This recipe comes from Neelam Batra's cookbook 1000 Indian Recipes. She got it from Raghu Nanjappa, who is from the Kodagu (Coorg) district in Karnataka, India. Pork is rarely eaten elsewhere in India, but it is a specialty of Kodagu and Goa (which used to be a Portuguese colony).
PANDI KARI
dry masala ingredients
2 (or more) dried red chile peppers
1/4 cup coriander seeds
2 TBS cumin seeds
2 tsp black mustard seeds
1 tsp black peppercorns
1/2 tsp ground turmeric
1/4 tsp cinnamon (or equivalent piece of cinnamon stick)
1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
1 tsp salt
wet masala ingredients
1 small onion, coarsely chopped
about one-inch piece of peeled fresh ginger, sliced thinly
3 large cloves garlic, peeled
1 (or more) fresh green chile, such as serrano
1/2 cup coconut milk
1/4 cup tamarind paste (see note below)
2 TBS neutral vegetable oil (such as peanut; not EVOO)
1 large onion, finely chopped
1 1/2 lbs boneless pork, all visible fat trimmed, cut into 1" pieces
1 cup water
2 TBS finely chopped cilantro
1. Prepare the dry masala. Roast the whole spices in a small skillet over medium heat until the seeds are a few shades darker and the aroma comes up, about 2 minutes. Let cool, then grind in a spice grinder with the remaining dry masala ingredients.
2. Prepare the wet masala. Put all the ingredients in a food processor or blender and grind until smooth. Mix in the dry masala and process again, adding up to 1/4 cup of water, to make a smooth paste.
3. Heat the oil in a large saucepan over moderately high heat and brown the chopped onion (10 or more minutes). Add the wet masala and cook, stirring frequently, until golden, about another 10 minutes.
4. Add the pork and cook until it changes color on all sides and starts to brown, about 15 minutes. Add the water and bring to a boil over high heat.
5. Reduce the heat to medium-low, cover the pan, and simmer until the pork is tender and the sauce is very thick, about 30 minutes. Transfer to a serving dish, garnish with the cilantro, and serve.
Traditionally the sour element in the dish is provided by kachampuli, a local thick, black vinegar made from fermented kokum fruit. It's all but impossible to find outside of the region. Tamarind paste is the usual substitute.
-Paul W.