Young Ginger on Hand, How about Japanese Ginger Pork 豚の生姜焼き for Dinner?

One thing I love about shopping at a local market is the flexibility and friendliness of the vendors there. The relationship takes some time to build, but soon you'll find that they always prefer to save the best quality stuff and even freebies for you. 

I can also call them ahead of time and reserve any special part of the pork for my stew. Instead of shopping at a grocery store where some of the ingredients are packed in bunches, I can just ask the vendor for things like 2 shiitake mushrooms and hey, how about that tiny ginger, yes, the smallest one will do. Not only it prevents food waste, but also saves some unnecessary expense. The best part? They are happy to do so.

As for this little piece of ginger on hand, it was a semi-freebie from the vegetable stalk. The auntie just tossed that piece in my grocery bag, sometimes scallion, sometimes red chilies, and once a while I ask for Chinese basil. What should I do with it? Perhaps some Japanese style stir-fry will do the trick.

Japanese Ginger Pork 豚の生姜焼き -

Ingredients?

• 1 lb/500 grams pork slices
• 1/2 onion
• 1 1/2 tablespoons grated young ginger
• 4 tablespoons soy sauce
• 3 tablespoons mirin
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 1 teaspoon sake (Japanese cooking wine)
• 1 to 2 tablespoons olive oil
• Small pinch salt
• Some toasted white sesame seeds

Optional:

• Some cabbage
• Some cherry tomatoes
• Some salad dressing

How?

If serving cabbage salad on the side, rinse the cabbage and dry well. Chop into thin slices and add some halved cherry tomatoes. Set on the plate and drizzle with salad dressing right before serving. 

Peel and slice the onion, peel and grate the young ginger.

Mix together the soy sauce, mirin, sake, sugar, and grated ginger in a bowl and make sure the sugar has dissolved. Transfer the pork over and massage with the sauce. Marinate for 10 to 15 minutes.

Drizzle just enough olive oil to evenly coat the bottom of the pan. Turn to medium high heat, add in the onion slices and a small pinch of salt. Give it a quick mix and cook till the onion turns translucent.

Pour in the pork and all the remaining marinade if any, but should all be absorbed by the meat by now. Sear and stir once a while, cook till no more juice remains and appears on the dry side. It'll take a few minutes and you can really tell that the meat slices start to brown.

Once ready, transfer the pork onto the plate and sprinkle some toasted white sesame seeds. Preferably with a bowl of steamy hot white rice on the side too.


Other Japanese food recipes:

• Japanese fried chicken (karaage/唐揚げ), served with Japanese mayo and cayenne pepper
• Japanese pork slices and Napa cabbage hot pot (豚バラと白菜の重ね鍋)
• Clay pot chicken rice with 20 days old pickled daikon (goodies from Kyoto, Japan)
• Potato salad - one good way to utilize leftover ingredients
• A new type of Japanese rice balls, not onigiri, but "onigirazu" (おにぎらず)
• Japanese curry nabe for two - to make it even better? Top it with an egg