Pork Fried Rice

Serves 4

On a visit to Vietnam a few years ago, one evening we grabbed some dinner at a Bia HÆ¡i (literally “fresh beer”, as you can see the Food Husband enjoying in the photo). It was a humble but tasty affair of fried rice with meat and vegetables, cooked on the street and brought to us whilst we sat on the little plastic chairs on the pavement.

This is a nod to that meal, although the flavourings here are more Chinese with the hoisin and shaoxing rice wine.

I normally make a batch of the flavoured pork and then use half and freeze the other half for a quick and convenient meal for two. The rice is also best if completely cold, so if you’re having a rice dish the night before, just cook some extra and pop it in the fridge ready for this the next day. Always be careful with cooked rice though, it must be fully reheated to ensure no bacteria remains.

• Ingredients:

• For the pork sauce:
• 1 tbsp oil
• 1 red onion, peeled and finely chopped
• 1 inch ginger, peeled and finely diced
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 500g lean pork mince
• 2 tsp Chinese five spice
• 3 tbsp shaoxing rice wine
• 3 tbsp dark soy sauce (gluten-free if required)
• 1 tbsp fish sauce
• 5 tbsp hoisin sauce
• 1 tsp sesame oil
• Pepper

• For the fried rice:
• 1 tbsp oil
• 4 handfuls of (frozen) vegetables
• 240g basmati rice, cooked and fully cooled
• 2 large free-range eggs

Step 1: Heat the oil in a large frying pan or wok. Add the onion, ginger and garlic and stir fry for a couple of minutes.

Step 2: Add the pork mince and cook until browned and dry. Stir frequently.

Step 3: Add the spice, and cook for thirty seconds before adding the rice wine and sauces. Cook for a couple of minutes before seasoning with the sesame oil and a pinch of ground pepper.

At this stage you could freeze portions, or chill in the fridge until ready to use.

Step 4: To make the stir fried rice, heat the oil in a wok and crack in the two eggs. Stir to break these up to create a dry scrambled egg.

Step 5: Add the (frozen) vegetables and continue to stir fry. Next add the cold rice and turn through the egg and vegetables.

Step 6: Once the rice is hot, introduce the cooked pork in its sauce and stir until everything is piping hot. Serve immediately.