Thai Pork Curry in the Burmese Style

Ingredients:

For the curry paste:

6 Dried Hot Chillies
2 cm cube galangal (or substitute ginger)
2 sticks lemongrass
90g Shallots
10 garlic cloves
1 tsp Shrimp paste (belachan)
1 tbsp Ground coriander seeds
2 tsp Ground cumin seeds
1/2 tsp ground turmeric

The main ingredients:

875g Pork, diced into 4cm cubes
1½ tbsp Soy sauce
3 x 3cm cubes ginger
10 Pickling onions
12 garlic cloves
4 tbsp tamarind paste
2 tbsp Dark brown sugar
Salt, to taste

Method:

For the Curry Paste:

Put 250ml water into a small bowl and crumble the dried red chillies into it. If using dried galangal and dried lemongrass, add them to the water as well. Leave the dried ingredients to soak for 30 minutes. Otherwise, if you are using fresh galangal or ginger, peel and coarsely chop it. If you are using fresh lemongrass cut it into very fine slices crossways, starting from the bottom and going up the stalk about 15cm, discard the straw-like top. Peel the shallots and garlic and chop them coarsely.

When the dried seasonings have finished soaking, put them with their soaking liquid and all the other ingredients for the curry paste into an electric blender. (If you are using fresh galangal or ginger or fresh lemongrass, add them to the blender now.) Blend until smooth.

This curry paste may be made well ahead of time and even frozen.

To Make the Curry

Next combine the pork, curry paste and soy sauce in a bowl and marinate for at least 30 minutes.

Meanwhile, peel the ginger and cut it into very thin slices. Stack a few slices at a time together and cut them into matchstick strips. Peel the shallots and the garlic, leaving them whole. Put the pork and its marinade into a wide, heavy, preferably non-stick pan, set it over a medium-low heat and bring it to a simmer. Simmer gently for 15-20 minutes or until the meat starts to release its fat. Turn the heat to medium-high. Stir and fry for about 10 minutes or until the spice mixture begins to dry out and brown.

Now add 450ml water, the ginger strips, the whole shallots and the whole cloves of garlic. Bring the mixture to a simmer. Cover and cook for 45 minutes or until the meat is tender. Add the tamarind paste or lemon juice and brown sugar. Mix and taste, adding more of each if you think you need it. Add salt if desired. Cook for another 2-3 minutes to allow the flavours to develop and mingle. Serve.