Vietnamese Stuffed Tomatoes
Servings 2 - 3 people
Equipment
- At least a 30 cm / 12 In fry pan
Ingredients
- 6 medium tomatoes, halved
- 1 tbsp cornstarch
Stuffing Ingredients
- 250 gm pork mince
- 1/2 medium onion, finely chopped
- 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
- 1 tsp fish sauce
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1/4 tsp sugar
- pepper, to taste
- 5 gm wood ear mushroom / black fungus, soaked and finely chopped
- 2 tbsp oil
Sauce Ingredients
- tomato pulp (from coring)
- 1 tsp fish sauce
- 1/2 tsp sugar
- 1 tbsp soy sauce
- 4 tbsp water
Thickener
- 2 tsp water
- 1 tsp cornstarch
Garnish
- 2 spring onions, finely chopped
Instructions
- In a bowl, add the dried black fungus and soak in boiling water for at least 20 minutes. Once ready, finely chop into small pieces.
- Use a spoon to core out the tomatoes. Save the pulp and put it into a medium bowl.
- Add all sauce ingredients to the pulp and combine well. Leave aside until needed.
- Prep all your ingredients.
- In a mixing bowl, add the stuffing ingredients and combine well with your hands.
- In each tomato cup, sprinkle a little bit of cornstarch in the middle. Rub the cornstarch in with your fingers and then add the stuffing into each tomato cup. Make sure to pack it tight and generous.
- Warm up a fry pan on medium high with 2 tbsp of oil. Sprinkle a little cornstarch on the top of each stuffed tomato then into the pan meat side down. Cook for 3 - 4 minutes or until the meat has browned but not burnt.
- Once done, flip the tomatoes on to the other side and add let it cook for a further 2 minutes.
- After 2 minutes, add the sauce into the pan and flip the tomatoes back over. Make sure the meat side is immersed in the sauce. Turn the heat down to medium low and let it simmer for roughly 2 - 3 minutes.
- Check to see if the meat is done by taking one out and cutting it in half. If yes, then take the tomatoes out and onto a serving bowl. If not, then cook until done.
- In a small bowl, mix the thickener together and add it to the sauce. Keep stirring with a spoon until it is fully combined and the sauce has thickened.
- Add the spring onions and taste test. Adjust the sauce according to your preference.
- Pour the sauce over the stuffed tomatoes and serve with white jasmine rice.