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Coorg pandi curry
Pandi curry (ಪಂದಿ ಕರಿ) — Kodava pork in a near-black roasted spice masala with kachampuli
Up in the coffee estates of Kodagu (Coorg), pandi curry is the dish of the Kodava people, cooked for Puttari, the harvest festival, and for every family gathering in between. Fatty pork simmers in its own juices with a masala of coriander and black pepper roasted almost black, then finishes with kachampuli, a dark, sour vinegar made from the Garcinia fruit. It is eaten with kadambuttu (steamed rice balls) or akki otti. Chef's tip: roast the spices slowly over a low heat until they are the colour of strong coffee; this is the dark colour and smoky flavour of a real pandi curry.
- Total time
- 105 min
- Difficulty
- medium
- Serves
- 5
Ingredients
For the Kodava masala
For the pork
Method
0/9 doneStep 1: Rub 2 ¼ lb pork belly or fatty pork shoulder with 1 tsp ground turmeric, 1 ½ tsp salt and 2 tsp Kashmiri chilli powder and leave in the fridge for 20 minutes.
20 minStep 2: Put 3 tbsp coriander seeds, 1 tsp cumin seeds, 2 tsp black peppercorns, ½ tsp mustard seeds, 4 cloves and 1 ⅛ in cinnamon stick in a dry heavy pan over a medium-low heat. Roast for 8–10 minutes, stirring constantly, until the coriander is dark brown like coffee beans. Common mistake: stopping when it is only golden; the curry then tastes raw and looks pale. Don't let it turn black, either.
10 minStep 3: Cool the spices and grind them to a fine powder.
Step 4: Pound or pulse 2 onions, 8 cloves garlic, 1 ⅝ in fresh ginger and 4 green chillies to a coarse paste.
Step 5: Put the pork in a heavy pot without oil, cover and cook over a medium heat for 15 minutes, stirring once or twice, until the fat starts to melt and the meat releases its juices.
15 minStep 6: Add the onion paste and cook uncovered for 10 minutes, stirring, until it softens and most of the liquid has gone.
10 minStep 7: Stir in the roasted masala and 1 cup water. Cover and simmer over a low heat for 40–50 minutes, stirring now and then, until the pork is very tender.
45 minStep 8: Add 2 tbsp kachampuli (Coorg vinegar) and simmer uncovered for 5 minutes until the sauce is almost black and clings to the meat. Taste for salt and sourness, then stir in 10 curry leaves.
5 minStep 9: Rest for 10 minutes before serving with steamed rice balls or rice. It keeps for 3 days in the fridge; reheat until piping hot.
10 min
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 560 kcal
- Protein
- 30 g
- Carbs
- 8 g
- Fat
- 46 g
- Fibre
- 3 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does coorg pandi curry take?
- About 105 minutes in total: 25 minutes to prepare and 80 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 5 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it gluten free?
- Yes, as written. Check the labels on stock, sauces and spice mixes, which sometimes contain gluten.
- Is it very spicy?
- It has some heat. Use less chilli for a milder version, or more if you like it hot.
- What can I use instead of coriander seeds?
- Ground coriander, same amount (add it later in the cooking; it burns faster).
- What can I use instead of cumin seeds?
- Ground cumin, three quarters of the amount (add it with the other ground spices, not to hot oil first).
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