While my mother prepared pork vindalho and sorpotel for Christmas, our Mangalorean neighbours had pork indad with sannas on their buffet table. Pork Indad is a dish prepared by the Mangalorean Catholic community, their ancestors known to have migrated from Goa to South Canara, a coastal district in Karnataka State. Their cuisine is a blend of Mangalorean, Goan and Portuguese influence with indad originating from vindalho.
To prepare this dish, the pork pieces are marinated with turmeric powder and salt for a couple of hours. Spices are dry roasted and ground to a fine paste. Marinated pork pieces are fried to seal in the juices, render some of the fat and caramelize at the same time. Sliced onions are fried in oil till brown, followed by the ground paste and the pork. Cooked on medium heat till meat tender and gravy thickens. This dish matures and tastes even better the next day. A scrumptious dish with a perfect balance of heat from the spices, sourness from the tamarind and vinegar, with sweetness from the raisins and sugar.
Besides pork, indad can be made with fish, egg, duck and chicken. In case of poultry, brown the pieces with the skin and if desired, the skin can be removed and discarded before cooking the meat with the ground paste. This dish is served with sannas, neer dosa, pulao or rice.
To prepare this dish, the pork pieces are marinated with turmeric powder and salt for a couple of hours. Spices are dry roasted and ground to a fine paste. Marinated pork pieces are fried to seal in the juices, render some of the fat and caramelize at the same time. Sliced onions are fried in oil till brown, followed by the ground paste and the pork. Cooked on medium heat till meat tender and gravy thickens. This dish matures and tastes even better the next day. A scrumptious dish with a perfect balance of heat from the spices, sourness from the tamarind and vinegar, with sweetness from the raisins and sugar.
Besides pork, indad can be made with fish, egg, duck and chicken. In case of poultry, brown the pieces with the skin and if desired, the skin can be removed and discarded before cooking the meat with the ground paste. This dish is served with sannas, neer dosa, pulao or rice.
Pork Indad
(Serves 6)
Ingredients:
1.5 kg pork (cut into 1" pieces)
1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder
2 medium onions (sliced)
2 to 4 tablespoons vinegar
1/2 bouillon cube
3 cups water
2 tablespoons oil
a pinch of sugar
salt
Dry roast and grind to a fine paste (with water)
10 dried red Kashmiri chillies
10 peppercorns
8 cloves
2 cinnamon stick (1.5" each)
4 green cardamoms
1 teaspoon cumin seeds
8 large cloves of garlic
1.5" piece ginger
1 medium onion
1 tablespoon raisins (do not roast)
1 tablespoon tamarind (do not roast)
20 mint leaves (do not roast)
Method:
Marinate pork pieces with salt and turmeric powder for a couple of hours.
In a skillet, brown marinated pork pieces in batches. If the meat is lean, then add a dash of oil. Set aside.
Heat oil in a pan and fry sliced onions till golden brown.
Stir in the ground paste and sauté well till the oil separates. Add the meat, mix well followed by the water (listed in ingredients). Cover and cook pork on medium heat. Halfway through the cooking process, add the bouillon cube, vinegar, sugar and salt. The dish is ready when pork is tender and gravy thickens, around 45 minutes.
Serve pork indad with neer dosas, sannas, pulao or rice.
Note:
(Serves 6)
Ingredients:
1.5 kg pork (cut into 1" pieces)
1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder
2 medium onions (sliced)
2 to 4 tablespoons vinegar
1/2 bouillon cube
3 cups water
2 tablespoons oil
a pinch of sugar
salt
Dry roast and grind to a fine paste (with water)
10 dried red Kashmiri chillies
10 peppercorns
8 cloves
2 cinnamon stick (1.5" each)
4 green cardamoms
1 teaspoon cumin seeds
8 large cloves of garlic
1.5" piece ginger
1 medium onion
1 tablespoon raisins (do not roast)
1 tablespoon tamarind (do not roast)
20 mint leaves (do not roast)
Method:
Marinate pork pieces with salt and turmeric powder for a couple of hours.
In a skillet, brown marinated pork pieces in batches. If the meat is lean, then add a dash of oil. Set aside.
Heat oil in a pan and fry sliced onions till golden brown.
Stir in the ground paste and sauté well till the oil separates. Add the meat, mix well followed by the water (listed in ingredients). Cover and cook pork on medium heat. Halfway through the cooking process, add the bouillon cube, vinegar, sugar and salt. The dish is ready when pork is tender and gravy thickens, around 45 minutes.
Serve pork indad with neer dosas, sannas, pulao or rice.
Note:
- If gravy is spicy, add vinegar and sugar to balance heat.
- Some add a dash of dark rum.
- Others mix in fried potatoes at the end.