Pork belly curry recipe

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Pork belly curry recipe

This is a rich, very slow-cooked fatty curry: the pork belly is unctuous and meltingly tender with a little sauce that is hot and a touch sweet.

Ingredients

For the red curry powder (make approx 150g/5.3oz)
  • 5 g curry leaves
  • 24 g sweet paprika
  • 20 g chilli powder
  • 20 g coriander seeds
  • 15 g white peppercorns
  • 13 g chilli flakes
  • 12 g cumin seeds
  • 10 g cardamom seeds
  • 8 g fennel seeds
  • 8 g cinnamon quill, roughly crushed
  • 7 g turmeric powder
  • 5 g fenugreek seeds
  • 3 g cloves
  • 3 g star anise
  • 0.2 oz curry leaves
  • 0.8 oz sweet paprika
  • 0.7 oz chilli powder
  • 0.7 oz coriander seeds
  • 0.5 oz white peppercorns
  • 0.5 oz chilli flakes
  • 0.4 oz cumin seeds
  • 0.4 oz cardamom seeds
  • 0.3 oz fennel seeds
  • 0.3 oz cinnamon quill, roughly crushed
  • 0.2 oz turmeric powder
  • 0.2 oz fenugreek seeds
  • 0.1 oz cloves
  • 0.1 oz star anise
  • 0.2 oz curry leaves
  • 0.8 oz sweet paprika
  • 0.7 oz chilli powder
  • 0.7 oz coriander seeds
  • 0.5 oz white peppercorns
  • 0.5 oz chilli flakes
  • 0.4 oz cumin seeds
  • 0.4 oz cardamom seeds
  • 0.3 oz fennel seeds
  • 0.3 oz cinnamon quill, roughly crushed
  • 0.2 oz turmeric powder
  • 0.2 oz fenugreek seeds
  • 0.1 oz cloves
  • 0.1 oz star anise
For the curry
  • 1 kg piece pork belly, skin on, chilled
  • 30 g coconut oil
  • 340 g diced red onion
  • 2 long red chillies, finely chopped
  • 1 x 20cm (8in) pandan leaf, tied into a knot
  • 4 g curry leaves
  • 30 g finely chopped garlic
  • 20 g finely chopped ginger
  • 40 g red curry powder
  • 14 cardamom pods, bruised
  • 3 star anise
  • 2 cinnamon quills
  • 1 pinch each salt flakes and freshly ground black pepper
  • 25 g tamarind concentrate
  • 150 ml coconut cream
  • 2.2 lbs piece pork belly, skin on, chilled
  • 1.1 oz coconut oil
  • 12 oz diced red onion
  • 2 long red chillies, finely chopped
  • 1 x 20cm (8in) pandan leaf, tied into a knot
  • 0.1 oz curry leaves
  • 1.1 oz finely chopped garlic
  • 0.7 oz finely chopped ginger
  • 1.4 oz red curry powder
  • 14 cardamom pods, bruised
  • 3 star anise
  • 2 cinnamon quills
  • 1 pinch each salt flakes and freshly ground black pepper
  • 0.9 oz tamarind concentrate
  • 5.3 fl oz coconut cream
  • 2.2 lbs piece pork belly, skin on, chilled
  • 1.1 oz coconut oil
  • 12 oz diced red onion
  • 2 long red chillies, finely chopped
  • 1 x 20cm (8in) pandan leaf, tied into a knot
  • 0.1 oz curry leaves
  • 1.1 oz finely chopped garlic
  • 0.7 oz finely chopped ginger
  • 1.4 oz red curry powder
  • 14 cardamom pods, bruised
  • 3 star anise
  • 2 cinnamon quills
  • 1 pinch each salt flakes and freshly ground black pepper
  • 0.9 oz tamarind concentrate
  • 0.6 cup coconut cream

Details

  • Cuisine: Sri Lankan
  • Recipe Type: Pork
  • Difficulty: Easy
  • Preparation Time: 20 mins
  • Cooking Time: 270 mins
  • Serves: 6

Step-by-step

For the red curry powder

  1. Place the curry leaves in a frying pan over a medium-high heat and cook gently for about 2 minutes.
  2. Reduce the heat a little and cook for another 1-2 minutes until they are dry and toasted, but not browned.
  3. Allow the leaves to cool completely, then combine them with the remaining spices and grind to a fine powder. Store in an airtight container.

For the pork curry

  1. Preheat the oven to 150°C/300°F/gas mark 2.
  2. Cut the pork belly into 5 x 1.5cm (2 x 0.5 in) slices and set aside. It is easier to do this when the meat is cold.
  3. Melt the coconut oil in a large flameproof casserole dish or baking dish over a medium heat. Add the onion and cook for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the chilli, pandan and curry leaves and continue cooking and stirring for another minute or so.
  4. Stir in the garlic and ginger, then turn up the heat before adding the curry powder and whole spices. Keep cooking until the spices darken and start to stick to the pan, about 3-4 minutes.
  5. Add the pork and stir to coat and brown the meat for about 6-8 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.
  6. Mix the tamarind and 450ml (15fl oz) water, then pour this into the dish with the pork and use a spoon to scrape the edges and the bottom of the pan.
  7. Add the coconut cream and bring to a simmer for about 5 minutes, then remove from heat, cover with lid or foil and place it in the oven to cook for 3 hours, removing it to stir a few times.
  8. After 3 hours, turn the oven down to 110°C/230°F/gas mark 1 and remove the lid or foil. By this stage, the gravy should be mostly dried out.
  9. Let the pork cook for a further 50-60 minutes uncovered, stirring once or twice. Once it’s cooked the pork pieces will be looking nicely roasted, there will be little gravy left in the pan and the whole dish will have a lovely oiliness to it.

This recipe is from Lanka Food by O Tama Carey (Hardie Grant, £26). Photography ©Anson Smart.

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