Tamarind Glazed Pork Medallions With Coconut Carrots And Bok Choy Food

PORK CHOPS WITH TAMARIND AND GINGER

Steps:

• In a large bowl, combine garlic, tamarind, sambal oelek, ginger, salt, cumin, fish sauce and turmeric. Rub mixture evenly over pork, and let marinate for at least 1 hour and up to overnight.
• Heat oven to 400 degrees. Heat oil in a cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat. Scrape the marinade off the pork, reserving it (there will be a tablespoon or two), then place chops in pan and sear on one side until well browned, 2 to 3 minutes. Use tongs to hold pork chops vertically to sear the fat on the edges, another 2 to 3 minutes.
• Flip pork so browned side is on top and add reserved marinade to pan, stirring it into the drippings. Transfer pan to oven and cook to desired doneness, about 8 minutes for lightly pink on the inside (135 degrees). Transfer chops to a plate or cutting board and let rest for 5 minutes. Slice the meat off the bone and serve slices coated with pan drippings, scallions and lime wedges.

GLAZED PORK MEDALLIONS

Steps:

• Cut pork into 1-in. slices and flatten to 1/4-in. thickness; sprinkle with salt. Cook pork in batches over medium-high heat in a large nonstick skillet coated with cooking spray until tender. Reduce heat to low; return all meat to the pan. Combine the remaining ingredients; pour over pork and turn to coat. Heat through.

BBQ FREAKS TAMARIND-GLAZED PORK CHOPS

Steps:

• To make the glaze: Place the vegetable oil in a medium skillet over medium-high heat. Add the onion, garlic, and thyme and cook until the onion and garlic begin to brown, 7 to 10 minutes. Deglaze the pan with the rum and simmer for 4 to 5 minutes to evaporate the alcohol. Stir in the honey and tamarind pulp and cook over medium heat for 5 minutes. Add the beef stock and continue cooking until the liquid is reduced by half. Strain through a sieve. Cover and refrigerate until ready to use.
• To brine the pork chops: In a large stockpot, bring to a boil the water, sugar, salt, cloves, and nutmegs. Stir occasionally and cook until the sugar and salt have dissolved. Remove the brine from the heat and add the pork chops. Let cool for 30 minutes, then cover and refrigerate for 24 hours.
• Prepare a hot grill for direct cooking, with a cool zone to one side.
• Remove the pork chops from the brine, rinse with cold water, and pat dry. Season to your liking with salt, cracked black pepper, granulated garlic, and dried thyme.
• Use long-handled tongs and a paper towel dipped in vegetable oil to lightly oil the grate, then place the pork chops over the fire, about 6 inches over the glowing coals. Cook for about 2 minutes on each side. Move the chops to the cool zone, cover the grill, and cook for 5 minutes. Turn, cover the grill, and grill until just cooked through, about 5 minutes more. The meat should register 145°F on a meat thermometer.
• Transfer to a serving platter and allow the chops to rest for 10 minutes. While the meat is resting, warm the glaze. Serve the pork chops whole or sliced with the glaze.

SAUTEED VEGETABLES WITH CHILE-TAMARIND SAUCE

Steps:

• Place tamarind square in small bowl. Cover with boiling water and let stand until pulp softens, breaking apart occasionally with fork, about 45 minutes. Using slotted spoon, transfer tamarind pulp with seeds to strainer set over medium bowl. Press pulp through sieve, leaving seeds behind. Measure 2 teaspoons pulp for sauce (discard remaining pulp).
• Cook squash in medium saucepan of boiling salted water until tender, about 8 minutes. Drain squash. Return to same saucepan and mash to smooth puree.
• Cook guajillo chiles in medium saucepan of boiling water until tender, about 15 minutes. Drain, cool, stem, and seed chiles. Place chiles in blender. Add 1/2 cup water, lemongrass, shallot, ginger, garlic, and lime peel. Puree until chile paste is smooth. Transfer paste to medium saucepan. Whisk in coconut milk, fish sauce, brown sugar, and 2 teaspoons tamarind pulp. Add kabocha squash puree and bring to simmer, whisking often. Simmer until sauce is slightly thickened and flavors blend, whisking occasionally, about 4 minutes. Season sauce to taste with salt. (Can be made 3 days ahead. Cover and chill.)
• Bring medium pot of water to boil; salt generously. Add snow peas and cook just until crisp-tender, about 15 seconds. Using large slotted spoon, transfer peas to colander. Rinse with cold water and drain well. Repeat cooking, rinsing, and draining with each remaining vegetable in separate batches in same pot of boiling salted water until vegetables are just crisp-tender, about 1 minute for asparagus, about 3 minutes for eggplant and zucchini, and about 1 minute for bok choy leaves. Pat snow peas dry; cut on diagonal into thin strips. (Vegetables can be made 2 hours ahead. Let stand at room temperature.)
• Heat oil in heavy large pot over high heat. Add vegetables and toss until heated through, about 4 minutes. Season vegetables with salt and pepper.
• Bring sauce to simmer. Spoon 1/3 cup in center of each of 6 plates. Mound 1/16 of vegetables on each plate and serve.
• *Tamarind is a legume with large brown seedpods. The pulp is used in Indian, Thai, Caribbean, and Latin American cooking. The pulp is sold in block form and is available at Indian markets.
• **Guajillo chiles are maroon-colored, fairly hot dried chiles up to 6 inches long and 1 1/2 inches wide. Available at Latin American markets and some supermarkets.
• **Guajillo chiles are maroon-colored, fairly hot dried chiles up to 6 inches long and 1 1/2 inches wide. Available at Latin American markets and some supermarkets. ***Found at Asian markets and in the Asian foods section of many supermarkets.

