Chinese Slow-Cooked Pork

 

                    Star anise, soy and ginger add wonderful lavours to this deliciously tender pork joint casserole, simmered with shallots, carrots and mushrooms. Vegetables and rice noodles cooked in exotic, rich juices make this into a complete meal.

4 servings (438 calories per serving)

• 500 gr lean,boneless loin of pork with skin, tied firmly
• 1¾ cups diluted salt-reduced or homemade chicken stock, click here for recipe
• 2 tablespoons salt-reduced soy sauce
• 2 tablespoons Chinese rice wine or dry sherry
• 2 tablespoons honey
• 2 garlic cloves, crushed
• 15 gr resh ginger, peeled and finely chopped
• 3 star anise
• 4 shallots, halved
• 2 large carrots, peeled and sliced on the diagonal
• 6 scallions
• 30 gr dried Chinese mushrooms, soaked to rehydrate
• 125 gr oyster mushrooms, sliced or halved
• 250 gr dried flat rice noodles

1. Place the pork in a large flameproof casserole and pour over enough boiling water to cover.
2. Bring back to a boil on the stove, then pour off the water.
3. Add the stock, soy sauce, rice wine or sherry, honey, garlic, ginger, star anise, shallots and carrots to the casserole dish and bring to a bowl.
4. Thickly slice four of the scallions, roughly chopped the drained Chinese mushrooms and add both to the casserole ; reserve teh strained mushroom soaking liquid.
5. Cover and simmer gently on a very low heat for 1 hour, stirring the vegetables and basting the meat occasionally until everything is tender.
6. Add the oyster mushrooms for the last 20 minutes of the cooking time ; if necessary, top up using the reserved mushroom soaking liquid or more stock or water.
7. Meanwhile, cut the remaining scallions into 6 cm lengths, then cut lengthwise into fine shreds ; place in a bowl of iced water and leave to curl.
8. Soak the rice noodles in a bowl of boiling water for 4 minutes or until softened, then drain well.
9. Carefully lift the meat out of the casserole with a slotted spoon and keep hot.
10. Bring the juices to a boil on the stove, then add the rice noodles and remove the dish from the heat ; turn and stir the noodles to coat with the juices.
11. Slice the pork thinly.
12. Spread the noodles on a large shallow serving plate, using a slotted spoon to lift them from the casserole ; arrange the sliced meat and vegetables on top, then spoon over the casserole juices.
13. Scatter the scallion curls over the top as a garnish.

BON APPÉÉÉÉTIT