PORK CUBES IN A MILD CURRY

Serves: 6

Cooking time: 2 hours

Pork neck cubes are so versatile and ideal for this special dish. You can make the curry paste in advance and keep it in the fridge for a few weeks.

Ingredients

For the curry paste

• 3 shallots or 1 small red onion
• 1 long red chili
• 10ml ground cumin
• 10ml ground coriander
• 15ml turmeric or 3cm fresh turmeric
• 4cm ginger, peeled and sliced
• 4 cloves garlic
• 4 stems lemongrass, chopped (white bits only)
• grated peel and juice of 2 limes
• 30ml brown or coconut sugar
• 120ml melted coconut oil or vegetable oil

For the meat

• 1.60kg cubed shoulder of pork
• salt and milled pepper
• 3 tablespoons coconut oil or vegetable oil, for frying
• 750ml pork or chicken stock
• 400g coconut cream

For serving

• cooked rice noodles
• 1 cucumber, cut into thin shards
• handful each of coriander, basil and mint
• sliced red chili
• lime wedges

Method

1. Preheat oven to 160ºC.
2. Place all the paste ingredients in a blender and blitz until smooth. Season the meat well with salt and pepper.
3. Heat the oil in a heavy-based ovenproof casserole and brown the pork neck cubes in batches.
4. Return all the meat to the casserole and add the paste, continue frying until the paste smells really fragrant. Add the stock and ̏ a can of coconut cream.
5. Season well with salt and pepper.
6. Place in an oven dish and braise in the oven at 160ºC for 1-2 hours until the meat is tender (you may have to add a little more water if the curry begins to look too dry).
7. Stir through the remaining coconut cream and cook for another minute or two to reheat.
8. Add noodles or rice to small bowls and spoon over the curry with a generous amount of sauce.               
9. Serve bowls with a side of limes, cucumber, fresh herbs and a scatter of chilli.