250gpork loin3-4mm thick, marbled shoulder-loin; thin pork belly also works
salt and pepper for seasoning
all-purpose flourfor dusting, or potato/corn starch for GF
1tbspcooking oil
6shishito peppersor mini sweet peppers/sliced bell peppers
toasted white sesame seeds
toasted sesame oil
Instructions
Finely grate 20 g ginger root, 1 tsp apple, 1 tsp onion and 1 clove garlic.
Add 2 tbsp Japanese soy sauce (koikuchi shoyu), 3 tbsp sake, 2 tbsp mirin, 1 tbsp dashi stock and 1 tsp honey to a small bowl, then add the grated ingredients and mix well. Set by the stove for later.
Take 250 g pork loin and make small incisions in the fat to prevent curling.
Sprinkle each slice of pork with a pinch of salt and pepper on both sides and then lightly dust with all-purpose flour.
Heat a large pan on medium-high add 1 tbsp cooking oil. Swirl the pan to evenly distribute the oil, then once hot add the pork slices in a single layer without overlapping. (Cook in batches if your pan is small).
Once golden on one side, flip the pork slices over. If a lot of fat has rendered out, use kitchen paper to blot the excess. Add the sauce from earlier and move the pork around the pan to distribute the sauce evenly.
Once pork is cooked through, transfer to a warm plate. While it rests, place 6 shishito peppers in the same pan with the leftover sauce for 2-3 minutes or the sauce starts to caramelize and cling to the surface.
Turn off the heat and arrange the pork and peppers on serving plate. Drizzle any leftover sauce over the pork. Sprinkle a pinch of toasted white sesame seeds and drizzle a touch of toasted sesame oil over the pork. Serve with rice and salad, and enjoy!
Notes
Use a micro-plane grater or Japanese "oroshi" style grater to fully break down ginger fibers.Choose pork with good marbling. Rib cut from the shoulder loin is ideal for 3-4mm slices, while fatty pork belly works best for thin slices under 2mm.Fridge: Airtight container with sauce, up to 2 days.Freezer: Individual portions wrapped and sealed, up to 2-3 weeks for best quality. Cool completely before freezing.Meal Prep: You can prepare extra servings on the weekend, freeze them in single portions with rice and vegetables, and use for weekday lunches.Serving Ideas:Traditional Miso Soup, Japanese Potato Salad, Spinach Ohitashi, Japanese Egg Drop Soup