Pork Rib Tips in a Black Bean Sauce

As a newlywed, one of my must-haves of any recipe is simplicity.  I have often been overwhelmed by the sheer number of ingredients (some even carrying onto the next page!) necessary in attempting a so-called easy meal.

Since moving out with my husband, I've gained a new sense of appreciation for both my mum and mom ('mum' being my mom and 'mom' being my husband's).  I never understood how much love, and time, goes into cooking meals seven days a week, not to mention packing lunches everyday and having snacks ready right after school.

So just before moving out, I asked my mum for a couple of low-ingredient recipes, that didn't lack flavour or taste, and was happy at what I found.  The first one I tried was her Pork Rib Tips in a Black Bean Sauce.  What immediately caught my attention was the fact that everything was thrown into, and cooked in, one bowl!

Now if that doesn't peek your interest, the versatility of this recipe certainly will!  According to my mum, throwing in leftover veggies won't change the recipe much so I took one of my hubby's favourite veggies, mushrooms, and threw them in happily.

Talk about comfort food!  I topped the meal off with some steamed broccoli and voila - black bean pork rib tips and mushrooms, with steamed rice and broccoli.  It was a healthy and hearty meal, one my husband joyously devoured.

PORK RIB TIPS in BLACK BEAN SAUCE


Ingredients
1 lb Pork Rib Tips
2 tsp Sugar
1 tbsp Black Bean Paste (mushed, unless you like chunks of bean)
1 clove Garlic (minced)
Little Oil
1 tsp Corn Starch
1 cup Mushrooms (they shrink when cooked!)
1 cup Broccoli


Directions
Cut up pork rib tips into smaller pieces.  Put pork and sugar into a microwave-safe bowl.  Mix together and let it sit for 5 minutes. Add black bean sauce, garlic, oil and cornstarch and mushrooms into the bowl.  Mix well.  Cook the pork in the microwave for 5 minutes on high, covered with a microwave-safe lid.  While the pork is cooking, cut the broccoli into smaller pieces and put into a separate bowl with a little bit of water.  After the pork has cooked for 5 minutes, take it out and mix it well.  Cook it for another 3 minutes on high.  When the pork has finished cooking, cook the broccoli in the microwave for 2 minutes on high (add cheese if you're daring!).

Enjoy!