Dish of Pork & Malabar Spinach
(click to enlarge)

Pork & Malabar Spinach


Thai / California
Serves:
Effort:
Sched:
DoAhead:  		 3 w/rice
***
30 min
Prep		 This recipe is Thai in the Chinese style, a very common format in Thailand. I call it Thai / California because I did not find a Thai recipe that was exactly what I wanted, see Comments.

4
12
1-1/4
2
2
2
1/4
1
2
oz
oz
#
cl

T
c
T
T
Mushrooms (1)
Pork, boneless.
Malabar Spinach (2)
Garlic
Red Chili fresh (3)
Oil
Stock
Fish Sauce
Oyster Sauce (4)
Prep   -   (35 min)
  1. Slice MUSHROOMS about 1/8 inch thick. If using fresh Shitakes, after slicing soak in hot water about 20 minutes, then wring them out. This greatly improves their texture.
  2. Slice PORK into medallions about 1/8 inch thick.
  3. Rinse SPINACH and shake off excess water. Break tendrils into convenient lengths, separating large leaves and tearing really large ones into pieces. Discard stems larger than 1/4 inch diameter and any that seem fibrous.
  4. Chop GARLIC fine.
  5. Core CHILIS and slice thin.
  6. Mix together Stock, Fish Sauce and Oyster Sauce.
Run   -   (8 min)
  1. In a wok or spacious sauté pan heat Oil and fry Garlic until it is just starts to color. Stir in Pork and fry stirring for a couple of minutes, then stir in Mushrooms and continue to fry stirring until the raw color is completely gone and pork is cooked through.
  2. Stir in Spinach just until coated with oil, then stir in Stock mix. Cook tumbling gently over moderate heat until Spinach is a uniform cooked color. Do not overcook or it will become slimy. Near the end of cooking stir in Chilis.
  3. Serve with plenty of steamed Jasmine rice.
NOTES:

  1. Mushrooms:

      Most fresh mushrooms can be used. I usually use the small King Oyster Mushrooms now easily available around here. If you use fresh Shiitakes, slice them and soak them in hot water for 20 minutes - then wring them out. This greatly improves their texture. The photo example is made with fresh Shiitakes For details, see our Fungus page.

  2. Malabar Spinach:

      (Mong Toi, Saan Choy) This tropical vine, related to cactus and purslane, is used similarly to how regular spinach is used in cooler regions. It is usually labeled Mong Toi in Southern California. For details see our Malabar Spinach page.

  3. Chili:

      Around here everyone uses Red Fresnos, but other medium hot chilis like Holland Red will do fine, For details see our Thai Chilis page.

  4. Oyster Sauce:

      A standard Chinese sauce also used in Southeast Asia for dishes in the Chinese style. My current favorite is Megachef, but Lee Kum Kee Premium brand is also very good - the bottle looks very Chinese, but it's made in Los Angeles. Yes, these are more expensive than some, but there's reasons for that (much higher oyster content, unleaded and no melamine). For details see our Oyster Sauce page.

  5. Comments:

      In Los Angeles we have a Thai restaurant every half mile or so on our larger streets. Thai food is practically a native cuisine here, so I do not hesitate to do a little improvising to match ingredients on hand, as they do in Thailand. This recipe is in the Thai/Chinese style. Cornstarch in the marinade, rice wine and oyster sauce are Chinese elements commonly used in Thailand, while the fish sauce, chilis, and more liquid sauce are very Thai.
  6. U.S. measure: t=teaspoon, T=Tablespoon, c=cup, qt=quart, oz=ounce, #=pound, cl=clove in=inch
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