1 pound pork tenderloin chops, boneless

1 tablespoon oyster sauce

½ teaspoon sugar

1½ teaspoons cornstarch

2 tablespoons black bean sauce

2 tablespoons dark soy sauce

2 teaspoons Chinese rice wine or dry sherry

2 teaspoons sugar

¼ teaspoon salt

¼ cup water

¼ teaspoon sesame oil

2 tablespoons oil for stir-frying

¼ teaspoon chili paste

• Cut the pork into thin strips. Add the oyster sauce, sugar, and cornstarch, adding the cornstarch last. Marinate the pork for 30 minutes.

• Combine the black bean sauce, dark soy sauce, rice wine, sugar, salt, water, and sesame oil, and set aside.

• Add oil to a preheated wok or skillet. When oil is hot, add the chili paste and stir-fry briefly until aromatic. Add the pork. Stir-fry until it changes color and is nearly cooked through.

• Push the pork up to the side of the wok and add the sauce in the middle. Bring to a boil. Mix the sauce with the pork. Cover and simmer for a few minutes until the pork is cooked through.

Szechwan and Cantonese Cooking

Fiery Szechwan cuisine is famous for its “mouthburners” — dishes such as Kung Pao Chicken and Mapo Tofu made with hot chilies and Toasted Szechwan Peppercorns. Reputed to represent the best of Chinese cooking, Cantonese cuisine features fresh ingredients that are subtly seasoned and not overcooked. Cantonese cooks pride themselves on allowing the natural flavors of the ingredients to come through in dishes such as Sweet-and-Sour Pork and Lobster Cantonese.