Hong Kong-Style Baked Pork Chop Rice

One of my and lil' sis' favorite dishes is the Hong Kong-Style Baked Pork Chop Rice at Baccali Cafe and Rotisserie - Alhambra. We first ordered it because it was one of the cheaper meat options on the dinner menu, but continue to order the baked pork chop rice because it's just one of those unexpected fusion dishes that make Hong Kong cuisine so great.

My college friend's mom loved Baccali's menu the first time I introduced her parents to the restaurant several years ago. So now, whenever they, and my friend, are in town at the same time, that's often where we meet up. Once, her relatives were visiting from Canada and joined us. They loved everything so much that they ordered more dishes just to try more of the menu. Her uncle proclaimed, "It's like Chinese American food, but good!" Umm, not quite. It's Hong Kong cafe food. Chinese fusion that works.

Such is the case with this pork chop rice. More deliciousness underneath each layer as you dig in. Melty cheese over tomato sauce makes you think of pasta dishes. Vegetables below that for your daily vitamins. Crispy Chinese fried pork further down. And then the rice to balance out all that meat and sauce. A complete meal in one bowl.



Hong Kong-Style Baked Pork Chop Rice
Inspired by the baked pork chop rice at Baccali Cafe and Rotisserie - Alhambra.

For 2 servings as a meal, or 4 servings as a side, you'll need:
2 pork chops, about 1/2 lb's worth, cut into 2-inch pieces
1/2 tsp salt
1 tblsp soy sauce
1 tsp rice wine
1/3 cup all-purpose flour
1/3 cup corn starch
Oil for deep-frying
1 1/2 to 2 cups cooked rice
1 cup mixed frozen vegetables
1/2 cup tomato sauce, tomato paste, or pasta sauce of your choice
1/4 cup shredded cheddar cheese, or any other cheese of your choice

Cut pork chops into 2-inch-sized pieces. Marinate with 1/2 tsp salt, 1 tblsp soy sauce, and 1 tsp rice wine. Set aside.

If you're not short on time, let the meat marinate for 15 minutes or so.

Then, heat your oil for deep-frying. I prefer to fry on medium-high heat, but your stove temperature may vary.

In a shallow bowl, mix 1/3 cup all-purpose flour and 1/3 cup cornstarch.

Dredge the pork chop pieces into the flour/cornstarch mixture. You might need to do two coats and shake off excess flour.



Deep fry until golden. Drain the crispy pork chop pieces.



Pre-heat the oven to 350 degrees.

Now, we can start layering the dish. In a large, shallow bowl, add 2 cups cooked rice. Put the fried pork pieces on top.



Add 1 cup mixed frozen vegetables on top of the pork.



Now, lil' sis and I are in disagreement about whether the original dish has tomato sauce or tomato paste. She says sauce, but I detect a bit of the fermentedness of paste. In this version though, I just went with the pasta sauce I already had on hand. So, choose whichever option you like and add about 1/2 cup of it over the whole bowl.



Top with shredded cheese.



Bake in the oven for about 15 minutes until the cheese is melted and the whole dish is more cohesive.



Crispy fried Chinese pork underneath the pasta sauce and cheese.



Rice below. So yummy.



Enjoy!

Other Hong Kong cafe favorites:
Deep-Fried Pork Chops with Spicy Salt 
Fried Rice with Apples and Cubed Beef
Hong Kong-Style Macaroni Soup with Spam
Hong Kong-Style Tomato Borscht

*****
1 year ago today, Chao Oc (Vietnamese Rice Porridge with Clams).
2 years ago today, a pink wool scarf and pantry items for a fundraiser for Figs with Bri.
3 years ago today, the queen of fruits - mangosteen.