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TortillaLand tortillas are always a treat. I’ve been fortunate enough to work with the company on a few occasions and I am a true fan of their product. If I am not able to make homemade tortillas then this is my go-to healthy brand of choice. These are not your typical store bought tortillas – they contain no preservatives, no lard, no cholesterol and no saturated or trans fats. They are freshly made and can be found in the refrigerated section of the supermarket.

When I have the chance to create a recipe with their product I want it to be special. For this latest recipe I opted to go gluten-free so I incorporated the corn tortillas which received rave reviews.

The fun part about this flavor combination is that it is a unique blend of both Asian and Pacific Rim cuisine. Forget diving into a old PBJ sandwich when you are craving that peanut butter flavor, instead try these crazy pork curry peanut sauced tacos with a flavorful twist. The slow cooked curry pork is accompanied by a slightly spicy peanut sauce, pineapple slices and then a crispy fresh tomatillo ranch cabbage slaw. The flavors become even more robust as they set up which means that the meat, the spicy peanut sauce and the tomatillo ranch dressing can be made the day before if you are pressed for time the day you wish to serve them. While I didn’t use a crock pot to prepare the pork, after browning the meat, this would become an ideal crock pot meal.

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Pork Curry

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Pork Curry Ingredients

5 TBS olive oil

1 large onion, chopped

6 cloves garlic, pressed

3 tsps ground ginger

1-1/2 tsp ground cinnamon

4 bay leaves

4 lbs pork shoulder steak, diced

3 TBS tamarind paste or substitute white wine vinegar

3 TBS curry powder

3 TBS dried unsweetened coconut, finely shredded

2 cups plain low fat unsweetened yogurt

salt and black pepper to taste

1 TBS coriander, ground

1 green chilli, seeded and chopped (optional)

Condiments:

– avocado, sliced

– cilantro

– pineapple, chopped

– tomato, chopped

** If you don’t have tamarind paste or white wine vinegar, substitute 2 TBS lime juice for every 1 TBS tamarind paste/vinegar.

Directions for Pork Curry

Heat oil in a large covered pan or Dutch oven, add onion and fry until soft. Add garlic, ginger, cinnamon and bay leaf, and stir. Fry for additional 5 minutes. Add pork and continue to cook until meat is browned all over.

Stir in curry powder, tamarind paste (or vinegar), coconut and yogurt. Cover and cook over low heat for approximately 2- 1/2 hours or until the pork is tender; flip meat and baste in sauce, stirring occasionally.

Once meat is finished cooking. Remove from pot, trim fat and chop into bite size pieces. Before serving, sprinkle the coriander and green chilli over the pork.

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Hot Peanut Sauce

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Peanut Sauce Ingredients

1/4 cup onions, finely chopped

2 cloves garlic, pressed

2 TBS oil

1/2 tsp fresh ginger, grated

1/3 cup smooth peanut butter

2 tsps chilli powder

1 tsp turmeric

1 tsp brown sugar

1-1/2 cups water

1 TBS lemon juice

1 TBS dark soy sauce

In a small pot, fry onions and garlic in oil until soft. Over low heat, add remaining ingredients and stir until smooth. Simmer for 12-20 minutes. Thin with water if necessary. Will keep in the fridge for up to a week.

Tomatillo Ranch Dressing

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Ranch Dressing Ingredients

1 cup buttermilk, well-shaken

1/4 cup mayonnaise

1/4 cup sour cream

2 tomatillos, quartered

1 bunch cilantro

1 tsp+ cayenne pepper, depending on the preference for hot

3 TBS Italian parsley, finely chopped*

2 TBS chives, finely chopped*

4 tsps white wine vinegar or lemon juice*

1 medium garlic clove, pressed*

1/2 tsp kosher salt, plus more as needed*

1/8 tsp freshly ground black pepper, plus more as needed*

*These items can be substituted for 1 packet of Hidden Valley Ranch dressing.

Begin with buttermilk in the blender, add in all remaining ingredients and blend. Prepare at least 20 minutes ahead so that it has time to set and thicken. This recipe can be made up to 2 days before needed.

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A great combination of flavors. Served with rice and pinto beans.

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