Low-Carb Seriously-Inauthentic-Kinda-Asian Pork Stew
I adapted this recipe from a Reader’s Digest Cookbook called Extraordinary Meals From Ordinary Ingredients. It took some decarbing, but the idea of using cola in a stew fascinated me. I’m sure it’s not authentically anything but tasty and filling!
- Yield: 6 Servings 1x
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons coconut oil, divided
- 2 pounds pork shoulder or butt, cut in cubes
- 12 fluid ounces diet cola sweetened with erythritol and stevia
- 3/4 cup chopped onion
- 3 cloves garlic, crushed
- 2 tablespoons grated ginger root
- 3 tablespoons soy sauce, divided
- 1 carrot, peeled and sliced
- 4 ounces sliced mushrooms
- 1 teaspoon chicken bouillon concentrate
- 6 scallions, or about a bunch
- 3 packets shirataki spaghetti noodles
- guar or xanthan gum
Instructions
In a large, heavy pot – a Dutch oven or the like – over medium heat, melt 1 tablespoon of coconut oil and start browning the pork. Don’t crowd the pot too much; I had to do mine in three batches, transferring chunks to a plate as they were browned. Add the rest of the oil as you need it (and, of course, another tablespoon if called for).
Put all the browned pork chunks back in the pot. Add the diet cola, onion, garlic, and ginger root. Bring to a boil, then turn down to a bare simmer. Let it cook for half an hour or so.
Stir in the soy sauce, carrots, mushrooms, and chicken bouillon concentrate. Bring back to a low simmer, cover the pot, and let it cook for another 45 minutes or so — you want the meat quite tender.
Meanwhile, put a strainer in the sink, snip open the shirataki noodles, and dump them in. If this is your first experience with shirataki, do not be alarmed by the fishy smell. We’ll take care of that.
Rinse the noodles well; I also use my kitchen shears to snip across mine in an X-pattern because shirataki noodles are very long. Put the noodles in a microwaveable bowl and nuke them for 3 minutes. Drain them again. Put them back in the bowl, nuke ’em for another 3 minutes, and drain one more time. Your noodles are now ready for use; they will not smell fishy nor exude water into your finished dish. (3 packets are for 6 servings. If you’re serving fewer people, figure ½ packet per serving.)
Slice your scallions, including the crisp part of the green shoot. (If you are not eating all of the stew tonight, slice 1 scallion for each serving, and save the rest for the leftovers).
Thicken the stew with a gentle sprinkle from your guar or xanthan gum shaker.
Divide your noodles among bowls and ladle in the stew. Top each with a sliced scallion to serve. Pass the soy sauce!
Notes
You must use diet cola sweetened with erythritol and stevia for this; it keeps its flavor with the long simmering and contributes to the texture of the gravy. I used Zevia cola; Blue Sky Free is another such brand. Look at your local health food store.
I use Better Than Bouillon paste; I find it superior to all other bouillon concentrates. But if what you have in the house is granules or bouillon cubes I doubt it’s a make-or-break issue.
I confess to buying grated ginger root in a jar at my beloved World Market (formerly referenced in my books as Sahara Mart). It saves a lot of grating. I use Swad brand. Check the international foods aisle of your big grocery store or an Asian market.
About the guar gum or xanthan gum shaker: I have long found that the easiest way to thicken things with these low carb fiber thickeners is to keep them in an old salt or spice shaker by the stove. When something needs thickening, I start whisking first, then sprinkle the thickener in with a delicate hand. It’s easy to add more but impossible to remove too much. Remember that your dish will continue to thicken a little on standing and stop when it’s a little thinner than you want it.
Re those shirataki, I usually prefer tofu shirataki to traditional shirataki, but feel that either would work equally well with this dish. And, truly, if you’ve been unhappy with shirataki in the past – put off by the fish smell or annoyed at water seeping out and diluting your sauce – try this method of preparation before you give up on them completely.
FYI, to decarb this recipe I simply threw out 2 tablespoons of cornstarch used to coat the meat before browning, swapped out the cola, cut the onion, garlic, and carrot content a bit, and, of course, used shirataki noodles instead of udon or linguine. It turned out swell anyway.
Nutrition
- Calories: 363
- Fat: 24g (59.3% calories from fat)
- Carbohydrates: 6g (Net Carbs 5g)
- Fiber: 1g
- Protein: 30g
