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Ruchik Randhap

Food & Memories of Mangalore

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Pork Indad (Spicy, Sweet and Sour Pork) – When Hubby Cooks


Weddings in Mangalore are often synonymous with tag ‘The Great Indian Wedding’ as there is as much shoo-shaa around it due to the presence of all weddingy features such as a whole band of relatives – uncles, aunts, cousins and friends who attend it, amazing spread of food, music and dance, grand clothes, jewellery & other wedding finery. Much like their North Indian counterparts, Mangalorean weddings especially Catholic style weddings are highly celebrated occasions. We have the Roce function which is similar to the Mehendi or the Haldi ceremony and involves the ‘purification & preparation’ of the bride and the groom for the sacred nuptial ceremony. This is done by way of application of freshly extracted coconut milk by the close family members of the bride and the groom in their respective homes. Since the coconut tree is considered to be the ‘kalpvriksh’ (divine tree that fulfills wishes) in India especially in South India, this local tradition has woven itself with the pre-wedding ceremony as well. The coconut tree and its many medicinal and other practical uses has given it the significance and importance that it richly deserves and hence besides being known for the great wonders it can do to one’s skin, the coconut milk is considered to be the most pure form of cleansing.
While the mood is jubilant and casual on the day of the Roce ceremony, the wedding is a more formal celebration with the guest list that includes not just the close relatives and friends of the bride and groom but distant relatives, neighbours, business associates and acquaintances as well. To suit these occasions, traditionally the Roce and wedding dinner spreads are different. Traditionally, Mangalorean Catholic occasions are usually known to serve a standard variety of delicacies but today a few of them have been knocked off the menu to make way for contemporary dishes that include Indo-Chinese dishes with a Mangalorean twist
 
 
Today’s recipe is traditionally served on the wedding day as it is considered to be ‘rich’ or ‘fit for a banquet’. Owing to its Portuguese influence on Mangalorean and Goan food, this dish is prepared in both the places with slight variations – so the recipes will vary. The signature flavour of this dish is a blend of sweet and sour married to spice – no single flavour dominating the other, yet creating a medley of flavours bite after bite. Not just the meat, but even the bits of fat are a joy to savour.
 Since it has been ages since I attended a typical Mangalorean Catholic wedding, I am not sure if it is still considered good enough to share space on the wedding banquet menu, but when I was little, it was one of the items that was served alongside Sanna, Sweet Pulao & Plum Chutney, Tendli Sukhe, Chicken Curry and Mutton Biryani. A cucumber salad completed the spread and people wolfed it down with great pleasure. Two decades ago, you were actually happy to savour a wedding meal. Not so much today as everyone cooks these delicacies at home plus during the wedding season you have a million weddings to attend that you actually dread the spread! Most people I know have simple meals at home and attend the drill (wedding if you please) just because attendance is important.

 

Honestly, I could give anything to actually attend one of these weddings where the food is good. A good wedding spread in Mangalore doesn’t come cheap (but the per plate price is not as ridiculous as it is in the cities either) and if the caterer is willing, he will suggest a few off beat dishes that is bound to leave your guests licking their fingers. However, nothing can beat the traditionally cooked banquets that held the hands of Mangalorean weddings for decades before weddings became a large affair and outsourcing the food to wedding caterers became the need of the hour. Just in case you are wondering what I am blabbering about – well, maybe my parents’ generation was the last to have tea parties for their weddings. Right after the nuptials the wedding entourage assembled in the party hall, usually the church hall and everyone was served a hot cuppa and some biscuits. And our grand parents’ generation was the lucky enough to partake of wedding banquets held at the bride’s home with meals lovingly cooked by relatives and friends especially from the neighbourhood. Each family (from the neighbourhood) was given the responsibility of preparing one dish in bulk and pork was supplied by one of the neighbours. One well fed pig was enough to feed everyone.
On the wedding day the guests were served whilst seated in rows on mandhryo (thin long carpets woven out of reed) and eating out of shirothyo (banana leaves). The beauty and charm of such traditional weddings and banquets has faded long ago, what remains are the delicacies – I hope they don’t vanish completely from the wedding menu of our next generation.

