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Wild boar curry (pork)
වල් ඌරු මස් කරිය (wal uru mas curry): hill-country pork curry with roasted spices, goraka and lots of black pepper
This is a pork curry. In the villages around Kandy, Matale and the hill country, wal uru, wild boar, was once hunting-season meat, cooked over wood fires in clay pots with goraka, black pepper from the home garden and a dark roasted curry powder; today most cooks make it with pork shoulder, which works beautifully, and wild boar if you can find it from a licensed game supplier. The goraka gives a sour, slightly smoky edge that cuts through the richness of the fat, and the pepper builds a slow, warming heat rather than a sharp sting. Serve it with red rice, a pol sambol and a cooling cucumber salad. One error people make is cutting the pork too small, which dries it out during the long simmer. Chef's tip: cook it the day before; the gravy thickens and the pepper and goraka flavours deepen overnight in the fridge.
- Total time
- 120 min
- Difficulty
- medium
- Serves
- 6
Ingredients
For the pork
- 2 ¼ lb boneless pork shoulder (or wild boar) with some fatcut into 4 cm chunks
- 3 pieces goraka (dried garcinia)soaked in 4 tbsp hot water 15 minutes, then ground to a paste
- 1 tsp chilli powder
- 1 ½ tsp freshly crushed black pepper
- 1 /2 tsp ground turmeric
- 1 ½ tsp salt
- 2 tbsp white vinegar
For the curry
- 2 tbsp coconut oil
- 5 cm piece cinnamon stick
- 4 green cardamom podscrushed
- 2 sprigs curry leaves
- 10 cm piece pandan leaf
- 1 stalk lemongrassbruised
- 2 red onionssliced
- 8 cloves garliccrushed
- 4 cm piece fresh gingergrated
- 1 ¾ cups hot water
- ¾ cup thin coconut milk
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Method
0/8 doneStep 1: Mix 2 ¼ lb boneless pork shoulder (or wild boar) with some fat with the 3 pieces goraka (dried garcinia) paste, 3 tbsp Sri Lankan roasted (dark) curry powder, 1 tsp chilli powder, 1 ½ tsp freshly crushed black pepper, 1 /2 tsp ground turmeric, 1 ½ tsp salt and 2 tbsp white vinegar. Cover and marinate in the fridge for at least 1 hour, or overnight.
3 minStep 2: Heat 2 tbsp coconut oil in a heavy pot or clay pot over a medium heat and add 5 cm piece cinnamon stick, 4 green cardamom pods, 2 sprigs curry leaves, 10 cm piece pandan leaf and 1 stalk lemongrass; fry for 30 seconds.
2 minStep 3: Add 2 red onions and cook for 6–7 minutes until soft and golden.
7 minStep 4: Add 8 cloves garlic and 4 cm piece fresh ginger and fry for 2 minutes.
2 minStep 5: Add the pork with its marinade and stir over a medium-high heat for 8–10 minutes until the meat is sealed and the fat begins to run.
10 minStep 6: Pour in 1 ¾ cups hot water, bring to the boil, then cover and simmer over a low heat for about 1 hour, stirring now and then.
60 minStep 7: Add ¾ cup thin coconut milk and simmer uncovered for 15–20 minutes, until the pork is fork-tender (well beyond the 145°F safe minimum) and the gravy is thick and dark with oil on the surface.
20 minStep 8: Remove the lemongrass and pandan, taste for salt and let the curry rest for at least 3 minutes before serving.
3 min
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 520 kcal
- Protein
- 32 g
- Carbs
- 8 g
- Fat
- 40 g
- Fibre
- 3 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does wild boar curry (pork) take?
- About 120 minutes in total: 20 minutes to prepare and 100 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 6 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 chilli powder?
- Cayenne, half the amount (hotter).
- What can I use instead of ground turmeric?
- Leave it out (it mostly adds colour).
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