4 cloves garlic, chopped

1 tablespoon fish sauce (optional)

1 heaping teaspoon sugar (optional)

Freshly ground black pepper to taste

1½ lb (750 g) thin loin pork chops

3 tablespoons oil

Water from 1 young coconut or 1 can (14 oz/400 ml) coconut juice

Chopped fresh coriander for garnish

METHOD

Combine the garlic, fish sauce, sugar and pepper and marinate the chops in this mixture for 30 minutes. Heat the oil in a frying pan. Add the chops and fry them gently until they are golden brown on both sides. Pour off any excess oil, add the coconut water, cover the pan and simmer gently until the chops are tender. Remove the lid, turn the heat to high and continue cooking until the juice has reduced to a few tablespoons (you may need to keep turning the chops at the end to prevent them from burning). You can serve the chops whole or sliced them. Either way, serve them on a platter with the remaining juice poured over and garnish with chopped coriander leaf.