Pan-fried pork steak is delicious on its own, but why not treat your family to something new? Remember to start preparing the ting three days in advance.

_{Serves 2-3
Resting time: 3 days for the ting and 5 min for the pork
Preparation time: 15 min
Marinating time: 30 min
Cooking time: about 1 hour}

TING
• 250ml (1c) course sorghum
• 125ml (½c) maize meal
• 375ml (1½c) lukewarm water
• 750ml (3c) water

STEAKS
• 5ml (1t) cumin
• 5ml (1t) paprika
• 5ml (1t) garlic powder
• 5ml (1t) mixed dry herbs
• Salt and pepper
• 800g pork Texan steak
• 30ml (2T) oil

SPINACH
• 1 onion, chopped
• 2 tomatoes, chopped
• 1 red chilli, chopped
• 1 vegetable stock cube
• 400g spinach, washed and chopped

1 Ting: Mix the sorghum and 375ml lukewarm water and place in a sealable container in a warm area to ferment for about 3 days.
2 Bring 750ml water to a boil in a pot and add a pinch of salt. Mix the maize with the fermented sorghum, removing any lumps.
3 Gradually add the mixture to the water, stirring constantly until it slightly thickens. Cover and allow it to simmer on low for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.
4 Steaks: Mix the rub ingredients. Trim excess fat from the pork and pat dry. Season the pork with the rub on both sides and marinate for 30 minutes.
5 Heat a heavy-base pan for 2 minutes over medium-high heat. Add the oil and sear the pork for 2 minutes on each side until browned. Lower the heat and continue to cook until the meat is done. Transfer to a plate, lightly cover with foil and rest.
6 Spinach: Heat oil in a pot, add the onions and cook until soft. Add the tomatoes, chilli and stock and cook for 5 minutes. Add the spinach and allow it to cook for 10 minutes and remove from heat.
7 Serve the Texan pork steaks with the ting and spinach.

A manageable list of ingredients and an easy clean up – what more could you want from a one pot dish? The key to tender, fall-off-the-bone pork trotters is to allow the collagen-rich connective tissue around the bones to melt away and flavour the stew. So, simmer the stew on a low temperature.

_{Serves 6
Preparation time: 10 min
Cooking time: 1 hour 45 min}

• 60ml (¼c) oil
• 1 onion, chopped
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 1kg pork trotters, chopped
• 4 potatoes, cubed
• 4 carrots, chopped
• 500ml (2c) speckled beans
• 250ml (1c) samp
• 80g tomato paste
• 2L (8c) chicken stock
• Handful of parsley, chopped
• Handful of basil

SPINACH SAUCE
• Handful of spinach, washed
• 60ml (¼c) peanuts, toasted
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 2,5ml (½t) Aromat (optional)
• 80ml (⅓c) olive oil

1 Heat the oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the onions and garlic and stir-fry for 3 minutes.
2 Add the pork trotters, potatoes, carrots and beans. Cook while stirring for 3 minutes. Add the samp and tomato paste. Stir-fry for another 3 minutes until everything is coated in oil.
3 Pour in the stock, scrape the bottom of the pot and simmer for 1 hour 30 minutes or until the beans are tender.
4 Remove from heat, stir in the herbs and season.
5 Spinach sauce: Place all ingredients in a blender and whiz until smooth. Serve with the stew.

Pork loin chops are usually cut from the loin, which runs from the shoulder to the hip. Chops cook quickly, so be sure to pay attention during the cooking process.

_{Serves 4
Preparation time: 25 min
Cooking time: 50 min}

• 15ml (1T) steak and chop spice
• Salt and pepper
• 20ml (4T) oil
• 4 pork loin chops

GRAVY
• 25g butter
• 2 onions, thinly sliced
• 20g flour
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 30ml (2T) chilli sauce
• 5ml (1t) Worcestershire sauce
• 30ml (2T) tomato sauce
• 45ml (3T) brown vinegar
• 10ml (2t) brown sugar
• 500ml (2c) chicken stock
• Black pepper, to season

PAP
• 500ml (2c) water
• 5ml (1t) salt
• 200ml maize meal
• 60g margarine

CHAKALAKA
• 15ml (1T) oil
• 1 onion, chopped
• 3 carrots, grated
• 15ml (1T) medium curry powder
• 2,5ml (½t) turmeric
• 5ml (1t) garam masala
• 1 of each green, red and yellow pepper, cubed
• 15ml (1T) tomato sauce
• 1 vegetable stock cube
• Handful of mini tomatoes
• Handful of frozen peas
• 1 can (410g) baked beans

1 Mix the spice, salt, pepper and 5ml oil and rub this mixture onto the pork loin chops. In a pan over medium heat, cook the chops for 8 minutes turning often. Set aside.
2 Gravy: In the same pan, add the butter, remaining oil and onions. Fry the onions until translucent. Stir in the flour and cook until a smooth paste forms.
3 Add the garlic, sauces, vinegar, sugar and stock and simmer for 10 minutes or until a thick sauce forms.
4 Pap: Bring the water and salt to a boil in a saucepan. Reduce the heat and gradually add the maize meal, stirring until smooth. Cover and cook for 20 minutes, stirring now and then. Stir in the margarine and set aside.
5 Chakalaka: In a large pan, add the oil and sauté the onions until soft. Add the carrots, spices and peppers. Cook for 5 minutes. Pour in the tomato sauce, stock and tomatoes. Cook for 8 minutes. Stir in the peas and beans and set aside.
6 Spoon the chakalaka over the pap and serve with the pork loin chops and gravy.

