Tips for getting bright yellow turmeric off my worktop anyone? Turmeric is a key ingredient in this Burmese inspired pork curry.
Burmese Pork Curry
Turmeric stains things bright yellow, but don’t let that put you off from using this fantastic ingredient.
In my quest to include more turmeric in my diet I stumbled across a recipe for Burmese pork curry. I don’t often cook curries so was really excited about giving this a go. There seem to be lots of variations of this dish, some including tamarind paste, and some additional spices or tomatoes. I decided to keep the overall ingredients list simple, because quite frankly if recipes have too many ingredients I tend to loose concentration half way down the list. Cooking can and should be simple.
I never knew that turmeric is from the same family as ginger. I love learning something new with each recipe I discover.
This is the first time I have used fish sauce in a recipe on the blog. It took me rather a long time to source one without added sugar. The brand I found is Namjai, which rather poshly I bought in Selfridges food hall. Though fear not, it didn’t have a designer price tag, sky high prices are reserved for the hallowed halls of the handbag department.
A very mild curry so perfect for the faint hearted. I served mine with a heap of cauliflower rice.
Burmese Pork Curry with Cauliflower Rice
Incidentally I know absolutely nothing about Burmese cuisine. In fact the only thing I know about Burma is that I’ve a friend who is a quarter Burmese.
- 300g pork loin, diced (or you could use another cut of pork such as shoulder or leg)
- 1 teaspoon turmeric
- ½ Tablespoon fish sauce
- ½ Tablespoon tamari
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 inch ginger, grated
- Coconut oil for sautéing
- 1 onion, finely sliced
- 1 Tablespoon paprika
- Seasoning
- Cauliflower rice (see below) & fresh coriander to serve
- Marinate the pork with the turmeric, fish sauce, tamari, garlic and ginger. Mix well (I didn’t do this in advance but you could to let the flavours develop further).
- Take a saucepan pan (that you have a lid for), add a dollop of coconut oil and sauté the onions for 3 or so mins over medium heat until translucent. Add the paprika to the onions and stir until onions are coated.
- Turn up the heat a little and add the marinated pork to the pan, and mix well. Cover, lower the temp to medium low and cook for 45-60 mins until the meat is tender. Stir occasionally to ensure it doesn't stick to the bottom of the pan. You don't need to add any liquid as the sauce develops from the meat juices. Season to taste.
- To make the cauliflower rice: Use ½ head cauliflower per person, whizz in food processor till 'rice' like. Saute in coconut oil with minced garlic for around 8 mins, add seasoning and top with a little dessicated coconut.
I’m pleased to read this post. Firstly, I laughed at your sourcing of fish sauce at Selfridges. I’m heading there this weekend so will stock up. Secondly, I made a tenderloin pork tandoori last night and it seemed so wrong to me on many accounts! I think because you don’t often get pork curries. Anyway, I am glad to see yours, I will have a go at it, soon! No tips for tumeric I’m afraid, I had to replace my tablecloth recently as I couldn’t get the stain out!
I didn’t go solely to Selfridges for fish sauce… I just can’t resist a peek round the food hall when I’m there on more official clothing and shoe matters… Pork was the original Burmese suggestion so I think that’s why it works well in this sauce – plus cooked low for a long time so not tough at all. I’m getting a new kitchen soon so the turmeric will be gone – I will just have to be more careful in future! Thanks for taking the time to comment!