Cold white-cut pork slices with garlic sesame sauce

8 servings

Ingredients

QuantityIngredient
8To 10 cups water
poundsBoneless leg of pork, pork butt or loin
2Green onions, crushed
3quartsSlices fresh ginger, crushed
2Garlic cloves, crushed
¼cupShao-Hsing rice wine, or dry sherry
Fresh coriander sprigs for garnish
1teaspoonFinely minced garlic (about 2 small cloves)
½teaspoonFresh minced ginger (about 2 quarter-sized slices)
1tablespoonDark soy sauce
1tablespoonLight soy sauce
½teaspoonHot pepper oil, or to taste
1teaspoonAsian sesame oil
teaspoonSugar
2teaspoonsRice vinegar
2tablespoonsMinced fresh coriander or green onion

Directions

GARLIC SESAME SAUCE

Joyce Jue comes through again! You owe it to yourself to try this method of cooking if you like pork, Chinese food or both. It's an absurdly simple way to produce delicious foods. If you don't like pork, fix this using a chicken. Fresh ham or a fairly fat cut of pork is traditionally used for this recipe, but boneless lean pork loin makes a delicious and leaner substitute. For a nontraditional presentation, serve the pork with grilled asparagus spears, Asian eggplant and/or zucchini slices. Or, arrange the slices on a bed of watercress with strips of roasted pepper and serve as a first course salad. Or, simply alternate the pork with thin rounds of chilled cucumber.

Bring the water to a boil in a large pot, then add the pork, green onions, ginger, garlic and wine. Bring to a boil again. Skim off the scum that rises to surface. Cover, reduce heat low and simmer for 45 minutes.

When the meat is done, half fill a large pan with cold water and ice cubes. Remove the meat from the pot and immediately plunge it into the ice water; let sit for 20 minutes to firm up the meat and juices.

Remove pork, pat dry, cover and refrigerate until thoroughly chilled, at least 2 to 3 hours, or overnight.

GARLIC SESAME SAUCE: Mix together all ingredients.

To serve: Cut the meat crosswise into paper-thin slices (no thicker than ⅛ inch) and arrange in a circular pattern on a plate. Serve sauce on the side or drizzle it over the pork. Garnish with fresh coriander leaves.

Serves 8 to 10.

PER SERVING: 120 calories, 14 g protein, 1 g carbohydrate, 6 g fat (2 g saturated), 41 mg cholesterol, 250 g sodium, 0 g fiber.

Joyce Jue writing in the San Francisco Chronicle, 6/9/93.

Posted by Stephen Ceideberg; October 6 1993.