Aromatic Thai Pork on Pineapple

This summery dish makes a great starter as it really gets the palette firing. The balance of flavours are quite amazing with the pork salty and sweet and the acidity of the pineapple bringing it all together.

---

Aromatic Thai Pork on Pineapple

Serves 12

INGREDIENTS

1⁄2 cup peanut oil
3 pink shallots, finely sliced
300g coarsely ground minced pork
white pepper to season
4 coriander roots, chopped
4 garlic cloves, peeled
1 inch piece of ginger, sliced
1 small bullet chilli
pinch of salt
1⁄2 cup coconut sugar
1⁄4 cup good quality fish sauce
2 tbs deep fried shallots
1⁄2 cup crushed peanuts
1⁄2 pineapple, skinned, quartered and thinly
sliced fresh mint, small leaves picked
 kaffir lime leaf, finely shredded

DIRECTIONS

First heat the peanut oil on a medium heat and fry off the shallots for 5 minutes or until deeply golden. Drain the shallots on paper towel and set aside. Reserve the peanut oil.

Pour 1 tbs of the peanut oil into a wok and reheat until hot. Add the minced pork and sauté until cooked (about 4-5 minutes). Season to taste with white pepper and drain the pork on paper towel and allow to cool.

In a mortar and pestle, pound the coriander roots, garlic, ginger and chilli together with a small pinch of salt, until a fine paste. Add the paste to the wok on a medium heat with another tablespoon of the reserved peanut oil until fragrant. Add the coconut sugar and the fish sauce and simmer gently. When the sauce is starting to caramelise and thicken, add the cooked pork and stir to combine. Lastly, add the shallots and peanuts and stir through.

Spoon the pork mixture onto the sliced pineapple and top with extra shallots, mint and shredded kaffir lime leaf.