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Healthy Real Food Recipes

Thai Pork

 

I’m a huge fan of Thai cuisine. This dish highlights some of the common ingredients often found on Thai menus – fresh basil, ground pork, peppers, fish sauce, garlic, ginger and steamy, sticky white rice. It’s easy to make, easy to eat and proves that you too can make great Thai food at home.  

 

Ingredients

  • 2 T extra virgin olive oil

  • 6 cloves garlic, minced (2 T)

  • 1/2 small onion, cut into thin slices (1/3 cup)

  • 3 T finely diced red pepper

  • 2 to 3 Serrano chilies, cut into rounds (Serranos can be spicy so omit if you don’t like spicy)

  • 1 T finely chopped ginger

  • 1 1/2 pounds ground pork

  • 2 T oyster sauce

  • 2 T fish sauce

  • 1 teaspoon soy (coconut aminos is a nice substitute to soy and don't contain gluten)

  • 1 teaspoon brown sugar (optional agave syrup)

  • 1 T lime juice

  • 1 1/2 cups packed fresh basil or Thai basil leaves

  • 6 quail eggs – (if you can’t find quail eggs use regular large chicken eggs)

  • Pinch of freshly ground black pepper (optional)

  • 1 ½ cups Japanese style white rice

 

Instructions

  • Heat a large wok or skillet over high heat for 1 minute. Swirl in the oil and heat until it becomes runny and starts to shimmer but doesn’t yet begin to smoke. Reduce the heat to medium. Add the garlic, sliced Serranos, ginger, red pepper and onion. Cook, stirring until the garlic and onion is light golden and fragrant, 3 to 5 minutes.

  • Raise the heat to high and stir in the pork, breaking up the clumps with the edge of your spatula. Stir and cook until the meat has just lost its blush, 4 to 5 minutes. While the pork is cooking, use a nonstick buttered skillet to fry up some sunny side up eggs.

  • Reduce the heat to medium and add the oyster sauce, fish sauce, soy sauce, lime juice and sugar and stir to coat the meat evenly. Stir in the basil and cook until the basil is wilted and the pork is cooked through, another 30 seconds to 1 minute.

  • Fill a bowl with some rice, top with cooked pork, red cabbage slaw and a fried egg. The egg and the slaw are optional.

 

Red Cabbage Asian Slaw

  • 3 cups finely shredded red cabbage

  • 2 T fresh lime juice

  • 2 T Fish Sauce 

  • 2 T rice vinegar

  • 1 T sugar (Agave syrup optional)

  • 1/2 to 1 T minced red chile

  • 1/2 teaspoon salt

 

Instructions

  • Finely shred 3 cups worth of cabbage and place in a bowl.

  • In a separate bowl whisk together the remaining ingredients.

  • Add just ½ the dressing to the cabbage and taste for seasoning. Add more dressing if you think it needs it.

 

Rice Notes...

There are many styles of Asian rice that will work. I’m a fan of Nishiki or Botan. I follow the Nishiki packages directions to a tee. Mix 1 ½ cups rice with 2 cups of water. Bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce heat to simmer and let cook covered for 20 minutes. After 20 minutes turn off the flame and let stand for 10 minutes. Open the lid and fluff rice.

 

 

Servings: 4 to 6

Time: 45 minutes

 

HEARTFUL RECIPE - Use heritage pork or get it from Whole Foods where their meat meets Animal Welfare Standards if possible, coconut aminos instead of soy sauce, agave instead of sugar. - One of our real food recipes that focuses on veggies, protein, healthy fats and/or healthy carbs and doesn't include gluten, dairy, soy, refined sugar, corn or peanuts.

 

Write-up by Mark.

 

 

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