Pork with Plum Sauce & Choy Sum

A few weeks ago, my assignment for the course was to put together a recipe, create a sequence/plan, complete the dish within 40 minutes and serve.  The chef then tasted the dish and gave advice on how to improve it if we were to serve it as a dish in a cafe or restaurant.  This constructive advice is needed, if planning to work as a chef or in the food industry in other capacities.  One of those skills is menu planning to ensure that your dishes are within the budget.  For the Pork with Plum Sauce & Choy Sum the advice that was given to me was to add more vegetables such as mushrooms and bamboo shoots to give it more bulk.   I am sharing this recipe to include you as part of our class and the culinary skills that we are mastering.  I hope that you enjoy preparing this dish and more importantly devouring it.  I did manage to prepare this dish in 40 minutes however, you take your time in prepping and cooking.

Ingredients
2 bunches of Choy Sum (cut into 6 cm lengths)
1 red capsicum (cut into strips)
140 ml peanut oil
1 tsp sesame oil
1 large onion (cut into thin wedges)
1-2 chillies (finely chopped + 1/2 chilli cut into strips for garnish)
3 cloves garlic (finely chopped)
1 tblspn finely chopped ginger
800g pork fillet (thinly sliced)
3 tblspns corn flour, seasoned with salt and pepper
80 ml plum sauce
3 tblspns soy sauce
1 tsp sesame oil
3 tblspns Chinese Rice Wine
extra salt for blanching
2.5 cups of rice (steamed)
Water for blanching & steaming rice
bowl of chilled/cold water to plunge Choy Sum
garnish with sesame seeds & chilli strips

Preparation Time:     20 minutes  (Approximately)
Cooking Time:     20 minutes (Approximately)
Serves:      4-6 people (Approximately)

Rinse the rice several times under cold water and drain.  Place in a pot, add water, covering 1 inch above the rice.  Place on the stove over medium heat and bring to the boil.  Reduce the heat and allow the water to evaporate while the rice is cooking. This will take approximately 15-20 minutes.  When finished cooking turn the heat off,  leave the lid on and place aside.

Bring a large saucepan of lightly salted water to the boil, add the Choy Sum and cook for 2-3 minutes, ensuring the stems are crisp but still tender.  Plunge into iced water to chill completely, then drain.

Heat a wok over high heat, add 2 tablespoons of oil and swirl to coat.  Add the onion, capsicum, garlic, ginger, chilli and cook over medium heat for 3 minutes, or until softened. Remove from wok and place aside.

Toss the pork in seasoned corn flour to coat, shaking off any excess.  Reheat the wok over high heat, add the remaining oil and swirl to coat.  Add the pork in batches and cook for 3 minutes, or until golden on both sides.  Remove from heat and place aside.

Drain the oil from the wok and return the meat and any juices.  Combine plum sauce, soy sauce, sesame oil, Chinese Rice Wine and add to the wok.  Cook over high heat for 2-3 minutes, then add the Choy Sum and return the onion mixture.  Cook, stirring for a further 2 minutes.  Serve immediately with rice and garnish with sesame seeds and chilli strips.

Cook’s Tips

You may prefer to use other Asian style vegetables for this dish.  I selected Choy Sum as I have never used or cooked with it before.  The criteria for this assignment was to choose a vegetable that we have never used or cooked with before.

For a vegetarian option just leave out the meat and use more vegetables.

Enjoy!