Fast food can be fancy! Use top quality pork bangers to make this kota – it’s comfort food with an upmarket twist.

_{Serves 2
Preparation time: 10 min
Cooking time: 15 min}

BANGERS AND SAUCE
• 15ml (1T) oil
• 6 pork bangers
• 1 onion, chopped
• 4 garlic cloves, chopped
• 2cm ginger, chopped
• 60ml (¼c) tomato sauce
• 45ml (3T) chutney
• 15ml (1t) Worcestershire sauce
• 30ml (2T) tabasco sauce
• 60ml (¼c) water
• Salt

KOTA
• ½ loaf unsliced bread
• 80ml (⅓c) mango achar
• ¼ lettuce head, shredded
• 4 slices cheddar cheese
• 200g frozen steakhouse chips, cooked and seasoned with salt and vinegar spice
• 2 eggs, fried

1 Bangers and sauce: In a pan over high heat, add the oil and brown the bangers for 5 minutes and set aside.
2 In the same pan, fry the onions for 5 minutes until translucent. Add the rest of the sauce ingredients and simmer until thickened. Return the bangers to the pan and simmer in the sauce until cooked.
3 Kota: Slice the bread in half. Butter each half and toast in a pan over medium heat until browned. Hollow out the bread. Keep the scooped out bread to the side.
4 To build your kota, spread the achar on the bottom of the hollowed-out bread halves. Next add a layer of lettuce, a slice of cheese and a layer of chips. Top with the bangers, the sauce, another slice of cheese and a fried egg. Finally, put the scooped out bread on top to create a lid and serve.

For this lip-smacking curry, the pork is slow cooked in aromatic spices. Feeding a large group with stewing pork is less effort compared to cooking steaks for each person.

_{Serves 6
Preparation time: 15 min
Cooking time: 1 hour 30 min}

• 60ml (¼c) oil
• 2 onions, chopped
• 6 garlic cloves, minced
• 1cm ginger, chopped
• 2 red chillies, chopped
• 15ml (1T) medium curry powder
• 15ml (1T) cumin
• 5ml (1t) turmeric
• 30ml (2T) ground coriander
• 1 tin (410g) chopped tomatoes
• Salt and pepper
• 1 bay leaf
• 500ml (2c) water
• 800g stewing pork
• 5 potatoes, halved
• 250ml (1c) frozen peas
• Handful of coriander, chopped
• Rice, to serve

1 Heat the oil in a pan over medium heat. Add the onions, garlic and ginger and sauté until the onions are translucent. Stir in the chillies, curry, cumin, turmeric, coriander, salt and pepper. Stir-fry until fragrant and the spices begin to stick to the pan. Add the bay leaf and tomatoes and cook for 3 minutes. Pour in the water and simmer for 10 minutes.
2 Blitz the curry sauce with a stick blender (or pour into a blender) until smooth.
3 Add the pork to the curry sauce and cook for 10 minutes. Add the potatoes and simmer over low heat for 1 hour. Stir in peas and set aside.
4 Garnish the curry with coriander and serve with rice.

Pork rashers cook in a flash. For extra speed and convenience, select boneless cuts. When going to the butchery, remember that different pork cuts require different cooking methods, so buy the right cut for the type of cooking you want to do on that day.

_{Serves 4-6
Preparation time: 5 min
Cooking time: 15 min}

• 300ml tomato sauce
• 400ml apple cider vinegar
• 5ml (1t) salt
• 30ml (2T) paprika
• 30ml (2T) brown sugar
• 10ml (2t) chilli powder
• 5ml (1t) cayenne pepper
• 100ml Worcestershire sauce
• 2 garlic cloves, chopped
• 3 cloves
• 8 pork rashers

TO SERVE
• Steamed bread
• Beetroot salad, salsa, coleslaw and four-bean salad

1 In a mixing bowl, combine the tomato sauce, vinegar, salt, paprika, sugar, chilli, cayenne, Worcester, garlic and cloves until a thick sauce forms.
2 In a griddle pan or flat-base pan, heat oil and cook the pork rashers for 4 minutes on each side.
3 Turn and baste the rashers with the sauce for 3 minutes.
4 To serve: Serve with the steamed bread and salads.