Braised Pork with Fuyu Persimmon

Ingredients

• 2.5 pounds pork shoulder boneless cut into 1 1/2-inch pieces
• 4  canned tomatoes whole peeled drained chopped canned (see cooks' note, below)
• 0.1 teaspoon ground pepper 
• 1 rib celery stalks chopped
• 1.5 pounds fuyu persimmon pulp peeled seeded cut into 1/4-inch-thick wedges
• 1 large garlic clove minced
• 1  bell pepper green chopped
• 2 teaspoons ground coriander 
• 1 tablespoon ground cumin 
• 1 teaspoon turmeric 
• 1  onion chopped
• 6 servings rice white cooked
• 0.8 teaspoon salt 
• 0.5 cup spring onion chopped
• 1 tablespoons vegetable oil 
• 2 cups water 

Equipment

• bowl
• paper towels
• oven
• pot

Directions

1. Put oven rack in lower third of oven and preheat oven to 350°F.
2. Pat pork dry with paper towels, then sprinkle with salt.
3. Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a wide 6-quart heavy pot over moderately high heat until hot but not smoking, then brown pork in 3 batches, turning, about 5 minutes per batch, transferring to a bowl as browned. (
4. Add more oil to pot as needed between batches.)
5. Pour off all but 1 tablespoon fat from pot.
6. Add onion, bell pepper, and celery and cook over moderate heat, stirring, until softened, 3 to 5 minutes. Stir in garlic, cumin, coriander, turmeric, and cayenne and cook, stirring, 1 minute.
7. Add pork with any juices accumulated in bowl, water, and tomatoes and bring to a simmer.
8. Cover pot, then transfer to oven and braise pork until very tender, about 1 3/4 hours.
9. Scatter persimmons over pork and braise in oven, partially covered, 10 minutes more. Stir in scallion greens and salt and pepper to taste.
10. ·Stew can be made, without persimmons or scallions, 1 day ahead and cooled, uncovered, then chilled, covered. Reheat in a preheated 350°F oven, about 30 minutes, before proceeding.·To peel a tomato, first cut an X in the end opposite the stem and immerse in boiling water 10 seconds.
11. Transfer to ice water, then peel.