This spicy stir-fried pork mince with fish sauce is one of those mid-week dinners that earns its place through sheer speed and reliability. Pork mince, a handful of vegetables from the cool drawer, fresh chilli, garlic, ginger and a splash of fish sauce — on the table in under 20 minutes, and considerably more satisfying than it has any right to be for the effort involved.

Why This Pork Mince Stir Fry Works

Fish sauce is one of those ingredients that sounds alarming and tastes essential. Made from fermented fish, it's a cornerstone of Southeast Asian cooking — and a splash of it does something to a stir-fry that soy sauce alone simply doesn't. The smell from the bottle is not the point. Once it hits a hot pan with pork and garlic, it mellows into a deep, savoury backbone that makes everything taste properly seasoned. A little goes a long way.

Ingredients (Serves 1)

• 150g pork mince
• 1 tbsp vegetable oil
• 1 small onion, finely sliced
• 1 medium carrot, cut into thin matchsticks
• A handful of green beans, trimmed and halved
• A handful of frozen peas
• 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
• 1 fresh red chilli, finely chopped (seeds in or out to taste)
• A thumb of fresh ginger, grated
• 1–2 tbsp fish sauce
• A pinch of sugar
• Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1 nest of egg noodles, cooked per packet instructions

Method

Cook the noodles
Cook the egg noodles according to the packet, drain and set aside.

Brown the mince
Heat the oil in a wok or large frying pan over high heat. Add the pork mince and cook, breaking it up as you go, until browned all over. Keep the heat high — you want colour, not steam.

Add the vegetables
Add the onion, carrot and green beans. Stir-fry for 2–3 minutes, keeping everything moving.

Add the aromatics
Push the mince and vegetables to the side. Add the garlic, chilli and ginger to the centre of the pan and stir continuously for one minute until fragrant, then mix everything together.

Season
Add the frozen peas, splash in the fish sauce, add a pinch of sugar and a good grind of black pepper. Toss everything together and cook for a further minute. Taste — it may not need salt given the fish sauce, but adjust if needed.

Serve
Pile the stir-fry over the noodles and eat immediately.

Cook's Notes

The cool drawer is the point here — carrot, green beans, onion and frozen peas are simply what I had. Courgette, pepper, spring onion, or pak choi all work. Keep the heat high throughout and don't overcrowd the pan or everything will steam rather than fry. If you enjoy this, my Chicken and Broccoli Stir-Fry follows the same logic.

Fish sauce works the same background magic in the Fish Sauce Chicken Wings with Chilli & Pineapple and Fish Sauce Chicken Drumsticks with Chilli & Pineapple — same principle, different cut, same question from whoever's eating it.

This pork mince stir fry is also part of my growing Pork Recipes: A Collection from The Flexible Chef — chops, belly, mince, slow-cooked shoulder and everything in between, cooked at Casa Adora and on the road in Spain.

Find more recipes and food adventures here.

Wonky photos, proper food, genuine adventures – The Flexible Chef