Ru’s Black Pork Curry

Serves 4
Recipe adapted from Milk, Spice and Curry Leaves by Ruwanmal Samarakoon-Amunugama.

Black pork curry is a signature Sri Lankan dish and every family has an heirloom recipe for it. Delicious and richly flavorful, its spiciness comes from black pepper and its deep color from Ru’s Dark-Roasted Curry Powder and toasted coconut.

Notes: You can find frozen grated coconut in Indian markets. Alternatively, use unsweetened shredded coconut by rehydrating it before toasting. (Put the coconut into a small bowl, drizzle 2 tablespoons very hot water over it, stir, and let stand for 10-20 minutes. Squeeze between your palm to remove excess water before toasting.)

Parboiled rice is readily available at most grocery stores. Choose a pork shoulder that has lots of fat and don’t trim it too much when cutting it into cubes.

¼ cup parboiled white rice
¼ cup frozen grated coconut (thawed)
1 teaspoon ground black pepper or 5 peppercorns
1–1¼ pound boneless pork shoulder
1 small lemon
¼ red onion, finely chopped
3 garlic cloves, peeled and finely chopped
1½-inch piece fresh ginger, peeled and finely chopped
6 curry leaves, fresh or dried
3½ heaping teaspoons Ru's Dark-Roasted Curry Powder
3½ teaspoons paprika
2 heaping teaspoons cayenne pepper
1 teaspoon ground turmeric
1½ teaspoons sea salt, or to taste

Prep the rice and coconut   Set a stainless-steel pan over high heat. When the pan is hot, add the rice. Stir continuously until the grains are evenly roasted and a deep golden brown; transfer them to a bowl and set aside to cool.

Set the pan back on the burner and add the coconut to the pan. Using the back of a fork or spoon, lightly press the coconut into the pan to quicken the roasting. Stir continuously and when the coconut is almost black (but not burnt) transfer it to a separate bowl and set aside to cool.

Grind half of the roasted rice grains using a mortar and pestle or electric grinder. Add the peppercorns (or ground pepper) and continue grinding until the rice looks like fine crumbs. Pour into a bowl and set aside. You can save the remaining, whole, toasted rice for another use, such as adding to soup.

Grind the coconut using a mortar and pestle or electric grinder until it looks like fine coffee grounds. Set aside.

Make the curry  Cut the pork into 1-inch chunks and place them in large, heavy soup pot. Add the onion, garlic, spices, and salt to the pot. Juice the lemon and add 2 tablespoons of its juice.

Add cold water to cover the meat by 1 inch, set the pot over medium-high heat, and cover. Once the liquid boils, reduce the heat to medium-low, and cook, covered, for 45 minutes. Check occasionally to see if more water is needed.

Add the rice and coconut to the pork and stir mix into the cooking liquid. Reduce the heat to low, partially cover the pot, and simmer for another 15 minutes. Taste and add more lemon juice or salt if needed.