Slow Cooker Chinese Pulled Pork

• Prep time: 10 minutes
• Cook time: 4 hours
• Yield: Serves 6 to 8

INGREDIENTS

• 3 to 3 1/2 pounds pork shoulder, cut into very large chunks (3 to 4 inches)
• 2 1/2 teaspoons of Chinese 5-spice powder*
• 1/4 cup hoisin sauce
• 3 Tbsp soy sauce
• 3 Tbsp honey
• 2 Tbsp dry sherry or Shaoxing cooking wine
• 2 Tbsp minced fresh ginger
• 2 Tbsp minced garlic
• 12 Hawaiian dinner rolls
• 1 large scallion sliced

*To make Chinese 5-spice powder, toast 1 teaspoon peppercorns in a skillet until fragrant. In a spice grinder, grind the roasted peppercorns with 2 whole star anise, 1/4 teaspoon cloves, 1 teaspoon of fennel seeds. Stir in 3/4 teaspoons ground cinnamon.

METHOD

1 Season the pork with 5-spice powder: Rub the 5 spice powder into the pork chunks, all over, and let sit while you prepare the sauce in the next step.

2 Whisk together the sauce ingredients: Whisk together the hoisin sauce, soy sauce, honey, sherry, ginger, and garlic in a medium bowl.

3 Place pork and sauce in slow cooker: Place the seasoned pork shoulder pieces in a slow cooker, cover with the sauce.

4 Slow cook for 4 hours on high or 8 hours on low, until the meat easily pulls apart. About halfway through the cooking, turn the meat over in the pot.

5 Ladle off excess fat: Use a ladle or a large metal spoon to remove excess fat that has risen to the surface while the meat has been cooking. Don't discard it yet, you may want to add some of it back.

6 Shred the pork: Use two forks to pull apart the pork into shreds. If the pork still seems dry, add back some of the fat.

7 Serve over sweet Hawaiian dinner buns topped with sliced green onion or cilantro.

Shahi Cauliflower Curry Recipe

• Prep time: 15 minutes
• Cook time: 20 minutes
• Yield: 6 servings

INGREDIENTS

• 1 head cauliflower (about 1 3/4 pounds)
• 3 medium Yukon gold potatoes (about 1 1/4 pounds)
• 1 1/2 cups water
• 1 medium onion, coarsely chopped
• 1 poblano chili pepper, seeded and coarsely chopped
• 1 2-inch piece fresh ginger, sliced
• 1 teaspoon ground turmeric
• 2 teaspoons garam masala
• 1/2 teaspoon salt, or to taste
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 cup frozen green peas
• 12 cherry tomatoes, halved
• 1 cup plain yogurt
• 3 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
• 2 limes, quartered, for garnish

Special equipment:

• Blender or food processor

METHOD

1 Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.

2 While waiting for the water to boil, prepare the cauliflower and potatoes: Cut the potatoes into 1 1/2-inch cubes. To prepare the cauliflower, use a chef's knife to cut a deep cross into the base of the cauliflower. Place your thumbs into the crevice and pull the head apart into 4 quarters Stand each quarter upright, and slice off and discard the core and outer leaves. Break or cut the cauliflower into bite-size florets.

3 Cook the potatoes and cauliflower: Carefully transfer the potatoes into the boiling water and cook for 4 minutes. Add the cauliflower and cook for 10 minutes longer, or until the vegetables are tender. (Total cooking time is 14 to 15 minutes) Drain into a colander.

3 Make the curry sauce: In a blender or food processor, combine the water, onion, chili pepper, ginger, turmeric, garam masala, and salt. Puree until smooth.

4 Cook the curry sauce: Warm the olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the sauce and cook for 2 minutes. Stir in the cooked cauliflower and potatoes. Taste and add more salt and garam masala, if you like.

5 Finish the dish: Stir the peas and tomatoes into the pot. Heat for 2 to 3 minutes, or until hot. Just before serving, stir in the yogurt and reheat gently (do not let it boil, or the yogurt may curdle.)

Transfer to a serving dish and sprinkle with cilantro. Serve with lime wedges.

Cabbage roll casserole

Prep time

30 mins

Cook time

2 hours

Total time

2 hours 30 mins

Ingredients

• 1½ pounds ground beef
• 1 onion, minced
• 4 garlic cloves minced
• 1 tsp salt
• ½ tsp black pepper
• ½ tsp paprika
• ¼ tsp dry thyme
• ½ large cabbage, cut into ½ inch pieces
• 1½ cups uncooked rice
• 2 cups crushed tomatoes or tomato sauce
• 3 cups water or beef broth

Instructions

1. Brown the beef in a skillet. Drain the grease and stir in the onions, garlic and spices. Cook on medium/low heat until the onions soften and become transparent.
2. Remove from heat.
3. Stir in the remaining ingredients and dump into a large casserole dish or deep 13x9 lasagna pan. Cover with aluminum foil.
4. Bake in a 350F preheated oven for 90 minutes. Halfway through the cooking time, take the casserole out of the oven and give it a stir.

Notes

If you prefer to have the cabbage soft and the rice very tender, similar to cabbage rolls, add another ¼ cup of water after the 90 minutes and cook for another 30 minutes.

Nutrition Information

Calories: 300 Fat: 13.8 g Saturated fat: 5.4 g Unsaturated fat: 6.7 g Carbohydrates: 28.9Sodium: 472 mg Protein: 15.6 g Cholesterol: 47.8 mg