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Pork with Lentils Chilies and Fruit
By Pig on a Spit - Apr 29, 2008 |
 
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Health magazine has selected lentils as one of the five healthiest foods.
The lentil or is a bushy annual plant of the legume family, grown for its lens-shaped seeds. It is about 15 inches tall and the seeds grow in pods, usually with two seeds in each. Apart from a high level of proteins, lentils also contain dietary fiber, vitamin B1, and minerals. Red or pink lentils contain a lower concentration of fiber than green lentils.
The chili has a long association with Mexican cuisine as later adapted into Tex-Mex cuisine. Although unknown in Asia until Europeans introduced it there, chili has also become a part of the Korean, Indian, Indonesian, Szechuan, Thai and other cooking traditions.
Ingredients:
1/2 pound (1 heaped cup) lentils brown if available
1/2 small White onion
Sea salt to taste
The pork:
1 pound Boneless stewing pork cut into 1-inch cubes.
Sea salt to taste
The seasoning and final cooking:
5 small dried Chilies anchos cleaned of seeds and Lightly toasted
1/4 poundTomatoes broiled
1 Garlic clove peeled and chopped
1/4 teaspoon Dried oreganoMexican
1 Whole clove garlic
1 1/2 Inch cinnamon stick
1 tablespoon Melted lard or safflower oil
1 medium Plantain (about 8-oz) peeled and cut into 1/4 Inch cubes
2 Thick pineapple slices peeled and cored cut into small triangular wedges.
Cooking Method:
The lentils:
Run the lentils through your hands to make sure there are no stones or other foreign bodies in them.
Rinse them in two changes of water and put into a pan.
Add onion, salt to taste, and enough water to come about 2 inches above the surface of the lentils.
Set over medium heat and bring to a fast simmer. Continue simmering until the lentils are quite soft, about 3 hours depending on their age.
Keep a pan of near-boiling water on the side, ready to add if necessary.
Put the pork pieces into a pan; add salt to taste and water to cover.
Bring to a fast simmer and continue simmering until the pork is tender but not soft - about 25 minutes. Strain, reserving the broth, and set broth and meat aside.
Cover the dried chilies with boiling water and leave to soak for about 15 minutes, until the chilies have softened and become fleshy. Drain and put into a blender with 1 cup of the reserved pork broth, the broiled tomatoes, garlic, oregano, clove, and cinnamon; blend until smooth, adding more broth only if needed to release the blades of the blender.
Heat the lard in a small frying pan, add the blended ingredients, and fry over medium heat, stirring and scraping the bottom of the pan, until reduced and well seasoned - about 4 minutes.
Add to the lentils and add the pork, remaining broth, plantain, and pineapple; simmer together for about 30 minutes.
Adjust salt and add water if necessary. The mixture should be like a thick soup.
This page is from our Mexican Pork Recipes category.
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