Hog!
I make this entry under protest so that my fellow code-monkey The Cave Bague can get my recipe for hog roast vindaloo. Some day soon I'll fill in all the other missing holes in my diary, but until then here's one hole filled at least...
So it started with East Coast Sailing Festival at Port Edgar, and four days of stiff sailing competition in which we managed both a couple of first places and at least one last. On Saturday night though, the entertainment committee arranged for a hog roast (together with the usual beer tent and ethnic dance music), and having paid a ludicrous five pounds for a tinder-dry hog-roast-roll and missing out on the cut-price £2.50 clearance at the end of the night, I asked the nice hog roast man what he intended doing with the leftover carcass.
Since it seemed a pity to let him give it away to a kennel I asked if I could have it for stock and he kindly filled a binliner with the bones and more than a little leftover wads of meat still attached. Much to the boat skipper's horror when he came to poke around in the fridge onboard next morning!
After stripping down the bones and roasting them to make a deliciously rich pork stock I had enough meat (plus fat and the odd bit of gristle) to knock up a hog roast stroganoff for four to see us through the annual fireworks concert marking the finale of the Fringe Festival, as seen from the fantastic vantage point of the top floor bedrooms of Flora's family home (thanks Flora!). And an excellent vindaloo to go with the two other curries I already had standing by.
Hopefully this'll stop yer moaning John :)
Peace.
Hog Roast Vindaloo
Pork
meat curry main
When the Portuguese arrived in Goa they brought with them barrels of pork preserved in red wine vinegar and garlic for the making of
Carne de Vinha d'Alhos,
eventually adapting this pork adobo to the local ingredients by pickling in fermented palm wine vinegar, sweetening with jaggery,
adding Indian spices: tamarind, sumac (surprisingly), cassia, cardamom, and of course absorbing a large amount of red chilli.
And renaming it Vindaloo.
Obviously the recipe became further bastardised by the British restaurant trade which gradually eroded it's distinctive vinegar and garlic flavours, made it hotter than the sun, and began adulterating it with tomatoes and potatoes.
This recipe is a throwback to the earlier version - though you can of course make it as hot as you can bear. Or hotter.
It just so happened that my yacht club had a hog roast one of the days it hosted East Coast Sailing Festival, so I begged the carcass afterwards, which they would otherwise have given to a dogs' home. I made an excellent stock from the bones, and stripped off enough good hog flesh to make this vindaloo.
And a stroganoff.
And a few pork sandwiches.
And a nice cardigan.
Obviously the recipe became further bastardised by the British restaurant trade which gradually eroded it's distinctive vinegar and garlic flavours, made it hotter than the sun, and began adulterating it with tomatoes and potatoes.
This recipe is a throwback to the earlier version - though you can of course make it as hot as you can bear. Or hotter.
It just so happened that my yacht club had a hog roast one of the days it hosted East Coast Sailing Festival, so I begged the carcass afterwards, which they would otherwise have given to a dogs' home. I made an excellent stock from the bones, and stripped off enough good hog flesh to make this vindaloo.
And a stroganoff.
And a few pork sandwiches.
And a nice cardigan.
Serves 4
Ingredients
- 2lb (1kg) pork
For The Marinade:- ⅓ - ½ cup (90ml - 140ml) palm or red wine vinegar
- 1 tbsp tamarind paste
- 1 tbsp jaggery, palm sugar or brown sugar
- 6 cloves garlic
- 2" piece ginger
- with
- 10 dried red chillies or 20!
- 1 tsp cumin seeds
- 4 black cardamoms, seeds only
- 1 tsp fenugreek seeds
- 1 tsp popppy seeds
- 5 cloves
- 1 inch cassia bark
- 10 black peppercorns
- ½ tsp turmeric
- 1 tsp chilli powder or to taste
- 1 tsp salt
The Rest:- 1 tsp brown mustard seeds
- 10 fresh curry leaves or 20 dried will do
- 3 onions, finely chopped
- 4 green chillies or to taste
- ½ head garlic, peeled, cut into slivers
Dry-fry the whole marinade spices without burning until they release their aroma. Grind to a powder with the salt and powders. Set aside.
