Oven-Baked Indonesian-Style Pork & Pepper Rendang With Rice

Before you begin...

This recipe takes around 5-10 min to prep, so get your casserole dish and all your ingredients ready, then wash your fruit and veg

Note: Make sure your dish is oven-proof and safe to use on the hob. Don't have one? Start cooking in a large, wide-based pan then transfer to an oven-proof dish and cover tightly with foil

Now, let's get started!

Preheat the oven to 200°C/ 180°C (fan)/ gas 6 and boil a kettle

Heat a large, wide-based, hob-safe oven-proof casserole dish with a matching lid with a drizzle of vegetable oil over a high heat (Don't have one? Start cooking in a large, wide-based pan then transfer to an oven-proof dish and cover tightly with foil)

Once hot, add your diced pork shoulder and cook for 3 min on each side or until nicely browned

While the pork is browning, deseed your pepper[s] (scrape the seeds and pith out with a teaspoon) and cut into large pieces

Peel and chop your brown onion[s] into wedges

Chop your creamed coconut roughly (if required!)

Crush your cardamom pods open by squashing them with the side of a knife and discard the outer green pods

Add the chopped creamed coconut to the dish with 300ml [390ml] [510ml] boiled water with your fish sauce

Add your onion wedges, cardamom seeds, cracked black pepper, ginger & garlic paste, chilli flakes (can't handle the heat? Go easy!)

Season with a generous pinch of salt and 1 tsp [1 1/2 tsp] [2 tsp] sugar give everything a good mix up and bring to the boil over a high heat

Cover with the lid and put the dish in the oven for an initial 25 min

Use this time to clear up, set the table, have a cup of tea or simply chill!

After an initial 25 min, remove the dish from the oven and add the chopped pepper

Return the dish to the oven, uncovered, for 30 min further or until the sauce is thickened and the pork is tender

Boil a full kettle

Add your basmati rice to an oven-proof dish with 300ml [390ml] [600ml] boiled water and a pinch of salt

Cover tightly with tin foil and put the dish in the oven for 25-30 min or until all the water is absorbed and the rice is cooked – this is your baked rice

Once the pork is tender and the sauce has thickened, remove the dish from the oven and stir through your sambal (not a fan of spice? Just add a little!) – this is your Indonesian-style pork & pepper rendang

Trim, then slice your spring onion[s]