Pork-stuffed tomatoes with dill

This dish is commonly found at ‘office rice’ venues which serve a selection of affordable dishes to hungry office workers looking for something cheap and filling to sustain them through the afternoon.

Credit: Chris Middleton

• serves

  4

• prep

  15 minutes

• cook

  1 hour

• difficulty

  Easy

This is one of my go-to office rice dishes. I love slathering the sauce over my rice!

Ingredients

• 6 large tomatoes
• 3 tbsp vegetable oil
• 2 garlic cloves, crushed
• 3 shallots, thinly sliced
• 2 tbsp fish sauce
• 1 tbsp caster (superfine) sugar
• 1 sliced spring onion (scallion), to serve
• 2 dill sprigs, fronds picked, to serve
• coriander (cilantro) leaves, to serve
• steamed jasmine rice, to serve

Pork filling

• 500 g (1 lb 2 oz) minced (ground) pork
• 1 shallot, minced
• 2 spring onions (scallions), thinly sliced
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• pinch of ground white pepper
• 3 wood ear mushrooms, chopped
• 50 g (1 ¾ oz) glass (cellophane) noodles, rehydrated in cold water for 1 hour, drained and cut into short lengths
• 2 tbsp fish sauce
• 1 tbsp caster (superfine) sugar

Instructions

1. First, make the pork filling by combining all the ingredients in a bowl. Set aside.

2. Slice the tops off the tomatoes and scoop out the seeds and juice into a bowl. Set aside. Chop two of the tomatoes and add to the bowl with the seeds and juice.

3. Using a spoon, carefully fill the four remaining tomatoes with the pork filling mixture, pressing firmly to ensure the filling stays in the tomatoes.

4. Heat the oil in a large frying pan with a lid over medium–high heat and add the tomatoes, top side down. Cook for 7–10 minutes until browned. Remove from the pan and set aside on a plate.

5. Add the garlic and shallot to the pan and cook for 5 minutes, until soft. Add the reserved tomato seeds and juice and the two chopped tomatoes. Simmer over medium heat for 30 minutes, then season with the fish sauce and sugar. Return the stuffed tomatoes to the pan and simmer, covered, for 15 minutes or until the pork is cooked through (the tomatoes will be firm when gently squeezed).

6. Transfer the tomatoes and the sauce to a serving plate, sprinkle with the spring onion, dill and coriander and serve with steamed rice on the side.

Recipe from Street Food Vietnam by Jerry Mai, Smith Street Books, RRP $39.99

Cook's Notes

Oven temperatures are for conventional; if using fan-forced (convection), reduce the temperature by 20˚C. | We use Australian tablespoons and cups: 1 teaspoon equals 5 ml; 1 tablespoon equals 20 ml; 1 cup equals 250 ml. | All herbs are fresh (unless specified) and cups are lightly packed. | All vegetables are medium size and peeled, unless specified. | All eggs are 55-60 g, unless specified.

This is one of my go-to office rice dishes. I love slathering the sauce over my rice!