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
- Soak the dried chilli in warm water for 20 minutes.
- Crush the ginger, chilli, lemongrass, and galangal in a mortar and pestle until they form a coarse paste.
- Add the shrimp paste and fine sugar, and continue grinding to a dark grainy paste.
- 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.
- 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.
- Stir in the turmeric, water, and soy sauce, then simmer gently, uncovered, for 40 minutes until the meat is tender.
- Steam the beans separately for about 10 minutes.
- Stir the sugar, tamarind, garlic, shallots, and fish sauce into the meat until the sugar and tamarind are dissolved.
- 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.