Pan-fried pork chop in tomato and onion sauce on rice
A cha chaan teng favourite made gentle: pork chop pan-fried in corn oil and simmered in a fresh tomato and onion sauce — no oyster sauce, no seafood.
- 35 min
- Serves 2
- Pan-fry
- Easy
Why it suits you: Allergy-prone types feel safest with simple food. This cha chaan teng-style pork chop rice uses fresh tomato and onion for its sauce, with no oyster sauce or seafood, and is fried in corn oil — sweet, tangy and low in common allergens.
Method
Prep 15 min · Cook 20 min- 1Cook the rice. Tenderise the pork chops with the back of a knife and marinate with the soy sauce and cornflour for 15 minutes.
- 2Heat half the oil in a non-stick pan and fry the chops over medium heat for 3–4 minutes a side until golden and cooked through. Slice.
- 3Add the rest of the oil, fry the garlic and onion until fragrant, then add the tomatoes and cook for 2 minutes until they release their juice.
- 4Add the ketchup, sugar and water and bring to the boil. Return the pork, toss for 1 minute and spoon everything over the rice.
Cautions
- Check the labels on ketchup and any ready-made sauces, and avoid anything you react to.
Chef's tips
- Tenderise the chops and nick the fat around the edge a few times so they don't curl up in the pan.
The TCM view
Pork is sweet, salty and neutral, nourishing yin and moistening dryness; tomato is sweet, sour and slightly cold, generating fluids and aiding digestion; onion is pungent and warm, moving qi and offsetting the tomato's coolness. Corn oil replaces peanut oil to reduce the chance of a reaction. Balanced and appetising for everyday meals.
