Thai Red Curry with Roasted Pork & Green Banana

Ingredients

• Marinade:
• 3 cloves garlic, lightly crushed
• 1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger
• 1/4 cup pineapple juice
• 1/4 cup soy sauce
• Curry:
• 1 lb. pork tenderloin or pork shoulder
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 2 cups water
• 4 green bananas, peeled and sliced into 1/4" diagonal slices
• 3 cups fresh unsweetened coconut milk
• 1 cup +3 tablespoons fresh unsweetened coconut
• cream
• 1/2 cup Thai Red Chile Paste
• 1 yellow onion, cut into eighths
• 2 tablespoons fish sauce, (namm pla)
• 1 teaspoon sea salt
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 4 kaffer lime leaves, torn and bruised, or strips of lime zest, lightly brused
• 3 serrano chiles, or more if desired, lightly crushed
• 1 cup Thai basil leaves

Method

• Marinade: Combine ingredients and cover pork. Marinade for at least 1 hour or in the frig for no longer than 3 hours.
• Preheat oven to 350F, pour off marinade and roast pork for 25-30 minuites until at 160F on meat thermometer. Remove from oven, cool and cut into 1" cubes.
• In another bowl, combine the baking soda with water and pour over green bananas. Let sit for 30 minutes.
• Rinse the bananas several times in cool water, drain and dry thoroughly with paper towels. Set aside.
• Heat the coconut milk in a large saucepan over high heat until boiling. Lower the heat. Skim off the cream and transfer to a skillet. Allow the coconut milk to simmer over low heat.
• Add 1 cup fresh coconut cream and chile paste to the skimmed cream in the skillet, blending well, and bring to a boil over high heat. Lower the heat to medium until the oil comes to the surface with tiny bubbles, about 7-10 minutes. Add the pork and banana slices and bring the mixture to a boil. Add onion and bring to a boil again.
• Transfer the above mixture to the simmering coconut milk and turn the heat to medium high. Add the fish sauce, sea salt and sugar and bring to a boil. Stir occasionally. Add the lime leaves or zest, crushed fresh serrano chiles and half of the basil. Return to a boil, then lower heat to a simmer and cook for about 10 minutes until the broth thickens and the bananas are pierceable. Transfer to serving bowl. Garnish with the remaining 3 tablespoons of coconut cream and basil.
• Serve with Chile Fish Sauce and Jasmine Rice.

Notes

• Source:
• "Cracking the Coconut"
• SERVINGS: 8
• SOURCE: Adapted from Su-Mei Yu