Cookbook:Burmese Pork Curry

| Cuisine of Burma | Meat | Curry

Burmese pork curry is a light, flavoursome pork dish.

Ingredients

 * 8 dried red chillis
 * 2.5 cm fresh root ginger, crushed
 * Lemongrass stalks, finely chopped
 * 15 ml (1 tbsp) fresh galangal, chopped
 * 15 ml (1 tbsp) shrimp paste
 * 30 ml (2 tbsp) fine brown sugar
 * 675 g pork, diced into chunks
 * 600 ml (2½ cup) water
 * 10 ml (2 tsp) ground turmeric
 * 5 ml (1 tsp) dark soy sauce
 * 200 g French (green) beans
 * 5 ml (1 tsp) brown sugar
 * 45 ml (3 tbsp) tamarind juice or 5 ml (1 tsp) tamarind pulp concentrate
 * 15 ml (1 tbsp) minced garlic
 * 4 shallots, finely chopped
 * 15 ml (1 tbsp) fish sauce
 * Fresh red chillis, to garnish

Procedure

 * 1) Soak the dried chilli in warm water for 20 minutes.
 * 2) Crush the ginger, chilli, lemongrass, and galangal in a mortar and pestle until they form a coarse paste.
 * 3) Add the shrimp paste and fine sugar, and continue grinding to a dark grainy paste.
 * 4) Place the pork in a wok or large frying pan over medium heat, and stir in the curry paste until the meat is well coated.
 * 5) Cook the pork over a low heat, stirring occasionally, until the meat changes colour and renders some of its fat, and the curry has started to release its aroma.
 * 6) Stir in the turmeric, water, and soy sauce, then simmer gently, uncovered, for 40 minutes until the meat is tender.
 * 7) Steam the beans separately for about 10 minutes.
 * 8) Stir the sugar, tamarind, garlic, shallots, and fish sauce into the meat until the sugar and tamarind are dissolved.
 * 9) Garnish with the fresh chillis and steamed beans, and serve immediately.

Notes, tips, and variations

 * The pork can have some of its fat trimmed, but should have some remaining to render into the sauce as it cooks.
 * Instead of galangal, additional root ginger can be used.