Spiced pork fillet with papaya and chilli salsa

Ingredients:

• 2 red chillies, chopped
• 4 cloves garlic
• ½ Tbsp (7ml) smoked paprika
• ½ Tbsp (7ml) ground cumin
• ¼ cup (60ml) olive oil
• 3 (800g-1kg) whole pork fillets
• Salt and milled pepper

Salsa:

• 2 small ripe papayas, peeled and diced
• 2cm knob ginger, grated
• 1 red chilli, deseeded and chopped
• ½ cucumber, diced
• ½ red pepper, diced
• 1 Tbsp (15ml) sugar
• 1 tsp (5ml) salt
• ½ punnet (10g) fresh mint, chopped
• ½ punnet (10g) fresh coriander, chopped

• 4 naan breads, for serving

Method

1. Combine chillies, garlic, spices and olive oil to create a thin paste.
2. Coat pork with paste and season. Marinate for 20 minutes or overnight.
3. Mix salsa ingredients together and macerate for 30 minutes to draw out moisture.
4. Remove pork from marinade and season.
5. Heat a griddle pan over high heat or prepare hot coals.
6. Grill fillets for 3-4 minutes, turning regularly (take care not to overcook them).
7. Remove from heat and rest for 10 minutes.
8. Serve fillets sliced with grilled naan breads and papaya salsa.

COOK’S NOTE:

Also called tenderloin, this is a very lean cut of meat that should be cooked whole to retain its moisture. Quick-cooking over very high heat is key here. Be sure to add a punchy sauce or condiment, as the lack of fat makes this cut a little less flavourful.

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