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Week of 8/1/22

Instant Pot (or not) Yuxiang Pork
with eggplant / cauliflower rice

Active: 40 Total: 40
Original GF Paleo Vegetarian
Instant Pot (or not) Yuxiang Pork

This cozy dish works well as a stir-fry or cooked in the Instant Pot. It is a unique way to serve eggplant because the vegetable softens right into the dish, both thickening the sauce and adding an extra textural element. 
Cooking methods: This recipe includes instructions for using the Instant Pot or stovetop. Select your preferred method.

Tags
Low Calorie, Instant Pot Friendly, Freezer Friendly, Dependent Meal Pairs
Proteins
Ground meat
Cuisines
Asian - Chinese
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94

Ingredients

Metric
Servings:
4
Cauliflower Rice (for 2 nights):
  • Cauliflower - 2 lbs , florets
  • Butter - 2 Tbsp
Yuxiang Pork:
  • Eggplants, Chinese or Japanese - 1 lb , sliced lengthwise and then chopped into 3” / 7 cm pieces
  • Bell peppers, green - 1 , diced
  • Green onions - 4 stalks , white and green parts combined
  • Oil, cooking - 1 Tbsp
  • Pork, ground - 1 lb
  • Water - 2 Tbsp
  • Arrowroot powder - 1/2 tsp
Yuxiang Sauce:
  • Garlic - 4 cloves , chopped
  • Ginger, fresh - 1 Tbsp , minced
  • Water - 1/3 cup
  • Bragg's / coconut aminos - 2 Tbsp
  • Fish sauce - 2 Tbsp
  • Vinegar, rice - 2 Tbsp
  • Honey - 1 Tbsp
  • Oil, toasted sesame - 1 tsp
  • Red pepper flakes - 1/2 tsp , plus more for serving

Choose Cooking Method

Prep

  1. Cauliflower rice - (This makes enough for 2 nights.) Pulse florets in a food processor until broken up into ‘rice’-sized bits. Cook rice in one of two ways: 1) Microwave for 4 to 5 minutes and then fold in butter. Season with some salt and pepper; or 2) Heat a pan over medium-high heat and add butter. Saute cauliflower in heated butter for ~5 minutes, until tender but still crunchy. Season to taste with some salt and pepper. Watch this video for the full how-to on cauliflower rice. (Can be done up to 5 days ahead)

  2. Eggplants / Bell peppers / Garlic / Ginger - Prep as directed. Store eggplants and bell peppers in their own containers. Combine garlic and ginger. (Can be done up to 5 days ahead)

  3. Make sauce - Whisk together garlic, ginger, water (portion for sauce), aminos, fish sauce, vinegar, honey, toasted sesame oil, and red pepper flakes. (Can be done up to 5 days ahead)

  4. Green onions - Chop green onions.

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Make

  1. Heat a wok or large skillet with oil over medium heat. Add pork and saute until golden brown and cooked through, 8 to 10 minutes. Season the pork lightly with some salt as it cooks.

  2. When the pork is done cooking, transfer it to a paper towel-lined plate to drain.

  3. Return pan to medium heat. If the pan looks dry, add some more cooking oil. Add bell peppers and eggplants and saute just until starting to soften, 3 to 5 minutes.

  4. Add pork back to pan and pour sauce over top. Bring everything to a simmer.

  5. Whisk together water (portion for pork) and arrowroot powder. Pour the water-arrowroot slurry over the pork and stir gently to combine. Simmer just until thickened slightly, ~1 minute.

  6. Stir green onions into pork.

  7. If cauliflower rice was made ahead, reheat in the microwave (reserve half for Tuesday).

  8. Serve pork over cauliflower rice. Top with some extra red pepper flakes if you’d like more spice. Enjoy!

Prep

  1. Cauliflower rice - (This makes enough for 2 nights.) Pulse florets in a food processor until broken up into ‘rice’-sized bits. Cook rice in one of two ways: 1) Microwave for 4 to 5 minutes and then fold in butter. Season with some salt and pepper; or 2) Heat a pan over medium-high heat and add butter. Saute cauliflower in heated butter for ~5 minutes, until tender but still crunchy. Season to taste with some salt and pepper. Watch this video for the full how-to on cauliflower rice. (Can be done up to 5 days ahead)

  2. Eggplants / Bell peppers / Garlic / Ginger - Prep as directed. Store eggplants and bell peppers in their own containers. Combine garlic and ginger. (Can be done up to 5 days ahead)

  3. Make sauce - Whisk together garlic, ginger, water (portion for sauce), aminos, fish sauce, vinegar, honey, toasted sesame oil, and red pepper flakes. (Can be done up to 5 days ahead)

  4. Green onions - Chop green onions.

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Make

  1. Using the Saute function of an Instant Pot add cooking oil and then pork to heated oil. Season pork lightly with some salt and saute until golden brown and cooked through, 8 to 10 minutes. Turn off the saute function.

  2. Pour the sauce over the pork, scraping up any browned bits on the bottom of the pan. Add eggplants and bell peppers. Stir well.

  3. Close and lock the lid. Set the pressure valve to 'Sealing'. Cook on manual / high pressure for 4 minutes. When the Instant Pot is done (and beeps after 4 minutes), manually release any remaining pressure. (Tip: Cover the pressure valve with a dish towel before releasing pressure as some liquids may spray.)

  4. Remove the lid and turn on the saute function. When the dish begins to bubble, whisk together water (portion for pork) and arrowroot powder. Pour the water-arrowroot slurry over the pork and stir gently to combine. Simmer just until thickened slightly, ~1 minute.

  5. Stir green onions into pork.

  6. If cauliflower rice was made ahead, reheat in the microwave (reserve half for Tuesday).

  7. Serve pork over cauliflower rice. Top with some extra red pepper flakes if you’d like more spice. Enjoy!

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