• This cumin-crusted pork fillet with aubergine and tomato curry recipe ticks off all the boxes! It’s the perfect meal for winter and it’s incredibly delicious.

    Cumin-crusted pork fillet with aubergine and tomato curry

    Serves: 4
    Total Time: 45 mins

    Ingredients

    • 1 red onion, roughly chopped
    • 3 medium-sized aubergines, cut into 2,5cm chunks
    • 5ml (1 tsp) fennel seeds
    • 5ml (1 tsp) cumin seeds
    • 5ml (1 tsp) ground coriander
    • 3 garlic cloves, finely chopped
    • 2,5cm fresh ginger, peeled and grated
    • 1 green chilli, seeded and finely chopped
    • salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
    • 2 x 400g tins whole Italian tomatoes
    • 60ml (¼ cup) tomato paste
    • 4 x 200g pork fillet
    • 60ml (¼ cup) cumin seeds, toasted
    • handful fresh coriander leaves
    • brown basmati rice, to serve

    Instructions

    1

    Preheat the oven to 200ºC.

    2

    Fry the onion in a non-stick pan until soft. Remove from the pan and set aside. (If you don't have a non-stick pan, use non-stick cooking spray or a little olive oil.)

    3

    In the same pan, fry the aubergine in batches until soft. Remove from the pan and set aside.

    4

    Crush the fennel and cumin seeds with a pestle and mortar. Heat the frying pan and warm the crushed seeds, together with the ground coriander, until fragrant. Remove from the pan and set aside.

    5

    In the same pan, fry the garlic, ginger and chilli until soft. Return the onion, aubergine and spices to the pan and season.

    6

    Cut the tomatoes into quarters and add them, along with their liquid, to the aubergine mixture. Add the tomato paste, cover and simmer on low heat for 20 minutes.

    7

    In a non-stick frying pan over high heat, brown the pork fillets until golden on all sides. Season with salt and pepper and remove from the pan.

    8

    Place the cumin seeds on a plate and roll the pork fillets in these, so that they are covered with a crust of seeds. Roast the pork fillets on a baking tray in the oven until cooked, about 10 – 15 minutes depending on thickness.

    9

    Remove the tomato curry from the heat and add the coriander leaves. 10 Remove the fillets from the oven and cut into thin slices. Serve with the curry and brown basmati rice.

    ALSO SEE: Pork chops with sage and butternut mash

    Pork chops with sage and butternut mash

    By Nicola Basson

    Photograph by Johan Wilke

    Imka Webb
    Author

    Imka Webb is a freelance digital marketing expert and the digital editor of Food & Home Entertaining magazine.  www.imkawebb.com