Give a warming winter stew an Asian-inspired twist with coriander, chilli and star anise, sweetened with chunks of juicy, fresh pineapple
Prep:20 mins
Serves 8
1 tbsp vegetable oil1.5kg (about 8) pork shoulder steaks, each cut into 4 thick strips3 onions, roughly chopped4 garlic cloves, thinly slicedsmall bunch coriander, stalks finely chopped, leaves reserved3 Thai red chillies, 2 sliced, 1 left whole and pricked3 star anise100g dark soft brown sugar2 tbsp tomato purée2 tbsp fish sauce600ml chicken stock350g fresh pineapple, cut into chunks
STEP 1Heat the oil in a large, flameproof casserole dish. Season the pork, and brown it in 2 or 3 batches until golden, about 5 mins per batch. Set aside in a bowl. Stir the onions into the remaining fat, cover and soften for 5 mins – they will take on the browned colour of the meat. Heat oven to 160C/140C fan/gas 3.STEP 2Add the garlic, coriander stalks, chillies and anise to the dish, sizzle for 1 min, stirring often, then mix in the sugar and tomato purée. When these have melted and it looks a bit like barbecue sauce, return the pork and its resting juices to the dish, along with the fish sauce and stock. Tuck in the pineapple chunks here and there.STEP 3Once simmering, cover the hotpot, leaving a small gap for steam to escape, and transfer to the oven for 2 hrs. With 30 mins to go, skim some of the fat from the top (this tends to seal the liquid in, making it more difficult for the sauce to reduce), then return to the oven. The pork will be meltingly soft when ready. If the sauce is thin, lift the pork into a warmed serving dish, put the casserole dish on the hob and simmer until the sauce has slightly thickened. Leave to cool for 5 mins, taste for seasoning, pour over the pork and sprinkle over the coriander leaves.
