Pandi curry - Pork curry from Coorg

This recipe is a lovely pork curry from the mountainous misty landscape of Coorg, located in Karnataka. It is a scenic locale, lush with tea and coffee plantations and forests, and picturesque settlements, adding it's rustic charm to Coorg. And for all it's beauty it is not surprising that Coorg is often referred to as the Scotland of India.

I have to thank Netra - who hails from Coorg, who I met at a party and in the midst of our conversation about food, she mentioned that she likes spicy pork. I was quite surprised to hear that, as most Hindu Indians do not eat pork or beef. She gave me a quick lesson on the culture and cuisine of Coorg that really piqued my interest. I did google and read about Coorg and the amazing food that is unique to it. One of the first things I tried was the Pandi curry. I scoured online and found a few blogs that had this recipe. Honestly I can't remember which blog I picked it from, cause I noted it in my book, and that's what I have been using to cook this dish ever since.

Pandi curry has a dark brown colour and a different flavour, not the ones I'm used to as a Mangalorean or Goan cook. Almost all pork dishes that I cook are fiery red and hot and Pandi curry is welcome change to the eyes and the palate.

Ingredients:

1. Pork - 1 kg 
2. Onion (big) - 1 no, cubed
3. Garlic - 10 to 12 cloves
4. Ginger - 1 inch piece
5. Green chillies - 4 to 5
6. Curry leaves - 10- 15
7. Red chilly powder - 1 tsp
8. Turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp
9. Tamarind - a gooseberry sized ball, soaked in warm water
10. Salt and oil - as needed

Dry roast and grind to a coarse powder the below mentioned ingredients:

1. Coriander seeds - 2 tbsp
2. Cinnamon - 1 inch piece
3. Cloves - 6 nos
4. Peppercorn - 1 tsp
5. Cumin seeds - 1 tbsp
6. Mustard seeds - 1 tsp
7. Methi seeds - 1/4 tsp
8. Curry leaves - 10 -15 nos

Method:

1. Wash and cut the pork in one and half inch cubes. Apply red chilly powder, turmeric powder, salt and set aside for an hour.
2. Heat very little oil in a pan, add the onions, garlic, ginger and green chilies. Fry well and then add the meat. Use little oil, specially if the pork you are using is fatty. 
3. Mix well and let it simmer on medium heat for five minutes.
4. Now add the ground spice mix and tamarind water and mix well. Let it cook on slow flame till the pork is cooked. 
5. You can add a cup of hot water if the you want some pouring gravy. But otherwise the meat releases a lot of fat and water and can be cooked on its own too. 
6. Check for taste and consistency and switch off the flame.

Alternative Method if you are using fatty pork.

1. Wash and cut the pork in one and half inch cubes. Apply red chilly powder, turmeric powder, salt and set aside for an hour.
2. In a pan, add the onions, garlic, ginger, green chillies and the marinated pork. No need to add oil or water. Mix all the ingredients well and put the pan on the stove.
3. Bring to a boil and then lower the flame and cook for about five minutes. Follow steps 4, 5 and 6 from above to complete the dish.

Notes:
A special kind of vinegar is used for this recipe from Coorg, called Kachampulli, which I have never used. It is a sour fruity vinegar, which is dark purple in colour, adds not only to the flavour but also the dark colour of the dish. Since I don't have this on hand, I use regular cane vinegar for this recipe.

You can try other Pork recipes from my blog by clicking on them:

1. Pork Bafath
2. East Indian Pork Vindaloo
3. Goan Pork Sorpotel
4. Pork Chops - oriental style
5. Pork Solantulem
6. Pork Adobo - from the Philippines
7. Pork Roast from Goa