Honduran Pork in Roasted Pineapple and Sweet Pepper Chirmol with Malanga Patties

Name: Honduran Pork in Roasted Pineapple and Sweet Pepper Chirmol with Malanga Patties
Prep time: 25 min
Cook time: 35 min
Total time: 60 min
Yield: 4
Cuisine: Hondureña
Ingredients: 1.5 lb pork loin; 2 cups fresh pineapple; 2 medium cups ripe tomatoes; 1.25 cups white onion; 1 cup red sweet pepper; 5 cloves garlic; 5 tbsp sour orange or orange-lime mix; 0.75 cup fresh cilantro; 1.1 lb malanga root; 1 large egg; 0.25 cup corn flour; 1 tsp ground cumin; 0.5 tsp dried oregano; 5 tbsp vegetable oil; 1.75 tsp salt; 1 tsp black pepper; 1 tbsp butter

An original main dish inspired by Honduran flavors: seared pork medallions finished in a warm chirmol of roasted pineapple, tomato, onion, and sweet pepper, served with crispy malanga and cilantro patties. It balances sweet, tangy, and lightly smoky notes with comforting homemade texture.

25 minPrep

35 minCook

60 minTotal

4Servings

Gluten-FreeHigh Protein

Ingredients

Adjust servings

700 g pork loin (cut en medallones gruesos)
300 g fresh pineapple (diced small)
300 g ripe tomatoes (partidos a the mitad)
180 g white onion (mitad for roasting and mitad chopped fina)
120 g red sweet pepper (mitad for roasting and mitad chopped fino)
15 g garlic (chopped or machacado)
80 ml sour orange or orange-lime mix (for marinar and sazonar)
20 g fresh cilantro (chopped fino)
500 g malanga root (pelada and grated)
1 unit egg (for ligar the tortitas)
30 g corn flour (for dar estructura a the tortitas)
2 g ground cumin (divided)
1 g dried oregano (for the chirmol)
75 ml vegetable oil (divided for searing, frying and roasting)
10 g salt (or to taste)
2 g black pepper (freshly ground)
15 g butter (for dar brillo al chirmol final)

Nutrition facts

per serving

515 kcal

Calories

35 g

Protein

24 g

Carbs

30 g

Fat

4 g

Fiber

20 g

Net carbs

Approximate nutritional information. Estimated from the recipe’s ingredients and amounts, using standard reference nutrition values. It may vary with brands, sizes and cooking method. For guidance only; not a substitute for medical or dietary advice.

Allergens

DairyEggs

Instructions

1
1. Preheat the oven to 220 °C / 425 °F. Mix the pork loin with 2 tablespoons (30 ml) sour orange juice, 1 tablespoon (15 ml) vegetable oil, half of the garlic, 1 teaspoon salt, 1/2 teaspoon black pepper, and 1/2 teaspoon cumin. Let it marinate for 15 minutes.
2
2. Place the tomatoes, half of the onion, and half of the red sweet pepper on a tray along with the pineapple. Drizzle with 1 tablespoon (15 ml) vegetable oil and roast for 18 to 20 minutes at 220 °C / 425 °F, until lightly charred on the edges and fragrant.
3
3. While the vegetables roast, grate the malanga and mix it with the egg, corn flour, the remaining garlic, 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1/2 teaspoon cumin, 1/4 teaspoon black pepper, and half of the chopped cilantro.
4
4. Shape the malanga mixture into 8 medium patties. Heat 2 tablespoons (30 ml) vegetable oil in a skillet over medium heat and fry the patties for 3 to 4 minutes per side, until golden and cooked through. Remove and keep warm.
5
5. Finely chop the roasted tomatoes, roasted onion, roasted sweet pepper, and roasted pineapple. Combine them in a bowl with the remaining raw onion, remaining red sweet pepper, the rest of the sour orange juice, dried oregano, the rest of the cilantro, and a pinch of salt to make a chunky chirmol.
6
6. Heat a wide skillet over medium-high heat. Add 1 tablespoon (15 ml) vegetable oil and sear the pork medallions for 3 to 4 minutes per side, until well browned. Lower the heat to medium and cook 3 to 5 minutes more, until the center reaches 63 °C / 145 °F.
7
7. Add the roasted pineapple chirmol and the butter to the skillet with the pork. Cook for 2 minutes, stirring gently so the meat juices blend into the chirmol without breaking up the pineapple too much.
8
8. Adjust with the remaining salt and black pepper if needed. Serve the pork medallions topped with the warm roasted pineapple chirmol alongside the freshly made malanga patties.

Chef tips

For crispier patties, lightly squeeze the grated malanga with your hands before mixing. If you want a smokier taste, let some edges of the pineapple and tomatoes char well in the oven.

Substitutions

You can substitute the malanga with grated, well-drained cassava. If sour orange is unavailable, use 3 tablespoons orange juice plus 2 tablespoons lime juice. Culantro can be replaced with extra cilantro.

What I used to make it

Generic kitchen tools that work for this recipe. You don’t need to buy anything to make it.

Illustrative image
Ninja Professional BL610 Blender
Smoothies, sauces and soups
- Smoothies, sauces and soups
- Easy-to-wash jar
- Check the power and jar size
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Illustrative image
Cosori Pro LE 5 Qt Air Fryer
Browning and baking with little oil
- Browns food with very little oil
- Handy for vegetables, chicken and reheating
- Check the basket capacity
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Illustrative image
TempPro TP19H Digital Thermometer
Checking doneness of meat and chicken
- Checks doneness of meat and chicken
- Quick reading
- Clean the probe after each use
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