Pork with Fennel

Fennel or Perum Jeerakam as we call it in Malayalam is a highly aromatic and flavorful herb with culinary and medicinal uses,The bulb, foliage, and seeds of the fennel plant are widely used for cooking.The leaves are delicately flavored and similar in shape to those of dill. The bulb is a crisp, hardy root vegetable and may be sauteed, stewed, braised, grilled, or eaten raw.

I tried the bulb raw and it was too strong flavored for my liking, once it was sauteed it turned really sweet and mild and if you didn't know what it was - it could easily pass off as onion.I just made this recipe up with what I had on hand.It came out good.



Ingredients:

1. Pork sliced into thin strips - 2 cups
2. Fennel bulb - 1/2 of 1 sliced thin
3. Spring onion - 2 stalks
4. Onion - 1 medium cut into half inch thick slices
5. Corn flour - 2 tbsp
6. Soy sauce - to taste
7. sambal olek OR crushed pepper - to taste
8. vinegar - 1 tsp
9. Garlic - 1 tbsp chopped
10. Ginger - 1 tsp chopped
11. Oil - 2 tbsp
    

Method:
Mix together the sliced pork and sambal olek , vinegar, and soy sauce and keep aside for 10 minutes.
Add in the cornflour and toss to coat.
Heat 1 tbsp oil in a non stick pan and saute the ginger and garlic until light golden brown.
Add in the Pork strips and stir fry on high heat until the pork is cooked.(Since we slice it really thin it gets cooked pretty fast in about 5 to 8 minutes)
Remove the fried pork on to a plate and add 1 tbsp oil to the pan .
Add in the fennel slices and onion and a splash of soy sauce and saute for a minute.
Pour in 1/2cup water or chicken stock and bring to a simmer.
Add the fried Pork into the mixture and stir well.
Add in more Sambal olek/Crushed pepper to taste and add the sliced spring onions.
Remove from heat and serve as a snack or with rice.