PORK STIR-FRY WITH CAULIFLOWER 'RICE

This was my first ever attempt to cook cauliflower 'rice'. I have to admit that it tasted very nice. I combined two recipes from the CSIRO low-carb diet cookbook and Superlegumes. See recipe below.

INGREDIENTS:

Marinade

2 Tbsp soy sauce

2 Tbsp Shaoxing rice wine or dry sherry

1 Tbsp hoisin sauce

2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil

1 x 600g pork fillet, thinly sliced against the grain (or chicken if you prefer)

Cauliflower rice

1 small head of cauliflower, cut into small florets

olive oil, for cooking

Stir fry

250 g peeled raw prawns, tails intact

1 onion, finely sliced

1 carrot, peeled and cut into thin matchsticks

200g snow peas, trimmed and sliced in half lengthways

1 bunch broccolini, trimmed and halved lengthways

100 g fresh shiitake mushrooms, trimmed and thinly sliced (or button mushrooms)

2 garlic cloves, crushed

2 tsp finely grated ginger

40 g slivered almonds

pinch of five-spice powder

2 Tbsp tamari

2 tsp hot chilli sauce (optional)

2 Tbsp coriander, coarsely chopped 

1 Lebanese cucumber, finely diced, to serve

1 spring onion, sliced, to serve

Lime halves, to serve

METHOD

Place the soy sauce, rice wine or sherry, hoisin sauce and 2 tsp of the olive oil in a small bowl and mix to combine. Place the pork in a glass bowl, add the soy marinade and stir to coat. Cover with plastic film and marinate in the refrigerator for 30 minutes or up to 2 hours.

To make the cauliflower 'rice', working in batches, place the cauliflower in a food processor and process until finely chopped to resemble grains of rice. 

Heat the wok over medium-heat and add a bit of oil. Add the cauliflower and cook, stirring, for 5-6 minutes or until warmed through. Remove from wok and cover with a lid or foil to keep warm and set aside.

Heat 1 tsp of the oil in the wok over high heat, then add the almonds and the five-spice powder and stir-fry for 1 minute or until golden and fragrant. Set aside.

Add the garlic and ginger to the wok and fry until fragrant. Then add the prawns and cook until just tender. Remove and keep warm.

Add half the pork to the wok and stir-fry for 3-4 minutes or until cooked through. Set aside in a large heatproof bowl.

Repeat with the remaining pork adding a little more of the oil to the wok if necessary. Transfer to the bowl, cover with foil to keep warm and set aside. Reserve any remaining marinade.

Heat another teaspoon of oil in the wok, then add the broccolini and stir-fry for 2-3 minutes or until tender but still crisp. Add to the bowl with the pork. Heat another teaspoon of oil and add the snow peas and stir-fry until tender. Add to the bowl. 

Do the same with the rest of the vegetables until they have all been stir-fried.

I find that frying each vegetable by itself keeps the veggies crunchier. Then I put them back in the wok and heat until hot. It is a very delicious recipe.

Return cauliflower rice to the wok. Add the tamari and chilli sauce if using. Stir well.

Return the prawns, pork, vegetables and any remaining marinade to the wok, reduce the heat to low and toss to combine. Remove from heat.

Combine the cucumber and spring onion and stir through the pork mixture. Scatter with the five-spice almonds and serve.

Serves 6 

Instead of the pork, you can use chicken breasts or thighs.