Curried pork chops baked in a delicious Indian flavoured tomato sauce with lots of onions, garlic and ginger that's sweetened with raisins.
This simple recipe uses a fairly small number of ingredients to create big flavours and all in around 45 minutes.
"Indian" Pork Chops
I love pork chops, they are gloriously versatile, cheap and most importantly, absolutely delicious!
I regularly pair them with a host of global flavours, everything from Anglo-Chinese sweet and sour pork chops, to North African harissa pork chops and Filipino adobo pork chops, to Central European pork chops with sauerkraut.
This time out, these oven baked curried pork chops come with a distinct Indian vibe.
Unlike my many Indian-inspired recipes, the spicing in this recipe is relatively simple.
The typical long list of spices are replaced by the convenience of curry powder, livened up with a little chilli powder and dried fenugreek.
The spices flavour a thick tomato and onion paste/sauce that gets a little sweetness thanks to a handful of raisins. Yes, you read that correctly, pork and fruit, especially dried fruit is delicous.
Then it all gets baked leaving perfectly cooked juicy pork chops, with big bold flavours, and all in around 45 minutes.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use bone-in pork chops?
Yes, this recipe works just as well with bone-in pork chops, although you will probably be looking at the upper end of the cooking time.
Do I have to use ghee?
No, you can cook this in oil if you prefer.
What sort of curry powder should I use?
Curry powder is not an ingredient that I use often; as a result, I tend to buy a fairly generic small packet of mild curry powder. This is one of the recipes that I make to use up an ingredient that I do not use often.
Do I have to add the raisins?
No, but this recipe has been put together to take advantage of the little sweet high notes that they offer. Omitting them leaves the recipe a little unbalanced.
Can I make this in advance?
No, these pork chops are not well-suited for cooking, cooling and reheating. They will overcook, become dry and tough.
Serving Suggestions
I've served my curried pork chops with a couple of my favourite "Indian" stalwarts in the pictures for this recipe. My jeera aloo (cumin potatoes) and some mint raita (without cucumber), to cool the chilli heat.
Potatoes are always great with pork chops, and other great Indian offerings include my roasted Bombay potatoes, and these Indian spiced potato wedges.
Rice also makes a nice side dish for this dish, and the thick sauce goes particularly well with a nice pilau rice.
Whilst this dish has obvious Indian influences, this recipe also works well with sides like mashed potato or some old school chip shop style chips.
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.
- Hob/stovetop.
- Oven.
- 28cm or 11" oven-proof frying pan.
- Kitchen tongs.
- Chopping board.
- Kitchen knife.
- Grater
- A combination of weighing scales, measuring cups and spoons.
Roasted Curried Pork Chops Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 Boneless Pork Loin Chops 450g or 1lb total
- ¼-½ teaspoon Salt
- 1 teaspoon Cooking Oil
- 1 Medium Onion 150g
- 15 g Ginger ½ thumb sized piece
- 4 Garlic Cloves
- 1 Green Chilli Pepper
- 2 Small-Medium Tomatoes 150g total
- 50 g Raisins ⅓ Cup
- 2 tablespoon Ghee
- 1 tablespoon Mild Curry Powder
- 1 teaspoon Kashmiri Chilli Powder
- 1 teaspoon Dried Fenugreek
Instructions
- Season the pork with the salt and set it aside.
- Top and tail the onion, cut it in half, peel it and then cut it into 5mm (¼") strips from "pole to pole".
- Peel and grate the ginger.
- Peel the garlic cloves and chop them as finely as you can.
- Cut the tomatoes into 8 wedges each.
- Slice the chilli pepper into rings.
- Drizzle the pork chops with the oil.
- Heat a 28cm or 11" frying pan over a high heat; when it is hot, sear the pork chops all over, paying attention to the fatty edge. Then remove and set aside.
- Reduce the heat under the pan to medium-high, add the ghee, followed by the onions and cook for 4-5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Add the tomatoes, raisins and chopped chilli and cook for 3-4 minutes.
- Add the garlic, ginger, curry powder, chilli powder and crush the dried fenugreek into the pan. Stir to form a thick paste, then push this to the side of the pan.
- Return the pork chops to the pan, and spoon over the tomato paste.
- Add a lid, transfer them to the oven and cook for 12-15 minutes, at 180°C or 350°F before serving.
