Continuing from my previous post on food wastage, I would now talk about the recipe that I promised last time. A bit of the backgrounder: This is my first Waste to Taste post and recipe on Green Ubuntu. These are recipes which can be prepared using raw ingredients which have been discarded before.
My cook usually cleans fresh spinach before he stores it in the fridge, thus retaining leaves and discarding stems. I decided to put those stems to good use, and much to her horror, as they were all soil crusted. But soon I had a huge bunch of washed and cleaned stems, which were crunchy like celery, with a mild fragrance and an interesting taste! I then asked my Facebook friends to suggest ways that I could use those and an oriental recipe took shape. And thanks to my friend Momi’s Chinese neighbor, it appealed the most provided that I had a few pork chops which had been marinating in a mish mash, in a semi-oriental and semi-European way! I had an interesting dish ready.
I twisted the spinach recipe a little to make it simple and dry. Both the recipes are listed below. They are both easy to cook and require basic utensils such as bowls, whisk, pan, skillet and, of course, a trusty gas burner. Please be warned that the quantities mentioned below are approximations since both dishes have been cooked instinctively, minus specifics. I also like bold flavors and a lot of garlic, but you can adjust quantities based on your taste.
PORK CHOPS
You will need:
Washed and cleaned Pork chops – 6 numbers
Marinade:
Dark soya sauce – 2 tablespoon
Barbecue sauce – 2 tablespoon
Worcestershire sauce – 1 tablespoon
Brown sugar – 1 teaspoon
Crushed garlic cloves – 6-8 numbers
Crushed ginger – 20 grams
Sliced green chillies – as per taste
Fish Sauce (optional) – a few drops
Sweet basil (optional) – a pinch
Kafir lime leaves (optional) – a pinch
For cooking:
Chopped onions – 2 numbers
Chopped garlic cloves – 6-8 numbers
Grated ginger – 25 grams
Honey – 1 tablespoon
Chopped coriander leaves – 1/4 cup
Salt – to taste
Oil
Method for the Waste to Taste Recipe:
Mix all the ingredients for the marinade in a large bowl.
Stir with a whisk to ensure that the brown sugar mixes well.
Mash in the ginger and garlic to extract flavors.
Marinate the pork chops overnight in the fridge.
Heat oil in a large skillet.
Add onions, garlic, and ginger and fry till onions are soft.
Add the chops minus the marinade and cook on both sides till slightly browned.
Add the marinade and a enough water to just about cover the chops.
Cook on a slow flame till the sauce boils.
Add honey and cook till chops are done.
Serve hot garnished with chopped coriander.
Best with steamed rice.
The other variant will be shared in my next post on Waste to Taste. Keep watching this space for more details. In the meantime, take a hard look at all the edible produce that is going into your bin and make a list. I can tell you how to use them to make fabulous dishes. Let’s all take a pledge to not let food go waste. The planet has millions who go to bed hungry every day.
- Waste To Taste: Discarded Spinach Stems and Pork Chops - October 6, 2018
- Let’s All Stop Food Wastage: Recipes for Reusable Vegetables - September 30, 2018