Vegetables and Pork with Toasted Sesame Seeds

October 12, 2003
Filed under Purely experimental

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Guisado (sauteed) dishes need not be boring. Sometimes, the simplest dishes can be miraculously transformed into special treats. How? Here are a few factors that affect the quality of the cooked dish :

1. the cut of the meat;
2. the browning of the meat;
3. the proper combination of vegetables;
4. the correct seasonings; and
5. the garnish.

Vegetables and Pork with Toasted Sesame Seeds

How did I consider these factors in cooking my Vegetables and Pork with Toasted Sesame Seeds? I did not want a dry cut of pork; totally fatless pork meat does not go well with sauteed vegetables. I chose pork cheeks. The additional treat here is that pork cheeks cost about 40% less than liempo (belly) or pigue (rump). Although pork cheeks normally contain 30% fat, with a little more patience in doing the rounds in the wet market, I found a stall that was selling pork cheeks with only about 10% fat.

Second, to give the meat a good texture, I browned the pork cubes in 1 tbsp. of very, very hot corn oil. When the edges started to brown, I added the garlic, onions and tomatoes and let them liquefy. I continued browning the pork in the combined liquefied vegetables, corn oil and whatever fat the pork had rendered.

Third, when choosing vegetables, consider color and texture. The more colorful a vegetable dish, the more appetizing it looks.

Fourth, I used patis (fermented fish sauce) instead of salt and plenty of ground black pepper.

Finally, the toasted sesame seeds not only added in interesting variety in texture; it also gave the dish a slightly piquant aroma and flavor.