Pork with vinegar and garlic

Recipe

Serves: 4-6

Cooking and preparation

• Preparations time: overnight
• Cooking time: 1 hour

Ingredients

• 1kg/2¼lb boneless pork from the shoulder, cut into 5cm/2in cubes
• 1 tsp salt
• 3 tbsp red wine vinegar
• 3 tbsp vegetable oil
• 3-4 garlic cloves, peeled and finely chopped
• 3 medium-sized onions (250g/9oz), peeled and finely sliced
• 2 large tomatoes, chopped
• 4-6 fresh hot green chillies, sliced lengthways in half
• 1 tsp sugar

• For the spice paste

• 4-10 dried hot red chillies, depending on size
• 1 tbsp bright red paprika
• ½ tsp cumin seeds
• 6cm/2½in cinnamon stick, broken up into smaller pieces
• 10-15 cloves
• ½ tsp black peppercorns
• 5-6 cardamom pods
• 10-12 garlic cloves, peeled
• 2.5cm/1in piece of fresh ginger, peeled and coarsely chopped
• 3 tbsp vinegar
• ½ tsp ground turmeric

Method

1. Place the pork cubes into a large bowl. Sprinkle the pork with the salt. Add the vinegar. Mix the salt and vinegar into the meat well and set aside, covered with cling film, for 2-3 hours.

2. For the spice paste, place the red chillies, paprika, cumin seeds, cinnamon, cloves, peppercorns and cardamom pods in a clean coffee grinder and grind as finely as possible.

3. Place the garlic and the ginger into the bowl of a food processor along with two tablespoons of the vinegar and the turmeric. Blend well.

4. Place the garlic and ginger paste into a small bowl, add the dry spices and mix well.

5. Add half of the spice paste to the bowl with the pork cubes. Mix the meat and spices together well, cover with cling film and refrigerate overnight. Cover and refrigerate the remaining spice paste.

6. For the pork, heat the vegetable oil in a wide, non-stick pan over medium-high heat. When hot, add the chopped garlic. Stir once or twice, then add the onions and continue to fry until lightly browned and softened.

7. Add the tomatoes and 2-3 of the green chillies. Stir for 1-2 minutes.

8. Add the remaining spice paste, the sugar and the remaining one tablespoon vinegar. Stir fry until the paste begins to colour.

9. Add the meat and all the spice paste clinging to it. Mix it thoroughly so that the sauce is distributed throughout the pork.

10. Turn the heat to medium-low and cook, stirring, until the pork begins to release its juices. Add 300ml/10fl oz water and bring to the boil (make sure the pork is submerged in the liquid).

11. Cover, turn the heat to low and simmer gently until the meat is tender and the sauce has thickened somewhat, about 40-45 minutes, or until the pork is tender.

12. If necessary, raise the heat to reduce the sauce to a medium-thick consistency towards the end. Add the remaining 2-3 green chillies and stir once.

13. Serve with steamed rice or your choice of Indian breads.

Step by step

1. 

   Step 1

   Place the pork cubes into a large bowl. Sprinkle the pork with the salt. Add the vinegar. Mix the salt and vinegar into the meat well and set aside, covered with cling film, for 2-3 hours.
2. 

   Step 2

   For the spice paste, place the red chillies, paprika, cumin seeds, cinnamon, cloves, peppercorns and cardamom pods in a clean coffee grinder and grind as finely as possible.
3. 

   Step 3

   Place the garlic and the ginger into the bowl of a food processor along with two tablespoons of the vinegar and the turmeric. Blend well.
4. 

   Step 4

   Place the garlic and ginger paste in a small bowl, add the dry spices and mix well.
5. 

   Step 5

   Add half of the spice paste to the bowl with the pork cubes. Mix the meat and spices together well, cover with cling film and refrigerate overnight. Cover and refrigerate the remaining spice paste.
6. 

   Step 6

   For the pork, heat the vegetable oil in a wide, non-stick pan over medium-high heat. When hot, add the chopped garlic. Stir once or twice, then add the onions and continue to fry until lightly browned and softened.
7. 

   Step 7

   Add the tomatoes and 2-3 of the green chillies. Stir for 1-2 minutes.
8. 

   Step 8

   Add the remaining spice paste, the sugar and the remaining one tablespoon vinegar. Stir fry until the paste begins to colour.
9. 

   Step 9

   Add the meat and all the spice paste clinging to it. Mix it thoroughly so that the sauce is distributed throughout the pork.
10. 

    Step 10

    Turn the heat to medium-low and cook, stirring, until the pork begins to release its juices. Add 300ml/10fl oz water and bring to the boil (make sure the pork is submerged in the liquid).
11. 

    Step 11

    Cover, turn the heat to low and simmer gently until the meat is tender and the sauce has thickened somewhat, about 40-45 minutes, or until the pork is tender.
12. 

    Step 12

    If necessary, raise the heat to reduce the sauce to a medium-thick consistency towards the end. Add the remaining 2-3 green chillies and stir once.
13. 

    Step 13

    Serve with steamed rice or your choice of Indian breads.