Pork & radish stir-fry

Contains pork – recipe is for non-Muslims only
Whizz up store cupboard heroes to make this rich black bean sauce, then drizzle over pan-fried pork and carved radishes for a special stir-fry

Prep:45 mins
Cook:25 mins
Serves 4
Easy

Nutrition per serving

kcal 413
fat 12g
saturates 3g
carbs 44g
sugars 33g
fibre 6g
protein 29g
salt 2.1g

Ingredients

400g can black beans, drained and rinsed
85g dark brown soft sugar
3 garlic cloves
2 tbsp soy sauce
2 tbsp honey
1 tsp Chinese five-spice powder
2 tbsp rice vinegar
1 tbsp smooth peanut butter
1 red chilli, chopped (deseeded if you don’t like it too hot)
400g pork loin fillet, sliced into strips
1 tbsp cornflour
1-2 tbsp vegetable oil
2 shallots, chopped
300g radishes, chopped, plus 8 left whole for garnishing (see tip)
300g pak choi, chopped
1 spring onion, sliced into lengths
cooked rice, to serve

Tip

Carve radish flowers

These might seem a bit fiddly, but there is something magical about simply making a few tiny cuts in the skin, then watching the petals slowly unfurl in the water. The easiest way to make these is to cut a tiny grid into the base of the radish, making sure you don’t cut all the way through. Put the radish in a bowl of iced water for 15 mins or until it has opened up. Alternatively, to create a more artichoke- style flower, use the end of a potato peeler or the tip of a small knife to cut regular ‘V’ marks all around the radish. Plunge into iced water, as before.

Method

To make the sauce, tip half the beans into the bowl of a food processor with the rest of the ingredients and 50ml water. Season, then blend until smooth. Pour into a small saucepan and heat gently for about 5 mins or until thick and glossy.
In a large dish or bowl, toss the pork pieces in the cornflour and set aside. Heat your wok to a high temperature, add a little oil, then the pork – you might need to do this in batches. Stir-fry for around 5 mins until golden brown and cooked through. Remove the pork from the wok using a slotted spoon and leave to rest on a plate.
If the wok is dry at this stage, add 1 tsp vegetable oil. Add the shallots and stir-fry until soft. Throw in the chopped radishes, the rest of the beans and the pak choi and spring onion. Cook for 3-4 mins, then return the pork to the pan, stir in the sauce and bring to the boil for 1 min. Serve with cooked rice and a few more sliced (or carved, if you’re feeling fancy - see tip) raw radishes.