Weekends are always for special comforting foods. This past weekend, we enjoyed a very special comforting recipe, which is inspired by a Goan pork dish called Pork Solantulem.
Pork Solantulem is a tangy-gravy pork dish, which is given its tang predominantly by the dried kokum fruit petals added to it. It is also well known in Goa as Pork Bindam Solam or Pork Amsol. It is one of those perfect dishes to be eaten with some plain steamed rice or stuffed in a hot, freshly baked bread, or maybe even some Goan poee(poi). At least that’s how we personally enjoy it.
Final week of being in a lockdown
Weekends during the lockdown for us are more about using various ingredients from the pantry and, in turn, making some mouth-watering and finger-licking comforting foods. Undoubtedly, Goan food has the top-most place on my list of comfort foods. Nothing more comforting than home, ain’t it?
On another random chatty note: We’ll be going back to work (our full-time jobs) on Monday, 15th June. The lockdown will be dearly missed (to be honest), and I’m sort of nervous going back into the normal world with the pandemic still not completely cleared out in the UK. If any of you will resume work soon, then I would love to know how you’d prepare yourself for it. Some tips would really help us.
Anyway, getting back to the recipe. We enjoyed this Goan-style pork chilli fry for the past couple of days with some steamed white rice and Goan prawn curry with a side of some homemade brinjal pickle. It is one of my favourite comforting food combinations.
Here are some other chilli fry recipes for you to try:
The Recipe:
AuthorVania CottaCategory60+ MINUTES, APPETIZERS/SIDES, BROWSE RECIPES, BY COURSE, BY CRAVINGS, BY CUISINE, BY INGREDIENTS, BY SKILL/TIME, FEATURES, FOOD PLACES, FOOD SERIES, FOOD TRAVEL, FRESH INGREDIENTS, GOAN, GOAN CATHOLIC, INTERMEDIATE, LUNCH/DINNER, MEATS, NON-VEGETARIAN GUIDES, RECIPE INDEX, RECIPE ROUND-UPS, RECIPES, SALTY, SAVOURY, SOUR, SPICEDCuisineGOAN, GOAN CATHOLICCooking MethodCOOKING, FRYINGDifficultyIntermediateThis tangy, spicy pork solantulem-inspired, Goan-style pork chilli fry recipe hits all the right spots. It is best accompanied by steamed white rice, freshly baked bread, or poee.
Prep all the ingredients and keep them ready. Wash the pork and cut into small cubes. Separate the pork fat bits out and make sure you salt them slightly. Set aside. Apply salt for the rest of the pork.
Thinly slice the onions and keep aside to use later.
Next, start by crushing the cumin seeds and dried red chillies together. Leave it coarse. Add this along with the other spice powders, turmeric powder, red chilli powder and coriander powder to the meat. Mix the meat well with the spices and marinate for an hour or more.
Cut the ginger and garlic into small pieces and coarsely crush them as well. Set aside.
Now, fry the fat in a bit of oil. It is important to remember to use less oil, as the fat will render out oil too before it crisps up. Add the onions at this stage, as it helps them to caramelise beautifully.
Next, add the coarsely ground ginger and garlic. Fry for a few minutes and then continue by adding the marinated meat. Add the kokum petals at this point. Stir it well.
Add a little water now. Cover it up and let it cook on a medium flame until the meat cooks and the water dries out. You can also pressure cook this for one whistle. This should generally take 20-25 minutes.
Serve hot with steamed rice or a poi.
- I've used only a little water to let the pork cook well. Make sure the end dish is dry or has very little gravy.
- If you do not have kokum petals at hand, substitute the dish with a tablespoon of Goan toddy vinegar. You can also add some fresh tamarind soaked in water to extract the pulp and add that instead as a replacement.
- You can add any other spice if you like, but the main idea behind this dish is to make it spicy.
- You can add the freshly crushed ginger and garlic to the marinade, too, instead of adding it later while frying.
- Replace the white onions with red onions if you prefer a stronger flavour.
- You can add some tamarind pulp in addition to the solam or kokum petals for that extra tang.
Ingredients
Definitely give this recipe a try and i would love some feedback.
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Much love and fresh food always,
Vania xx
HAPPY COOKING!
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