Make the shio koji one week ahead of preparing this dish. Once made, it will keep in the refrigerator for up to one year…if it lasts that long.
For the Shio Koji
Ingredients
- 8 ounces fresh rice koji
- 3 tablespoons sea salt
- 1 ¼ cup cold water
Method
- In a 4-cup mason jar, combine the fresh rice koji, salt and water, stirring well. Cover with cheesecloth or paper towel and set aside on the counter to ferment for 1 week. Stir the mixture daily. After the week, store the jar in the refrigerator for up to a year.
For the Pork Chops
Ingredients
- 2 bone-in pork loin chops, about 10 ounces each
- 6 to 8 tablespoons shio koji
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 4 tablespoons soy sauce, such as Moromi Shoyu
- ¼ cup water
Method
- Place the pork chops in a non-reactive shallow dish and spread the shio koji evenly on both sides. Cover with plastic wrap and let marinate in the refrigerator for at least 4 hours or overnight.
- Heat the oil in a large, heavy skillet over high heat. When the oil is hot, add the pork chops and sear until browned and cooked through, about 4 minutes on each side. Take care not to burn the chops as the shio koji accelerates browning. Once cooked on both sides, splash each chop with the soy sauce and drizzle the water around the chops to deglaze the pan. Add a little more water if needed to keep the pan juices from drying out. Turn each pork chop over a couple of times to coat with the pan sauce. Reduce the heat and cook until the pan sauce has thickened to a shiny glaze, another 2 to 3 minutes. Remove the pork chops from the pan and let rest for 5 minutes. Serve the chops with rice, sautéed bok choy and garnished with the sliced green onions.
For Serving and Garnish
Ingredients
- Cooked rice, for serving
- Sautéed bok choy, for serving, recipe follows
- Sliced green onions, for garnish
Method
- Trim and rinse the bok choy in cold water. Drain in a colander and then cut each plant in half.
- Heat oil in a large sauté pan over medium-high heat. Add the chili crisp and then add the bok choy all at once to the hot pan, pressing it down lightly to ensure its contact with the chili and the pan. Cover and cook on high heat for 1 minute. Then, reduce the heat to low and splash in the soy sauce. Using tongs, turn the bok choy, then add the water and cover again. Continue cooking until just tender but still bright green, about 1 minute. Serve immediately.
For the Sautéed Baby Bok Choy
Ingredients
- 1 pound baby bok choy
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
- 1 tablespoon chili crisp sauce, or more if you like spicy
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce, such as Moromi Shoyu
- ¼ cup water, if needed
I grew up with eight brothers, and my poor, exhausted mother enlisted me to cook for this hungry crowd. Through his wonderful TV shows and love of teaching, Jacques Pépin made cooking so approachable for this young home cook. I am forever grateful for Jacques’ dedication to teaching and his love of cooking.