Pork Indad

Ingredients

1 kg pork shoulder, marbled with fat and cut into 1 - 2 inch chunks. 
1 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons unscented oil
25 ml dark rum

Spice Mix:

10 long mild red chillies, preferably Kashmiri
1 teaspoon whole cumin
1/2 teaspoon ground turmeric
1/2 teaspoon whole black pepper
1/2 teaspoon whole cinnamon sticks or cassia bark
1/2 teaspoon whole cloves

Sauce:
 
2 large onions, chopped
Thumb sized piece of ginger, peeled and chopped
12 garlic cloves, crushed
1 green bird's eye chili, chopped
1 teaspoons tamarind concentrate
25 ml white or red wine vinegar 
Small handful fresh mint leaves, chopped
50 ml of water, if required + an extra 1/2 cup beef stock or water

Garnish

Fresh mint leaves
50 ml dark rum
Salt and sugar to taste

Method

Salt the pork and keep aside for about half hour.

In a heavy pan, dry roast the chillies, cumin, pepper, cinnamon and cloves, one by one, for about 30 second to a minute, until fragrant. Blend until finely powdered.

In the same pan, dry fry the onion for a few minutes until the raw smell has disappeared and the onions are very lightly toasted.Add the ginger and garlic, and fry for another minute. Remove to a blender, and add the green chili, tamarind, vinegar and mint leaves. Process to a fine paste. Add the spice mix, and blend until well mixed. Add a splash of water to help the process, if required.

Heat the oil in a a heavy based pot. Add the salted pork slices, and fry on a high heat, in batches, until the meat is caramelised and sealed. Remove to a plate, leaving any rendered fat behind. 

Deglaze the pot with the rum. Add the onion-spice paste to the pot, and saute for a few minutes, scraping up any caramelised bits. Turn down the heat, and fry this masala for about 15 minutes, stirring often. The oil and fat will start to separate at this point. Season with a little salt.

Add the 1/2 cup water or stock to the pot and simmer gently, until the sauce is quite thick.

Gently lower the fried pork into the sauce. Bring to a gentle boil, then stir until the slices are well coated with the masala. Add a little more water, if required, and simmer the pork on a low heat for at least an hour, topping up with more water is the sauce looks dry. The meat should be fork tender once it is cooked and the sauce should be thick, but not dry.

Season generously with the salt and sugar to taste, then stir in the rum.

Simmer for a few more minutes, then take off the heat and garnish with the fresh mint leaves. 

This dish tastes best if made a day ahead, and left to mature in the fridge. Reheat and serve with sannas, pulav rice or fresh bread. 


COPIED FROM TheTiffinbox for personal use only !!!