Pineapple Rice with Broccoli in Oyster Sauce

Birmingham’s Wing Yip (http://www.wingyip.com/) is a food heaven for Asian ingredients. I used to come here as a child and I remember it seeming like an enormous warehouse with giant sacks of rice and endless bottles of mysterious sauces. Although the aisles don’t seem quite so never-ending, nor do the shelves disappear into misty heights, it still holds an excitement. The range of products is amazing and most of the frozen meat and fish products are so unusual I have no idea how to cook them (instant natural jelly fish anyone?  - http://www.wingyipstore.co.uk/p-8840-inst-jelly-fish-shred-ykof.aspx)! Plus last time I was there there’s were a set of Buddhist monks shopping which is a good enough endorsement for me!

So I recently went and stocked up on giant bottles of soy, oyster sauce, the super yummy Hainese chicken rice paste, tum yum paste and barbeque pork bun dim sum etc.

Tonight, inspired by the recent Ken Hom and Ching-He Huang BBC cookery programme Exploring China, I’m a recipe adapted from Ken’s Pinapple and Pork rice and combine with broccoli in Oyster sauce.

Pineapple Rice

Less than 30 mins preparation time, 10 mins cook time (not including pre cooking the rice) Serves 4 

Ingredients

·         long grain rice measured to the 400ml/14fl oz level in a measuring jug and cooked according to packet instructions

·         2 tbsp groundnut or peanut oil

·         500g minced pork

·         3 tbsp light soy sauce

·         salt and freshly ground black pepper

·         3 tbsp finely chopped fresh ginger

·         4 tbsp finely chopped spring onions

·         2 tbsp sesame oil

·         1 small pineapple (approximately 225g/8oz), peeled, cored and chopped into 1cm/½in pieces

Preparation method

1.       Allow the cooked rice to cool thoroughly by spreading it out on a baking sheet. The rice must be cold before you use it in this recipe.

2.      Heat a wok over high heat until it is hot. Add the oil, and when it is very hot and slightly smoking, add the pork and stir fry for two minutes (I would suggest stir frying until some of the water released has cooked off). Add the soy sauce, salt, pepper, ginger and spring onions and continue to stir-fry for two minutes.

3.      Add the rice, mix well and stir fry the mixture for another five minutes until the rice is heated through and well mixed.

4.      Stir in the sesame oil, add the pineapple pieces and stir fry until the pineapple is heated through, but not cooked. Serve at once.

Broccoli with Oyster Sauce

Prep Time: 5 minutes, Cook Time: 10 minutes, Total Time: 15 minutes

Ingredients:

·         Broccoli for 4

·         1 teaspoon salt

·         1 teaspoon baking soda (keeps the broccoli a nice shade of green)

·         1 slice ginger (about 1/2-inch thick)

Sauce (makes a good amount of sauce, enough to drizzle some over the rice if you want to)

·         6 tablespoons chicken broth or water

·         4 tablespoons oyster sauce

·         2 tablespoon Chinese rice wine or dry sherry

·         1 teaspoon sugar

Preparation:

1.       Chop broccoli into medium sized florets

2.      In a large saucepan, add enough water to cover the broccoli. Add the salt, baking soda and ginger. Bring to a boil.

3.      While waiting for the water to boil, prepare the sauce. Combine the chicken broth or water, oyster sauce, rice wine or dry sherry and sugar. Bring to a boil in a small saucepan. Turn the heat down and keep warm while blanching the broccoli.

4.      Add the broccoli to the boiling water. Cook until the stalks are tender but crisp (3 - 4 minutes). Rinse in cold running water. Drain.

5.      Pour the sauce over the broccoli. Serve immediately.