Lorna’s Pork Sorpotel Recipe

Here’s Lorna’s Pork Sorpotel recipe for a Goan pork sorpotel (or sarapatel) – a dish of Portuguese origin that has become an essential Indian pork curry in the former Portuguese colony and the west Indian state of Goa.

20 Mins 50 Mins Easy Serves 4

Ingredients

1kg boneless pork (with some fat on it) – I use pork rump
1/2 kg pork liver
1 green chilli – slit lengthways
1 small onion – quartered
2 teaspoons salt (add more or less to taste)
2 cups water

For the masala paste:

20 Kashmiri chillies – deseeded (soaked in water for approximately 15 minutes)
3 tablespoons crushed ginger
3 tablespoons crushed garlic
15 black peppercorns
2 teaspoons cumin seeds
10 cloves
3-inch stick of cinnamon
1 cup red wine vinegar
2 tablespoons oil
2 medium onions – finely chopped

Method

Place pork joint in a large pot along with onion, salt, chilli and 2 cups water – cover the pot and parboil the pork for approx. 20 mins or until tender, add the liver during the last 10 minutes and parboil too. Drain and keep the stock aside for later use.
Whilst the pork is parboiling, combine all the masala paste ingredients together in a food processor or Nutri-bullet and keep aside.
Next, finely dice the pork and liver.
Heat up a pan, add oil and fry the diced pork and liver in batches to get a little colour.
Add some oil into another pan and add the 2 finely chopped onions and fry until golden brown.
Add the masala paste and meat stock and salt to taste.
Bring to the boil and then lower the heat to simmer the sorpotel.
Stir frequently and cook until it thickens.
Serve with Basmati Rice and/or Indian breads.

Recipe notes

Tip: Prepare the dish a few days early and then reheat it daily to improve the taste.

To cook the perfect rice, the ratio is 1 glass of rice to 2 glasses of water. Wash the rice and leave to soak for at least 20 minutes. Add a knob of butter to a pan & 2 teaspoons cumin seeds, a few cardamom pods and a cinnamon stick (if you wish). Once browned, drain the rice and add to the pan, mix through and then add water for cooking (using the above ratio). Bring to boil, cover & cook on minimal heat.