Teriyaki Pork

My co-worker, who spent a few years teaching english in Japan, demanded that I try this when I got my first wok. If you don't have access to an asian food store, you can order Nanami Togarashi (a Japanese chili pepper blend) from one of many mailorder places online. It's well worth the effort to get it as it really makes this dish. The pickled ginger really adds another layer to the flavor as well. I actually make it with salmon instead of pork most of the time, as well as double the sauce and add more broccoli and mushrooms. This is the meal that my wife requests the most often by far.

• Ready In: 25 mins
• Serves: 3

Ingredients

• 8  ounces  rice vermicelli
• 2 -3  pork loin chops, cut into strips
•  gluten-free rice flour, to coat
• 1  head broccoli, broken into flowerettes
• 2  tablespoons water
• 4  ounces shiitake mushrooms, cut into strips
• 2  garlic cloves, sliced very thin
• 1⁄4 cup light soya sauce
• 1⁄4 cup mirin
• 1⁄4 teaspoon nanami togarashi
• 1  tablespoon sugar
• 5  drops  chili oil
•  cooking oil, to stir-fry
•  pickled ginger, to garnish

Directions

1. Prepare the rice vermicelli according to the package - usually it is added to boiling water and boiled for one minute, but some brands may vary.
2. Mix the soya sauce, mirin, nanami togarashi, sugar and chili oil in a small bowl and set aside.
3. Dredge the pork strips in the rice flour and prepare the broccoli, mushrooms and garlic for stir-frying.
4. Heat wok, add some cooking oil and let it get hot, then stir-fry the broccoli until tendercrisp, about 3 minutes. Add 1 clove of the garlic and fry for about half a minute. Add 2 tablespoons water and stir until water is absorbed. Remove broccoli from the wok and set aside.
5. Add some more oil to the wok and heat, then add the shitake mushrooms. Do not stir-fry the mushrooms though, just brown all over. Remove the mushrooms from the wok and add to the broccoli.
6. Add some more oil to the wok, heat, then add the pork and stir-fry until done. Shortly before it is done, add the other clove of garlic to fry with it. Remove and add to the broccoli and mushrooms.
7. Pour the sauce into the wok and reduce for 2-3 minutes to thicken and intensify.
8. Add the broccoli, mushrooms and pork back to the wok, stir and heat through.
9. Serve over the rice vermicelli, and garnish with some pickled ginger.