Inspired by Chinese char siu pork, this recipe uses an easy cooking method that yields a tasty sauce with a subtle sweetness. The tangy hoisin marinade for the pork can do its job in just 24 seconds or 24 hours. It coats the tenderloin as it cooks, leaving behind caramelized bits in the bottom of pan, which then get deglazed to create a dressing that flavors the rice. As for the garnishes, use as many crisp-tender vegetables as you like, and change them up as you please. Sugar snap peas would be good here, as would shredded napa cabbage, or just about anything fresh and crunchy.
Ingredients
Yield: 4 servings
150ml hoisin sauce
2 tablespoons ketchup
2 tablespoons honey
1 tablespoon grated fresh ginger
2 teaspoons Sriracha
1 large garlic clove, grated
1 teaspoon Chinese five-spice powder
1 pork tenderloin cut crosswise into thirds
Salt and freshly ground pepper
2 teaspoons vegetable oil
2 small carrots, peeled
2 large radishes
4 spring onions
1 tablespoon rice wine vinegar
4 cups cooked brown or black rice
80g snow peas, trimmed
Pickled ginger (optional)
Preparation
Step 1 In a medium bowl, combine hoisin, ketchup, honey, ginger, Sriracha, garlic and five-spice powder.
Step 2 Season pork with ¾ teaspoon salt and ½ teaspoon pepper, then add to the marinade. Toss to evenly coat, cover, and set aside. You can let the pork marinate, covered and refrigerated for up to 24 hours, or you can cook it right away.
Step 3 Heat oven to 190 degrees. Heat oil in a large (12-inch) nonstick, oven-proof skillet over medium-high. Remove pork from marinade, letting excess drip back into the bowl. (Reserve marinade.) Sear pork for 2 to 3 minutes on the first side and about 2 minutes on the other, until nicely browned and caramelized.
Step 4 Remove from heat and pour remaining marinade over the pork, turning to coat evenly. Transfer pan to the oven and cook, turning in the sauce occasionally, for 10 to 20 minutes, or until an instant-read thermometer reads 145 degrees. (The smallest piece of pork, from the thin end of the tenderloin will be done first, so begin checking temperature at 10 minutes and remove pieces from the oven as they are done.)
Step 5 Meanwhile, prepare the vegetables: Use a peeler to shave the carrots lengthwise into strips. Slice the radishes paper-thin using a mandoline. Thinly slice the scallions on an angle.
Step 6 Transfer pork to a plate and set aside to rest. Add rice wine vinegar and 2 tablespoons of water to the skillet and cook over medium-high, stirring constantly until you have a smooth sauce, adding more water if needed. It should be the consistency of heavy cream. Transfer to a small bowl, stirring in any juices that accumulated from the plate with the pork.
Step 7 Distribute rice among 4 bowls. Thinly slice the pork and divide among the bowls. Drizzle the sauce over the pork and rice and garnish each bowl with the carrots, radishes, scallions, snow peas and pickled ginger, if using. Serve immediately.