Fricassée de pipengaille (luffa) avec porc

Fricassée de pipengaille (luffa) avec porc

Ingredients:
1 kg pipengaille luffa acutangula,
1 kg pork spareribs optional,
1 medium onion finely chopped,
3 tablespoons finely chopped parsley,
3 tablespoons finely chopped thyme,
2 tablespoons crushed garlic,
2 tablespoons crushed ginger,
2 medium ripe tomatoes quartered,
4 tablespoons vegetable oil,
Salt and pepper to taste.

Preparation:
Cut the pork spareribs into bite size pieces and season with salt and pepper. You can also add some fish sauce (3 tablespoons) to add flavour. People who do not eat pork or want to cook the pipengaille by itself, please omit this step.
Using a sharp knife, cut the pipengaille into 6 inch (150 mm) lengths. Slice off with a very sharp knife the green skin of the pipengaille and put aside the peels. (We can make a chatini with the pipengaille peels). Be careful not to overcut. Only slice off the green parts. With a sharp knife cut the white pieces of pipengaille into 1/4 inch (5 mm) round slices. Put aside.
In a heavy bottomed saucepan big enough to hold all the ingredients, put in 4 tablespoons of vegetable oil. Allow to heat up.
In the hot oil, put in the finely crushed garlic and ginger, chopped onions, thyme and parsley. Mix gently and allow to cook until the onions become transparent and cooked. Stir at intervals to avoid the ingredients from burning. Add the quartered tomatoes, cover the saucepan and allow the tomato pieces to cook. Carefully crush the tomato pieces to add some extra sauce to the dish.
Add the marinated pork pieces and mix well with the other ingredients. Allow to cook and stir at intervals to stop the pork and other ingredients from burning. Allow the pork to cook until it reaches a nice cooked light golden colour. Do not cover the saucepan to allow any excess moisture from the pork pieces to evaporate. (Omit this step if you are not adding any pork to the pipengaille).
Add the pipengaille round slices and mix with the ingredients in the pan carefully, so that you do not crush the pipengaille slices. Uniformly distribute the various ingredients in the saucepan. Cover and allow the pipengaille to cook over low to medium heat. Check and carefully stir at intervals to avoid the ingredients from burning.
Check and gently stir at regular intervals to ensure that the pipengaille cooks and softens to your preference. Be careful not to crush the pipengaille. You can control the amount of sauce by either uncovering the saucepan to reduce the sauce or add a little bit of hot water to obtain more sauce. Taste the sauce for flavour and add salt to taste.
When the pipengaille is cooked and the sauce is to your desired consistency, turn off the gas or remove from heat. Cover and put aside. Sprinkle with some finely chopped parsley to finish off.
Enjoy with rice and a good chatini or pickle.