Pork Skin J-E-L-L-O!

Every country has their own gelatin-based dish, whether it be sweet or savory. In the US, there's fruit flavored Jello, either on its own or mixed with fruit or salad. In Europe, there's head cheese, which is not really cheese per se, but a molded mass of head and/or foot meat and gelatin. And there's China with their pork skin gelatin. I'm not familiar with this dish, but my wife says it may originate from Northern China. It's a relatively simple dish to prepare and they say it's good for your skin, because of the collagen, and has very little fat.

Ingredients:

5 lbs pork skin

1 bunch scallions divided, half cut into 1 inch lengths and half chopped

2-3 slices of ginger

2-3 star anises

soy sauce

1/4 cup

4-5 Tbsp Chinese wine/mirin

1-2 Tbsp sugar

For serving:

Sesame oil

Black Vinegar

Cilantro

Dry chili paste (optional)

Method:

1. Bring a pot of water (enough to cover the pork skin) to a boil, and blanch the pork skin for 3-5 minutes. Remove the skin and dispose of the water. Clean pot.

2. Remove excess fat from the skin. Slice pork skin lengthwise 1/2 inch wide, then cut crosswise at 1 inch lengths.

3. In a pressure cooker, add scallions, ginger, pork skin, wine, soy sauce, star anise, sugar, and enough water to cover the skin. Put on lid and cook on high heat for about 20-25 minutes or until steam is ready.

3. Remove and discard scallions, ginger and star anise. Add the pork skin and liquid and chopped scallions to the bowls that will be used as molds. Stir to mix well. Refrigerate overnight.

4. Unmold and cut into 1/2 inch cubes. Dress with sesame oil and black vinegar, and garnish with chopped cilantro.

Enjoy!

TH

Sssss...Snake Gourd

So last night, I went to Patel Brothers (http://www.patelbros.com/) to grab some ginger and garlic (they have very reasonable prices on produce!), and I usually like to browse the Indian vegetables. I came across a vegetable that looks similar to the Chinese okra (aka loufa), but is longer. It's called a Snake Gourd or Potlakaya.

As you can see from the pic, it's green with white streaks that run along its length. The vegetable ($1.99/lb) is somewhat light and has a smooth skin. At the store, I Googled for a recipe and found an Indian recipe called, Snake Gourd Curry. Obviously, I would do my own twist on this recipe (see recipe to follow).

There is not much flavor to the vegetable alone, but it does take on flavors pretty well. It is easy to cook as it releases moisture pretty easily, so you wouldn't need to add water. It is tender when cooked. Word of caution: don't eat the seeds!

Snake Gourd Curry (not really)

2 Snake gourds

1 Tbsp mustard seeds

1 Tbsp paprika

1 Tbsp turmeric

1 Medium onion, large dice

1/4 lb pork, thinly sliced

1/4 cup unsweetened, shredded coconut (optional)

Salt to taste

1. Wash gourd and peel the outer skin. Cut lengthwise, scoop out the seeds, and slice crosswise.

2. Heat oil in pan and add mustard seeds. After the mustard seeds have stopped cracking and popping, add onions and saute until brown. Add paprika and turmeric.

3. Add pork and toss. When pork has turned pink, add the sliced gourd and salt. Cover and cook at medium heat for about 5 minutes. Add coconut and toss for a few minutes before serving.

You can definitely make this recipe better by adding cumin, coriander, garam masala, etc., except I have a picky eater at home, so i didn't add these ingredients.

TH