Asian-Inspired Pork Tacos

Name: Asian-Inspired Pork Tacos
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 10 min
Ingredients: 500 g lean pork mince; 2 tbsp teriyaki sauce; ½ tsp Chinese five spice; 2 garlic cloves (grated); 1 tsp fresh ginger (grated); ½ small onion (finely grated); ¼ tsp onion salt; 1 tbsp honey; 1 tbsp sweet chilli sauce; Juice of 1 lime; 100 g sour cream; ¼ cup fresh coriander leaves (finely chopped); Juice of ½ lime; Pinch of salt; 1 carrot (julienned); ½ cucumber (julienned); 4 radishes (thinly sliced); 2 cups Chinese leaf (finely shredded); ¼ red onion (thinly sliced); 1 red chilli (thinly sliced); 2 spring onions (sliced); ¼ cup coriander leaves; ¼ cup mint leaves; 10 small soft tortillas or taco shells

These fresh, colourful tacos are a brilliant example of better, not best cooking — big flavour, plenty of texture and lots of fresh ingredients, without a complicated method. Lean pork mince is coated in teriyaki, Chinese five spice, garlic and ginger, then cooked until golden and finished with a sticky honey, chilli and lime glaze. Add a crunchy slaw of raw vegetables, cooling coriander-lime crema and plenty of fresh herbs, and you have a quick, satisfying dinner that feels a little bit special.

This is the kind of recipe I love for a modern, no-fuss dinner — plenty of colour, texture and freshness, with ingredients that work hard without needing lots of preparation.

You can easily swap the pork mince for finely diced pork shoulder or chicken thigh. The slaw and crema can also be prepared ahead and kept chilled, making this a great option for an easy midweek dinner or a relaxed taco-night spread.

Ingredients

For the pork

500 g lean pork mince
2 tbsp teriyaki sauce
½ tsp Chinese five spice
2 garlic cloves grated
1 tsp fresh ginger grated
½ small onion finely grated
¼ tsp onion salt

For the honey, chilli & lime glaze

1 tbsp honey
1 tbsp sweet chilli sauce
Juice of 1 lime

For the coriander & lime crema

100 g sour cream
¼ cup fresh coriander leaves finely chopped
Juice of ½ lime
Pinch of salt

For the crunchy topping

1 carrot julienned
½ cucumber julienned
4 radishes thinly sliced
2 cups Chinese leaf finely shredded
¼ red onion thinly sliced
1 red chilli thinly sliced
2 spring onions sliced
¼ cup coriander leaves
¼ cup mint leaves

To serve

10 small soft tortillas or taco shells

Method

Marinate the pork

Add the pork mince to a bowl with the teriyaki sauce, Chinese five spice, garlic, ginger, grated onion and onion salt. Mix well, cover and leave to marinate for at least 20 minutes, or for a few hours in the fridge if you have time.

Make the glaze

Mix the honey, sweet chilli sauce and lime juice together in a small bowl and set aside.

Make the crema

Stir the chopped coriander and lime juice through the sour cream. Season with a pinch of salt and chill until you're ready to serve.

Prepare the vegetables

Combine the carrot, cucumber, radish, Chinese leaf and red onion to make a simple crunchy slaw. Keep the chilli, spring onion, coriander and mint aside for finishing.

Cook the pork

Heat a large frying pan or wok over a medium-high heat. Add the marinated pork and cook for 6–8 minutes, breaking it up as it cooks, until browned and completely cooked through.

Add the glaze

Pour the honey, chilli and lime mixture over the pork. Toss for another 1–2 minutes until the pork is glossy, sticky and well coated.

Warm the tortillas

Warm the tortillas in a dry frying pan or microwave until soft and pliable.

Build your tacos

Fill each tortilla with the sticky pork and crunchy slaw. Add a generous drizzle of coriander-lime crema, then finish with sliced chilli, spring onion, coriander and fresh mint.

Back to recipes

Prep Time: 20

Cook Time: 10

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