Pan Fried Lemongrass Pork

A rice plate with flavors from my childhood. Simply delicious and easily prepared!

Rice plates are super comforting and delicious to enjoy. They are also quick and easy to put together! One of my favorite combinations to put together is my pan fried lemongrass pork slices or pork chops. The savory pork is complimented by tangy sweet flavors of pickled vegetables and fresh cucumbers or tomatoes. I always have pickled veggies ready to go and if you would like to make a big batch, check the recipe out here https://www.deanathai.com/post/pickled-carrots-daikon-jalapénos. The same brining juice can be used for any vegetable including the little round white eggplants/little green and white eggplants. Both are small about the size of a quarter and can be as large as a golf ball.

I don't make my own fermented bean curd. I don't eat a whole lot of it cause a little goes a long way, so I purchase a tiny jar to enjoy. All the homemade pickled veggies stay delicious and fresh in the refrigerator as long as clean utensils are used to remove veggies from containers. Keeps anywhere from 4-6 weeks. I keep them in the very back of my fridge.

For today's pickled eggplants, we'll be making the brine with some long red peppers. If you can find either the larger red paprika or Italian reds, they are not spicy. They will create a beautiful red color for our pickling liquid. If you love it spicy, add a couple of Thai chili or dry chili flakes.

{Other Rice Plate Items}

• Fermented Bean Curd

• Steam Rice

• Cucumbers

• Tomatoes

{Pickled Eggplants (32oz Mason Jar)}

Plan to prepare 3 days in advanced.

• 1 lb small white round eggplants (available at asian markets/farmers markets)

• 1 cup vinegar

• 1/2 cup water

• 1/2 cup fish sauce

• 1 cup sugar

• 1 tsp salt

• 1/4 cup minced garlic

• 1/4 cup minced ginger

• 1/4 cup minced large red paprika or Italian red peppers (They are not spicy, but if you're worried remove the seeds. For an extra kick, add 3-4 Thai chili or 1 tablespoon dry pepper flakes)

• Extra Salt (varying amounts)

• 1 lime/lemon

• 1 32oz Mason Jar

Method

1. Wash the mason jar and sterilize with hot water. Set aside for later.

2. In a pan add vinegar, water, sugar and salt. Bring to a boil on high heat then reduce to a simmer. Simmer for 10-minutes. Thickening the brine.

3. Turn off heat and add the fish sauce, garlic, ginger, and chili peppers. Mix well and allow mixture to cool completely.

4. Prepare the eggplants. In a bowl, add enough water to cover eggplants. Mix a tablespoon salt and squeeze a whole lemon or lime into the water. Add the lime/lemon piece into the water too. Mix till salt dissolves.

5. Remove tops of eggplants and cut them in half. Add to the water solution. This process will help remove any sap and natural liquids from the eggplants. Prevents discoloration of the white eggplants and aids in preserving the crunch as well. Soak for 30-minutes. Place a plate on top to push the eggplants down. After the soak, rinsed and drain them well.

6. Add clean eggplants to the cooled pickling mixture. Toss well.

7. Fill the sterilized mason jar with the eggplants. Cover and let sit in the refrigerator for at least 3 days before eating for best flavor. The longer it sits, the more flavor it will develop. Keeps in fridge for 3-4 weeks.

{Scallion Oil}

Prepare day of or night before.

• 3/4 cup chopped scallions

• 1 tsp salt

• 1/2 cup vegetable oil

Method: Heat up oil on stovetop on low. Use a wooden stick to check for bubbles. Bubbles indicate oil is hot and ready. Pour over chopped scallions (be careful, it's hot and bubbly), add salt and mix well. Once cooled, it can be refrigerated up to a week.

{Pickled Carrots & Daikon (32oz Mason Jar)}

Plan to prepare 3 days in advanced.

• 3/4 cup white vinegar

• 1/4 cup of apple cider/rice vinegar

• 1/2 cup water

• 1/2 cup sugar

• 1/2 tsp salt

• 1.5 cup carrots julienned

• 1.5 cup daikon julienned

• Extra salt on side (any type)

1. Add brine liquids and sugar into a pot and simmer till sugar dissolves. Simmer for 5 additional minutes. Let cool.

2. While brine is cooling down begin prepping veggies.

3. Julienne carrots and daikon. Place them in a large bowl and sprinkle salt to coat them. Toss well occasionally for 1-hour. This process draws out excess moisture and maintains a crunch.

4. When they are pliable and you can bend them without snapping them, they are ready to be rinsed and placed into pickling jars. Rinse well to get rid of the salt and then drain well. I let mine sit in the strainer for a bit to finish draining.

5. Place them into a 32oz mason jar that has been sterilized with hot boiling water. Pack them nice and moderately tight. I’ve layered mine to create an aesthetically pleasing look. Cover with cooled liquid brine mixture to the top.

6. Two ways to let them ferment: (1) leave at room temperature overnight and then refrigerate or if you are patient and don’t need to eat right away, (2) ferment in the fridge for 3 days and then consume.

7. Use clean utensils to remove the portions you want to eat. So that you don’t contaminate the jars, then the pickled veggies can and will last for several months in the back of your fridge. But if you're worried, keep them anywhere from 4-6 weeks.

{Ingredients for Pork Slice/Chops}

• 1 lb of 1/4-inch thinly sliced pork or 4-6 pork chops

• 1/4 cup fresh lemongrass minced

• 3 garlic cloves minced

• 1 tsp garlic powder

• 1 tbsp sugar

• 6 tbsp oyster sauce

• 2 tsp crush chili/garlic chili

• 2 tbsp olive/veggie oil + 4 tbsp for cooking

Cooking Method for Pork

1. Add sliced pork or pork chops, lemongrass, garlic, sugar, garlic powder, oyster sauce, crush chili, sriracha and two tablespoons of olive/veggie oil to a mixing bowl.

2. Mix well, cover and let marinade for 1-hour.

3. Prepare the rice according to package instructions or your ancestor's secret cooking method.

4. Rinse fresh garnishes like tomatoes and or cucumbers. Slice them up thinly.

5. When ready to cook, add 4 tablespoons olive/veggie oil to a large skillet. Set heat to high and allow oil to heat up. Add the pork slices in a flat layer and allow to cook for 3-4 minutes per side. Reduce heat to medium heat. I let the sugars from the marinade caramelize a bit before removing the pork. Makes a wonderful color on the outside for your pork slices. Wipe pan with paper towel to remove debris, add oil and finish pan frying rest of pork.

6. Serve on individual plates with rice. Garnish with tomatoes, cucumbers, pickled veggies and fresh herbs.