Allyson Gofton: Tamarind and Chilli Pork Sliders with Asian Pesto

Ingredients
1.5 kilograms pork shoulder or pork belly
3/4 cup sweet chilli sauce
3 tablespoons tamarind chutney
1 tablespoons  freshly grated root ginger
2 star anise, crushed
Method
Preheat the oven to 180°C.
 Place the pork in a casserole large enough to hold the pork with a little room to move.
Mix together the sauce, chutney, ginger and star anise and pour over the pork spreading out to coat completely. If time allows cover and refrigerate overnight.
 Place in the preheated oven and cook for 2 ½ -3 ½ hours or until the meat can easily be pulled into shredded pieces. Cooking time will depend upon the cut, whether the meat was cold from the fridge and the type of casserole used.  The pork can be cooked at 140°C though you will need to allow an extra hours’ cooking time.
 Use two forks to shred the meat into long thin strips or chunky pieces and serve in warm slider buns spread with Asian pesto, a dollop of with avocado - mashed with coriander, a crunchy lettuce leaf. Top with the bun and if wished secure with a bamboo skewer, pierced through a tiny cheeky slice of lime.
 Asian Pesto
Ingredients
2 cups loosely packed fresh basil leaves
½ cup loosely packed coriander leaves
2 teaspoons minced garlic
1 teaspoon minced ginger
½ - 1 teaspoon minced chilli
¼ cup pine nuts
1 tsp sesame oil
¼ cup light olive oil
 Method
Into a food processor put the basil, coriander, garlic, ginger, chilli, pine nuts and sesame oil and process until well chopped. Gradually pour the oil down the feed tube into the pesto and process until smooth. Season with salt and a squeeze lime juice. For a thinner pesto soften with a little cool boiled water. Keep in an airtight container in the refrigerator.  Makes about ¾ cup
Recipe – Allyson Gofton©
Photography – Alan Gillard©