Pork Indad
Recipe credit: Roshan Sequeira
Prep time: 10 mins | Cooking time: 25 mins | Serves 4

You Need:

  • 800gm-1kg Pork (with fat/’wob’)
  • 2 cinnamon sticks
  • 4 cloves
  • 2 sprigs mint leaves
  • 1 tsp (or to taste) vinegar
  • 2-3 tsp (or to taste) sugar
  • salt to taste
  • ghee or oil

For the masala:

  • 1/2 tbsp cumin/jeera
  • 7-8 long red chillies (I used Byadge) (adjust to taste)
  • 15 peppercorns (adjust to taste)
  • 1 tsp turmeric
  • 6-8 flakes of garlic
  • 1 marble sized ball of tamarind
  • 4 medium sized onions

Method:
1. Wash and drain the pork and cut into thin slices (i.e 1-1/2 inch squares along with the fat on each piece). Boil/cook the meat without covering the pan until all the water has evaporated * see note#1. Heat ghee/oil in a pan and fry these pieces on a medium flame till golden and the fat leaves the sides of the pan.
2. Grind all the ingredients mentioned under ‘For the masala’. Reserve the masala water from the mixer grinder *see note#2
3. Add the ground masala and continue to fry for about 8-10 minutes on a slow flame.  Add the reserved masala water if you require more gravy. Finally add the cinnamon, cloves, mint leaves, sugar, vinegar & salt. Allow to simmer for another 5-7 minutes.
4. Serve hot with sanna, polay, pan polay, chapathi or rice

Notes:
1. Unlike other recipes where the masala is fried first and then the meat is added, this recipe calls for the frying of the pork first for that extra rich flavour and then the masala is fried along with the meat. So cook the meat uncovered and then fry it. Pork tends to leave a lot of water when cooked, so we need to remove all the excess water by evaporation first. The more you fry the meat on a slow flame, the tastier the end result. Just ensure that the frying takes place on a slow fire and the meat is not burnt.
2. The reserved masala water is used only if you need extra gravy. Indad is meant to have a thick gravy so that it can be eaten with Indian breads such as Neer Dosa, Sanna, Appam or Dosa. If you wish to eat it with rice, then go ahead and add the reserved water.
3. If you desire you may add peeled & sliced potatoes just before adding the ground masala.
4. Indad is meant to have thickish gravy with a fine balance of sweet, sour & spice – adjust all these elements according to your taste.

5. Some readers have suggested that if Thai tamarind is used you can skip adding the sugar. This is because Thai tamarind is sweeter than the Indian tamarind

Post updated on 04th May 2023 – ‘Notes’ section

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Comments

  1. Anonymous says

    I didn't understand the first step. Do we fry the masala along with the meat? Generally, don't we fry the masala well and then add the fried meat. You have a nice blog here! Thanks for all the recipes

    Reply

    • PETER DESOUZA says

      I have been cooking Indad for many, many years. Though it’s always been with Duck! Your’s, which is better suited to Pork, is a slight variance from mine, gives it that slightly more accentuated “sweet and sour” finish. Loved it. My family, also Mangaloreans, has always traditionally followed my Nana’s (master chef by the highest standards) practices in all our Mangalorean cooking. Firstly, the Indad, being an onion based masala, must be cooked separately ,in ghee preferably, patently stirring continuously till that raw onion is cooked. The onion changes colour and like you said , the oil separates. Also, the water from the onion , you no longer see evaporating , It takes off the edge and you get that finish and finesse in the end result. But Thank you for your fabulous site…a gift to all who want to perpetuate Mangalorean cooking …which in my opinion is total class!

      Reply

      • Shireen Sequeira says

        Hi Peter,

        Thank you so much for your wonderful comment!! I am so glad that you enjoyed this recipe and I am delighted to know that your personal favourite is made with duck! How exotic! I hope to try that version soon. Thank you for taking the time to write such a nice and meaningful comment! I appreciate it!

