Pork Curry

It was a funny thing I realized while speaking to my dear friend Genevieve on the phone. She called and I told her I was cooking. When she asked what I was making, I told her, and I could almost see her cringing up her nose. I realized then that pork curry is not something most Guyanese (or Trini's, for that matter) would ever cook, as most of them stay away from not only beef, but also pork. She said they just cook 'the usual' curries, which were chicken, goat, fish. The usual? By who's standards? And it hit me. These were things my father never had until he married my mother. My mother's family was from 'town' - the city, where there was a congregation of race, religion, and altogether more culturally 'melted' than the rural areas where most others lived. To live in the city was to be more open to what your neighbours were doing and eating. And hence, we eat pork curry. When I told Genny 'come on, you know you can curry anything', she replied 'yes, but not everything curried tastes good!' She's right, but pork is definitely not one of those things. It is so delicious. Here is how to make it.

Image 1: The meat itself gives off much liquid.
This must all cook off before additional ingredients are added.

Image 2: A Maririri pepper - I'm unsure of the proper, English name,
but this is the typical Guyanese pepper used in cooking and pepper sauces.
I added four to this pot.

Image 3: After adding the potato and water - it should just cover the contents.
This shot captures the curry at a rolling boil.

Image 4: The completed curry ready to serve.

Pork Curry

Pork Loins		2, 1" cubes
Potato		Peeled & 1.5" cubes
Onion		2 med onions, chopped
Garlic		6 cloves, minced
Tomato Paste		2 tbsp (heaped)
Maririri Pepper		0-4 (depending on your heat preference)
Curry Powder		6 tbsp
Cumin (parched)		3 tbsp (ground)
Turmeric		1 tbsp (ground)
Sea Salt		1 tsp
Canola Oil		2 tbsp

Preparation:

1. Wash and trim pork and cut into 1" cubes
2. Pour canola oil into pot on med-high heat
3. Saute onions and garlic until translucent
4. Add tomato paste and stir until mixture is coated and paste begins to sizzle
5. Add curry powder, cumin and turmeric
6. Cook out all moisture until the paste begins to fry
7. Add pork and stir to coat and then leave to brown
8. Juices will release. It will seem like a lot of liquid (see image 1), but rest assured, it will all evaporate. It will take a long time and require occasional stirring, but do not skip this step and do not continue before the meat itself begins to fry after all the liquid has disappeared. Doing so will result in a bland, one note dish. I say this for all curries. Do not skip this step.
9. When the meat has caramelized, add potato and enough just-boiled water to cover and stir (see image 2).
10. When finished stirring, add your whole maririri peppers (see image 3). Partially cover and bring to a boil.
11. Reduce heat to medium, stir, and let cook uncovered for approximately 20-30 minutes.
12. Skim the fat continuously. Most people don't do this, but in our family we cook as healthy as possible and with the constant skimming, up to half a cup of fat can be removed.
13. Reduce heat to low for fifteen minutes and continue skimming fat.
14. Stir. The liquid will have turned to a thickened sauce (see image 4). To thicken sauce further, my mother taught me a trick - smash a few of the potatoes in the pot against the side and stir into the curry. Turn off heat and remain covered until ready to serve over steamed rice.