20 April 2011

Pork & Pepper stir-fry : yes, the one that wasn't, until it was!

I've talked about the menu list that I post up on our fridge every Tuesday, which tells the family what will be for dinner on each night that week.  I've also, very recently, talked about what I call various dishes, in order that the name doesn't set up a resistance with either son (or his Dad, sometimes!).

Well, this is the stir-fry that wasn't a stir-fry, until suddenly I was rumbled and it was.

I hadn't done a stir-fry for ages - and I really like them.  I have to admit that I much prefer stir-fries that contain more veggies than this, but I was attempting to strike a compromise with the veggie-haters amongst us.

I used the pork steaks from our butcher and trimmed off the excess fat.  I didn't give the fat to the dogs this time, but saved it until the next time I was using the oven, whereupon I roasted the bits to extract the fat for roast potatoes.  The roasted and crunchy pieces then went in the dog's dinner.  Better that they rest on their waistlines, than on mine, but I will admit to shedding a wee tear, at the time.

It was, interestingly, the first time I had dabbled with Jasmine rice.  It's really quite nice, isn't it?  Not a huge difference between that and ordinary white rice, but its fragrance is inviting and the grains are a nice size.


Something else that I hadn't done before, was to toast sesame seeds.  It's weird but sometimes I think that I've watched so much cooking t.v., that I think I've done something that it turns out I haven't - and toasting sesame seeds is one such.  It took longer than I was anticipating, but the fragrance they give off as they toast is mouthwatering.


The dish has a lovely (well, hubby and I both thought it was lovely) sweet and sour flavour that is down to the lime juice and honey.  The chilli gives it that nice back of the throat warmth, without blowing your head off.


It'll probably be some time, but I'm definitely doing this one again!


PORK & PEPPER STIR-FRY (serves 3)


Ingredients :


150g Thai Jasmine rice
1.5 tbsp sesame seeds
1.5 tsp sunflower oil
6 pork steaks or 400g pork fillet, sliced into finger width strips
1 red and 1 yellow pepper, sliced into fine strips
1 leek, cut into rounds
3 tsp cornflour
3 tsp soy sauce
juice of 1.5 limes
1.5 tbsp clear honey
1 red chilli, seeds removed and sliced.


Method :


1.  Place the rice in a saucepan with 450ml boiling water.  Bring back to the boil, stir once, cover with a lid and reduce the heat to low (or "just on").


2.  Cook for 15 mins, stirring from time to time, by which time the rice should have absorbed the liquid and be perfectly cooked.


3.  Dry-fry the sesame seeds until toasted golden, then set aside to cool.


4.  Heat the oil in a non-stick frying pan or wok.  Add the pork (in instalments if needs be) and stir-fry for 5-6 mins over a high heat until the pork is lightly browned and cooked through.  Reserve to keep warm.


5.  Cook the peppers until they reach your favourite consistency - we prefer around 10 minutes or so.


6.  Mix the cornflour and soy sauce together in a bowl, then add the lime juice, honey, chilli and sesame seeds, plus 8 tbsp of cold water.


7.  Pour into the wok and immediately stir well, cooking until the sauce has thickened.


8.  Add the pork and stir or toss to ensure everything is coated in sauce.


Serve.


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5 comments:

  1. Sounds gorgeous - tho I did have to chuckle about the renaming! I have a 42 year old "child" who is also rather ambivalent to veg, I'm hoping he will grow out of it at some point...

    Sx

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  2. Sounds really nice this Jenny.....And.....l was thinking....I do sometimes.
    But, l have never done a stir fry from scratch, ingredients, and all.
    May do one on a Sat. night. Depends what's dead in the fridge. I seem to use bits of meat, left-overs.etc. Into the very hot wok, peppers, tomatoes, soy sauce and away it goes. And, on my Range Cooker l have a 6th hob, deep, with double burners, especially for a wok. When it's on full bore.....It'll heat the house....! :).
    And, a nice hot, spicy tea to go with the stir fry.....Like curry, forget the wine...!
    Just thinking, used to have cat, Darlinga, named after a race-horse, who used to sit along side me, and help herself. She loved stir fry...! :0).

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  3. Seren, we've come to the conclusion that there's something inbuilt into the majority of men that makes them leery of a) anything green and b) anything remotely vegetable. Some fruit is acceptable, depending upon it's presentation. If it wasn't so bad for them, health-wise, I'd be tempted to leave them to it and get on with eating all the lovely vegetables myself! lol

    Willie, I'm really surprised at your saying you haven't done a stir fry from scratch! You don't need to use chinese-style veggies - anything will do, the success of the stir-fry just depends on your getting everything ready before you start cooking, and making sure that nothing gets overcooked by introducing each different item as different times depending on how long it requires to cook.

    What a great name for a racehorse - and a cat! :)

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  4. MMhm, that looks good. I always surprise myself by just how easy - and just how much I love - stirfry is, until I do it. They never catch my imagination, I guess.
    Lovely idea with the sesame seeds.I do like a bit of crunch, but usually end up with cashew nuts.

    ReplyDelete
  5. Rosie, I really think I'd be lost without a deep frying pan or a wok. I use it for so many things - and not least because it's the one pan I can see into when I'm sitting down! lol

    ReplyDelete

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