Slow-Cooker Asian Pulled Pork With Ginger, Five-Spice And Soy And Spicy Slaw

The juices from this slow cooked pork will soak deliciously into the bap.

Serves: 10-12
Preparation time: 8-10 hours

Ingredients

ASIAN PULLED PORK
5 tbsp soy sauce
4 tbsp mild or hot chilli powder
3 tbsp five-spice powder
2 tbsp light muscovado sugar
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
4cm piece of fresh ginger, peeled and finely chopped
3kg boneless pork shoulder, rind removed
SPICY SLAW
3 tbsp sesame oil
2 tbsp soy sauce
½ red cabbage, very finely sliced
1 red onion, finely chopped
1 large carrot, cut into thin matchsticks
2 red chillies, deseeded for less heat if preferred, finely chopped (optional)
Large handful of fresh coriander leaves (optional)
Freshly ground black pepper
TO SERVE
10-12 sesame seed buns, split open and toasted

Method

Set this pork up in the morning and let it cook slowly all day and you'll have the softest, tastiest meat that's perfect served in a bap with crunchy slaw

Place the soy sauce, chilli powder, five-spice, sugar, garlic and ginger in a large slow cooker and mix together well to give a sloppy paste.
Sit the pork shoulder in and, getting your hands in, massage the spice mixture well all over the pork.
Put the lid on the slow cooker and cook on low for 8–10 hours or until the meat is so tender you can shred it with a fork.
Close to serving time, make the slaw. Mix the sesame oil and soy sauce together in a large bowl. Toss the cabbage, onion, carrot, chilli (optional) and coriander, if using, through until well mixed. Season to taste with pepper.
Once the pork is ready, shred it with a fork and serve. It is delicious piled into toasted sesame buns with the spicy slaw.
If you would like to serve it with a sauce, then bubble the cooking juices in a large wide pan on a high heat for 10–15 minutes until reduced and thickened slightly. Season to taste with pepper.

This recipe is taken from How To Be A Better Cook by Lorraine Pascale (HarperCollins, £25). Photography by Maja Smend.