Process together the vinegar, garlic, ginger, tamarind and sugar to a paste and add the ground spices.
Cut the pork into bite-sized pieces, coat thoroughly with the marinade, and set aside for several hours or a couple of days.
Finely chop the onion don't be concerned that there appears to be too much - it will reduce to nothing!. Pour a generous amount of ghee or oil in a large frying pan or casserole and set over a high heat. When shimmering, throw in the mustard seeds and shake until they start to pop, add the curry leaves until they fizz, then throw in the chopped onions. Continue cooking over high heat, stirring frequently, until they turn glassy but not brown, then turn down the heat and cook gently, stirring occasionally, until they reach a uniform caramel colour. Don't let them burn.
Shake any excess marinade from the pork and add to the onions, frying until the spices are cooked and the oil separates.
Remove the onions and set aside.
Re-oil and re-heat the pan, then over a high heat fry the pork (in batches if necessary) to brown. Add back the onion mixture, add a little water if necessary, cover and cook gently over a low heat until the pork is tender - about 1 hour. if you're using cooked pork, as I did, you only need to cook the spices through - perhaps 15 minutes.
Meanwhile, heat ghee/oil in a clean pan and gently fry the garlic slivers for about 20 minutes until soft and translucent but not burnt. Add to the meat before serving.
Process together the vinegar, garlic, ginger, tamarind and sugar to a paste and add the ground spices.
Cut the pork into bite-sized pieces, coat thoroughly with the marinade, and set aside for several hours or a couple of days.
Finely chop the onion don't be concerned that there appears to be too much - it will reduce to nothing!. Pour a generous amount of ghee or oil in a large frying pan or casserole and set over a high heat. When shimmering, throw in the mustard seeds and shake until they start to pop, add the curry leaves until they fizz, then throw in the chopped onions. Continue cooking over high heat, stirring frequently, until they turn glassy but not brown, then turn down the heat and cook gently, stirring occasionally, until they reach a uniform caramel colour. Don't let them burn.
Shake any excess marinade from the pork and add to the onions, frying until the spices are cooked and the oil separates.
Remove the onions and set aside.
Re-oil and re-heat the pan, then over a high heat fry the pork (in batches if necessary) to brown. Add back the onion mixture, add a little water if necessary, cover and cook gently over a low heat until the pork is tender - about 1 hour. if you're using cooked pork, as I did, you only need to cook the spices through - perhaps 15 minutes.
Meanwhile, heat ghee/oil in a clean pan and gently fry the garlic slivers for about 20 minutes until soft and translucent but not burnt. Add to the meat before serving.
Turmeric Mustard Courgette
curry veg side
I decided to have a go at duplicating an old cucumber curry recipe
only with courgettes. From my neighbour Nancy's allotment.
Works pretty well!
Works pretty well!
Serves 4
Ingredients
- ghee
- 2 courgettes, chopped
- 1 tsp mustard
- 2 tsps turmeric
- 1 tsp salt
- ½ tsp chilli powder
- 2 cloves garlic, crushed optional
Mix the powder spices with enough water to make a thick paste.
Cut the courgettes lengthwise into quarters, then chop into 1" pieces.
Heat a generous amount of ghee in a heavy pot then add the spice paste and fry until the oil separates and any raw smell has cooked off.
Add the crushed garlic, if using.
Add the courgettes, and over a fairly high heat, stir to coat the pieces evenly and fry until the courgettes begin to collapse.
Turn down the heat and cook uncovered, stirring occasionally, until the sauce has thickened.
Quite nice - the turmeric and mustard give a nice sharp but earthy flavour.
Not quite sure about the garlic - you might prefer not to use it. Like the original recipe, fresh ginger might be a better option.
Not quite sure about the garlic - you might prefer not to use it. Like the original recipe, fresh ginger might be a better option.
Green Pepper Keema
curry main meat
A handy way of using up leftover mince.
I had leftover pork mince (as I discovered after I'd defrosted it),
which is a bit odd for a keema if not downright sacrilegious, but it tasted really good.
