Recently, we made some miso pork stew which is both savory and satisfying. To cut the richness, we made a tangy salad to go with it.

Miso pork stew (for 8)

• 1kg pork shoulder butt or any lean cut
• 3 tbsp savory miso. I used white miso
• 3 large carrots
• 4 stalks celery
• 1 large white onion 
• 1 tbsp grated ginger
• 1/2 cup mirin
• Soup stock. I used 500ml beef stock
• Corn flour, salt and pepper to marinate meat
• Olive oil

   
 

   

 
Direction

1. Cut the pork pieces roughly to 1.5 x 1.5 inches chunks 
2. Heat up some oil in the stewing pot/ French oven 
3. Fry the pork pieces  till brown all around and set aside
4. Add more oil, add the onions, ginger and vegetables and stir for a few minutes
5. Add mirin and sauté for a few minutes
6. Add stock and pork and let boil
7. Once it boils, dissolve miso slowly (keep pressing  using a ladle and spoon) 
8. turn the heat down and let simmer for about 1hr 

Then we got a pot of nicely cooked pork stew 

 

The dish went really well with rice!

Healthy tangy salad (for 8)

• 2 Japanese cucumber diced
• 1 red bell pepper
• 2 sticks celery
• 1 cup cooked white quinoa 
• 1 can chickpea/ garbanzo beans
• A handful chopped parsley
• 1 small carrot julienned

Dressing

• 1.5 tsp chinchalok (fermented small shrimps)
• 1 tbsp fish sauce
• 2 tbsp honey or raw sugar
• 3 tbsp lime juice