Teriyaki-Glazed Pork with Bok Choy & Jasmine Rice

Ingredients

• 600 g pork tenderloin, cut into medallions
• 1 tbsp rice vinegar
• 300 g jasmine rice, rinsed
• 1 tbsp fresh ginger, finely grated
• 1 tbsp garlic-infused olive oil
• 2 spring onions, green tops only, sliced
• 2 tbsp honey
• 1 tsp sesame oil
• 4 tbsp tamari
• 2 heads bok choy, halved lengthways
• 1 tbsp sesame seeds, toasted
• Pickled cucumber, to serve
• Fresh coriander, to serve

Method

1. Rinse the jasmine rice until the water runs clear, then cook according to packet instructions. Keep it covered off the heat — it'll stay fluffy for a good 20 minutes while you finish the pork.
2. Whisk the tamari, honey, rice vinegar, sesame oil and grated ginger together in a small bowl until the honey loosens into the sauce. Taste it now — it should be salty-sweet with a clean ginger heat. Adjust the honey or vinegar if it leans too far one way.
3. Pat the pork medallions dry with kitchen paper and season generously with salt and pepper on both sides. Water means steam, and steam means no crust — dry meat is the whole game here.
4. Heat the garlic-infused oil in a large frying pan over high heat until it shimmers. Add the pork in two batches, in a single layer with space around each medallion. Crowd the pan and the meat steams in its own juices instead of searing — sear for 2–3 minutes each side until deeply golden and releasing easily, then lift out onto a plate.
5. Drop the heat to medium. Pour the teriyaki sauce into the hot pan, scraping up any sticky bits from the base — that fond is pure flavour. Let it bubble for 30–60 seconds until it turns glossy, then return the pork and any resting juices to the pan. Turn the medallions through the sauce for another minute until they're coated in a sticky, mahogany glaze and just cooked through.
6. Meanwhile, steam or blanch the bok choy for 2–3 minutes, until the leaves are wilted but the stems still hold a bit of crunch. Season with a pinch of salt as it comes out.
7. Taste the sauce one more time — most of the salt comes from the tamari, but a final pinch of pepper or a touch more vinegar can tie it together. Adjust now, not at the table.
8. Spoon the rice into bowls, lay the pork over the top with the bok choy alongside, and pour any sticky sauce from the pan over the meat. Scatter the sliced spring onion tops and the toasted sesame seeds over everything just before serving.