Pork Stuffed Tomatoes
Cà Chua Nhồi Thịt, is a Vietnamese classic. Halved tomatoes filled with seasoned pork, wood ear mushrooms, and glass noodles, seared and then braised in a light tomato sauce.
Equipment
- 1 large non-stick frying pan with lid
Ingredients
Stuffed Tomatoes
- 6 medium tomatoes firm and ripe
- 300 g pork mince
- 15 g dried wood ear mushrooms soaked and finely chopped
- 25 g dried glass noodles soaked and finely chopped
- 50 g brown onion finely diced
- 2 garlic cloves minced
- 1 egg yolk
- 1 tbsp fish sauce
- 1 tsp caster sugar
- 2 g fine salt
- 1 g ground white pepper
- 10 g spring onions
- 1 tbsp neutral oil
Tomato Sauce
- 150 g reserved tomato flesh roughly chopped, scooped from tomatoes
- 200 g canned crushed tomatoes
- 80 ml water
- 1 tbsp fish sauce
- 6 g caster sugar
- 1 g ground white pepper
- 2 tsp neutral oil
- 2 garlic cloves finely chopped
To Serve
- steamed jasmine rice
- spring onions
- coriander
- ground white pepper
Instructions
Make the Pork Filling
- Add the pork mince, wood ear mushrooms, glass noodles, brown onion, garlic, egg yolk, fish sauce, sugar, salt, white pepper and spring onions to a bowl.
- Mix firmly until the filling becomes slightly sticky and cohesive.
- Divide the filling between the tomato halves and press firmly into each shell so there are no air pockets, then smooth the surface so the pork sits flat and level with the cut edge of the tomato.
Sear the Stuffed Tomatoes
- Heat the neutral oil in the pan over medium heat.
- Place the tomatoes pork-side down and cook for 4–5 minutes until the pork surface is lightly browned and set.
Do not move them too early - the filling may stick and tear.
The pork won't be fully cooked at this stage. The braising will finish it off.
Make the Tomato Sauce
- Add the neutral oil to the same pan if needed, then add the chopped garlic and cook over medium heat for 30–45 seconds until fragrant but not browned.
- Add the reserved tomato flesh and cook for 3 minutes until softened.
- Add the crushed tomatoes, water, fish sauce, sugar and white pepper and simmer for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the sauce looks slightly thickened and glossy.
Braise the Stuffed Tomatoes
- Return the stuffed tomatoes to the pan pork-side down, then cover with a lid.
- Simmer gently over low-medium heat for 10 minutes, or until the pork is cooked through.
- Remove the lid and simmer for a further 4 minutes if the sauce needs reducing.
- Taste and adjust with a little more fish sauce for savouriness, sugar for balance, or water if the sauce has reduced too far.
- Serve with steamed jasmine rice, extra sauce, spring onions, coriander and ground white pepper.
Notes
Storage
- Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 days.
- Reheat gently in a covered pan with a splash of water to loosen the sauce. The tomatoes will soften further on reheating.