This is a quick pork mince stir-fry with baby corn, carrot, and egg, seasoned with oyster sauce, soy sauce, fish sauce, and a little brown sugar. The whole thing comes together in one pan in about 20 minutes of active cooking. If you want a weeknight dinner that uses a short ingredient list and produces almost no washing up, this is a solid choice.
What makes this version work
Two things matter here. First, the pork goes into the pan before the vegetables — this gives the mince time to brown and release its fat, which then carries the garlic and sauce flavors into everything else. If you add the corn too early, the pork steams instead of browning and you lose that savory depth. Second, the oyster sauce is split across two additions: one tablespoon goes in with the pork to season it directly, and a second tablespoon goes in near the end with the soy sauce, fish sauce, and sugar. That second hit of sauce coats the vegetables and eggs rather than just disappearing into the meat. It’s a small structural detail in the recipe, but skipping it and dumping all the sauce in at once gives you a blander result.
If something goes sideways
- The pork is grey and wet, not browned: The pan wasn’t hot enough before the meat went in, or the pan was overcrowded. Pat the mince into a loose layer and leave it alone for 60–90 seconds before stirring — ground pork needs a moment of contact heat to color properly.
- The eggs turned rubbery: You left them too long before mixing. Crack them into the cleared space, wait just until the whites start to set at the edges (about 20–30 seconds), then fold them in immediately. Residual heat finishes them.
- The dish tastes too salty: Fish sauce and soy sauce are both high in sodium. If your oyster sauce is also a saltier brand, the combination can tip over. Add a small pinch of extra sugar to balance, or serve over plain steamed rice to dilute the intensity.
- The baby corn is still hard after stir-frying: Canned or jarred baby corn is already cooked and only needs 2–3 minutes in the pan. Fresh baby corn takes longer — up to 5 minutes on high heat. If yours is still firm, add a splash of water and cover the pan for 1 minute to steam it through.
- The sauce burns on the bottom before the corn softens: Your heat is too high for the amount of liquid in the pan. Add the teaspoon of water called for in the recipe and keep the ingredients moving. If it’s still catching, drop the heat to medium and stir constantly.
Ingredient notes
- Fish sauce: It smells strong from the bottle but mellows completely once cooked. Don’t skip it — it adds a background savory note that soy sauce alone doesn’t replicate. If you genuinely can’t find it, an extra half tablespoon of soy sauce is the closest substitute, though the flavor will be flatter.
- Baby corn: Canned or jarred works fine and is what most supermarkets carry. Drain and rinse before cutting. Skip the garnish of fresh coriander or spring onion if you don’t have them on hand — not worth the extra dish.
- Brown sugar: This balances the salt in the sauces. White sugar works in a pinch, but brown sugar adds a very slight molasses note that rounds things out better.
- Ground pork fat content: Standard supermarket ground pork (around 20% fat) works well here. Very lean mince can dry out quickly over high heat, so if that’s what you have, add your oil a little more generously.
Leftovers and meal prep
Store leftovers in a sealed container in the fridge for up to 3 days. Reheat in a pan over medium heat with a small splash of water to loosen the sauce — the microwave works too, but the corn softens further and the eggs can turn a little rubbery, so the stovetop gives better results. This dish doesn’t freeze well: the baby corn becomes waterlogged and the egg texture suffers. If you want to prep ahead, you can slice the carrots, cut the baby corn, and measure out the sauces the night before, which cuts the active cooking time down to about 15 minutes on the day.
