Kharu pork with deep-fried potatoes and salad
Ingredients
For the pork
- 2 tbsp sunflower oil
- 2 x 2.5cm/1in pieces cinnamon sticks
- 3-4 cardamom pods
- 2-3 cloves
- 2-3 whole dried red chillies, broken into pieces
- 250g/9oz pork shoulder, cut into 1.5cm/0.5in pieces
- 250g/9oz pork belly, cut into 1.5cm/0.5in pieces
- 2 onions, peeled, finely chopped into 1.5cm/0.5in pieces
- 1 heaped tbsp ginger garlic paste, from a jar, or crush fresh ginger and garlic together to form a paste
- 2 tsp ground cumin
- 1 tbsp ground coriander
- Β½ tsp ground turmeric
- 500-750ml/17Β½fl oz-1 pint 7fl oz chicken stock or water
- 2 tomatoes, roughly chopped
- salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 2 tbsp chopped fresh coriander leaves
For the deep-fried potatoes
- 2-3 large potatoes, peeled and cut into four lengthways
- vegetable oil, for deep-frying
- salt, to taste
For the salad
- 2 tomatoes, cut into chunks
- 4 spring onions, sliced
- Β½ cucumber, seeds removed, finely chopped
- 2 fresh green chillies, finely chopped
- 3 tbsp chopped fresh mint leaves
- 3 tbsp chopped fresh coriander leaves
- 1 lime, juice only
- 1 tbsp malt vinegar
- Β½ tsp salt
Method
For the pork, heat the oil in a heavy casserole until smoking. Add the cinnamon sticks, cardamom pods, cloves and dried chillies to the casserole and gently fry until aromatic and starting to turn golden-brown (keep moving the spices around the casserole to prevent them from burning).
Add the pork shoulder and belly pieces to the casserole and fry for 1-2 minutes on all sides, or until golden-brown all over. Remove the pork from the casserole and set aside.
Add the chopped onions to the casserole and fry for 4-5 minutes, or until the onions are golden-brown. Return the pork to the pan and cook for a further 3-4 minutes, or until the casserole is quite dry, then stir in the ginger and garlic paste.
Mix the ground cumin, coriander and turmeric with a little of the stock or water to form a paste, then add to the pan and stir well. Cook for 2-3 minutes, or until the paste nearly dries up and bubbles of oil appear along the edges of the casserole. Pour in enough of the stock or water to cover the meat.
Bring to a simmer, cover with a lid and cook for 30-35 minutes, or until the pork is tender. Add the chopped tomatoes and season, to taste, with salt and freshly ground black pepper.
Cook for a further 4-5 minutes, then add the chopped coriander and simmer for another 1-2 minutes. Keep warm.
For the potatoes, place the potatoes into a pan of salted water and bring to the boil. Reduce the heat to a simmer and cook for 8-10 minutes, or until tender. Drain, then return the potatoes to the pan and cook over a low heat to drive off any excess liquid.
Half-fill a deep, heavy-based pan with the oil and heat until the temperature is 190C/375F (check using a digital thermometer), or use a deep-fat fryer. (NB: hot oil can be dangerous. Do not leave unattended.) Carefully lower the potato pieces into the oil and fry for 3-4 minutes, or until golden-brown and crisp. Remove with a slotted spoon and drain on kitchen paper. Season the potatoes with salt.
For the salad, place the tomatoes, spring onions, cucumber, chillies, mint and coriander leaves into a large bowl and toss to combine.
In a small bowl, whisk together the lime juice, vinegar and salt until well combined, then drizzle over the salad. Gently mix until the salad is evenly coated with the dressing.
To serve, divide the potatoes and pork equally among four serving plates and serve the salad in a bowl alongside.
