Sweet and Sour Pork

500g diced free-range pork 
3 slices of fresh pineapple
1 tsp Marmite/Vegemite
2 tbsp tomato sauce
2 tbsp soy sauce
Coriander
2 tsp lime juice 
2 lime leaves (or zest of half a lime)
1 tsp chili flakes
2 tsp of sugar
1 tbsp jaggery (or palm sugar), grated
Salt, to taste

Coat the pineapple in sugar and cook in a hot pan. When the pineapple is soft, golden on the edges and smells deliciously fruity and sweet, remove from the pan. Allow to cool and blitz to a purée in a food processor/blender.

To make a marinade, mix soy sauce, half the tomato sauce, 2 tbsp pineapple purée, chilli flakes and salt.

Marinate the pork for at least two hours. The longer it marinates, the better. The acid in the pineapple will help the enzymes in the meat break down and make it really tender. Cover and keep in the fridge if marinating for longer than 2 hours. 

Cook marinated pork in a hot pan, until browned.

Dissolve Marmite/Vegemite in 1/4 cup of hot water and add it to the pan. Add remaining pineapple purée, grated jaggery, lime juice, finely chopped cilantro stem, remaining tomato sauce and salt. Depending on the sweetness of the pineapple, you can add more grated jaggery to make it sweeter. 

Cook until the sauce is thick and meat cooked through. Remove from heat, add fresh coriander leaves and finely chopped lime leaves (or zest). Mix through and serve hot. Serve with rice.

Read all about this recipe and Sri Lankan family food, on our Family #10 Interview.