Easy Sweet and Sour Pork Recipe with Coconut Rice & Crunchy Greens

A couple of weeks ago, I spent an evening out at L’atelier des Chefs Cookery School with a bunch of lovely bloggers, chef Sophie Wright and Rebecca Adlington (as you do on a Tuesday night!). Not only was it a mid-week night out (living life on the edge!), but I also got to cook along with role model and olympic swimmer Becky. I love my job! The easy sweet and sour pork recipe we cooked on the night was full of flavours, delicious and also free from most common allergens.

I absolutely love pork and always have, so I was pretty happy when I was told we’d be using pork medallions (and eating them all afterwards).

I normally cook my pork ‘to death’ (so to speak). It’s partly due to personal preference but also habit, and maybe a misconception that it needs to be really well cooked to be safe. I love loin steaks (over)cooked on the barbecue for a dry, lean bit of meat with lots of mayonnaise.

Is it just me who always cooks the same thing over and over again midweek, in an attempt to have dinner sorted quickly with no meltdowns (hangry children, anyone?). Pork medallion is my new go-to mid-week meat. It’s perfect to shake your midweek meal routine a bit as it’s so quick and easy to cook. It’s also versatile and healthy. What’s not to love?

I always have my mum at the back of my mind when cooking meat. She fries meat until it is well and truly well done (overcooked). I definitely learnt something at the event: pork doesn’t need that long to cook! In fact, pork loin medallions are guaranteed to be cooked perfectly over a medium heat for just over 2 minutes on each side (or until the juices run clear). I’ve cooked pork medallions twice since the event and frankly, the difference is astounding.

Pork loin and fillet medallions

• make a perfect healthy midweek meal for all the family
• are a fab alternative to chicken breast, with similar fat levels (less than 3%)
• are lower in saturated fat than chicken breast
• are naturally high in protein
• are low in sodium
• provide ten vitamins and minerals that contribute towards good health (including a rich source of vitamin B12 and B6)
• can easily be found in most supermarkets

How to cook pork medallions, by Love Pork:

• Place the meat between two pieces of cling film and flatten it with he bottom of a pan (to 1cm) to tenderise before cooking. If you do that, it will cook evenly and it will reduce the risk of overcooking.

• Marinating pork medallions before cooking is also a great option. A quick 10-minute marinade will give your dish more flavours and make the meat tender. If you have time, marinade overnight to infuse flavours.

• Cook for approximately 2 minutes on each side (I go for 3!), or until the juices run clear and it is not pink in the middle.

• Give pork loin medallions a couple of minutes to rest after cooking.

Becky and her sidekick Sophie were such a fun team, full of energy and generous with their tips.

For the cooking bit, I partnered with Lucy from ‘Supergolden Bakes’ and we had a fab evening.  I also had a good chat with Vicki at ‘Tastefully Vikkie,’ who took this candid photo of me. I love it!

Did you know that the best way to peel ginger is to use a spoon? I had no idea and was rather skeptical, but as soon as I tried it, I loved that hack. It’s so much better than navigating a sharp potato peeler around the gnarly root, or using a knife.

In an effort to help my children get less fussy, I have started getting them to cook actual meals with me, rather than just baking cakes, and so far, it’s proven pretty successful, and the last time I made our easy sweet and sour pork recipe, Wriggly (3 years old) was my little helper.

I am dreadful at following recipes, so I changed a few bits and this easy sweet and sour pork recipe is my take on Becky’s dish. For more recipes and inspiration, click here.

5 from 6 votes

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Easy Sweet and Sour Pork Recipe with Coconut Rice & Crunchy Greens

Course Main Course

Prep Time 10 minutes

Cook Time 20 minutes

Total Time 30 minutes

Servings 4 people

Ingredients

Main ingredients

• 4 pork loin medallions
• 1 tablespoon rapeseed oil
• 250 g Tenderstem broccoli sliced lengthways
• 250 g fine green beans chopped in two
• 1 medium red chilli chopped finely
• 1 garlic clove crushed
• 2 inches ginger peeled and grated

For the sauce

• 6 tablespoons low salt soy sauce
• 3 tablespoons runny honey
• 1 teaspoon Chinese 5 spice
• 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
• Zest and juice of 1 lime

For the rice

• 1 cup Basmati rice
• 1 tin coconut milk
• 1 cup water
• salt

Garnishes

• Lime wedges
• Coriander

Instructions

Make the sauce

1. Pour all the ingredients, except for the lime juice and zest, into a small saucepan. 

   
   

   

2. Bring to the boil, turn down the heat then simmer until reduced by a 1/3rd. It should take approximately 5 minutes.

3. Take off the heat, add the lime juice and zest and keep aside for later.

Cook the rice

1. Place the rice, coconut milk, water and a generous pinch of salt in a pan over a high heat. Bring to the boil. 

2. As soon as it boils, reduce the heat to minimum, cover with a tight lid and leave to cook for 12 minutes.

3. There is no need to check on it. Simply turn off the heat after 12 minutes and leave the lid on.

Cook the pork

1. As the rice is cooking, place the pork medallions between two pieces of cling film and bash with the bottom of a pan to flatten (even thickness of about 1cm).
   
2. Warm a frying pan over a high heat. Add half the rapeseed oil. When warm, lay the medallions in the pan. Cook for 2 minutes on each side or until the juices run clear.
3. Brush each side with a little of the sauce and turn over in the pan a few times to create a sticky glaze. After a couple of minutes, remove the pork from the pan and allow it to rest.

Cook the vegetables

1. Clean the pan with a little kitchen towel to remove any burnt bits and excess oil.
2. Warm the pan over a medium high heat and add the rest of the rapeseed oil.
3. Add the Tenderstem broccoli and green beans along with 4 tablespoons of water. Cook for 4 minutes before adding the ginger, chilli and garlic and another 2 tbsp of water.
4. Toss in the pan for a further 3 minutes until the veg is cooked but still crunchy.

Serve

1. Fluff the rice with a fork. 

2. Serve with vegetables on top of the rice, sliced pork and a couple of tablespoons of the warmed up sauce drizzled over the top.

3. Garnish with coriander, lime wedges and extra sauce on the side. Enjoy!

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Disclosure: This is a sponsored post, but as always, all opinions and photos are my own. For more pork medallion recipes, visit Love Pork.