Ingredients
 
  • 1 ½ lb boneless pork meat
  • 1 large or several small eggplants, chopped roughly
  • 1 red bell pepper, chopped roughly
  • 1 onion, chopped roughly
  • 2 cloves garlic, pressed
  • 1-in piece of ginger, peeled and finely chopped
  • 1 fresh coconut or 1 can of coconut milk
  • 2-3 pieces of star anise
  • 2 cinnamon sticks
  • 2 tsp Szechuan peppercorns
  • 1 orange, peel only
  • 1 bundle of fresh parsley, chopped
Instructions
 
  1. If you are using canned coconut milk, skip to Step 6. If you want to make your own follow Steps 1 - 5. (Homemade tends to be less thick, so if you are using canned, you’ll adding more water to the stew.) Break open the coconut, holding it close to the pavement then forcefully throwing it downwards. You could also whack it with a hammer.
  2. Using a blunt dinner knife, remove the meat from the hard shell. (Optional: Cut away the brown skin lining the meat.)
  3. Cut the meat into smaller pieces then place into a blender with 1½ cups of water. Process until smooth and creamy. If you’re not using a high-speed blender, it might take 2 or 3 minutes. Add another 1½ cups of water and blend again. (Optional: Transfer the mixture to a saucepan, bring to boiling, remove from heat and let cool. Heating liberates the fat from the fiber. If you’re pressed for time, proceed without heating.)
  4. Position a piece of cheesecloth over a strainer and pour the coconut mixture through into a clean pot.
  5. Gather the ends of the cheesecloth so you can squeeze out the liquid. You’ll be left with a dry, rather unappetizing pulp, which you should discard.
  6. Leave the coconut milk in the pot and add the onion, garlic, ginger, red pepper, eggplant, cinnamon sticks, star anise, Szechuan pepper, and pork. Add just enough water to cover. Bring to boiling, reduce heat to low, and simmer.
  7. Remove the orange peel with a simple kitchen tool or using a standard box grater. Add the orange peel to the stew and simmer for 2 to 3 hours. Test a piece of the pork. If it gives little resistance to chewing, the stew is ready.
  8. Add the chopped parsley and cook another 5 minutes before serving.