the following recipe brings the renowned pork chop a bit of asian perfume. kaki or japanese persimmon is a fruit of asian origin (the largest producers are from china, japan and korea), which ripens in late fall, as citrus do. with a slightly sweet-sour aroma, fragrant, very soft and delicate flesh, kaki deserve extra attention from us, especially because it is very healthy.
the pork chop is not a meat too juicy, with almost no fat, so it is suitable for combining with various sauces, to flavor it, and add it extra tenderness.
following the asian origins of the fruit kaki (although the products purchased by me were produced in italy, for now many countries produce these delicious fruits), i made a marinade flavored with elegant notes of citrus and ginger. we will create a special marinade, which will coat the pork chops in a golden crust, giving it shine, flavor and personality.
gold was the imperial color in ancient china, only sovereigns having the right to wear it, because it was the code of honor, fame and distinction. based on this symbolism, we make a roast pork in khaki golden robe, the fruit of gods, the symbol of happiness and longevity.
as special as this recipe is, as interesting is its taste.
however, you must choose very soft, mellow fruit which already have a gelatinous pulp, otherwise the fruit is astringent and has unpleasant taste (due to high concentration of tannin).
citronelle is a thai herb, but goes well with the other ingredients in this recipe.
ingredients:
-2 pork chops
-3 kaki fruit
-1 lemon
-1-2 citronelle rods
-cinnamon powder or "five spices" mix
-peanut-oil
-1 piece of fresh ginger the size of a walnut
remove the outer leaves and finely chop the citronelle rod.
wash the fruits of kaki, cut them in half and remove the pulp with a spoon. throw the shell.
do the same with another 2 fruits.
mash with a fork until you get a gold puree.
add a teaspoon of grated ginger. sprinkle a pinch of cayenne pepper (optional, if you want it spicier), half a teaspoon of cinnamon, add 2 teaspoons of ground citronelle.
mix well; add the juice of half a lemon.
sprinkle some salt and pepper.
grease a tray with a little peanut oil; put the pork chops with some salt and pepper. cover them with the kaki marinade.
already looks royal. sprinkle citronelle over the chops. if you want it a bit spicy, add some dried chili flakes.
put some water in the pan, cover with foil and put in the oven. bake at 180 degrees for 40 minutes, then remove the foil and let for another 10 minutes to get slightly brown.
the pork chops look something like this:
make a kaki puree from some fruit pulp, mixed with a little sauce from the pan. cook until it binds well.
the imperial pork chops are served on a bed of mashed khaki.
next to the steal put half a fresh kaki fruit.
it is special. meat gets a special taste and the crust is delicious.
you should enjoy with fresh kaki pieces, to highlight the principal flavor.
enjoy your meal!