The flavours of Bali are the inspiration for this clove and mace rubbed pork accompanied with an easy fruit chutney.

Ingredients

• 4 blades of mace (or 1 tsp ground)
• 1 teaspoon ground cloves
• 2 teaspoons salt
• ¾-1 kilogram piece belly pork, well scored
• ½ small pineapple
• 1 small cucumber
• 1 crisp eating apple
• 6 dates, stoned and chopped
• 2-4 tablespoons HP Sauce
• 1 red chilli, deseeded or 1 teaspoon minced chilli paste
• 1 teaspoon minced fresh ginger
• ½ lime or small lemon, grated rind

Method

1. Mix the spices and salt together and rub into the pork skin with a dash of oil. Place on a foil-lined tray.
2. Fan bake at 200ºC for 40 minutes, until the pork is crispy and golden and the juices are clear when tested with a skewer or carving fork. Rest 10 minutes before carving.
3. Peel the pineapple, cut into 1 cm rings and then dice or cut into small wedges. Peel and halve the cucumber, scoop out the seeds. Cut into small pieces. Core and dice the apple. Mix the prepared fruits and dates with the HP Sauce, chilli, ginger and lime rind. Allow to marinate for 20 minute before serving.
4. Carve the pork into thick slices and serve with your favourite potatoes, rice or pasta, and accompanied with the fruits and a salad.

Cooks Tips

- Belly of pork is ideal to make a quick roast. But a 1kg piece and use any left-overs for scrummy sandwiches fillings the next day.

- Tamarind is the main ingredient in HP sauce and it makes an instant tangy base for this fruit chutney. Keep a bottle on hand. Add more or less as you please to this recipe.

- The New Zealand Pork board recommends that pork be cooked to 71ºC. Having a meat thermometer takes all the guesswork out of cooking meat. Put one on your Christmas wish list.

- If you do not have mace, use ground nutmeg.