Many years ago, restaurant dining meant fruit with every- thing. Now fruit is desperately passe. But it's a mistake to throw out the authentic with the spurious. This surprising but satisfying combination of ingredients originates in South America.

In a large saucepan, heat 1 tablespoon olive oil and brown on all sides 1 kg cubed boneless pork. Add 2 large onions, chopped, and 2 cloves of garlic, minced, and brown them. Add 3 large tomatoes, diced, 100 mL boiling water and salt and pepper to taste. Cover and cook very slowly for about 1 1/2 hour. Meanwhile simmer 1 1/2 cups brown lentils in 4 cups water for 45 minutes; do not drain.

Add the undrained lentils to the pork mixture, combine well, cover and cook over a low heat for a further 30 minutes, until both the pork and the lentils are tender.

Taste for seasoning. Add 4 large firm bananas cut into 2 cm pieces and 3 tablespoons or more of chopped, fresh coriander. Cook 10 minutes longer. Serve with a little more coriander scat- tered on top. (You can use the coriander stems as well as the leaves, provided they are well washed. Finely chopped they add interesting crunch.)

From an article by Meryl Constance in The Sydney Morning Herald, 6/1/93. Courtesy Mark Herron.