The quintessential spice mix found in most Mangalorean Catholic homes is the bafat powder readily available at Mangalorean stores. Preparation of dukra maas (pork) on Sundays is a breeze with the addition of this powder along with fresh ingredients. Besides pork, it is used in other meat and vegetable dishes. Unlike the modern housewife who cannot do without the retail bafat powder, our Mangalorean neighbours in Mumbai were from a different generation. They roasted the ingredients and ground them to a wet paste on the rogdo (grinding stone). Head of the household mother-in-law would chop all the fresh ingredients; onions, green chillies, garlic and ginger, while the daughter-in-law would take care of the masala. Once done, she would lend a helping hand in cutting of the meat or peeling the garlic that took some time. Mother-in-law is in her late nineties now, still independent and lives with a maid. Pork baffat was eaten with rice, panpole (rice pancakes) or sannas and sure to please the palate.
This is another variation to the dukra maas (pork bafat) recipe already on the website. Here, the spices are first dry roasted and then ground to a paste. A popular dish cooked with pork, sometimes a day ahead. It matures and tastes even better the next day. Meat with fat is used to flavour the dish. No oil is used and the meat is cooked in its own fat. The spicy gravy is balanced with tamarind water and vinegar. A dish cooked in a clay pot, dominated by the roasted spices with blood often included to enhance the flavour. A scrumptious, mouthwatering and tempting dish.
This is another variation to the dukra maas (pork bafat) recipe already on the website. Here, the spices are first dry roasted and then ground to a paste. A popular dish cooked with pork, sometimes a day ahead. It matures and tastes even better the next day. Meat with fat is used to flavour the dish. No oil is used and the meat is cooked in its own fat. The spicy gravy is balanced with tamarind water and vinegar. A dish cooked in a clay pot, dominated by the roasted spices with blood often included to enhance the flavour. A scrumptious, mouthwatering and tempting dish.
Mangalorean Pork Bafat or Baffat
(Serves 8)
Ingredients:
1 kg boneless pork (preferably with some fat)
3 large onions (cut into cubes)
20 large garlic cloves (cut into slices or rounds)
1 1/2-inch ginger (finely minced)
4 long green chillies (slit)
2 tablespoons vinegar
3 bay leaves
1 cup tamarind water
salt
Dry roast and grind to a fine paste (with water)
8 dried Kashmiri chillies
4 dried red Guntur chillies
2 cinnamon sticks (1.5” each)
8 cloves
2 green cardamoms
10 peppercorns
1 teaspoon cumin seeds
2 tablespoons coriander seeds
1/2 teaspoon mustard seeds
1 teaspoon poppy seeds
1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder (do not roast)
Method:
Cut pork into 1-inch pieces, wash well and drain water thoroughly. The meat should have no water. Season with salt and marinate with the ground paste for an hour.
Add the marinated meat in a pan with 2 onions, bay leaves, garlic, ginger and tamarind water. Cook on low flame to allow the meat to cook in it own juices.
Halfway through the cooking process, add the green chillies and vinegar. Check for seasoning and add salt.
When meat is almost cooked, mix in the reserved 1 onion. The dish is ready when the meat is tender (not falling apart), around an hour and gravy thick.
Serve hot with sannas, panpole (rice pancakes) or steaming rice.
Note:
(Serves 8)
Ingredients:
1 kg boneless pork (preferably with some fat)
3 large onions (cut into cubes)
20 large garlic cloves (cut into slices or rounds)
1 1/2-inch ginger (finely minced)
4 long green chillies (slit)
2 tablespoons vinegar
3 bay leaves
1 cup tamarind water
salt
Dry roast and grind to a fine paste (with water)
8 dried Kashmiri chillies
4 dried red Guntur chillies
2 cinnamon sticks (1.5” each)
8 cloves
2 green cardamoms
10 peppercorns
1 teaspoon cumin seeds
2 tablespoons coriander seeds
1/2 teaspoon mustard seeds
1 teaspoon poppy seeds
1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder (do not roast)
Method:
Cut pork into 1-inch pieces, wash well and drain water thoroughly. The meat should have no water. Season with salt and marinate with the ground paste for an hour.
Add the marinated meat in a pan with 2 onions, bay leaves, garlic, ginger and tamarind water. Cook on low flame to allow the meat to cook in it own juices.
Halfway through the cooking process, add the green chillies and vinegar. Check for seasoning and add salt.
When meat is almost cooked, mix in the reserved 1 onion. The dish is ready when the meat is tender (not falling apart), around an hour and gravy thick.
Serve hot with sannas, panpole (rice pancakes) or steaming rice.
Note:
- Chopped garlic was about 1/2 cup.