TAMARIND BRAISED PORK LOIN WITH MINT (LOMITO DE CERDO AL TAMARINDO Y MENTA)

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 325°F.
• Season the pork with the salt and pepper to taste. Let stand at room temperature for 15 to 30 minutes, to lose the cold from the refrigerator and for the salt to do its magic.
• Heat the oil in a 10-inch cast-iron skillet or a heavy-bottom sauté pan. Add the roast and sear on all sides, 15 to 20 minutes, until a dark golden crust forms.
• Remove the roast using tongs and transfer to a rimmed platter. Turn the heat to medium, deglaze the pan with the rum, and bring to a simmer, scraping up the brown crusty bits with the back of a wooden spoon. Cook until the alcohol evaporates, about 45 seconds. Add the tamarind paste, onions, chicken broth, and panela, and bring to a simmer. Return the pork to the pan. Carefully transfer the skillet to the preheated oven and roast for 40 to 50 minutes, until the internal temperature on a meat thermometer reaches 145°F.
• Remove the pork loin from the sauce and transfer to a rimmed serving platter. Tent with foil and allow to rest, for 10 to 15 minutes. Meanwhile, finish the sauce: stir the horseradish and mint leaves into the sauce. Taste for seasoning and add a bit more salt if needed. To serve, cut the pork into medallions and spoon the sauce and onions over the loin.

APRICOT-GLAZED PORK MEDALLIONS

Steps:

• Slice the Pork in about 1/2 thick slices and add Salt and Pepper to both sides for seasoning. Chop the ginger into small pieces.
• Heat Sesame Oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add Pork and sear 2 minutes per side. Add Apricot Preserves, Tamari Sauce, Ginger and bring to a simmer. Simmer 5 minutes, or until Pork cooked through and sauce reduces.
• Once done, serve over rice.

PORK, VEGETABLE, AND TAMARIND STEW

Steps:

• Place bay leaves and peppercorns in center of cheesecloth and tie closed with kitchen twine; set sachet aside. Grind mushrooms in spice mill to a powder.
• Heat 2 Tbsp. oil in a large heavy pot over medium-high. Cook onion, garlic, and chiles, stirring often, until softened, about 5 minutes. Add tomatoes and cook, stirring often, until partly broken down and very saucy, about 5 minutes. Add ribs, mushroom powder, reserved sachet, and 12 cups water. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat. Place tamarind pulp in a small medium-mesh sieve and partially submerge into simmering liquid (it will soften and start to dissolve as time goes by). Cook ribs, skimming foam from the surface, until very tender (meat should be practically falling off the bone for ribs and shred easily for pork shoulder), 2-2 1/2 hours. Season with salt and push tamarind pulp through sieve with a rubber spatula, tasting as you go, until desired level of sourness is reached. Discard any remaining tamarind.
• Heat remaining 1 Tbsp. oil in a medium skillet over medium-high. Cook bok choy, eggplant, radishes, beans, and okra, tossing occasionally, until crisp-tender, about 5 minutes. Add 1 Tbsp. fish sauce and toss to coat. Divide vegetables, ribs, and broth among bowls; serve drizzled with more fish sauce, if desired.
• Do Ahead
• Ribs can be cooked 3 days ahead. Let cool; cover and chill.

GARLIC-TAMARIND PORK LOIN

Steps:

• Mix lime juice, soy sauce, garlic, tamarind paste, sugar, and sambal oelek together in a bowl. Whisk for 1 minute. Poke pork tenderloin with a fork or knife and place in a large resealable plastic bag. Pour marinade into the bag and seal while pressing out the air. Marinate in the refrigerator 8 hours to overnight for best results.
• Preheat an outdoor grill for high heat and lightly oil the grate.
• Remove pork loin from the bag and sear on the preheated grill, 1 to 3 minutes per side. Move to indirect heat until cooked through, 20 to 30 minutes more, depending on thickness.