STICKY PORK WITH ASIAN GREENS

This sticky Asian marinade works brilliantly with pork chops, and all the ingredients for it are great to have in the cupboard so you can easily whip up a satisfying midweek meal without much effort.

Serves 2

l 2 x 300g (10½oz) thick pork chops

l 2 garlic cloves, peeled and crushed

l 2tbsp hoisin sauce

l 1tbsp Shaoxing rice wine

l 1tbsp brown sugar

l 1tbsp honey

l 1tsp Chinese five-spice powder

l 1tbsp vegetable oil

For the greens

l 1tbsp vegetable oil

l 150g (5½oz) mangetout and/or sugarsnap peas

l 150g (5½oz) choi sum and/ or baby pak choi

l 2tbsp water

l 1tbsp soy sauce

l A pinch of ground white pepper

Preheat the oven to 200°C/ fan 180°C/gas 6. Using a sharp knife, trim the fat off each pork chop.

Combine the garlic, hoisin sauce, rice wine, sugar, honey and five-spice powder in a shallow bowl. Add the pork chops and let them marinate for a few minutes.

Place a large, ovenproof frying pan over a medium heat. When hot, add the oil. Scrape as much marinade as possible off the chops, then put them into the pan and cook for 1-2 minutes on each side. Add the remaining marinade and place in the oven for 6-8 minutes.

Heat a large dry wok until smoking hot. Add the oil and stir-fry the mangetout and/or sugarsnaps for 1 minute. Add the choi sum and/or pak choi with the water, soy sauce and a pinch of white pepper. Stir-fry for another 1-2 minutes.

Remove the pork from the oven and serve alongside the stir-fried greens.