Goan Pork Sorpotel - simplified for my son Alex

Sorpotel is my married son's favorite dish.  Alex turned thirty in December 2016, and we took on the task of making sorpotel together for Christmas so he could learn how to make this dish himself.  For me as a mother I welcomed his company in my kitchen and as he undertook the task with my supervision we had a blast!




As a Canadian born child with no previous exposure to the workings of this Goan dish, Alex found his inner chef and produced a fabulous sorpotel.  The two of us had the first sample and thereafter all family and guests not only enjoyed the final product but could not believe that Alex was the secret spice that made the Christmas 2016 sorpotel such a hit!

Most Goans have a sentimental connection to this spicy, pork dish associated with all Goan festivities.  Sorpotel may take time to prepare but it can easily be done in two easy steps.  My mother simplified this recipe for me by using ready made ground spices so that no grinding is required.  I now bequeath this recipe to my son with pleasure.  There is no noticeable difference in the final product when ground spices are used.   I encourage everyone who has not yet made this dish themselves to venture out of their comfort zone and take the plunge.  Although sorpotel is traditionally made with liver, I omitted it in my sorpotel because it is not a favorite with everyone.  However, I have made a note in the recipe below for those who want to cook with the liver included.   It should be noted that in the old days nothing of a killed pig went to waste.  Some people I have talked to still include part of the pig's snout and ears, as well as a little pig's blood in the cooking process....just saying!

Step 1

Ingredients

4 pounds of pork meat (weighed without bones) - I use a cut called "pork picnic shoulder", this has just the right amount of skin and fat as seen in the picture below.
2 teaspoons salt
8 pepper corns
6 cloves
1 bay leaf
juice of half a lime
water for boiling
( 1/4 -1/2 pound of calf liver optional.  Please see notes at very end of recipe if using liver)

Keep ready on one side
1 large or 2 medium onions chopped
2 teaspoons ginger finely chopped
2 teaspoons garlic finely chopped
1 green chili seeded and slit in half

Method

Add the meat to a pan with all the ingredients.  Add enough water, at least one and a half inch up the sides of the meat.  Boil till the meat is just cooked (lightly pink not bloody).  To check stick a sharp knife deep into the meat and the juices should not be bloody or red.  This process takes at least half an hour  or more for this quantity.  Grab a beverage and relax.  In this case my son brought out a chilled beer and we had fun chatting and snacking on store bought samosas....

Alex and myself - the smiles are real!!

Once the pork is cooked, remove the meat from the pot and place on a cutting board.  Allow it to rest for about 10 minutes.
 

Strain the water from the boiled meat into a bowl and let cool.   Cover the liquid and put in the fridge until the next day for Step 2.

When the meat is cooled, cut it into 1 cm cubes.  Put the cubed meat aside.  To save washing, use the same pan that you boiled the meat in.

Use a non-stick frying pan.  Do not add any oil, but fry the pork pieces in small batches until lightly browned.  The pork pieces will release enough oils from its own fat .  Do not overcook.
At this stage I put the fried pork into a large porcelain, ceramic or enamel lined pan in which it will be cooked for Step 2 of the preparation the next day.  You can keep the meat in the fridge for 1 -2 days before doing the next step.

Add 1 tablespoon of oil to the same pan that the pork pieces were fried in.  When hot add the fresh chopped onion, garlic, ginger and green chili.  Fry gently till translucent and cooked.

Add the onion mixture to the cubed pork in the ceramic lined dish. Stir well and keep in the fridge until ready for Step 2.

Step 2 ( next day )

Ingredients

Masala ingredients

4 teaspoons chili powder  ( preferably Kashmiri  chili powder)
2 heaped teaspoons paprika powder
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin (jeera)
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon each turmeric powder, pepper, clove, and cinnamon powder
1/4 teaspoon mustard powder
2 heaped tablespoons of tomato paste
Goa vinegar or red wine vinegar as required

Other
Prepared Pork from previous step
reserved liquid from previous step

Method

After the reserved liquid has been refrigerated, there will be a thick film of fat hardened on the surface.  Using a teaspoon I gently remove this fat without taking out the rest of the liquid.

The liquid after the fat is removed is seen below.  Keep aside.

You will be surprised at how much fat is taken off.  Seen below.  Discard.

Put all the ground masala ingredients in a bowl.  Mix well and add enough vinegar to form a nice rich masala paste.  Add the tomato paste and mix well.

Add the masala to the prepared pork

Mix well.  Keep the pan on the stove on low heat and stir on low heat for a minute or two.

Add the reserved liquid, a cup of water and a 1/4 cup of vinegar and stir well. 

Boil covered on low heat, checking every now and then and stirring gently for about 10 minutes.

When almost done check for salt and vinegar and add more if needed. 

Finally add a tablespoon of Goa liquor and continue boiling for a minute.  Turn off the heat, cover and leave on the stove in the enamel container till next day.

The next day heat the pot again on low heat till it reaches a boil, leave for 1-2 minutes. Turn off and set aside.

"The sorpotel will be well seasoned and ready to eat at this point but as you know, the longer it stays the better it tastes." - mum

Note:   If using liver:
Boil the liver with 1 bay leaf and water for a couple of minutes (depending on thickness of the slice of liver).  Remove and immediately immerse in cold or ice water.
Dry the liver on a paper towel, and cut into 1 cm cubes.
Add the liver in batches while frying the pork.  The cooked pork and liver can be continued in the process as outlined above.

Cheers to Christmas 2016 "mother-son" memories