Egg rolls are a popular Chinese food, but nothing fried in vegetable oil is a very healthy choice. I took the filling—a mixture of flavorful ground pork, vegetables, and seasoning—and cooked them together. To give them some crispy texture, I added water chestnuts and a sprinkling of toasted sesame cashews. This dish is perfect over a bowl of Cauliflower Rice or you can simply eat it alone.
Prep time 25 minutes
Serves 6
1 to 11/2 pounds (455 to 680 g) ground pork
1 teaspoon sea salt, divided
1/8 teaspoon Chinese five-spice seasoning
1 medium head green cabbage, cored, and chopped into bite-sized pieces
11/2 cup (165 g) chopped carrots (1/2- inch [1 cm] pieces)
1 8-ounce (227 g) can sliced water chestnuts, drained and chopped
1/2 cup (80 g) chopped yellow onion
1/3 cup (80 ml) coconut aminos
2 cloves garlic, minced
1-inch (2.5 cm) knob of fresh ginger, grated
1 tablespoon (15 ml) lemon juice
4 teaspoons (20 ml) sesame oil, divided
1 tablespoon (15 ml) mirin (optional)
2 tablespoons (40 g) honey, divided
Pinch of crushed red pepper flakes
1 cup (143 g) raw cashews
1/4 teaspoon roasted sesame seeds
Asian chili paste and Cauliflower Rice, for serving (optional)
1 Cook the pork in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Stir it frequently and break the pork into small bits until the pork is cooked through and browned. Sprinkle with 1/2 teaspoon of sea salt and the Chinese spice mixture. Drain off any excess grease. Set the pork aside.
2 Place the cabbage in a 4-quart (3.8 liter) slow cooker. Add the carrots, water chestnuts, onion, and cooked pork on top of the cabbage.
3 In a large measuring cup, combine the coconut aminos, garlic, ginger, lemon juice, 3 teaspoons (15 ml) of sesame oil, mirin, 1 tablespoon (20 g) honey, crushed red pepper, and 1/2 teaspoon sea salt. Pour the mixture over the pork and vegetables.
4 Cover and cook on low for 4 hours, until the vegetables are cooked through. Toss the mixture in the cooking juices to coat.
5 Put the cashews in a skillet with the remaining 1 tablespoon (20 g) honey, 1 teaspoon (5 ml) sesame oil, and a pinch of salt. Heat over medium heat until the cashews are golden brown and fragrant. Sprinkle with the sesame seeds.
6 Serve the pork and vegetable mixture with a sprinkle of toasted sesame cashews and Cauliflower Rice, if desired.
