Pandi curry, pork curry, is the most celebrated dish of the Kodavas, the people of Kodagu (Coorg) in the Western Ghats. Wild boar hunting was part of Kodava tradition, and today farmed pork is cooked the same way for weddings, Puthari, the harvest festival, and family gatherings. Its defining ingredient is kachampuli, a dark, thick vinegar made from the fruit of the Garcinia gummi-gutta tree.
The curry is almost black, thanks to spices roasted until very dark. It is sour, peppery and rich, with fatty pork pieces that turn tender and absorb the masala. Kodavas eat it with kadambuttu, steamed rice balls, or akki otti, a thin rice flatbread. A small glass of homemade wine or a cold drink usually comes with it at Kodava celebrations.
At a glance
| Region | Karnataka |
|---|---|
| Cuisine | Kodava |
| Diet | Non-vegetarian |
| Course | Main course |
| Prep time | 25 minutes |
| Cook time | 60 minutes |
| Total time | 85 minutes |
| Serves | 5 |
| Spice level | Hot |
| Difficulty | Medium |
| Gluten-free | Yes |
| Key ingredients | pork / kachampuli / black pepper / onion / garlic |
Ingredients
For the pork
- 1 kg pork with fat and skin, cut into 3 cm cubes
- 1 tsp turmeric powder
- 1.5 tsp salt
- 1 tsp red chilli powder
For the roasted masala
- 3 tbsp coriander seeds
- 1.5 tsp cumin seeds
- 1 tbsp black peppercorns
- 1 tsp mustard seeds
- 1/4 tsp fenugreek seeds
- 4 cloves
- 2 inch cinnamon
- 6 dry red chillies
For the curry
- 2 large onions, roughly chopped
- 1.5 inch ginger
- 15 garlic cloves
- 4 green chillies
- 1 sprig curry leaves
- 2-3 tsp kachampuli (Coorg vinegar), to taste
- 1 cup water
Method
- Rub the pork with turmeric, salt and chilli powder and keep for 20 minutes.
- Grind the onions, ginger, garlic and green chillies to a coarse paste.
- Put the pork and the onion paste in a heavy pot with 1 cup water. Bring to a boil, then cover and cook on low-medium heat for 35-40 minutes until the pork is tender and has released its fat. You can also pressure cook for 4-5 whistles.
- Meanwhile dry roast the coriander, cumin, pepper, mustard, fenugreek, cloves, cinnamon and chillies in a heavy pan on low-medium heat, stirring constantly, for 10-12 minutes until they turn very dark brown, almost black, but not burnt. Cool and grind to a fine powder.
- Add 3-4 tbsp of the roasted masala powder to the pork and mix. The curry will turn dark.
- Cook uncovered on medium heat for 10-15 minutes, stirring, until the gravy thickens and the pork fat separates and coats the meat.
- Add the kachampuli a teaspoon at a time, tasting after each, until the curry is distinctly sour. Add curry leaves, simmer 2 minutes and switch off.
- Rest for an hour if you can; pandi curry tastes best the next day.
Tips
- Pork belly or shoulder with fat is essential; lean pork turns dry.
- Roast the spices dark but stop before they burn, which makes the curry bitter.
- If kachampuli is unavailable, a mix of malt vinegar and a little tamarind is a compromise, but the flavour differs.
Serve with
Kadambuttu (steamed rice balls), akki otti or plain rice.