        Reply

  2. Ruchik Randhap says

    @ Anonymous: First you need to boil the meat so that all the water is evaporated. In another pan heat some ghee/oil and fry these meat pieces on a slow flame till just about golden in colour. To these pieces add the ground masala and fry both the meat & masala TOGETHER on a slow flame till the oil separates from the masala. Then follow steps#3 & 4 as mentioned above. This is the way its done for this recipe (our version). I hope that clarifies 🙂 Thanks for the compliments on the blog

    Reply

    • Chris says

      Shireen, you have to check your recipe again, as Anonymous wrote on August 10th. The use of the ground masala is quite clearly written. The problem is that there is a separate list of ingredients as follows:
      2 cinnamon sticks
      4 cloves
      2 sprigs mint leaves
      1 tsp (or to taste) vinegar
      2-3 tsp (or to taste) sugar
      salt to taste
      These are grouped with the pork, but you have forgotten to write what is to be done with them!

      Reply

      • Shireen Sequeira says

        Hi Chris,

        Please check step# 3. I have not forgotten but clearly mentioned where and when to add the cinnamon, cloves, mint, sugar, vinegar & salt. Hope this clarifies!

        ” 3. Add the ground masala and continue to fry for about 8-10 minutes on a slow flame.  Add the reserved masala water if you require more gravy. Finally add the cinnamon, cloves, mint leaves, sugar, vinegar & salt. Allow to simmer for another 5-7 minutes”

        Reply

  3. stevenbinto says

    Hi Shireen, one recipe that I have been waiting for long and couldn't wait to test on the day it was posted. We introduced it at our restaurant on 11th and repeating it today Sunday with Sweet Pulav and Apams. Thanks a million. It has come out awesome. We reduced the peppercorns in our second attempt. Great going. Keep up the good work. God Bless you.
    Steven

    Reply

  4. Shireen Sequeira says

    Hi Steven, Wow! That sounds wonderful!! I am so happy that the Pork Indad came out good and it's already on your restaurant menu!! My husband is mighty pleased with the results too!! Thanks a lot for the prompt feedback!!

    Reply

  10. Preems says

    Hi Shireen,

    Thanks a ton for the recipe,looks delicious and sounds yummy too and I want give it a try,but just a quick question,Can I use chicken instead of pork,because I vaguely remember my mum making chicken Indad in a similar way.Let me know your thoughts.

    Preema D'Souza

    Reply

  11. Shireen Sequeira says

    Hi Preema, thanks so much for your lovely comment. Yes, you could try the same recipe for Chicken Indad as well, however the process of frying will be much shorter as chicken is a tender meat. I suggest you fry the masala first and then add the chicken and allow it to cook. Pork takes longer to cook and hence the increased timing for frying. The masala can be the same.

    Reply

  18. Anonymous says

    Hey, Shireen. A heartfelt thank you for sharing this recipe. It has made someone like me ( who enters the kitchen on rare occasions and celebrations) seem like a seasoned cook after preparing this today…so indeed, it's a heartfelt thank you

    Reply

  20. Cyprian Pinto says

    Dear Shireen,

    I tried out your above recipe and it turned out to be yummy and great. Thank you very much for your above recipe and all enjoyed.

    Reply

  21. Shefali says

    Hi Shireen, I have tried your chicken indad and it came out very well. I had a question regarding the pork indad. How much water do we need to boil the pork for this dish. Thank you for the great recipes.

    Reply

    • Shireen Sequeira says

      Hi Shefali,

      Thanks for the great feedback!! Well, it really depends on how much fat the pork has. Usually it will release its own stock. I would say, add about 1 cup or so for 1kg of meat and cook on a simmer until all the water evaporates but the pork does not get stuck to the base

      Reply

  23. Gonsalvb says

    Hi Shirley, lovely recipe. Just one comment, I did not use any sugar ( diabetic) but I found that the tamarind I used – brown from Thailand – brought the sweetness to the dish. The black Indian tamarind doesn’t bring any sweetness, just the sour.
    So it turned out great even without sugar.

    Reply

    • Shireen Sequeira says

      Hi Golnsalvb, Thanks for the great feedback! Happy to know that the Thai tamarind brought in the right amount of sweetness to the dish. I am going to add this to my notes, thanks for sharing 🙂 Btw, my name is Shireen and not Shirley 🙂

      Reply
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