Serves 6–8

Make sure your stove's ventilation hood works before you start this recipe. The smoke stays mostly in the wok while the chicken is cooking, but it comes out in a big poof when you remove the lid.

Pork Medallions in a Clay Pot

2 tablespoons oyster sauce

2 tablespoons light soy sauce

2 tablespoons sweet (dark) soy sauce

1 tablespoon Black Bean Paste (see recipe on page 10)

1 teaspoon sesame oil

1 teaspoon rice wine

½ teaspoon ground black pepper

1 clove garlic, minced

1 tablespoon cornstarch

2 pork tenderloins, trimmed and cut into ½-inch slices

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

1 tablespoon Tamarind Concentrate (see recipe on page 18)

1 cup water

  1. Prepare the marinade by combining the oyster sauce, light and dark soy sauces, Black Bean Paste, sesame oil, rice wine, black pepper, garlic, and cornstarch in a medium bowl.
  2. Add the pork slices to the bowl of marinade and toss to coat thoroughly. Cover the pork and let marinate at room temperature for 30 minutes.
  3. Heat the vegetable oil in a wok over medium-high heat. Add the marinated pork and stir-fry for 3 to 4 minutes.
  4. Transfer the pork to a clay pot or other ovenproof braising vessel.
  5. Stir together the tamarind and water; pour over the pork.
  6. Bake the pork in a 350-degree oven for 1½ hours, until very tender.