Stir-Fried Baby Corn With Pork Mince (20-Min Dinner)
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1-2 tablespoons neutral cooking oil - vegetable, canola, or peanut
5.3 oz ground pork (minced pork) - minced pork, about 150g- 10.5 oz baby corn - about 300g, cut in half lengthways then into bite-sized pieces
7 oz carrots - about 200g, sliced thinly on a diagonal
3 cloves garlic - smashed and roughly chopped
2 medium eggs
2 tablespoons oyster sauce - divided
1 ½ tablespoons soy sauce
1 tablespoon fish sauce
1 ½ tablespoons brown sugar - 18g
2 teaspoons water
Instructions
- Rinse the baby corn under cold running water and drain. Cut each piece in half lengthways, then cut crossways into bite-sized pieces (halves for short pieces, thirds for longer ones).10.5 oz baby corn
- Peel the garlic cloves, smash them with the flat side of your knife, and roughly chop.3 cloves garlic
- Add 1-2 tablespoons of cooking oil to a wok or large skillet and heat over medium heat until the oil shimmers.1-2 tablespoons neutral cooking oil
- Add the chopped garlic and stir-fry for about 30 seconds until fragrant and just starting to turn golden.3 cloves garlic
- Add the pork mince, breaking it up with your spatula. Stir-fry for 2-3 minutes until browned with no pink remaining. Add 1 tablespoon of oyster sauce and stir to coat the pork.5.3 oz ground pork (minced pork), 2 tablespoons oyster sauce
- Increase the heat to high. Add the baby corn and sliced carrots to the pan. Add 1 teaspoon of water and stir-fry for 2-3 minutes until the vegetables are tender-crisp.10.5 oz baby corn, 7 oz carrots, 2 teaspoons water
- Push the vegetables and pork to one side of the pan. Crack the 2 eggs into the cleared space and let them sit undisturbed for about 20 seconds until the edges begin to set. Scramble the eggs lightly, then toss everything together.2 medium eggs
- Stir-fry everything together for 30 seconds to combine evenly.
- Add the remaining 1 tablespoon of oyster sauce and 1 teaspoon of water. Toss to coat — this second addition of oyster sauce glazes the vegetables and eggs.2 tablespoons oyster sauce, 2 teaspoons water
- Add the brown sugar, soy sauce, and fish sauce. Stir-fry for 1-2 minutes until the sauce is well distributed and the baby corn is tender but still has a slight bite. Serve immediately over steamed rice.1 1/2 tablespoons brown sugar, 1 1/2 tablespoons soy sauce, 1 tablespoon fish sauce
Notes
Nutrition
Frequently asked questions
How do I know when the ground pork is fully cooked?
Ground pork is safe to eat when it reaches an internal temperature of 160°F (71°C) — never serve it pink. In a stir-fry context, the practical check is color and texture: the meat should be completely grey-brown with no pink remaining, and the juices in the pan should run clear rather than cloudy-pink.
Can I use a different protein instead of pork mince?
Yes. Ground chicken or turkey both work with the same sauce, but cook ground poultry to 165°F (74°C) and expect a slightly drier texture since poultry mince has less fat. Ground beef is a workable swap too, though it changes the flavor profile toward something heavier.
I’ve never used oyster sauce before — what should I look for at the store?
Oyster sauce is a thick, dark brown sauce sold in the Asian foods aisle of most supermarkets. Lee Kum Kee is the most widely available brand and is reliable. Once opened, store it in the fridge — it keeps for several months.
Do I need a wok, or will a regular frying pan work?
A large regular frying pan works fine. The key is that it’s wide enough to spread the ingredients in a single layer — a pan that’s too small traps steam and the vegetables stew rather than fry. A 12-inch skillet is ideal.
Can I leave out the eggs?
Yes, the dish still works without them. The eggs add body and a mild creaminess that makes the sauce cling better, but the core flavors are all in the pork and sauce. If you skip the eggs, the total cooking time drops by a minute or two.
What do I serve this with to make it a full meal?
Plain steamed white rice is the straightforward answer — it absorbs the sauce well and balances the saltiness of the dish. For 5 servings, start about 2 cups of dry rice before you begin prepping the stir-fry and both will be ready at roughly the same time.
What to cook next
- Savory Pork Noodle Stir-Fry
- Japanese Pork Lettuce Cups
- Horopito Pork Stir Fry
- Authentic Szechuan Dan Dan
