Thai Pork Tacos

Spicy and sweet Thai pork and peppers, served taco-style in a buttered Naan wrapper with tamarind tempura onions and Thai curry peanut slaw. With inspiration from Timothy Delaghetto. 

• Ready In: 50 mins
• Yields: 6 tacos

Ingredients

• Pork Filling

• 2  tablespoons olive oil
• 3  garlic cloves, minced
• 4  red  Thai red chili peppers, minced
• 1  large yellow onion, diced
• 1  red bell pepper, diced
• 1  green bell pepper, diced
• 1  lb ground pork
• 1  tablespoon  minced gingerroot
• 1  teaspoon  red chili pepper flakes
• 2  teaspoons sugar
• 2  tablespoons soy sauce
• 1⁄4 cup  lime fresh lime juice
• 1  tablespoon fish sauce
• 1  bunch Thai basil, roughly chopped

• Tamarind Tempura Onions

• 2  large yellow onions, cut into 1/4-inch rings
• 3  cups  vegetable oil
• 1 1⁄4 cups flour
• 1⁄2 cup cornstarch
• 1  teaspoon salt
• 1  tablespoon baking powder
• 1  cup  ice water
• 1⁄2 cup tamarind paste

• Thai Curry Peanut Slaw

• 1  tablespoon  vegetable oil
• 3  garlic cloves, minced
• 2  tablespoons red curry paste
• 1 1⁄4 cups creamy peanut butter
• 1⁄2 cup hoisin sauce
• 1⁄2 cup brown sugar
• 1⁄2 teaspoon chili powder
• 1⁄2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 1⁄2 teaspoon fish sauce
• 2  cups coconut milk
• 1  cup  shredded napa cabbage
• 1⁄2 cup  shredded red cabbage
• 1⁄2 cup  chopped green onion
• 1  tablespoon  minced ginger

• Taco

• 1  tablespoon butter
• 6  small  naan bread

Directions

1. PORK FILLING:
2. Heat oil in a large skillet. Add garlic and thai chilies and cook about 1 minute or until softened. Add onions and bell peppers, cook for 2 minutes, stirring frequently until peppers and onions are just tender. Add ground pork. Sauté pork and vegetables until the pork is fully cooked, about 5 minutes. Add ginger, chili flakes and sugar. Stir to combine. Deglaze the pan with soy sauce, lime juice and fish sauce, stirring for another minute to combine. Remove the pan from heat and add basil. Toss to combine.
3. TAMARIND TEMPURA ONIONS:
4. Soak onions slices in ice-cold water for 15 minutes. Drain on paper towels. In a deep saucepan, heat oil to about 360 degrees.
5. Fill a large bowl with ice. In a medium bowl combine flour, cornstarch, salt, and baking powder. Combine ice water and tamarind sauce, then add to the flour mixture, whisk to create batter. Put the batter bowl inside the large bowl of ice. Batter onion slices shaking off excess batter and placing the onion rings into the hot oil. Fry for about 3 minutes until golden brown and crispy. Drain on paper towels.
6. THAI CURRY PEANUT SLAW:
7. Heat oil in a large saucepan. Add garlic and sauté until the garlic is translucent, about 1 minute. Add curry paste, peanut butter, hoisin sauce, brown sugar, chili powder, cayenne and fish sauce. Reduce to a simmer and cook for 10 minutes. To finish, whisk in coconut milk and bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer for about 30 minutes till the sauce thickens.
8. In a large bowl, combine Napa and red cabbage, green onion and ginger root. Add soy sauce, peanuts and cilantro. Add 3/4 cup of Thai Curry dressing, toss to combine. Cover and refrigerate until serving.
9. FOR TACO ASSEMBLY:
10. Toast naan on a large, buttered skillet until golden brown and slightly crispy. Fold the naan to resemble a taco and add 1 large scoop of pork filling. Top with 1-2 tempura onion rings and Thai curry peanut slaw.