Pork Braised in Kiwi-Coconut Sauce with White Beans

Look for curry paste in the Asian section of your supermarket (the Thai Kitchen brand is widely available). It’s a combination of spices and ingredients like lemongrass and curry leaves; try adding it to chicken broth as the base for an Asian-inspired soup.

PREP TIME: 25 MINUTES / TOTAL TIME: 1 HOUR / SERVINGS: 6










Ingredients
1 tablespoon canola oil
6 (1¼″ thick) boneless center cut pork loin chops (about 5 ounces each)
½ large red onion, chopped (about 3⁄4 cup)
1 can (14 ounces) light coconut milk
1 tablespoon green curry paste
11 kiwi, peeled and chopped (about 4 cups)
1 can (15 ounces) cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
1 can (8 ounces) pineapple chunks, drained and chopped
6 tablespoons roasted unsalted sunflower seeds
3 tablespoons thinly sliced shallots
3 tablespoons chopped cilantro

1 HEAT the oil in a large pot or Dutch oven on medium-high heat. Season the pork with ¼ teaspoon salt and freshly ground black pepper. Brown the pork in batches without moving until the bottoms are deep golden brown, 2 to 3 minutes. Turn and repeat on the opposite sides. Transfer to a plate as browned.

2 REDUCE the heat to medium low, add the onion, and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 6 minutes. Add the coconut milk, curry paste, and 11⁄3 cups of the kiwi. Bring to a simmer, reduce the heat to low, cover, and cook until the kiwi is soft, about 5 minutes. Remove from the heat. Working in batches, transfer to a blender and puree (be careful when blending hot liquids).

3 RETURN the coconut mixture to the pot and bring to a simmer on medium-high heat. Add the pork and any juices accumulated on the plate. Reduce the heat to low, cover, and simmer, turning halfway through, until the pork feels firm and the center is just barely pink, 12 to 14 minutes. Let stand off the heat, uncovered, 5 minutes. Season to taste with salt and freshly ground black pepper.

4 COMBINE the beans, pineapple, sunflower seeds, shallots, 2 tablespoons of the cilantro, and the remaining kiwi in a large bowl. Divide among 6 plates. Divide the sauce evenly among the plates and top with a pork chop. Garnish with the remaining cilantro, and serve.

NUTRITION (per serving: 1 chop, ¼ cup sauce, 3⁄4 cup beans) 501 calories, 37 g protein, 45 g carbs, 20 g fat, 7 g saturated fat, 307 mg sodium