Marinate

Sweet Garlic Pork Chops with Chayote Som Tum

by:
June  7, 2024
5
1 Ratings
Sweet Garlic Pork Chops with Chayote Som Tum
Photo by César Pérez
  • Prep time 1 hour
  • Cook time 20 minutes
  • Serves 4 to 6
Author Notes

Often overlooked in the United States, chayote, a small squash seen throughout Latin America and Asia, takes center stage in this dish, showcasing its refreshing crunch and delicate flavor alongside juicy, sweet garlic pork chops. The Thai green papaya salad, som tum (ส้มตำ), is typically made with unripened papaya or even carrots, but chayote works perfectly and I’m quite frankly surprised I haven’t seen this before! There are similar variations of this salad in Laos (ตำบักหุ่ง - tam bak hoong), Cambodia (បុកល្ហុង - bok l’hong), and Vietnam (gỏi đu đủ). Sweet and garlicky pork chops pair beautifully here, but you can also use this marinade for chicken or tofu. —César Pérez

What You'll Need
Ingredients
  • FOR THE PORK CHOPS:
  • 4 bone-in pork chops
  • 5 garlic cloves, minced
  • 2 tablespoons chicken bouillon paste, or 2 tablespoons powdered bouillon
  • 2 tablespoons granulated white sugar
  • 4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 teaspoon white pepper
  • FOR THE CHAYOTE SOM TUM:
  • 2 cups chayote, julienned (about 1 large chayote or 2 smaller chayotes)
  • 1 1/2 tablespoons fish sauce
  • 2 juice and zest
  • 2 garlic cloves, minced
  • 2 teaspoons tamarind paste
  • 1 jalapeño, sliced, or 2 Thai chilies, sliced (if you want it spicier)
  • 1 tablespoon dried baby shrimp
  • 5 cherry tomatoes, halved lengthwise
  • 1/2 cup snap peas, sliced in half
  • 2 tablespoons honey roasted peanuts, half chopped and the other half kept whole
  • Chopped cilantro, for garnish
Directions
  1. In a medium bowl, whisk together garlic, chicken bouillon, white sugar, extra virgin olive oil, and white pepper. Place pork chops into resealable plastic bags along with marinade. Refrigerate for at least an hour and up to overnight.
  2. Julienne (matchstick cut) chayote and soak in a bowl of ice water for 30 minutes. In a small bowl, whisk together fish sauce, lime juice and zest, garlic, and tamarind paste. Add jalapeño or Thai chilies, baby shrimp, and 1 tablespoon chopped peanuts.
  3. In a pok pok, mortar and pestle, or large bowl with a potato masher, combine dressing, drained chayote, tomatoes, and snap peas. Gently bruise as you mix with a spoon. Be careful to not over bruise. Cover and set aside. Mixture should be juicy and will produce more liquid as it sits.
  4. Preheat the oven to 350°F and heat a large skillet or grill pan over medium high heat. Sear pork chops for 2-3 minutes on each side and transfer to the oven for 10 minutes or until the pork chops read 135 degrees. Transfer pork chops to a platter. They will increase in temperature as they sit and reach 145 degrees.
  5. Garnish chayote som tum with the other half of whole peanuts and chopped cilantro. Serve pork chops with a side of chayote som tum. White rice or sticky rice would be a welcome addition to this meal as well.
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