Guest recipes with Serene Tharian

Indian celebratory dish

Kerala Pork Peralan

The Malayalam word Peralan or Purattiyathu means coated. Pork Peralan or Pork Perattiyathu is a typical Kerala style dry curry with coconut oil, spices and curry leaves. The curry is cooked down on low fire till the gravy thickens and coats the meat. My mother always says that a Peralan requires the cook’s presence all through as it is stirred constantly to coat the meat, almost like a massage. It is a dry roast curry that is eaten with breads like chapati and nan.

I always remember Pork Peralan was a must-have dish at Christian weddings in Kerala. This is a celebratory dish and is cooked specially during the festive seasons. I used pork belly in this recipe rather than the boned pieces which is what we usually use in Kerala. Pork belly also takes a much less time to cook.

 

1 kilo Pork Belly cut into medium sized pieces

1 tsp Cumin seeds

1 tsp Fennel seeds

1 inch piece Cinnamon

4 Cloves

6 Cardamom

1tsp black pepper corns

1tsp Mustard seeds

4 medium onions thinly sliced

2 sprigs curry leaves

3 tsp crushed Ginger

3 tsp crushed Garlic

2 tbsp Kashmiri Chilli powder

3 tsp Coriander powder

1 tsp Turmeric powder

2 medium tomato sliced

4 tblsp Vinegar

1/2 to 3/4 cup Water

Salt to taste

5 tablespoons Coconut oil

 

Grind cumin seeds and fennel seeds, cinnamon, cloves, cardamom, black pepper and mustard seeds to a fine powder. Keep aside.

Heat the 5 tablespoons of oil in a deep pan and add the thinly sliced onions and cook till they brown and smells nutty. Add the curry leaves (Should not burn)

Add the crushed ginger and garlic and cook for 5 to 7 minutes on a medium flame, till the raw smell disappears. The mixture will be dark brown.

Add the ground spices to this mixture. Stir till well combined.

Add the Kashmiri Chilli powder, Coriander powder, Turmeric powder to this mixture and stir well for about 6 minutes. If it gets too dry add 2 extra tablespoons of water and continue cooking till the mixture becomes well combined.

Add the sliced tomatoes and cook while stirring till the raw smell disappears and the mixture becomes paste-like.

Add the sliced pork. Stir and cook for 5 minutes. Add the water and vinegar to this mixture and cook on the lowest flame for 30 minutes or till the pork is well done and the gravy reduced. Close and rest the curry for 30 minutes. (If using pieces with bone-in, more water would be required and longer cooking times to ensure the meat is cooked through)

The dish darkens and the flavour deepens as the curry rests.

Serve with nan or chapati or even rice.

 

Serene runs amateur cooking club The Best Exotic Kerala Kitchen, where cooking lessons are held for friends and family. Tel: 99 222462