Chu chee (choo chee) pork
My introduction to chu chee came many years ago, in a small Thai restaurant that was up the road from where we used to live in Pyrmont. It was just your typical Oz-Thai joint with all the usual suspects on the menu, but there were a few things in there that were a little different from the norm.
And then there was their chu chee salmon.
We both loved it so much that it ended up being the only thing we ordered on every visit.
Ok, maybe we started things off with a plate of fish cakes and money bags.
Chu chee more commonly involves seafood – in particular, fish or prawns – but sometimes you can come across duck. I’m yet to try the duck variety, but something tells me I’d fall for it head over heels.
No duck for you today, however, as all I have is a succulent lump of pork scotch fillet, also known as neck or collar butt.
This part of the animal is ideal for methods of cooking that need a little more time – like stews, roasts and casseroles. Thanks to all the fat that’s marbled through it the end result is juicy, succulent meat that’s easy to carve or simply tear apart with minimal effort.
Cooking scotch fillet in a bath of chu chee sauce is divine, I’ve got to say. Yes you can buy chu chee paste in selected grocers, but it’s easy enough to make it by building up from red curry paste. Yes you can make your own red curry paste, but when laziness prevails, a quality import from Thailand does me just fine.
All we really have is the curry paste, coconut milk, kaffir lime, basil and the Thai usuals like fish sauce and sugar. I’ve also added chunks of red chilli and frozen peas to mine.
Making it is even simple. Sear the meat, take it out and make the sauce in the same pan, put the meat back in, lid on, then roast!
*Pork supplied by Murray Valley pork
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people
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- 4 tbsp peanut oil
- 900 g pork scotch fillet strung together
- 4 tbsp Thai red curry paste
- 400 ml coconut milk
- 3 large red chillies (seeded & 2 cut into chunks, 1 reserved for garnish)
- 2 sprigs fresh basil
- 4 kaffir lime leaves plus 3 extra to garnish
- 120 ml water
- 2 tsp fish sauce
- 3 tbsp palm sugar or use raw
- 1 tsp white pepper
- 1 cup peas
- Coriander leaves to garnish
- Cooked rice to serve
Ingredients
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- Preheat the oven to 170°C.
- Put an ovenproof skillet with high sides over a medium high flame. Add the oil and sear the scotch fillet on all sides until golden brown – about 10 minutes in total. Remove from the skillet and set it aside.
- Turn the heat down to medium.
- Add the red curry paste to the same skillet – taking care as it will probably spit all over the place. Stir it around with a wooden spoon for about 40 seconds, then add half of the coconut milk, red chillies, basil and kaffir lime leaves. Stir for 1 minute.
- Add the remaining coconut milk, water, fish sauce, palm sugar and white pepper. Bring it to a simmer, give it a stir then turn off the heat.
- Lay the seared pork into the sauce, spoon some of it over, cover it with a lid, then bake in the oven for 2½ hours. Be sure to baste the pork every half hour or so; cooking it until meltingly tender.
- About 10 minutes before it’s done, add the peas to the skillet and toss them through the sauce.
- While the pork is cooking, finely slice the reserved red chilli and slice the reserved kaffir lime leaves very finely, as well.
- To serve, cut or roughly tear the pork into chunks and drizzle with the sauce. Serve with cooked rice.
