{5 ingredient} Pork in a ginger and shallot broth

I really like to braise. Beef, lamb, even quail. Sure it takes a while to cook, but all you have to do is basically stick the meat in the oven, and wait. Perfect comfort food for a cold and rainy last day of Summer like we are having today, don’t you think?

The flavours in this one have been inspired by none other than a giant knob of ginger I found sitting in the bottom of the fridge. It lends a warm and slightly spicy flavour to the broth that goes really well with sweet and juicy pork scotch fillets, my favourite cut for braising because it has just the right amount of fat and connective tissues to leave the meat tender and moist. The little boy liked it so much he asked for seconds before he had a chance to finish his first serving. (By the way, you can freeze ginger but it loses some of the flavour so I prefer to use it up when I can.)

Overall it’s a great dish to make on a busy weeknight when homework, housework, lunchbox preparation, general tidying up and washing are all competing for your utmost attention at the very same time you need to cook a meal to feed the troops. Serve with steamed rice or a selection of Asian noodles, it will definitely work a treat.

Serves 4

Pork in a ginger and shallot broth

Try to use free range pork in this dish, because it’s much better for you, and go for a lightly flavoured stock or additive free stock powder - I use Massell chicken style stock, it’s also gluten-free. While I did use a packet of 2 minute noodles to serve alongside the dish, I omitted the spice mix and oils that came with it – they are laden with additives. Add some grated carrot, sliced beans, shallots and broccolini to the noodles for a veg boost.

{Printable recipe}

For the pork and ginger shallot broth:

• 450g (about 3) pork scotch fillets
• 3 cups chicken stock
• 1 cup water
• 15g knob of fresh ginger, peeled and sliced finely
• 2 sprigs shallots // spring onions, sliced into 1cm pieces

To serve:

• noodles of your choice, prepared as directed

Preheat oven to 180C (160C fan forced, 350F, gas mark 4).

To prepare the pork: rinse under cold running water and pat dry with paper towels.

To braise and make the broth: place pork fillets in a small roasting tin. Add stock, water, sliced ginger and shallots. Cover tightly with aluminum foil, place in the oven on the middle shelf and braise for 1.5 hours. Remove from oven and check if the meat is tender – it should be falling apart when pricked with a fork. If it’s still a little tough, re-seal the foil and cook for a further 30 minutes.

To serve: transfer pork and broth into a serving bowl and serve banquet-style with a couple of noodle and maybe a steamed rice option.

Tagged: 5 ingredients, Asian, braised, dinner, food, pork, recipe

Posted in: - Dinner, 5 Ingredients or less, Asian inspired, Autumn, Complete meals, Cuisines, Dairy free, Entertaining, Family meals, Gluten free, Meat, Pork, Seasons, Spring, Winter