RECIPE: Spicy Pork Enoki Mushroom Rolls with Chili Oil

These spicy pork enoki mushroom rolls are prepared in the microwave, making them an accessible option for those with limited appliances or hectic schedules! Perfect for college students or busy parents, this satisfying recipe makes for an excellent bento-friendly side dish or protein-packed snack.

This recipe uses thinly-sliced pork. If you have access to a Japanese grocery store, look for “shabu shabu” or “sukiyaki” cut. Alternatively, you can use thin bacon or slice your own pork at home! 

Start by mixing together soy sauce, mirin, vinegar, chili oil, and white sesame seeds. These traditional Japanese condiments come together to form an umami and slightly spicy sauce that complements the rich pork and mildly sweet mushrooms.  

Wrapping the rolls is a great hands-on activity to try with the whole family! To form them, simply lay a piece of pork flat on a surface, season with salt and pepper, place a bundle of enoki mushroom at one end, then wrap up each piece. 

Next, pour a tablespoon of cooking sake over the rolls and microwave for 3 minutes. If the pork isn’t fully cooked yet, continue microwaving in 30 second increments until finished, then drizzle the sauce over the top. 

These rolls can be served as a side dish or accompanied by rice for a complete meal. Delicious both hot and at room temperature, they also make for an excellent addition to a packed lunch. It’s hard to believe that these impressive-looking rolls can be made using only a microwave!

Cooking time: 15 mins
Servings: 2

Ingredients:

• 2 tbsp soy sauce*
• 1 tbsp mirin
• 1 tsp vinegar
• 2 tsp chili oil 
• 1 tbsp sesame seeds
• 5 pieces pork (thin slices) or 150g bacon 
• 1/4 tsp salt and pepper
• 100g enoki mushrooms (washed and separated into 5 bundles)
• 1 tbsp cooking sake

1. Mix the soy sauce and mirin in a microwavable bowl and heat for 1 minute.
2. Add the vinegar, chili oil and white sesame seeds. Mix thoroughly and set aside.
3. Lay each piece of pork flat and add salt and pepper. 
4. Wrap the pork slices around each enoki mushroom bundle for a total of 5.
5. Place the pork wrapped enoki mushroom bundles onto a microwaveable plate and cover with cooking sake. Cook in microwave oven for 3 mins or until the pork is fully cooked.
6. Cover in the sauce from step 2 and enjoy!

*Available in our Creative Beginnings: Redefining “Wa” Care Package

Introduction courtesy of Britney Budiman

Britney Budiman (@booritney) is a writer, minimalist, aspiring effective altruist, and runner-in-progress with a penchant for saying “yes.” Previously, she has worked in Cambodia at a traditional arts NGO, in Brazil as a social sciences researcher, and in San Francisco at a housing start-up. She currently lives in the countryside of Kagoshima, Japan, where she teaches English. Her favorite thing in the world is good conversation.