Pork Sorpotel

Ingredients

Pork

• 800 g pork shoulder (with a good cap of fat, cut into 8 cm chunks)
• 200 g pork liver (cut into 4 cm chunks)
• 100 g pork heart (cut into 4 cm chunks, optional but traditional)
• 1 cinnamon stick (small)
• 4 cloves
• 6 black peppercorns
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 800 ml water

Masala paste

• 15 dried Kashmiri chillies (stems removed)
• 4 dried byadgi chillies (or 2 hotter chillies, for the heat)
• 1 tablespoon cumin seeds
• 1 tablespoon black peppercorns
• 8 cloves
• 1 cinnamon stick (small, broken)
• 1 teaspoon ground turmeric
• 30 g fresh ginger
• 12 garlic cloves
• 150 ml palm vinegar (or cider vinegar)

Curry

• 3 tablespoons rendered pork fat (or vegetable oil)
• 3 onions (finely chopped)
• 1 teaspoon salt (to adjust)
• 1 tablespoon palm vinegar (to finish)

Method

Stage 1 - Par-boil the meat

1. Place the pork shoulder, liver and heart in a pot with the whole spices, salt and water.
2. Bring to a boil; skim foam.
3. Reduce to a low simmer and cook for 25-30 minutes, until the meat is just cooked.
4. Lift the meat out with a slotted spoon and reserve the stock (about 500 ml).
5. Cool the meat, then dice into 1 ½ cm cubes.

Stage 2 - Make the masala paste

1. Soak the dried chillies in hot water for 15 minutes to soften.
2. Drain.
3. Toast the cumin, peppercorns, cloves and cinnamon in a dry pan for 30 seconds until fragrant.
4. Grind the toasted spices, soaked chillies, turmeric, ginger, garlic and palm vinegar to a smooth paste in a blender; add a splash of the pork stock if needed.

Stage 3 - Brown the meat

1. Heat the pork fat in a wide, heavy pan over medium heat.
2. Add the chopped onions; cook for 8-10 minutes until golden.
3. Push the onions to the side and add the diced pork in batches.
4. Brown for 4-5 minutes a batch.

Stage 4 - Cook the masala

1. Add the masala paste to the pan.
2. Cook for 8-10 minutes, stirring often, until the oil separates from the paste at the edges (this is the moment the dish is built; cut it short and the curry tastes raw).

Stage 5 - Simmer

1. Add the reserved pork stock and the salt.
2. Bring to a gentle simmer.
3. Cover and cook for 1 hour 15 minutes over the lowest heat, stirring every 15 minutes, until the sauce thickens and the fat starts to float at the edges.
4. Add the diced liver and heart in the final 10 minutes (longer makes them rubbery).

Stage 6 - Rest

1. Stir in the final tablespoon of palm vinegar.
2. Cool to room temperature.
3. Refrigerate for 24-48 hours before serving (this isn't optional; sorpotel is built to improve).

Stage 7 - Serve

1. Reheat gently with a small splash of water if needed.
2. Serve with sannas (steamed rice cakes) or plain rice.