Featured Recipe
Pork Chops Sweet-Sour Sauce
By Kate
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Savory pork chops seared until golden, coated in a tangy sweet-sour sauce made from chicken broth, tomato paste, tamari soy sauce, honey, and ground spices. Accompanied by quickly blanched peas for crunch, fresh cucumber ribbons, ripe mango slices, and fresh mint leaves. Adjusted ingredient volumes for balance, swapped ketchup with tomato paste and maple syrup with honey for a deeper sweetness and flavor punch. Pork cooks in skillet with sauce finish, peas retain bright green crispness. A fresh contrasting garnish brightens the plate.
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Prep:
25 min
Cook:
15 min
Total:
40 min
Serves:
4 servings
pork
sauce
dinner
French-inspired
Introduction
Lid off, hot skillet hissing, pork chops sizzling. Golden crust signals flavor locked in. Sauce bubbling, sweet but tangy, coats each chop. Crisp peas snap in boiling bath before cooling sharpens their green bite. Fresh cucumber cools the tongue, mango smiles sweet and bright. Mint leaves scatter like fresh notes, lifting the dish. Sauce swaps ketchup for less sugary tomato paste, honey softens the sharp edges maple syrup left behind. Ginger breathes warm spice, garlic powder deepens. Timing’s flexible but watching texture beats watching clock. Know the sound of near-done pork: firm with give, juices running clear. Rest meat quietly, don’t rush. Eat warm but fresh. Rapid prep, intensive flavor. No fuss, just skill.
Ingredients
Sweet-Sour Sauce
- 70 ml (1/3 cup) low-sodium chicken broth
- 35 ml (2 1/2 tbsp) tomato paste
- 25 ml (1 1/2 tbsp) tamari sauce or soy sauce
- 7 ml (1 1/2 tsp) honey
- 3 ml (3/4 tsp) ground ginger
- 1 ml (1/4 tsp) garlic powder
- 4 pork chops, boneless, about 2 1/2 cm (1 inch) thick
- 12 ml (4 tsp) olive oil
- 200 g (1 1/4 cups) frozen green peas
- 1 English cucumber, cut into thick ribbons or julienne
- 1 small ripe mango, peeled and thinly sliced
- 15 ml (1 tbsp) fresh mint leaves, chopped
Pork and Veggies
About the ingredients
Tomato paste replaces ketchup to cut down excessive sweetness and to enrich umami depth; gives cleaner tomato flavor that lets spices shine better. Honey balances with gentle floral notes, more controllable than maple syrup’s heavier sweetness. Tamari preferred for gluten-free, soy sauce alternative save low sodium versions. Oil quantity reduced to limit smoking but enough for browning. Peas quantity trimmed slightly to keep plate proportions balanced—too many vegetables risk altering sauce to veg ratio. Cucumber sliced thicker for crunch, reducing moisture runoff that can dilute sauce. Fresh mint brightens, but coriander could be swapped if preferred. Fresh herbs always added last to maintain vibrancy and aroma. Salt and pepper minimal on meat to not overpower sauce. Use ground spices ready to release flavor immediately, avoid fresh ginger’s wet bits complicating pan sear.
Method
Sauce Preparation
- 1. Whisk broth, tomato paste, tamari, honey, ground ginger, and garlic powder together in a bowl until smooth. Sauce has slightly thick texture, ready to coat pork.
- 2. Heat olive oil in large skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering but not smoking. Lay pork chops in single layer; audible sizzle indicates proper temperature.
- 3. Sear pork chops undisturbed 3 to 4 minutes per side until rich golden crust forms. Press edge of chop; slight firmness signals good sear without overcooking. Salt and pepper lightly.
- 4. Lower heat to medium-low. Pour sauce over chops. Let simmer gently, bubbles small and steady, spoon sauce over pork. Cook 2 to 3 minutes until pork reaches desired doneness and sauce thickens slightly, coats meat well but doesn't reduce to glaze.
- 5. Bring small pot salted water to rolling boil. Drop peas in; blanch 1 1/2 to 2 minutes for bright green, crisp texture. Drain immediately, plunge in ice water if timing permits to stop cooking.
- 6. Add peas directly to skillet sauce, stir to warm and coat.
- 7. Transfer pork chops to plates. Spoon peas with sauce around or atop. Arrange cucumber ribbons and mango slices beside meat for contrast in temperature and texture. Sprinkle fresh mint leaves over everything.
- 8. Tomato paste replaces ketchup for less sweetness, more umami. Honey instead of maple syrup gives mild floral notes, adjust to taste. If no tamari, use low-sodium soy sauce but watch salt carefully.
- 9. Sear pork undisturbed for best caramelization; flipping too often yields gray surface. Use tongs, not forks, to avoid piercing meat and juices leaking.
- 10. To avoid watery cucumber, pat dry or salt and drain prior. Smell sauce at simmer to check spice balance; ginger adds warmth, garlic powder deepens savoriness.
- 11. If pork thick, finish in oven at 160C (325F) for few minutes after pan cooking to ensure even doneness. Rest chops 5 minutes before serving to redistribute juices.
Pork Cooking
Vegetables
Plating
Tips & Substitutions
Technique Tips
Sear pork chops over medium-high, waiting for sharp sizzle before placement to ensure proper crust. Don’t move chops too early or risk rubbery surface instead of crust. After flipping, reducing heat prevents burning sauce or drying meat out. Simmer sauce gently with meat to allow thickening without over-reduction; watch bubbles—vigorous boil means lost moisture and honey sticking to pan. Blanch peas no longer than 2 minutes to preserve color and snap; cooling can be through ice or cold water bath but fast draining fine if serving immediately. Sauce thickens slightly when coating meat—don’t expect thick glaze texture. Rest pork after cooking prevents juice loss when cutting. Garnish with fresh cucumber and mango cold to offset warm pork and sauce. Use tongs and wooden spoon for gentle stirring to avoid piercing and breaking meat. Watch for oily splatter when adding sauce to hot pan—lower heat early on. Adjust honey and tamari balance before cooking to taste, because sweeter sauce coats meat differently than tangier or saltier versions.
Chef's Notes
- 💡 Sear chops until golden; don’t rush it. Sound matters. Listen for the sizzle. Wait for the crust to form. Hot skillet essential; not just any heat. Olive oil shines; keeps things from sticking.
- 💡 Adjust sauce to taste. Honey is variable; sweeter, less sharp. Always whisk until smooth. Simmering gently allows flavors to meld. Bubbles small, steady mean you’re doing it right. Careful with salt; you want balance, not overload.
- 💡 Blanch peas just right; 2 minutes max. Bright green is the goal. Ice bath aids in stopping the cooking. Watch for texture; should be crisp, not mushy. Quick drain helps keep vibrant color.
- 💡 Cucumber prep matters. Thick slices retain crunch. A little salt beforehand draws out extra moisture. Keeps sauce concentrated. Don’t let cucumber dilute flavor. Mango’s sweetness and cucumber’s crunch contrast nicely.
- 💡 Rest pork chops after cooking. 5 minutes is key for juices to redistribute. Don’t skip this. Slicing too soon makes everything dry. Tongs preferred for flipping; no forks to pierce. Gentle handling retains juices.
- 💡 Use fresh mint as a garnish; it brightens the dish. But if not available, coriander can work too but has its own flair. Always add last to maintain freshness. Herbs in hot cooked dish wilt fast.
