thebigfatnoodle

A chinese-y pork and beans recipe (serves 4-6)

For the mince pork marinade

300 grams minced pork

1 tablespoon soy sauce

1 tablespoon oyster sauce

½ Maggi seasoning (or use fish sauce if you can’t get Maggi seasoning)

1 tablespoon chinese rice wine

1 teaspoon smoked sweet paprika

1 teaspoon Chinese five spice

Mix all your spices in the minced pork and if possible, allow the pork to marinade for a couple of hours (FYI, my mum never had more than 15 minutes to marinate her pork when she came back from work and it always turned out lovely anyway).

To make the pork and beans casserole/stew

1 carrot, diced/chopped

1-2 sticks of celery, diced/chopped

2 medium sized onions, diced

2 cloves garlic, finely chopped

1 tin of baked beans (approx 400 grams)

1 tin of tomatoes (approx 400 grams)

¼ – ½ tin of water (use the tin as a measure after you’ve poured out the tomatoes)

1 red chilli, finely chopped

1 bay leaf

1 teaspoon rice vinegar

1 whole star anise

3 slices of ginger

1 tablespoon soy sauce

1 tablespoon fish sauce

1 tablespoon tomato paste

1 teaspoon sugar

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

Salt and pepper to taste

Spring onions/coriander/cheese to garnish

In a casserole dish or saucepan, add your oil, a generous pinch of salt, and fry the celery, chilli, onions, garlic, ginger and carrots for about 5 minutes.

Push the vegetables to one side, leaving half of your pan free to add your minced pork. When you add the pork, resist the urge to move it around too much, let it seal for a minute or so and then try and flip it over immediately to seal the other side. By doing this, you’ll fry the pork properly. If you move it around too much, the pork releases its liquids, which ends up steaming the pork and the veg in the pan at the same time.

When you’ve browned the pork, stir it well to mix it with the vegetables and then add your bay leaf, star anise, tinned tomatoes, water and baked beans. Throw in your remaining sauces with a generous twist of black pepper. Stir it well and bring it up to a boil before reducing it to a gentle simmer.

Simmer your pork and beans for about 20-30 minutes, stirring it gently no more than 2 or 3 times during this time. Stir it gently so you don’t break up the beans too much.

Before you serve, remember to fish out the bay leaf, ginger slices and star anise (if you can find it).

Serve it on rice or potatoes garnished with spring onions, coriander and/or cheese, and a side of greens or salad.