Pork Chops Cooked With Whole Spices And Tamarind Juice Recipe
Ingredients
| 1 tamarind lump about the size of a walnut | ||
| 8 loin or rib pork chops | ||
| Vegetable oil | 2 Tablespoon | |
| Whole black peppercorns | 12 To taste | |
| Whole Cloves | 10 | |
| 2 cinnamon sticks, each 2 1/2 inches long | ||
| 8 whole cardamom pods | ||
| Garlic | 2 Clove (5gm), peeled | |
| 2 whole dried hot red peppers (optional) | ||
| Salt | 1 1/2 Teaspoon | |
| Granulated Sugar | 1 Teaspoon | |
Directions
Soak the tamarind lump in 3/4 cup hot water for at least 2 hours.
Pat dry the eight pork chops with paper towels.
Trim off all but 1/2 inch fat along the sides.
Heat oil in a 10-12-inch heavy-bottomed pot over medium-high heat.
When oil is very hot, put in 4 pork chops at a time and brown them on both sides.
This should take 3 to 4 minutes on each side.
Once the pork chops have browned, remove them to a side dish and keep covered.
Lower flame to medium.
In the same oil place first the peppercorns, then the cloves, the cinnamon, the cardamom pods, the garlic, and finally the red pepper.
Stir and fry these ingredients for about a minute or less until the red peppers darken and the garlic is a bit browned.
Now return the pork chops to the skillet and add 1 cup warm water and 1 teaspoon salt.
Bring to a boil, cover, lower heat, and allow to cook very gently for 1/2 hour.
Turn the chops over a few times as they cook.
Meanwhile, press the tamarind juice and pulp through a strainer into a non-metallic bowl.
Discard tamarind fibers, skins, seeds, etc.
When the pork chops have cooked for 30 minutes, add 2 tablespoons tamarind juice, 1 teaspoon sugar, and 1/2 teaspoon salt.
Mix well, turning the chops.
Cover and keep cooking slowly another 15 to 20 minutes.
By this time most of the liquid will have been absorbed, leaving just the fat behind.
To serve: In India, the fat and the spices would be served with the meat.
Here, in America, I suggest you lift the chops from the pot with a slotted spoon, leaving all the oil and spices behind.
Place on a warm platter and serve with Rice with Peas or any other vegetable rice dish.
You could also serve it with Sookhe Abo ("Dry" Potatoes) instead.
For a vegetable, the Cabbage with Onions would be a good idea.
If you are not up to cooking a complicated vegetable dish (as I am sometimes not), serve just a salad, or sliced tomatoes.
Pat dry the eight pork chops with paper towels.
Trim off all but 1/2 inch fat along the sides.
Heat oil in a 10-12-inch heavy-bottomed pot over medium-high heat.
When oil is very hot, put in 4 pork chops at a time and brown them on both sides.
This should take 3 to 4 minutes on each side.
Once the pork chops have browned, remove them to a side dish and keep covered.
Lower flame to medium.
In the same oil place first the peppercorns, then the cloves, the cinnamon, the cardamom pods, the garlic, and finally the red pepper.
Stir and fry these ingredients for about a minute or less until the red peppers darken and the garlic is a bit browned.
Now return the pork chops to the skillet and add 1 cup warm water and 1 teaspoon salt.
Bring to a boil, cover, lower heat, and allow to cook very gently for 1/2 hour.
Turn the chops over a few times as they cook.
Meanwhile, press the tamarind juice and pulp through a strainer into a non-metallic bowl.
Discard tamarind fibers, skins, seeds, etc.
When the pork chops have cooked for 30 minutes, add 2 tablespoons tamarind juice, 1 teaspoon sugar, and 1/2 teaspoon salt.
Mix well, turning the chops.
Cover and keep cooking slowly another 15 to 20 minutes.
By this time most of the liquid will have been absorbed, leaving just the fat behind.
To serve: In India, the fat and the spices would be served with the meat.
Here, in America, I suggest you lift the chops from the pot with a slotted spoon, leaving all the oil and spices behind.
Place on a warm platter and serve with Rice with Peas or any other vegetable rice dish.
You could also serve it with Sookhe Abo ("Dry" Potatoes) instead.
For a vegetable, the Cabbage with Onions would be a good idea.
If you are not up to cooking a complicated vegetable dish (as I am sometimes not), serve just a salad, or sliced tomatoes.
Chef
