“Pandi Curry” or pork curry is a traditional dish in Coorg cuisine. This dish is specially cooked with freshly ground masala and uses a distinct sour ingredient called “kachumpuli”, an extract of a fruit grown locally. This gives a unique taste and colour to this dish. Pandi curry is popularly accompanied with “akki otti” (rice roti), “kadumputtu” (rice balls) and can also be eaten with other rice preparations.

INGREDIENTS:

• Pork – 1 kg
• Kachumpulli (or tamarind taste) – according to quantity of pork and taste
• Coriander – for garnish
• Curry leaves – for garnish
• Lime – for garnish
• Salt – to taste

For wet masala:

• Sambar onions – 250 grams
• Garlic – 150 grams
• Ginger – 50 grams
• Coriander leaves – 1/2 bunch
• Green chillies – 4 to 5
• Cumin seeds – 1 teaspoon
• Water – 1/2 cup

For dry masala:

• Coriander seeds – 6 teaspoons
• Cumin seeds – 5 teaspoons
• Pepper corns – 2 teaspoons
• Cloves – 5 to 6
• Cinammon – 1 piece
• Elaichi (cardamom) – 3 to 4
• Mustard seeds – 1 teaspoon
• Methi (fenugreek) seeds – 1/2 teaspoon
• Curry leaves – 1 sprig

METHOD:

• Wash the pork and keep aside.
• Grind all the wet masala ingredients with 1/2 cup of water to form a fine paste and keep aside.
• Roast the dry masala ingredients till brown and grind it to fine powder.
• Put in the wet masala in a vessel and cook for a while, till a nice aroma comes.
• Add pork pieces along with the ground dry masala powder, mix well and allow to cook for 5 minutes. Add salt according to taste.
• Add 2-3 cups of water and cook till the meat is well done.
• Finally, 3 teaspoons of kachumpulli (or tamarind paste), cover and cook for 5-10 minutes.
• Sprinkle with finely chopped coriander and curry leaves. Serve with lime.

Courtesy: Mandeda Pratiksha Muthappa (http://www.coorgrecipes.com/coorg-recipes/pandi-curry-pork-curry/).

Video tutorial: By Monnanda Thim ponnappa (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_Gqk5NTQ1UA)