I have a big love for curries and stews and I came across this one several months back. I made it once several weeks ago and thought it was amazing. The result is a very thick, SPICY and flavorful curry rich in deep toasted spices. I’ll repeat, this is “spicy” so leave out the Birds Eye chilis to bring it down a notch, it will still be fantastic.
INGREDIENTS
FOR THE MARINADE
900g (2 lbs) belly pork, cut into bite sized pieces
2 tsp red chilli powder* (or to taste)
½ tsp ground turmeric
1 tbsp ground black pepper
70ml (1/4 cup) distilled white vinegar
1 tbsp garlic and ginger paste
1 tsp salt
FOR THE CURRY
2 tbsp coconut oil or rapeseed (canola) oil
20 fresh or frozen curry leaves
1 x 5cm x 5cm (2” x 2”) pandan leaf (optional)
2 medium red onions, finely chopped
2 tbsp garlic and ginger paste
1 lemongrass stalk, white part only, cut into about 8 pieces
3 tbsp dark roasted curry powder or another good quality curry powder
3 green bird’s eye chillies, slit lengthwise down the middle
1 whole head of garlic, smashed but left in the skins
2 tsp jaggery or light brown sugar
2 tsp tamarind concentrate
FOR THE DARK CURRY POWDER
Ingredients
3 tbsp cumin seeds
4 tbsp coriander seeds
1 tbsp fennel seeds
1 tsp fenugreek seeds
1 tbsp basmati rice (optional)
20 dried red chillies, or to taste (optional)
2 tbsp black peppercorns
1 tsp black mustard seeds
10 cloves
2 x 2.5cm (1 inch) cinnamon sticks
Seeds from 8 green cardamom pods
METHOD
DARK CURRY POWDER
Over a low heat, roast the cumin seeds until they are beginning to turn a delicious looking chocolate brown. Be careful as you don’t want to burn the spices through! Just toast the exterior and be sure to keep stirring and shaking the pan often so that they toast without burning.
Transfer to a plate to cool. Repeat by toasting the coriander seeds, fennel seeds and fenugreek seeds separately until they turn a deep brown.
Now toast the rice (if using) until lightly browned and transfer to the plate to cool. If using red chillies, toast them also until fragrant and darkened but not black. Allow to cool.
Place the remaining ingredient in the pan and toast until fragrant and warm to the touch. This really should be done separately but I usually cheat. Don’t let them smoke!
Allow to cool with the other spices. Once cooled, grind to a fine powder with a pestle and mortar or spice grinder. This curry powder can be kept in an air-tight container in a cool location for up to 2 months.
FOR THE CURRY
Put the pork pieces in a mixing bowl and add the marinade ingredients. Mix well with your hands or a spoon. You might want to wear plastic gloves if mixing by hand because of the chilli powder. Cover and leave to marinate for 3 hours or overnight. The longer the better.
Heat the oil in a large pot over medium high heat. When visibly hot, stir in the curry leaves and pandan leaves and allow them to infuse into the oil for about 30 seconds.
Now add the chopped red onions and fry for about 5 minutes or until soft and translucent.
Stir in the garlic and ginger paste, lemongrass and the chillies and fry for a further 30 seconds.
Add the black curry powder and stir well to combine.
Now pour in the marinade coated pork and stir until the meat is nicely coated with the other ingredients. Fry over medium heat for about 10 minutes to brown the pork and then add just enough water to cover the meat completely.
Stir in the smashed garlic, sugar and tamarind concentrate and simmer, covered for 30 minutes.
After 30 minutes, lift the lid and take a look. This is a dry curry so if it is looking really saucy, cook a little longer until the delicious thick sauce is coating the meat.
Taste the curry and add more sugar, for sweetness and tamarind for sourness to taste. Complete by adding salt to taste.
Link
INGREDIENTS
FOR THE MARINADE
900g (2 lbs) belly pork, cut into bite sized pieces
2 tsp red chilli powder* (or to taste)
½ tsp ground turmeric
1 tbsp ground black pepper
70ml (1/4 cup) distilled white vinegar
1 tbsp garlic and ginger paste
1 tsp salt
FOR THE CURRY
2 tbsp coconut oil or rapeseed (canola) oil
20 fresh or frozen curry leaves
1 x 5cm x 5cm (2” x 2”) pandan leaf (optional)
2 medium red onions, finely chopped
2 tbsp garlic and ginger paste
1 lemongrass stalk, white part only, cut into about 8 pieces
3 tbsp dark roasted curry powder or another good quality curry powder
3 green bird’s eye chillies, slit lengthwise down the middle
1 whole head of garlic, smashed but left in the skins
2 tsp jaggery or light brown sugar
2 tsp tamarind concentrate
FOR THE DARK CURRY POWDER
Ingredients
3 tbsp cumin seeds
4 tbsp coriander seeds
1 tbsp fennel seeds
1 tsp fenugreek seeds
1 tbsp basmati rice (optional)
20 dried red chillies, or to taste (optional)
2 tbsp black peppercorns
1 tsp black mustard seeds
10 cloves
2 x 2.5cm (1 inch) cinnamon sticks
Seeds from 8 green cardamom pods
METHOD
DARK CURRY POWDER
Over a low heat, roast the cumin seeds until they are beginning to turn a delicious looking chocolate brown. Be careful as you don’t want to burn the spices through! Just toast the exterior and be sure to keep stirring and shaking the pan often so that they toast without burning.
Transfer to a plate to cool. Repeat by toasting the coriander seeds, fennel seeds and fenugreek seeds separately until they turn a deep brown.
Now toast the rice (if using) until lightly browned and transfer to the plate to cool. If using red chillies, toast them also until fragrant and darkened but not black. Allow to cool.
Place the remaining ingredient in the pan and toast until fragrant and warm to the touch. This really should be done separately but I usually cheat. Don’t let them smoke!
Allow to cool with the other spices. Once cooled, grind to a fine powder with a pestle and mortar or spice grinder. This curry powder can be kept in an air-tight container in a cool location for up to 2 months.
FOR THE CURRY
Put the pork pieces in a mixing bowl and add the marinade ingredients. Mix well with your hands or a spoon. You might want to wear plastic gloves if mixing by hand because of the chilli powder. Cover and leave to marinate for 3 hours or overnight. The longer the better.
Heat the oil in a large pot over medium high heat. When visibly hot, stir in the curry leaves and pandan leaves and allow them to infuse into the oil for about 30 seconds.
Now add the chopped red onions and fry for about 5 minutes or until soft and translucent.
Stir in the garlic and ginger paste, lemongrass and the chillies and fry for a further 30 seconds.
Add the black curry powder and stir well to combine.
Now pour in the marinade coated pork and stir until the meat is nicely coated with the other ingredients. Fry over medium heat for about 10 minutes to brown the pork and then add just enough water to cover the meat completely.
Stir in the smashed garlic, sugar and tamarind concentrate and simmer, covered for 30 minutes.
After 30 minutes, lift the lid and take a look. This is a dry curry so if it is looking really saucy, cook a little longer until the delicious thick sauce is coating the meat.
Taste the curry and add more sugar, for sweetness and tamarind for sourness to taste. Complete by adding salt to taste.
Link