I didn't really record the exact quantities - so just go wild and throw in what you feel :)
I didn't really record the exact quantities - so just go wild and throw in what you feel :)
Serves 4
Ingredients
- ghee
- star anise
- black cardamoms, pierced
- cassia
- whole cloves
- onion seeds
- red chillies
- cumin powder
- turmeric
- salt
- mince I used pork, as it turned out, but beef or lamb would be fine
- 1 onion, roughly chopped
- green pepper, roughly chopped
- fresh red chillies, chopped into fat rings
- 4 cloves garlic, crushed
- small bunch coriander leaves
Heat a generous amount of ghee in a large frying pan and fry the large whole spices until they release their aroma.
Throw in the onion seeds until they spit, then add the mince and fry over high heat until colouring.
Add the chopped onion and fry until transparent, then add the powdered spices and salt, stir through, then add the green pepper, fresh chilli and crushed garlic.
Stir, turn down the heat, cover, and cook until the pepper softens.
Pick out the whole spices and serve dressed with chopped coriander.
Throw in the onion seeds until they spit, then add the mince and fry over high heat until colouring.
Add the chopped onion and fry until transparent, then add the powdered spices and salt, stir through, then add the green pepper, fresh chilli and crushed garlic.
Stir, turn down the heat, cover, and cook until the pepper softens.
Pick out the whole spices and serve dressed with chopped coriander.
Very good. A hot dry curry that needs to be served with a moist one, such as Turmeric Courgettes.
Hog Roast Stroganoff
main meat
Like beef stroganoff. Only with leftover hog roast.
Traditionally served with matchstick french fries, a ribbon pasta (linguine/fettuccine) or rice are also acceptable.
Traditionally served with matchstick french fries, a ribbon pasta (linguine/fettuccine) or rice are also acceptable.
Serves 4
Ingredients
- 1lb leftover hog roast, or thinly sliced beef fillet, sirloin or tenderloin
- 1 onion or 6 shallots, quartered and thinly sliced
- dozen button mushrooms, quartered or sliced
- 1 tsp smoked paprika this deep, rich Spanish paprika is excellent, though for authenticity it ought to be Hungarian
- 300ml/10fl oz soured cream
- 2 tsp lemon juice
- small handful of parsley leaves, finely chopped
- salt
- freshly ground black pepper
- oil
- butter
Optional Flavours:- garlic, thinly sliced
- tomato purée
- Dijon mustard
If you're using raw meat fry it quickly in very hot oil in batches, stirring for about a minute. Season and set aside.
Heat the butter until it stops foaming and fry the onions until soft and sweet but not browned, stir through a teaspoon of paprika. Add the mushrooms and fry until softening.
Add the cooked meat, and any flavourings (though probably not all of them!), then add the sour cream and warm through without boiling lest the cream curdle.
Stir in lemon juice and parsley, and serve dressed with parsley sprigs and a sprinkling of paprika.
Heat the butter until it stops foaming and fry the onions until soft and sweet but not browned, stir through a teaspoon of paprika. Add the mushrooms and fry until softening.
Add the cooked meat, and any flavourings (though probably not all of them!), then add the sour cream and warm through without boiling lest the cream curdle.
Stir in lemon juice and parsley, and serve dressed with parsley sprigs and a sprinkling of paprika.
Delicious hog!
I may have added garlic, but this time no mustard (or tomato), and I skipped the lemon juice too.
I may have added garlic, but this time no mustard (or tomato), and I skipped the lemon juice too.
Though mine wasn't terribly hot (not that it has to be - I used 10 small red chillies and 1 tsp chilli powder), it has a very pleasing, rich, and distinct flavour. You can always adjust the heat at the end with fresh green chillies, though I prefer a vindaloo with the heat cooked in.
If you want to be a philistine about it you can throw a few tomatoes or tomato purée in with the frying meat to make it more resemble north Indian cooking, add cream or coconut milk to smooth the sauce, or even add potatoes to bulk it out.
But you'd be wrong.