Spicy Braised Pork + Crispy Shrimp + Kimchi Puree + Miso Pineapple + Daikon Salad
Cooking with Andy Ricker of Pok Pok was an unforgettable experience. Not only is he one of the coolest dudes I have met in a while, he lived in Thailand and Southeast Asia as a student of Thai food. This dedication is an inspiration and the experience shows. Andy emphisized that to make a dish hot you must treat spice as a taste, not a seasoning. You must incorporate it into all levels of cooking. The result is a harmonious symphony of heat. From the upfront raw chili, to the slow burn braised dried chili or the heat of black pepper it is necessary to balance it with sweet, savory, spice and texture. This dish has heat in the pork braise, the shrimp marinade, breading, puree and salad. Korean chili paste gochujang, Thai birds, Serrano, garlic, lemongrass, ginger all act as heat.
Please use this recipe in pieces. Perhaps the puree under a steak, or pineapple with pork, or marinade with chicken. Get creative and draw inspiration. Make it your own!
Another beautiful food collage with Inas Al-Soqi. It is amazing how these are turning out. Continually blowing my mind.
Spicy Braised Pork
Spicy Braised Pork
Pork Butt – 1 each
Sugar – 2 tbsp
Salt – 3 tbsp
Sambal – 3 tbsp
Garlic – 6 cloves crushed
Serrano Chile – cut in ½ - 2 each
Lemongrass – 2 stalks each
Cilantro Stems – 1 bunch
Ginger – 2 inches sliced
Gochujang (Korean Chilie paste) – 3 tbsp
Chicken Stock – 1 quart
Fish Sauce – 3 tbsp
Method
Preheat the oven to 300 degrees F.
Cut the pork but into 3 inch cubes.
Season with salt and sear in roasting pan until pieces have some color.
Add the sugar, sambal, garlic, chile, lemongrass, cilantro, ginger, chile paste, chicken stock and fish sauce.
Mix so everything is coated. Cover with aluminum foil and place in the overn at 300 for 3 to 4 hours. Until meat is tender.
Remove meat from sauce. Skim fat off the top and strain. Reduce braising liquid till it is very flavorful.
Shred the meat and season with braising liquid.
Crispy Shrimp
Shrimp – 15 each
Marinade
Garlic – 5 cloves
Thaibird chile – 5 each
Ginger – minced 1 tbsp
Fish Sauce – 1 tbsp
Lime – juice of 1 each
Olive Oil – 2 tbsp
Oil – 1 pot worth for frying
Breading
Corn Starch ¼ cup
Flour – 1 tbsp
Chile Powder – 2 tsp
Salt and pepper – to taste
Method
In a mortar and pestle, mash garlic, chile, and ginger. Add fish sauce and toss with shrimp. Let marinade for 30 min.
In a separate bowl mix the breading.
Drain the shrimp and toss each shrimp in the breading.
When oil reaches 375 degrees F. Add the shrimp into the oil. Make sure to only do a few at a time. Fry for 2-3 min until done, when shrimp curl.
Remove from fryer and season with salt.
Kim Chi Puree
Kim Chi – 1 cup
Sambal – 1 tbsp
Olive oil – 2 tbsp
Method
Drain the kim chi.
In a blender add kimchi and sambal. Blend till smooth and add olive oil in slowly.
Season with salt and pepper if necessary.
Miso Roasted Pineapple
Pineapple – 1 each cut into 1’’ cubes
Miso – 2 tbsp
Thai bird Chile – 2 tbsp minced
Olive Oil – to roast
Method
Cut the pineapple into 1 inch cubes. Mince thaibird chile and mix with miso.
Rub the pineapple with miso and chile.
In a hot non stick pan, add oil and then place cubes in pan. Cook on the stove until the pineapple is golden. Turn and do the other side. Then place in oven for 6 min.
Daikon + Cucumber Salad
Daikon – 1 cup julienne
Cucumber – 1 cup julienne
Cilantro – ½ cup chopped
Gochujang – 2 tbsp
Sherry Vinegar – 1 tbsp
Olive Oil – 2 tbsp
Honey - drizzle
Sesame Oil – drizzle
Method
Cut daikon and cucumber. You can shred this with a mandolin as well.
Chop cilantro and mix with daikon and cucumber
In a bowl add gocuhujang, sherry vinegar, olive oil, sesame oil and honey.
Mix and taste. Season if necessary.