• 1 kg pork shoulder, cubed
• ¼ cup (60ml) apple cider vinegar
• Coconut oil
• 1 teaspoon (5ml) black mustard seeds
• 1 teaspoon (5ml) cumin seeds Fresh curry leaves from a long frond
• 3 onions, finely sliced
• 6 cloves garlic, chopped
• 4cm piece of ginger, chopped
• 3 tomatoes, puréed (skin on)
• 4 red chillies
• ¼ cup (60ml) tamarind paste
• 3 tablespoons (45ml) jaggery,
• Coconut sugar or brown sugar
• Salt and pepper

Masala

• 2 tablespoons (30ml) paprika
• 1 teaspoon (5ml) ground cardamom
• 2 teaspoons (10ml) ground black pepper
• 1 teaspoon (5ml) ground cloves
• 2 teaspoons (10ml) ground cumin
• 2 teaspoons (10ml) ground coriander
• 1 teaspoon (5ml) cinnamon

FOR SERVING

• Naan breads, rotis or steamed white rice
• Sambals of your choice

Mix the masala spices with the vinegar in a large bowl.

Toss in the pork and mix with the marinade until well coated. Cover and allow to marinate for at least 2 hours.

Melt coconut oil in a large cast-iron casserole. Toss in the mustard and cumin seeds and curry leaves, and cook until they begin to splutter.

Add the onion and cook on low heat until soft and sweet. Add the garlic and ginger and fry a little longer.

Tip in the pork and cook for a couple of minutes until the meat is sealed. Add the remaining ingredients, season and mix well.

Cover and simmer for 20 minutes.

After 20 minutes, add a cup of water. Cover and bring to a boil again. Continue adding a small quantity of water when the mixture looks dry and cook for another hour, or until the meat is tender.

Serve curry with your choice of sambals and starch.

WHY NOT…

… cook this in a potjie over the fire. Make sure you maintain a gentle heat and the mixture doesn’t boil dry.

… add some potatoes, sweet potatoes or butternut to the curry to bulk it up a little so that it can feed more people.

… serve the dish with a freshly made coconut-and-coriander chutney. Blitz together 2 teaspoons (10ml) crushed ginger, 1 long green chilli, a large handful of coriander leaves, ¼ cup (60ml) desiccated coconut and ½ cup (125ml) coconut milk, lightly seasoned with salt.