Ginger Pork

This was my very first Japanese dinner I made after I read “Harumi’s Japanese Home Cooking.” I have made some changes since then but the basic recipe is the same. I remember the first time I made this, it took me 2 to 3 hours to finish. I was so slow, my poor parents were starved waiting for me!  Now, it takes me only 15 to 30 minutes prepare the same recipe.

Ginger is one of my favourite ingredients to use; I love the smell of ginger as I break it. Ginger goes wonderfully with pork and any meat really.

The pork needs to be thinly sliced or flattened with a hammer. Either way works fine.

I cook this with bean sprouts, which can be prepared in two ways, either trim the ends off or leave them. Either way they taste good. I usually leave them. (Mostly because it takes way too long to trim)

Serves 4

3 ½ cups bean sprouts

3 tbsp soy sauce

2 tbsp mirin

1 tbsp freshly grated ginger

Finely sliced pork (shoulder or loin)

Vegetable oil

1 clove thinly sliced garlic

salt and pepper

1.     Wash the bean sprouts well then pat dry and let them sit wrapped in paper towel.

2.     Mix together the soy sauce, mirin and grated ginger, and set beside the stove

3.     Heat a little oil in a frying pan over medium heat, dip the pork into the marinade briefly and add to the pan.

4.     Making sure it cooks evenly and doesn’t stick together or curl up. Turn over after couple of minutes and cook until both sides are browned. Don’t leave the pork for long, as it cooks quickly but make sure it’s cooked through

5.     In a separate frying pan, heat a tablespoon of oil over high heat. Add the sliced garlic. When the aroma is released, add the bean sprouts and stir-fry. Season with salt and pepper.

6.     Put the bean sprouts into a serving dish and then lay the slices of pork on top. Pour any remaining juice from the frying pan over the pork

Chilled Asian Noodle with Sesame Pork

A super fast mid-week meal.

This is one of my favourite noodle recipes, I love that I can easily make it and still have enough for leftovers next day. This is a very healthy recipe that is why I can eat it over and over without feeling guilty.

This dish is good to eat during the hot summer because the noodle is served cold after being cooked but the pork will be hot! Yum!

The kinds of noodle I usually use are pre-cooked miki noodles, this is a thick egg noodle. You can get that at an Asian grocery, I got mine from Loblaws in Canada but many Publix in the US carries it too.

Soba noodles are also good; this is a buckwheat noodle, very healthy. This recipe is great with chicken and fish as well.

You can make sesame dressing and it is good for up to one week stored in the fridge.

Pork loin centre thin chop, boneless fast fry (this may be called different things depending on where you live but pick a thin boneless cut and it will be fine.)

2 tsp soy sauce

1 tbsp dry sherry

2 tsp sesame oil

pinch of salt

2/3 cup cucumber

1 cup spring onion

vegetable oil

a little potato or corn starch – for dusting

one package of pre-cooked miki noodles (you can also use ready-to-cook chinese egg noodle)

Sesame dressing

¼ cup soy sauce

1 tbsp superfine sugar (you can do this without sugar, if you do just add 1 extra tbsp of rice vinegar)

1 tbsp seasoned rice vinegar

1 tbsp sesame paste (sometimes it is called tahini)

2 tbsp chicken stock

1.     Put each pork chop in a zipper bag then pound it with the flat side of a meat tenderizer. Do it lightly because you can easily rip the pork apart.

2.     Marinate in the soy, dry sherry, sesame oil and little salt; set aside.

3.     Slice the cucumber diagonally and then cut each piece into thin strips, discarding the watery center. Slice the spring onions into thin julienne and then soak in water to take away any sharpness.

4.     Dressing: Mix together the soy, sugar, rice vinegar, sesame paste and chicken stock.

5.     Cook the noodles, following the instructions on the package. Running the noodle in icy water to cool and then drain

6.     Heat the oil in a pan. Dust the pork with potato starch and cook both sides carefully since the pork is thin and will cook quickly.

7.     Place the noodles into the bowls. Put the pork on top, garnish with cucumber and spring onions then pour over the sauce.