Fiery Asian grilled pork chops

I have received many rave reviews from readers about a Splenda recipe I included in my column earlier in the year called “Fat Free Cheesecake Bites.” If you missed this recipe, please write to me at dez@chefdez.com and I will be more than happy to send it to you. Along with these many compliments also came requests for more Splenda recipes and it is with this column I will oblige.
I have battled with being overweight in the past, and although due to a regular fitness program I am not faced with this challenge currently, I still find it extremely helpful to reduce my calorie count when needed.
Splenda is made from sucralose, so it does not contain aspartame. Sucralose can be used by everyone, including people with diabetes as part of a healthy diet designed for their unique needs.
Since it is low in calories and carbohydrates, and because it is safe for people with diabetes, Splenda provides an ideal sugar-alternative for a healthy lifestyle without sacrificing taste.
I wrote this recipe to commemorate the upcoming 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing, and the flavour in this marinade is amazing.
The Asian influence in this recipe is achieved with the inclusion of ingredients like soy sauce, ginger, and sesame oil, and then further complimented by garnishing with sesame seeds and angle cut green onion.
By cooking the residual marinade into a reduction glaze to finish the chops, they become so delectably delicious and scream with flavour.
The only ingredient that may seem foreign to you is “sambal oelek.” It is a crushed chili product that comes in a liquid/paste form that is basically a re-hydrated form of the dried crushed chilies you have on your spice rack. It can usually be found in any major grocery store down the Asian food isle or Imported foods isle.
So, fire up the grill, turn on the Olympics, and smile . . . because even if you aren’t watching your calorie count your taste buds will be begging for more.
Fiery Asian Grilled Pork Chops
Recipe created by Chef Dez/Gordon Desormeaux www.chefdez.com
Makes 4 to 6 servings
Preparation time: 10 minutes
Bake time: 8 to 14 minutes
Ingreidents:
•1/4 cup SPLENDA® Low Calorie Sweetener, Granular
•1/4 cup soy sauce
•6 – 8 garlic cloves, crushed
•1 tablespoon fresh minced ginger
•1 tablespoon sambal oelek (crushed chili paste/liquid)
•1 teaspoon sesame oil
•4-6 boneless pork loin center chops, approx. 700g total
•1–2 green onions, sliced diagonally, for garnish
•White and/or black sesame seeds, for garnish
COMBINE SPLENDA® Granular, soy sauce, garlic, ginger, sambal oelek, and sesame oil. Add the pork chops and toss thoroughly. Cover or put in a sealed freezer bag and marinate in the refrigerator for 1 to 6 hours, tossing occasionally.
PREHEAT barbeque grill with a high flame. Remove chops from the marinade and put the residual marinade in a small pot.
COOK the pork chops on the grill over a medium flame until cooked through, approximately 4 to 7 minutes per side depending on the thickness of the chops and temperature of the grill.
BOIL the residual marinade at a full boil for approximately 1 to 2 minutes.
BRUSH the cooked marinade onto the pork chops once they have been flipped on the grill.
Serving Suggestions: Serve each pork chop garnished with a few green onion slices and a sprinkle of sesame seeds.
Send your food/cooking questions to dez@chefdez.com or P.O. Box 2674, Abbotsford, B.C.,V2T 6R4.
Chef Dez is a food columnist, culinary instructor, and cooking show performer. Visit him at www.chefdez.com