This meal was cooked in a small, unequipped apartment kitchen. We were on our own, out numbered and had no possible way of retreat. Fuck, we didn’t even know which damn war we were fighting in. Our only help was that of my new 2BF… the pressure cooker, but that was easily countered by our lack of sobriety.

25 minute ‘masterstock’ broth with tamarind, porky porky pork and free-range chook (for 6-8)
1 Mt Barker free-range chook, quartered
1kg pork shin
1kg pork ribs
200g pork liver*
2 brown onions, sliced
2 carrots, 1 diced, 1 julienned
1 bunch Asian greens of your choice
1 pk baby corn, halved lengthways
1 tomato, quartered
1 cup each picked coriander and mint
6 cloves garlic
2 knobs ginger, peeled and julienned
2 cups dried Asian mushrooms
1/2 cup tamarind pulp
1/2 cup shaved palm sugar
2-3 tbsp fish sauce
2 tbsp each chilli condiment & black vinegar
1 tspn each dried chilli flakes & five spice powder
1 cinnamon stick
2 star anise
2 strips orange or mandarin zest**

In your pressure cooker, make a stock out of one of the onions, the diced carrot, half the mushrooms, half the ginger, 500ml water and everything else except the palm sugar, baby corn, Asian greens and herbs.

After 25 minutes release the pressure and whatnot like you do with a pressure cooker (I will ask Pauly for a pressure cooker exposé in the near future as he has been using them a little longer than
I have). If all of the meat is tender pull it out (insert rude joke right there) and strain the stock into a pot, discarding the aromats and veg.

Return the strained stock to the heat, add reserved vegetables, ginger and palm sugar. Simmer 5 minutes. Check the seasoning. Add more fish sauce or palm sugar if you feel it needs it.

To serve shred chicken and pork hock into serving bowls, kinda chunky is good, add some ribs and the fresh herbs. Then divide veg and pour over that kick-ass broth.

Enjoy with good company and an inebriated smile on your face.

*we tried a little liver flashed in the pan and sorted out with some ‘chilli condiment’ and that was better than it turned out in the pot… I want to try it in pâté as well.

**to ensure you always have some orange zest on hand, next time you peel an orange or mandarin or both, dry it out in a sunny spot for a day or two. Store in the cupboard