoning, doneness control, and finish.

6 steps

1

Prep

Cut 300 g pork shoulder into bite-size pieces, and thinly slice 120 g onion.

Chop the green onion separately so it is ready for the final quick toss instead of sitting in the pan too long.
2

Season

In a bowl, mix 2 tbsp gochujang, 1 tbsp gochugaru, 1.5 tbsp soy sauce, and 1 tbsp sugar.

Stir until the sugar is no longer gritty, so the sauce spreads evenly over the pork.
3

Control

Heat a pan well over high heat, then spread the pork in a single layer as much as possible.

Stir-fry about 2 minutes, until the outside changes color and the pork fat begins to render.
4

Season

Add the onion and sauce, then lower the heat to medium and coat the pork evenly.

Cook about 2 minutes, scraping and tossing before the thick sauce sticks hard to the pan.
5

Control

If a lot of liquid comes out, raise the heat again and reduce it briefly.

When the sauce looks thicker and glossy on the pork, add the 250 g bean sprouts.
6

Finish

Toss the bean sprouts over high heat for about 1 minute, just until they begin to soften.

Check that the thickest pork piece is cooked through, add the green onion, stir-fry for 30 seconds more, and serve over rice.

Practical Cooking Checks

The cues that matter most while cooking.

Key technique: Pork shoulder cooked over flame meets crunchy bean sprouts added at the end for textural contrast.
Finish cue: Check that the thickest pork piece is cooked through, add the green onion, stir-fry for 30 seconds more, and serve over rice.
Avoid this: Chop the green onion separately so it is ready for the final quick toss instead of sitting in the pan too long.