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Sri Lankan influenced pork belly curry with tamarind, black pepper and while garlic cloves.
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Sri Lankan Influenced Pork Belly Curry Recipe

This thick and spicy pork belly curry has Sri Lankan influences and features the bold flavours of tamarind, black pepper and a whole head of unchopped garlic cloves, and it tastes phenomenal!
Course Main Course
Cuisine Anglo Indian
Keyword pork belly curry, pork curry indian, sri lankan black pork curry, sri lankan curry
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour 30 minutes
Marinade Time 30 minutes
Total Time 2 hours 20 minutes
Servings 2 Servings
Calories 873kcal
Author Brian Jones

Ingredients

  • 400 g Pork Belly 14oz
  • 35-40 g Tamarind Pulp 25-30mm or 1" Cube
  • 35-40 g Boiling Water 2-3 Tbsp
  • 1 teaspoon Black Peppercorns
  • 1 tablespoon Dark Brown Sugar
  • ½ teaspoon Kashmiri Chilli Powder
  • ½ teaspoon Ground Turmeric
  • ½ teaspoon Salt
  • 30 g Ghee 2 tablespoon
  • 15-20 Curry Leaves
  • 10 cm Cinnamon Bark 4" Piece
  • 1 Blade Mace
  • 6 Dried Red Kashmiri Chilli Peppers
  • 1 Black Cardamom Pod
  • 1 Stick Lemongrass
  • 1 Head of Garlic
  • 1 Medium Red Onion 150g
  • 250 ml Water 1 Cup

For the Toasted Curry Powder:

  • ½ tablespoon Coriander Seeds
  • ½ tablespoon Black Onion Seeds
  • ½ teaspoon Black Peppercorns
  • ½ teaspoon Fennel Seeds
  • ½ teaspoon Cumin Seeds

Instructions

  • Soak the tamarind in the boiling water for 10 minutes, then mash it and pass it through a fine mesh sieve.
    Pork Belly Curry process shot 1 of 10
  • If your pork belly has the rind on, remove and discard it and then cut the meat into bite-sized pieces and place it in a bowl and add the tamarind.
    Pork Belly Curry process shot 4 of 10
  • Coarsely grind the black pepper (for the curry, do not grind the pepper for the curry powder) and add it to the pork along with the brown sugar, chilli powder, turmeric, and salt, then mix well and set aside for at least 30 minutes; overnight is better.
    Pork Belly Curry process shot 2 of 10
  • Bash the stick of lemongrass with the back of a knife to bruise it.
  • Lightly crack the cardamom pod with the side of a knife.
  • Break open the head of garlic and peel the cloves.
  • Top and tail the red onion, peel it and then cut it into strips (top to bottom) that are around 2-3mm (⅛") thick.
  • Heat a 28cm or 11" saucepan over a high heat and add the ghee.
    When the ghee has melted, add the curry leaves, cinnamon bark, mace, dried chilli peppers, cardamom pod and lemongrass, then cook everything for 30-60 seconds.
    Pork Belly Curry process shot 3 of 10
  • Add the onions, reduce the heat to medium and cook for 7-10 minutes or until the onions have softened.
    Pork Belly Curry process shot 5 of 10
  • Add the marinated pork and garlic cloves, turn the heat back up to high and cook for 7-10 minutes, stirring regularly.
    Pork Belly Curry process shot 6 of 10
  • Pour in the water, stir, then reduce the heat to low-medium and cook for 60 minutes, topping up with water if needed. You are looking for an almost dry curry at the end of this period with very tender pork.
    Pork Belly Curry process shot 7 of 10
  • Whilst the pork is cooking, place all of the ingredients for the toasted curry powder into a small frying pan over a high heat and toast them until they are fragrant (2-3 minutes).
    Pork Belly Curry process shot 8 of 10
  • Transfer the toasted spices to a pestle and mortar, and grind them whilst they are hot.
    Pork Belly Curry process shot 9 of 10
  • Once the pork is tender, pour in the toasted "curry powder", give everything a stir, then add a splash of water and cook for a final 5 minutes, then serve.
    I find that it is easier to remove the cinnamon and lemongrass at this point.
    Pork Belly Curry process shot 10 of 10

Video

Nutrition

Serving: 1 | Calories: 873kcal | Carbohydrates: 37g | Protein: 50g | Fat: 59g | Saturated Fat: 25g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 31g | Cholesterol: 207mg | Sodium: 795mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 12g
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