This dish is a spin-off of chicken satay—a common Thai-style appetizer made with strips of marinated, grilled chicken on skewers with a spicy peanut sauce for dipping. I had some cubed pork loin in the fridge, and I thought a stew version would be good to incorporate those satay flavors—and to use up the rest of the pork. A fabulous idea! The almond butter made the sauce rich and nutty—perfect over a bed of Squash Noodles.
Prep time 25 minutes
Serves 6
11/2 to 2 pounds (680 to 905 g) cubed pork loin or shoulder
1 teaspoon sea salt
1/3 cup (80 ml) freshly squeezed lime juice (2 to 3 juicy limes)
1 tablespoon (19 g) fish sauce
1 tablespoon (15 g) sambal oelek or other Asian chili garlic sauce
1 tablespoon (20 g) honey
1 teaspoon ground turmeric
2-inch (5 cm) knob of fresh ginger, grated or finely minced
2 cloves garlic, minced
3 medium carrots, cut into 1/4-inch (5 mm) slices
1/2 cup (80 g) yellow onion, diced small
1 cup (235 ml) unsweetened coconut milk
1/3 cup (76 g) unsweetened almond butter
1/2 cup (120 ml) chicken broth
1 tablespoon tapioca flour
Additional lime wedges and Asian chili garlic paste, for garnish
Squash Noodles or Cauliflower Rice (shown here and here), for serving
1 Sprinkle the pork pieces with salt. Toss to combine and transfer the pork to a 4-quart (3.8 liter) slow cooker.
2 Add the lime juice, fish sauce, chili paste, honey, turmeric, ginger, and garlic to the cooker, and give the whole thing a good stir.
3 Add the carrots and onions to the cooker.
4 Whisk together the coconut milk, almond butter, broth, and tapioca flour, and pour over the vegetables.
5 Cover and cook on low for about 5 hours or until the pork is tender. Taste, and add salt and lime juice if necessary.
6 Serve over desired side dish with lime wedges and chili paste.
