PREPARATION TIME: 15 MINUTES (PLUS OVERNIGHT MARINATING TIME)

COOKING TIME: 15 MINUTES

SERVES: 4

BARBECUED PORK NECK WITH STIR-FRIED ASIAN GREENS

This is a quick and tasty dish that uses simple, clean flavours to highlight a cut of pork that is not used as often as it should be.

4 x 250 g (9 oz) pork neck steaks

steamed jasmine rice, to serve

MARINADE

125 ml (4 fl oz/½ cup) char siu sauce (see note)

2 garlic cloves, crushed

2 cm (¾ inch) piece ginger, finely grated

3 teaspoons Chinese five-spice

1 tablespoon sesame oil

STIR-FRIED GREENS

60 ml (2 fl oz/¼ cup) peanut oil

2 garlic cloves, thinly sliced

2 cm (¾ inch) piece ginger, julienned

2 large red Asian shallots, thinly sliced (see note)

1 tablespoon sambal paste (see note)

1 tablespoon grated palm sugar (jaggery)

1 tablespoon shaoxing rice wine (see note)

2 tablespoons light soy sauce

1 bunch baby bok choy (pak choy), trimmed, leaves separated

1 bunch Chinese broccoli (gai larn), trimmed, leaves and stems separated (see note)

100 g (3½ oz) snow peas (mangetout), trimmed

100 g (3½ oz) sugar-snap peas, trimmed

2 long red chillies, seeded and julienned

¼ cup Thai basil leaves

¼ cup coriander (cilantro) leaves

2 teaspoons toasted white and black sesame seeds

To make the marinade, place all the ingredients in a large bowl and whisk to combine. Add the pork steaks, season to taste and toss to combine. Cover and refrigerate overnight.

Preheat a lightly oiled barbecue or chargrill pan to medium–high heat. Cook the pork steaks, turning frequently for 10–12 minutes or until charred and cooked through. Don’t aim for clean char-marks on the pork neck steaks. They should be evenly charred all over. Rest steaks for 5 minutes before carving to serve.

Meanwhile, for the stir-fried greens, heat the peanut oil, garlic and ginger in a large wok over high heat for 1–2 minutes or until the garlic starts to turn light golden. Add the shallots, sambal paste, shaoxing, the sugar and soy sauce and cook, stirring frequently, for 3 minutes or until the sauce starts to thicken. Add the bok choy, gai larn, snow peas, sugar-snap peas and half the chillies, and stir-fry for 2–3 minutes or until the vegetables are tender and leaves have wilted. Add the basil and coriander and toss well to combine.

Divide the stir-fried greens among plates and scatter with the toasted sesame seeds and remaining chillies. Top each plate with sliced pork neck steaks and serve with steamed jasmine rice.

NOTES

∎   Chinese rice wine (shaoxing), sambal paste and char siu sauce are available from supermarkets and Asian grocers.

∎   Red Asian shallots are available from selected green grocers and Asian grocers. Substitute with French shallots (eschalots) or small red onions.

∎   If stems of the gai larn are thick, halve lengthways to ensure even cooking time.

∎   Check out my short video for this recipe here.