This recipe runs back to the days of my Grandmom also dearly called “Paatti-ma”. This is a recipe from my Mother and my grandmother. Its a tradition in our family that we have Pork with Appam for Christmas or New Year. My memory goes back to those days when my Grandmom lovingly prepared this for our large family having gathered for Christmas at her place and this was made in Mud Pot the previous night and had the morning following the watch night service.Days of no fancy gadgets when everyone enjoyed each others company. And us cousins used to fight for appams made in small cute Appam pans. This is a No Oil recipe too since the cut used is pork belly and the curry will use the fat from the meat. If you’re a meat lover and would like to try pork, then this is a recipe you need to try. Its a spicy curry mainly drawing its heat from the pepper added to it at the end
Recipe
Pork 500 gms
Chilli powder : 1 tsp
Coriander powder : 1.5 tsp
Curry Leaves : 2-3 sprigs
Green chilli : 1 or 2
Ginger garlic paste : 2 tsp
Tamarind pulp : from a small marble sized tamarind – 4 tsp Thick pulp
To roast and powder:
Pepper : 2 tsp
Cumin : 3/4 tsp
Fenugreek seeds/vendayam : 3/4 tsp
Cinnamon : 1 small piece ( I used 1/2 tsp cinnamon powder) – Optional (Not in Original recipe)
Method
Soak the tamarind in hot water to extract later
In a pressure cooker add the pork, chilli powder, turmeric powder, coriander powder, ginger garlic paste and green chillies. Mix them well Add about 150 ml water and let it pressure cook for about 15 mins on low heat
Heat up a pan to roast the other ingredients – Pepper and cumin for the first 2 minutes and then the fenugreek. Take care NOT to burn the spices. The heat low and slow.
Cool the spices and grind to a coarse powder.
Once the pressure is released, add the tamarind pulp, bring it to a boil again.
Once boiled, add the powder and the cinnamon powder if using and turn off heat after 2 more minutes.