Korean Spicy Pork Bean Sprout Stir-fry (Kongbul)
Quick answer
Kongbul is a fiery Korean stir-fry of pork shoulder tossed in a gochujang-gochugaru-soy sauce blend and cooked over high heat, with bean sprouts added at the very end to...
What makes this special
- Pork shoulder cooked over flame meets crunchy bean sprouts added at the end for textural contrast.
- Bean sprout moisture naturally adjusts the gochujang sauce consistency
- Sprouts cooked just until barely wilted to keep their snap
Key ingredients
Core cooking flow
- 1 Cut 300 g pork shoulder into bite-size pieces, and thinly slice 120 g onion.
- 2 In a bowl, mix 2 tbsp gochujang, 1 tbsp gochugaru, 1.5 tbsp soy sauce, and 1 tbsp sugar.
- 3 Heat a pan well over high heat, then spread the pork in a single layer as much as possible.
Kongbul is a fiery Korean stir-fry of pork shoulder tossed in a gochujang-gochugaru-soy sauce blend and cooked over high heat, with bean sprouts added at the very end to preserve their crunch. The gochujang's thick spiciness combines with rendered pork fat for an intense, mouth-coating savoriness, while the bean sprouts release just enough moisture to keep the sauce from scorching. The sprouts must be stir-fried only until barely wilted to maintain their snap. Chopped scallion goes in last, and mixing the whole thing into a bowl of rice stretches this into a full, hearty meal.
Instructions
Read the steps as a cooking flow: prep, heat, seasoning, doneness control, and finish.
- 1Prep
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.
- 2Season
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.
- 3Control
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.
- 4Season
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.
- 5Control
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.
- 6Finish
Toss the bean sprouts quickly over high heat for about 1 minute, just until slightly wilted but still crisp.
Add the green onion, stir-fry 30 seconds more, and serve over rice if desired.
After the steps
Pick a recipe that fits this dish.
Continue with shared ingredients, meal pairings, or a similar method.
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