The list of ingredients looks long…. but stir-frying comes together quickly. Try using brown basmati rice for whole grain fiber.

Ingredients

• Sea salt and freshly ground pepper
• 1 cup long grain or basmati rice
• ½ pound pork tenderloin, preferably free-range or organic
• 1 small red onion
• 1 red or yellow bell pepper (or ½ of each)
• A thumb-sized piece of fresh ginger root
• 2 cloves of garlic
• ½-1 fresh red or green chili pepper, to your taste
• A small bunch of fresh cilantro
• Peanut or vegetable oil
• 1 heaped teaspoon five spice powder
• 1 teaspoon cornstarch
• 2-3 tablespoons soy sauce
• 1-8-ounce can pineapple chunks
• 2 Tablespoons balsamic vinegar
• 1 small heart of romaine or ½ a butterhead lettuce
• 2 teaspoons sesame seeds

Directions

1. Bring a pan of salted water to a boil and add rice. Cook according to the package instruction. Drain the rice in a strainer, put back into the pan, and cover with aluminum foil to keep warm until needed. Halve the pork tenderloin and cut into ¾ -inch cubes. Peel and halve the red onion, then dice into ¼- inch cubes. Halve the bell pepper, seed and cut into ¾ inch cubes. Peel and finely slice the ginger and garlic. Finely slice the chili. Pick the cilantro leaves and put them to one side. Finely chop the cilantro stalks.
2. Preheat a wok or large frying pan on a high heat and once it’s very, very, hot add a good lug of peanut oil and swirl it around. Add the pork and the five-spice powder and toss or stir them around. Cook for a few minutes until browned, and then transfer to a bowl using a slotted spoon. Carefully give the wok or pan a quick wipe with a ball of paper towels and return to heat. When it’s really hot, add 2 good lugs of peanut oil and all the chopped ingredients. Toss or stir everything together and cook for 2 minutes. Stir in the cornstarch and 2 Tablespoons of soy sauce. Let everything cook for
3. 40 seconds then add the pineapple chunks with their juice, the browned pork and balsamic vinegar; season with black pepper and a little more soy sauce, if needed. Break open piece of pork, check if it’s cooked through, and then remove from the heat. Reduce the sauce to gravy- like consistency by cooking for a few minutes more. Divide the rice and lettuce between or plates. Spoon the pork, veggies and sauce over the top and sprinkle with sesame seeds and cilantro leaves

Photo by Flickr user Chi