Feel like Chinese food tonight? This Chinese dinner is faster and less expensive than takeout. Crisp, stir-fried pork served in little lettuce puffs with scallions and cucumber takes only minutes to make in a wok.
Use the same wok for the rice. The pan juices from the meat will flavor the rice. Fried rice is great made with leftover rice.
CHINESE PORK PUFFS
Servds 2
3/4 pound pork tenderloin
For garnish:
2 scallions (about 1/3 cup strips)
1/2 medium cucumber (3/4 cup strips)
8 whole lettuce leaves removed from a head of iceberg lettuce
3 tablespoons hoisin sauce
1 tablespoon sesame oil
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Remove visible fat from pork. Cut into 1/2-inch pieces. Prepare garnishes: Wash and remove root end and damaged leaves from scallions. Cut into 4-inch pieces. Slice each piece lengthwise into long slivers. Place in a small bowl. Peel and cut cucumber into 4 inch pieces, then cut lengthwise into thin slivers. Place in another small bowl. Remove lettuce leaves in whole pieces to make lettuce cups. Wash and drain. Place in large serving bowl. Spoon hoisin sauce into small serving bowl. Heat wok or skillet over high heat. Add oil and heat until smoking. Add pork. Stir-fry 3 minutes. Remove from wok. To serve, place scallions, cucumber, lettuce, hoisin sauce and pork on the table. Take one lettuce leaf and spoon a little sauce onto it, add a few scallion and cucumber slivers and some meat. Roll up and eat like a wrap.
Per serving: 325 calories, 105 calories from fat, 11.7 g total fat, 2.3 g saturated fat, 4.3 g monounsaturated fat, 108 mg cholesterol, 488 mg sodium, 15.9 g carbohydrate, 3.3 g dietary fiber, 8.7 g sugars, 38.2 g protein
QUICK STIR-FRIED RICE
1 package microwave brown rice (to make 1 1/2 cups cooked)
2 teaspoons sesame oil
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Microwave rice according to package instructions. Measure 1 1/2 cups rice and reserve remaining rice for another time. Add oil to same wok used for pork and heat to smoking. Add rice. Toss 3 to 4 minutes. Add salt and pepper to taste.
Per serving: 220 calories, 63 calories from fat, 7.1 g total fat, 0.7 g saturated fat, 3.6 g monounsaturated fat, 0 mg cholesterol, 11 mg sodium, 29.3 g carbohydrate, 1.5 g dietary fiber, 0 g sugars, 3.8 g protein