Pork with Apricot Sauce

October in Houston. The city takes a breath. The temperature is finally in the seventies, the humidity retreats to a merely oppressive level, and the mosquitoes — may they rest in whatever passes for peace — begin to die. I smoked two racks of spare ribs Sunday without sweating through my shirt, which felt like a personal victory.

Got an email from Duc, the tour guide in Vietnam. He's been doing research on Mai's old neighborhood — District 3 in what's now Ho Chi Minh City. He found a woman, a neighbor who lived on the same street in the early 1970s and is still there. She's in her eighties. Her name is Mrs. Thi. Duc spoke to her and she remembers the Tran family. She remembers Mai. She said Mai used to buy fish from her husband's stall at the market. I read this email three times. Then I put my head down on the kitchen table and breathed for a while. The trip isn't just a trip anymore. It's a return. And there are people there who remember.

I haven't told Mai about Mrs. Thi. I'm saving it. The trip is in five months and every day another piece falls into place and every day the weight of it gets heavier and lighter at the same time. Heavier because I understand what this will mean to her. Lighter because I understand what this will mean to her.

Tyler sent photos of his kitchen renovation plans. He wants to do the demolition himself, which is very Tyler — the man does not pay other people to swing hammers. I told him I'd come up for a weekend to help with the layout once the walls are down. The kitchen is small but with the wall gone it'll feel twice the size. I sketched a layout on a napkin and texted him a photo: island in the center, sink under the window, stove against the back wall. He said, "You drew this on a napkin?" I said, "I design professional kitchens for a living." He said, "Fair point."

Made a batch of mì quảng — the noodle dish from central Vietnam, specifically from Quảng Nam province. Thick yellow turmeric noodles in a small amount of broth (not swimming in soup like pho — just enough to moisten), topped with shrimp, pork, fresh herbs, peanuts, sesame rice crackers, and a squeeze of lime. It's a textural experience: the crackers crunch against the soft noodles, the peanuts add bite, the herbs add brightness. Mai's mother was from central Vietnam, and this was her dish. Mai makes it on days when she's thinking about home. I make it on days when I'm thinking about Mai thinking about home.

The mì quảng I made that week had pork in it — sliced, simmered, layered under noodles the color of turmeric and sunlight — and after I finished eating I sat with the empty bowl for a long time thinking about Mrs. Thi and the fish stall and a street in District 3 that still holds people who remember. Some nights you need a second recipe just to keep your hands busy. This pork with apricot sauce is that kind of dish: fast enough to make without thinking, sweet enough to cut through whatever is sitting heavy on your chest, and simple enough that there’s room to let your mind be somewhere five months away while the pan does its work.

Prep Time: 10 minutes | Cook Time: 20 minutes | Total Time: 30 minutes | Servings: 4

Ingredients

1 1/2 lbs pork tenderloin, sliced into 1-inch medallions
3/4 tsp kosher salt
1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
1 tbsp olive oil
1 cup apricot preserves
2 tbsp low-sodium soy sauce
1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 tsp ground ginger
1/4 tsp crushed red pepper flakes (optional)
2 tbsp water
Fresh flat-leaf parsley, chopped, for garnish

Instructions

Season the pork. Pat the pork medallions dry with paper towels and season both sides evenly with salt and black pepper.
Sear the medallions. Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add pork in a single layer and sear undisturbed for 3–4 minutes per side until a deep golden crust forms and internal temperature reaches 145°F. Transfer to a plate and tent loosely with foil.
Build the apricot sauce. Reduce heat to medium. In the same skillet, add garlic and cook 30 seconds until fragrant, stirring constantly. Add apricot preserves, soy sauce, apple cider vinegar, ground ginger, red pepper flakes (if using), and water. Stir to combine, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan.
Simmer and reduce. Let the sauce simmer 3–4 minutes, stirring occasionally, until it thickens slightly and coats the back of a spoon.
Return and glaze. Return the pork medallions to the skillet, turning to coat each piece in the sauce. Cook an additional 1–2 minutes over medium-low heat until the pork is heated through and glazed.
Serve. Plate the medallions and spoon extra sauce over the top. Garnish with fresh parsley and serve immediately alongside steamed rice or roasted vegetables.

Nutrition (per serving)

Pork with Apricot Sauce — Something Sweet for the Days the Weight Gets Heavier and Lighter at Once