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Sri Lankan black pork curry
කළු ඌරු මස් කරිය (kalu uru mas curry): pork shoulder in dark-roasted curry powder, goraka and black pepper
This is a pork dish. In the southern and western coastal towns, from Negombo down to Galle, kalu uru mas is the curry that comes out for Christmas lunch, family get-togethers and Sunday rice spreads. Its colour comes from curry powder roasted in a dry pan until it is nearly black, plus goraka, a sour dried fruit that tenderises the meat and balances the fat. The sauce ends up thick, glossy and smoky-sour, clinging to every cube of pork. Eat it with plain rice, string hoppers or bread, and it tastes even better the next day. Chef's tip: roast the curry powder over a low heat and keep stirring; take it off the moment it turns the colour of dark chocolate and smells toasty, because burnt powder turns bitter.
- Total time
- 120 min
- Difficulty
- medium
- Serves
- 4
Ingredients
For the roasted curry powder
- 2 tbsp coriander seeds
- 1 tbsp cumin seeds
- 1 tsp fennel seeds
- 1 tbsp black peppercorns
- 1 cinnamon stickabout 5 cm
- 4 cloves
- 1 tbsp uncooked ricehelps the powder darken evenly
For the curry
- 2 lb boneless pork shoulder (with some fat)cut into 3 cm cubes
- 4 goraka (garcinia) piecesor 2 tbsp tamarind paste
- ½ cup hot waterfor soaking the goraka
- 1 ½ tsp chilli powder
- 1 ½ tsp salt
- 3 tbsp coconut or vegetable oil
- 2 red onionsfinely sliced
- 6 cloves garliccrushed
- 1 ⅛ in gingergrated
- 15 curry leaves
- 1 pandan leaf (optional)cut in 3
- 1 lemongrass stalkbruised
- 1 cup water
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Method
0/9 doneStep 1: Put a dry frying pan over a low heat. Add 1 tbsp uncooked rice, 2 tbsp coriander seeds, 1 tbsp cumin seeds, 1 tsp fennel seeds, 1 tbsp black peppercorns, 1 cinnamon stick, 4 cloves and 4 green cardamom pods and stir constantly for 8–10 minutes, until the seeds are very dark brown and smell deeply toasted. Tip onto a plate to stop the cooking.
10 minStep 2: Let the spices cool for 5 minutes, then grind them to a fine powder in a spice grinder.
5 minStep 3: Soak 4 goraka (garcinia) pieces in ½ cup hot water for 15 minutes. Squeeze the pieces, then blend or mash them with the soaking water to a rough paste.
15 minStep 4: In a large bowl mix the 2 lb boneless pork shoulder (with some fat) with 3 tbsp of the roasted powder, 1 ½ tsp chilli powder, 1 ½ tsp salt and the goraka paste. Use a separate board and knife for raw pork and wash your hands afterwards. Cover and marinate in the fridge for at least 30 minutes, or overnight, never on the counter.
30 minStep 5: Heat 3 tbsp coconut or vegetable oil in a heavy pot over a medium heat. Fry 2 red onions, 15 curry leaves, 1 pandan leaf and 1 lemongrass stalk for 6–8 minutes until the onion is soft and golden. Add 6 cloves garlic and 1 ⅛ in ginger and stir for 1 minute.
9 minStep 6: Add the pork and all its marinade. Turn the heat to medium-high and stir for 8 minutes until the pork loses its pink colour on the outside and the spices smell roasted.
8 minStep 7: Pour in 1 cup water, bring to a boil, then cover and simmer over a low heat for 60 minutes, stirring now and then, until a cube of pork breaks easily with a spoon.
60 minStep 8: Uncover, stir in the rest of the roasted powder and cook for 10–15 minutes more, stirring often, until the sauce is thick and dark and the fat starts to separate around the edge. A common mistake is pulling it off the heat while the sauce is still thin; it should coat the pork like a glaze.
12 minStep 9: Check that the thickest piece of pork has reached at least 160°F and there is no pink juice. Turn off the heat, rest the curry for 10 minutes and take out the lemongrass and pandan before serving. Cool any leftovers within 2 hours and keep them in the fridge for up to 3 days.
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 520 kcal
- Protein
- 38 g
- Carbs
- 10 g
- Fat
- 36 g
- Fibre
- 3 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
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Good to know
- How long does sri Lankan black pork curry take?
- About 120 minutes in total: 25 minutes to prepare and 95 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 4 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.
- Can I make it ahead?
- Yes. It keeps well, so you can cook it earlier in the day or the day before and reheat it.
- 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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