Night Lantern Izakaya · Main dishes

Ginger-Glazed Pork with Crisp Cabbage & Rice

Name: Ginger-Glazed Pork with Crisp Cabbage & Rice
Total time: 35 min
Yield: 4 servings
Ingredients: 500 g Thinly sliced pork loin or shoulder; 1 tbsp Cornstarch; 40 g Fresh ginger; 1 clove Garlic; 4 tbsp Soy sauce; 3 tbsp Mirin; 2 tbsp Sake or water; 2 tsp Granulated sugar; 1 whole Onion; 2 tbsp Neutral oil; 300 g Green cabbage; 8 whole Cherry tomatoes; 300 g Japanese short-grain rice; 360 ml Water, for the rice; 2 tbsp Japanese-style mayonnaise, optional; 1 tsp Toasted sesame seeds

A shogayaki-style weeknight favourite: thin slices of pork seared fast and glazed in a punchy fresh-ginger, soy and mirin sauce, with a crunchy heap of ice-crisp shredded cabbage and steamed rice.

35 minutes · Easy · 4 servings

Original house recipe · Not yet kitchen-tested

Ingredients

Thinly sliced pork loin or shoulder500 g
Cornstarch1 tbsp
Fresh ginger40 g
Garlic1 clove
Soy sauce4 tbsp
Mirin3 tbsp
Sake or water2 tbsp
Granulated sugar2 tsp
Onion1 whole
Neutral oil2 tbsp
Green cabbage300 g
Cherry tomatoes8 whole
Japanese short-grain rice300 g
Water, for the rice360 ml
Japanese-style mayonnaise, optional2 tbsp
Toasted sesame seeds1 tsp

Quantities describe recipe usage, not package sizes.

Allergen notes

Soy and wheat (soy sauce), egg (mayonnaise) and sesame.

Method

Start the rice

Rinse the rice until the water runs almost clear, then cook it with the 360 ml water: bring to a boil, cover, cook on low for 15 minutes and rest, covered, for 10 minutes.

Crisp the cabbage

Shred the cabbage as finely as you can and soak it in a bowl of iced water for 5–10 minutes. Drain and spin or pat very dry. Halve the tomatoes.

Make the ginger sauce

Finely grate the ginger and garlic into a bowl and stir in the soy sauce, mirin, sake and sugar. Toss the pork with 1 tbsp of this sauce and the cornstarch. Wash your hands after handling the raw pork.

Sear the pork until safe

Heat 1 tbsp oil in a large skillet over high heat. Add the sliced onion and cook for 2–3 minutes, until softened; move to a plate. Add the remaining oil and sear the pork in 2 batches in a single layer for 1–2 minutes per side, until browned with no pink left. Thin pork slices pass the 71°C (160°F) safe minimum almost as soon as they are browned on both sides.

Glaze

Return all the pork and onion to the pan, pour in the remaining sauce and toss for 1–2 minutes, until the sauce bubbles, thickens and coats the pork in a glossy glaze.

Serve

Plate the pork with a big mound of crisp cabbage, the tomatoes, a scoop of rice and a spoonful of mayonnaise, if using. Scatter with sesame seeds and pour the pan juices over the pork.

Use plenty of fresh ginger and grate it right before cooking for the brightest flavour. Pre-sliced pork for hot pot or stir-fry is perfect here; otherwise freeze a loin for 30 minutes and slice it 3 mm thick.

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