baked pork chop rice

Baked Pork Chop Rice is a Hong Kong diner classic which I adored as a child. It consists of a succulent fried pork chop resting on a bed of egg fried rice (sometimes with the addition of peas, mushrooms and onions), topped with rich tomato sauce and a generous sprinkle of cheese that’s baked until golden. Parmesan wouldn’t usually grace this western-inspired dish but that was all I had on hand, I would suggest using the more traditional mixture of grated cheddar and mozzarella which gives a lovely oozy cheese layer. I prefer pork shoulder steaks as I find them juicier and less likely to dry out, if you choose to use pork loin chops instead then bash them a bit before marinating to tenderise the meat.

Baked Pork Chop Rice
serves 1

1 pork shoulder or loin chop
1 1/2 cups cold cooked rice
2 tbsp frozen peas
a large handful of grated cheese
1 egg, beaten
corn flour (for dusting)
vegetable oil (for frying)

marinade:
1/2 tbsp light soy sauce
1/4 tsp sugar
1/2 tsp corn flour
1 tsp shaoxing wine
1/4 tsp grated ginger
pinch white pepper

tomato sauce:
2 tomatoes, chopped
1/2 onion, finely chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp sugar
2 tbsp tomato ketchup
1/2 tbsp worchestershire sauce
1/2 tbsp corn flour
1/4 cup water
1 tbsp vegetable oil

Preheat oven to 200°C (392°F).

Mix together the marinade ingredients and leave the pork chops to marinade for 30-45 minutes.

To make the tomato sauce, heat the oil in a saucepan over a medium heat and fry the garlic and onions gently, taking care not to colour them to much. Once translucent, add the tomatoes and fry for a couple of minutes until softened then add all remaining ingredients to the pan. Leave to simmer for 10-12 minutes, stirring occasionally.

While the sauce is cooking fry your pork chop. In a shallow pan pour heat a 1-2 cm deep layer of oil on a high heat. Lightly flour the pork chop on all sides then fry for 2-3 minutes on each side until golden. Remove from heat and leave to rest.

In a wok or deep pan heat about 1 tbsp oil and fry the beaten egg and peas until nearly set, then throw in your rice and keep frying until combined and heated through. Lightly season with salt and white pepper.

Place the fried rice into an oven-proof dish and top with the pork chop (you may wish to slice it first at this point to make it easier to eat). Pour over the tomato sauce to cover completely then sprinkle liberally with grated cheese.

Bake in the oven for 15-20 minutes until the cheese has melted and the sauce is bubbling. Enjoy straight from the oven.

    

~ by gourmettraveller on December 3, 2009.