Gurkha pork curry

Gurkha pork curry

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(Serves 6)

Ingredients

For the spice paste

  • 1 tsp cumin seeds
  • 1 tsp coriander seeds
  • 4 green cardamom pods
  • 1 cinnamon stick
  • 2 hot dried chillies

For the pork

  • 3 tbsp mustard oil
  • ¼ tsp fenugreek seeds
  • ½ tsp carom seeds
  • ½ tsp cumin seeds
  • 2 medium onions, finely sliced
  • 2 tsp garlic, finely grated
  • 2 tsp fresh ginger, peeled and finely grated
  • 1 tsp turmeric
  • ½ tsp chilli powder
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 1 kg boneless pork shoulder (or pork belly if you prefer more fat), cut into 2.5 cm chunks
  • 2 medium tomatoes, finely chopped
  • 1 tsp tomato purée
  • 1 hot green chilli, sliced length-ways
  • 2 hot red chillies, sliced length ways
  • 2 tbsp dark soy sauce
  • 1 small lemon, cut into 8 pieces, seeds removed
  • 250 g choi sum, stems cut into 3, leaves shredded

Method

For the spice paste

  1. Place the spices for the paste in a clean coffee grinder or spice grinder. Grind to a coarse powder.
  2. Add 4 teaspoons of water to make a paste.

For the pork

  1. Set a large pan over a medium-high heat. Add a splash of oil and fry the pork until golden brown and some of the fat has rendered down. Remove the pork and set aside.
  2. Add some more oil and when its hot, add the fenugreek seeds. Allow to darken for 5 seconds.
  3. Add the carom and cumin seeds. Swirl the pan for 20 seconds, then tip in the onions.
  4. Reduce the heat to medium and fry the onions for 10 minutes until lightly coloured.
  5. Add the garlic, ginger, turmeric, chilli powder and bay leaves. Stir for 1 minute, then spoon in the spice paste.
  6. Mix well for 2 minutes, then add the pork. Increase the heat to medium-high and brown well on all sides for 5 minutes.
  7. Pour in 240ml of boiling water and cover, reducing the heat to medium and shaking the pan occasionally.
  8. After 25 minutes, add another 240ml of boiling water. Stir and cover.
  9. After 15 minutes, add 120ml of boiling water and stir. Cover for 5 more minutes before adding the tomatoes and tomato purée.
  10. Add 1¼ teaspoons of salt and stir. Add the green and red chillies and the soy sauce. Cook for 2 minutes, then add the lemon chunks. Mix well, then fold in the choi sum.
  11. Continue to cook, uncovered, for 5 more minutes until the choi sum is done, then serve.