Pork Belly Curry with Black Pepper

Pork belly curry loosely based on a recipe from Sri Lanka that’s loaded with black pepper, tamarind and whole slow-cooked garlic cloves.

This is a slow-cooked dish and it takes a couple of hours to prepare and cook, but the techniques are easy and you only spend around a quarter of that time in the kitchen.

Sri Lankan Influenced Pork Curry

Pork belly makes regular appearances here on my site.

It is probably my favourite cut of meat. Not only is it delicious but it is both relatively cheap and a really forgiving cut of meat which makes it very easy to cook.

I’ve used it in dishes with global influences, it’s flavour profile and fat content means that it plays wonderfully with big flavours.

I have Vitenamese-influenced glazed pork belly, Korean-influenced gochujang pork belly, a classic Indonesian dish called babi chin… and of course an old-school British roast joint of pork belly.

Here it gets used in a curry, curried pork is not as unusual as many believe. Pork vindaloo is an absolute classic and I even have a minced pork curry.

This dish is my take on a Sri Lankan black pork belly curry, and it is loaded with black pepper, curry leaves and whole garlic cloves.

Everything is cooked down slowly until it is rich and sticky. It is finished with a roasted curry powder that features even more black pepper and plenty of fennel.

If you are looking to do something different with your curry game, then give this a try!

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I use a leaner cut of pork?

The fatty nature of pork belly is very much needed to make this recipe. As a result, you can’t really make this recipe with many other cuts of meat.

You might be able to get away with using some pork blade which comes from the top of the shoulder although it is not an optimal choice.

Can I use store-bought curry powder?

Yes, but the flavour profiles will be very different and the difference between freshly ground toasted spices and store-bought mixes is night and day.

Is it ok to use whole garlic cloves?

Yes, definitely! There is a Sri Lankan garlic clove curry that influenced my use of them this dish.

They cook down fairly slowly and mellow out quite a lot and have a similar flavour profile to roasted or confit garlic.

Can I use tamarind concentrate?

Yes, although you will need to do your own calculations based on the concentration of the brand that you use.

I prefer to use tamarind pulp because I find that I get more consistent results.

Can I make this in advance?

Definitely, like so many heavily spiced recipes this improves with time. It will sit in the fridge for a couple of days and will freeze for up to 3 months.

Pop it in a saucepan with a splash of water, cover it with a lid and reheat over a medium heat.

Serving Suggestions

I’ve served this Sri Lankan influenced pork belly curry with plain rice and homemade chapatis in these pictures.

You could of course add a pilau rice or even better, a South Indian coconut rice instead.

A tandoori-style naan bread would also work well as a bread option, although I usually prefer them with a wetter curry.

I also love to serve dryer curries with potatoes, both my roasted Bombay potatoes and aloo methi (fenugreek potatoes) recipes work well with this dish.

Equipment Used

I only name-check brands of equipment if I think that they make a material difference to a recipe. But, if you have any questions feel free to ask them in the comments section below the recipe.

• Stovetop.
• 28cm or 11″ saucepan.
• Stirring and serving spoons.
• Kettle or other water boiling device.
• Small mixing bowl.
• Fine mesh sieve.
• Pestle and mortar or spice grinder.
• Kitchen knife.
• Chopping board.
• Weighing scales and or a combination of a measuring jug, cups and spoons.