PORK CURRY (PANDI KARI)

PORK CURRY (PANDI KARI) image

Yield 8 cups

Number Of Ingredients 26

Dry masala ingredients
2 T. ground cardamom
2 (or more) dried red chile peppers
1/4 cup coriander seeds
2 T. cumin seeds
2 t. black mustard seeds
1 t. black peppercorns
1 t. ground turmeric
1 t. cinnamon (or equivalent piece of cinnamon stick)
1 t ground nutmeg
1 tsp salt
Note: If you don't have cumin or coriander seeds, use the ground variety. Black mustard seeds are available online and in Indian groceries, and are much more pungent than the yellow variety.
Wet masala ingredients
1 small onion, coarsely chopped
about one-inch piece of peeled fresh ginger, sliced thinly
3 large cloves garlic, peeled
1 (or more) fresh hot green chiles, such as serrano or Thai
1/2 cup coconut milk
1/4 cup tamarind paste or concentrate (available online or in Asian markets)
1 pound red potatoes, cut into small chunks
2- 2 1/2 lbs boneless pork, all visible fat trimmed, cut into 1" pieces
1 cup water
2 T. finely chopped cilantro
1 cup frozen peas
2 T. vegetable or peanut oil
1 medium onion, finely chopped

Steps:

1. Prepare the dry masala. Roast the whole spices in a small skillet over medium heat until the seeds are a few shades darker and the aroma comes up, about 2 minutes. Let cool, then grind in a spice grinder with the remaining dry masala ingredients. 2. Prepare the wet masala. Put all the ingredients in a food processor or blender and grind until smooth. Mix in the dry masala and process again, adding up to 1/4 cup of water, to make a smooth paste. 3. Heat the oil in a large saucepan over moderately high heat and brown the chopped onion and potato chunks for about 10 minutes, stirring frequently to brown all sides. Remove from pan. 4. Dry the pork pieces carefully. Add them to the pan in batches, being sure not to crowd the pan, and brown on all sides. Remove each batch after browning. 5. Reduce the heat to medium-low and add the masala. Pour the water in the blender or processor bowl to rinse it out and add it to the pan. Cook, stirring frequently, until the masala turns golden. Return the pork, onions and potatoes to the pan, cover, and simmer until the pork and potatoes are tender and the sauce is very thick, about 30 minutes. About 2 minutes before serving, add the frozen peas. Transfer to a serving dish, garnish with the cilantro, and serve. Nutritional information, per 1-cup serving: 297 calories, 10 grams fat, 81.2 mg cholesterol, 125.3 mg sodium, 17.6 grams carbohydrates, 3 grams fiber, 3 grams sugar, 34.2 grams protein.