Sticky Pork with Spinach Rice and Vegetables

Steps

1. Combine rice, water and a pinch of salt in a large pot and bring to the boil. As soon as it boils, cover with a tight-fitting lid and reduce to lowest heat to cook for 12 minutes. Turn off heat and leave to steam, still covered, for a further 8 minutes. Do not lift lid at any time during cooking.
2. While rice is cooking, prepare vegetables; finely slice spinach and set aside. Peel carrots, trim ends, cut in half, then quarter lengthways; trim ends off beans. Bring a medium pot of salted water to the boil. Once water is boiling, cook vegetables for 3–4 minutes until just tender, then drain and toss with sesame seeds.
3. Mix all sticky pork ingredients (apart from pork) together in a small bowl. Pat pork dry with paper towels and season with salt. Heat a large fry-pan (preferably non-stick) on high heat. Fry pork for 1–2 minutes each side, until browned but not cooked through. Remove from pan and set aside on a plate, covered with foil. Reduce heat to low to medium, add sticky sauce to pan and simmer for about 3 minutes until reduced and thickened. Slice pork thinly and return to pan (with any resting juices) for 2–3 minutes until pork is just cooked through.
4. Fluff up rice with a fork and stir through spinach and soy sauce (if using) until spinach has wilted.
5. Spoon spinach rice onto plates and top with sticky pork and sauce. Serve vegetables on the side.