Hong Kong Style Baked Pork Chop Rice (焗豬扒飯)

A slice of Baked Pork Chop Rice on a plate with a fork surrounded by tomatoes and the serving dish

4.95 from 18 votes

Hong Kong Style Baked Pork Chop Rice (焗豬扒飯)

This Baked Pork Chop Rice is a Hong Kong classic! Egg rice, seared pork and rich tomato sauce under gooey cheese makes a divine fusion experience!

Prep Time20

Cook Time1

Marinating Time20

Total Time1 40

Course: Breakfast, Dinner, Lunch, Main Course

Cuisine: Asian, Cantonese, Chinese

Servings:

Calories: 278kcal

Author: Jeannette

Ingredients

For The Marinade

5 pork chops
1 1/2 tsp salt (or to taste)
1 tsp sugar (or to taste)
1 tsp chicken bouillon powder
1 1/2 tsp pepper
3 tsp Shaoxing rice wine (or dry sherry)
1 tsp sesame oil
1 tsp light soy sauce
1 egg (2 tsp for the marinade and th rest for the batter)
4 tbsp corn starch (for the batter)
cooking oil (for pan frying)

For The Sauce

5 tomatoes
1 red capsicum
1 green capsicum
1 onion (sliced)
4 cloves garlic (finely chopped)
3 tbsp tomato paste
3 tsp sugar (or to taste)
1 1/2 tsp salt (or to taste)
1 tbsp tomato sauce / ketchup
2 tbsp starch slurry (2 tbsp water mixed with 1 tbsp corn starch)
4 tbsp cooking oil

For The Rice

2 US cup rice
3 eggs
1 1/2 US cup mozzarella cheese (or cheddar)
3 tbsp cooking oil

Instructions

Use the back of a knife to hammer at the meat until the whole surface is covered with lines. This will help to tenderize it.
Preheat the oven to 180°C (356°F), then marinate the pork in the salt, sugar, chicken bouillon powder, pepper, Shaoxing wine, sesame oil, light soy sauce and 2 tbsp egg mix for a minimum of 20 minutes.
Dice the tomatoes into 2cm (0.8") chunks or to your preference.
Repeat the chopping with the capsicums.
Add 4 tbsp oil to the wok on medium heat and cook the onions and garlic for 3 minutes or until aromatic.
Add the capsicums and stir fry on high heat for 30 seconds.
Pour in the tomatoes and stir in for 1 minute.
Add the tomato paste, tomato sauce, sugar and salt, then mix well.
Let the sauce simmer on medium heat for 5 minutes and slowly pour in the mixed starch slurry as you stir until it has reached your preferred consistency. Set aside while you cook the other ingredients.
Coat the meat in the remaining egg mix along with the corn starch.
Pour enough oil in a wok to cover the surface and fry the pork chops on medium heat for 2 minutes on both sides, or until golden brown. Plate on paper towels to absorb the excess oil as you work on the other parts of the dish.
Add 3 tbsp oil into a wok on medium heat, then turn to high and pour in the rice. Stir for 2 minutes and loosen the grains using your cooking utensil.
Beat the eggs and make a well in the center. Pour the mixture in and scramble it for 2 minutes or until mostly cooked.
Mix the grains and eggs together and season with the salt and chicken bouillon powder.
Tip: For an even seasoning distribution, combine the salt and chicken bouillon powder with 4 tbsp water and use your fingers to dip and flick the water onto the grains.
Evenly spread the fried rice out in an oven-proof dish (ours was 30 x 20cm /12" x 8").
Lay the pork on top of the rice.
Pour the tomato sauce over the meat and spread across until it covers everything underneath.
Top the dish with a layer of cheese.
Bake the dish in the oven for 10 minutes or until the cheese is golden brown.
Serve the Baked Pork Chop Rice immediately as is!

Notes

Use gooey melting cheese like mozzarella or cheddar. Much like lasagne, you'll have a gorgeously stringy topping to enjoy.
Cut the fried pork chops into segments before layering. While it might look nicer keeping each piece whole, cutting them into thick strips makes it much easier to serve.
Marinate the meat overnight. As with every recipe that asks for marinating, you'll get the deepest flavor when the protein is marinated for longer.
You can find Shaoxing wine in Chinese supermakets, otherwise skip it altogether or substitute it with dry sherry.
If you like more texture in your sauce, go for the firmer tomatoes. Otherwise, softer and riper versions will have more flavor and work just as well.
It's best to use day old rice for the grains to be firmer and looser when cooked. If you're preparing this meal in advance, have the rice cooked the day before and stored in the fridge.
If you don't have day old rice, cook a new batch using less water and put it in the freezer for 1 hour or until the grains become drier. You will need to mix the grains every 15 minutes.

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