Today, my mum made this spectacular Pork Ularthiyathu which made me salivate just looking at it! Usually i like my pork a little sweet but this one time, i was happy as can be when i was served up this peppery treat!
For one, it was cooked perfectly and for two, that taste…oh mama! No wonder they say mums are the best cooks in the world!
Ingredients:
Good quality pork: 2 kgs
Pepper corns: 1 tbsp
Cinnamon: 2 long pieces
Cloves: 8-10 nos
Elaichi: 4 nos
Cumin: 1 tsp
Star anise: 1 no
Mace: a pinch
Shallots: a good handful
Onions: 2 large
Turmeric powder
Coriander powder
Ginger: 2 inches
Garlic: 1full large garlic
Curry leaves: 2 stalks
Green chilly: as spicy as you want it to be
Salt: to taste
Coconut oil
Prep: PORK
– Cut the pork into bite sized cubes. Wash and drain the pieces.
– Into a pressure cooker, adding no water, add in the pork with adequate turmeric and salt.
– Cook for until 10 minutes after the 1st whistle.
Prep: MASALA
– Grind into fine powder the peppercorns, cinnamon, cloves, mace, star anise, cumin and elaichi
– Pound the ginger and garlic together to form a crude paste
– Chop the shallots into cubes and slice the onions lengthwise
– Slit the green chillies lengthwise
Preparation:
– Into hot oil, in good sized vessel, add the ginger garlic paste and sautee
– Add in the chillies, onions and shallots and sautee until caramelized
(Tip: the tastemaker here is the shallot! It lends its own brand of sweetness to the dish)
– Add in the masala mix along with 2 tsps of coriander powder
(Tip: those who like to spice things up a little more can add a some red chilli powder. My mum skipped that bit)
– After the mixture has cooked through, add the pork
– Reduce the liquid until the curry has become dry
– Drain the excess oil from the vessel
– Bruise 2 stalks of curry leaves gently bu rubbing them in between ur palms
– Add them to the oil and crush the leaves into the oil using your fingers
– Add this mix atop the pork
– Cover and let cook for a couple more minutes until you see steam rising
(Tip: this ensures that the essential oils of the curry leaf permeate into the meat and the gravy. The result is lipsmacking!)
This delectable delight is super versatile and can be paired with rice, appams, chapathies or even eaten plain as a snack! Enjoy!