Goan pork sorpotel

Step 1: Put 2 lb pork shoulder, and 7 oz pork liver if using, in a pot with 4 ¼ cups water and 2 tsp salt. Bring to the boil, skim, then simmer for 25–30 minutes until the pork is cooked through and firm and the liver shows no pink (160°F/160 °F).

Step 2: Lift the meat out and let it cool. Keep the stock.

Step 3: While the meat cools, soak 15 dried Kashmiri chillies in ¾ cup palm or coconut vinegar for 20 minutes, then blend with 1 tsp cumin seeds, 1 tsp black peppercorns, 8 cloves, 2 in cinnamon stick, 1 tsp ground turmeric, 10 cloves garlic and 2 in fresh ginger to a smooth paste.

Step 4: Cut the pork into 1 cm dice, fat included; dice the liver separately and keep it aside. Common mistake: dicing the pork raw; it turns stringy and grey. Boiling first keeps the cubes neat and tender.

Step 5: Heat 3 tbsp sunflower oil in a heavy pot over a medium-high heat and fry the diced pork in two batches for 8–10 minutes until the fat renders and the edges crisp.

Step 6: Add 2 onions and 4 green chillies to the pot with all the pork and fry for 8 minutes until the onion is golden.

Step 7: Stir in the masala paste and fry for 5 minutes, scraping the bottom, until it smells cooked and the oil turns red.

Step 8: Pour in 400 ml of the reserved stock, cover and simmer over a low heat for 40–50 minutes, stirring now and then, until thick and dark. Add the diced liver for the last 10 minutes.

Step 9: Stir in 1 tsp sugar or jaggery and taste: it should be sharp with vinegar, hot and a little sweet. Add salt if needed.

Step 10: Cool quickly, then refrigerate. Sorpotel tastes best after 2–3 days; keep it in the fridge for up to 5 days and bring it to a full simmer each time you reheat it.