Char siu pork tenderloin tacos with green sambal
- Prepare
- overnight
- Cook
- 30 mins to 1 hour
- Serve
- Makes 12 tacos
Sticky char siu pork tenderloin is served in warm corn tortillas with a fresh, spicy green sambal and quick-pickled red onion. You’ll need a food processor or blender for this recipe.
Ingredients
For the char siu pork
- 1kg/2lb 4oz pork tenderloin
- 3 tbsp hoisin sauce
- 1 tbsp tomato ketchup
- 2 tbsp light soy sauce
- 1 tbsp dark soy sauce
- 2 tbsp honey
- 2 tbsp brown sugar
- 2 tbsp Shaoxing wine
- 1 tbsp oyster sauce
- 1 tsp Chinese five-spice powder
- 4 garlic cloves, finely grated
- 25g/1oz fresh root ginger, finely grated
- 1 tbsp sesame oil
- 1 tsp ground white pepper
For the green sambal
- 100g/3½oz fresh coriander, stalks included
- 4 green chillies
- 2 garlic cloves
- 1 small shallot
- 2 limes, juice only
- 1 tbsp rice vinegar
- 1–2 tsp sugar
- 1 tsp salt
- 2 tbsp neutral oil
For the quick-pickled red onion
- 1 red onion, finely sliced
- 100ml/3½fl oz rice vinegar
- 100ml/3½fl oz water
- 40g/1½oz sugar
- 10g/⅓oz salt
To serve
- 12 small fresh yellow corn tortillas
- fresh coriander
- lime wedges
Method
To make the char siu pork, trim any sinew from the pork and cut into large pieces or thick strips.
Mix the hoisin sauce, tomato ketchup, light and dark soy sauces, honey, brown sugar, Shaoxing wine, oyster sauce, five-spice, garlic, ginger, sesame oil and white pepper in a large bowl. Add the pork and turn until thoroughly coated. Cover and marinate in the fridge for at least 4 hours, preferably overnight.
Preheat the oven to 200C/180C Fan/Gas 6.
Remove the pork from the marinade, reserving the excess marinade. Heat a large frying pan or griddle until very hot and sear the pork until caramelised all over.
Transfer the pork to the oven and cook until the centre reaches 70–72C on a meat thermometer and the pork is cooked through. Remove from the oven and leave to rest.
Meanwhile, pour the reserved marinade into a small saucepan. Bring to a full boil, then cook until reduced to a thick, glossy glaze.
Slice the rested pork thinly and toss it through the char siu glaze.
When ready to serve, heat a large frying pan or griddle until very hot. Add the glazed pork and cook briefly, turning, until the edges are sticky and lightly charred.
To make the green sambal, put the coriander, chillies, garlic, shallot, lime juice, rice vinegar, sugar, salt and oil in a food processor or blender. Blitz until combined but still slightly textured.
To make the quick-pickled red onion, put the rice vinegar, water, sugar and salt in a small saucepan. Heat gently until the sugar and salt have dissolved. Pour over the sliced onion and leave to pickle. Once cool, chill until needed.
To serve, warm the tortillas in a hot, dry frying pan or griddle until soft and lightly charred. Fill with the char siu pork, spoon over the green sambal and top with the pickled red onion and fresh coriander. Serve with lime wedges for squeezing over.
