Korean Spicy Marinated Pork with Chilies and Kimchi

Ingredients

• 1/3 cup gochujang
• 1/4 cup chopped peeled Asian pear
• 1 1/2 tablespoons minced garlic
• 1 tablespoon minced peeled ginger
• 1 tablespoon soy sauce
• 1 tablespoon toastes sesame oil
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 1 tablespoon Asian rice wine
• 2 teaspoons gochugaru
• 2 pounds pork shoulder, cut into thin strips
• 6 tablespoons vegetable or canola oil, divided
• 1 medium yellow onion, thinly sliced
• 2 scallions, white and light green parts only, thinly sliced
• 1 fresh Korean green chili pepper, stemmed and cut crosswise into 1/4-inch pieces
• 1 packed cup drained kimchi
• Kosher salt
• Sesame seeds, for garnish
• Lettuce leaves and cooked medium-grain rice, for serving

Directions

1. Combine the gochujang, Asian pear, garlic, ginger, soy sauce, sesame oil, sugar, rice wine, and gochugaru in a food processor, and blend until the mixture is smooth. Put the pork in a large bowl, add the marinade, and toss until coated. Cover with plastic and refrigerate for at least 2 and up to 8 hours.
2. When you’re ready to cook, set a wok over high heat and warm 1 tablespoon oil until it begins to smoke. Add the onion, scallion, and green chili pepper, then stir and toss now and then until they soften and the edges begin to color, about 3 minutes. Move them to a platter.
3. Add 1 more tablespoon oil to the wok and heat it until smoking. Stir in the kimchi and cook, tossing occasionally, until it is hot and the extra liquid has cooked off, about 2 minutes. Transfer the kimchi to the platter with the onions.
4. Cook the pork in 4 batches, heating the remaining oil in the wok until smoking before each batch. Add the pork and stir-fry until it is just cooked through and browned in places, then move it to the platter. Add everything back to the wok and toss and stir until hot throughout. Season with salt, transfer to a serving platter, and finish with sesame seeds. Serve right away with lettuce leaves and rice.