The featured recipe this month comes from Kodandera Panchami Praveen (in picture), an entrepreneur based in Gonikoppal who specializes in catering desserts and baked goods.

Panchami shares a recipe for a classic Kodava dish, prepared from dried pork. Says Panchami, “Traditionally, for this dish, the pork (wild boar) was sun-dried for two days, then brought to a boil in salt water, drained and pounded with a stone before being shredded and seasoned with masala. I have dried the pork using the oven grill – a modern take on a method which has come to us from our ancestors! Here is my recipe for Vanakerrchi Pulikootnad.”

Vanakerrchi Pulikootnad

(Hot and sour shredded dried pork)

Ingredients:

• Fatless pork – 1kg, chopped into 1” pieces
• Chilli powder -2 tbsp
• Salt to taste
• Turmeric powder -1tsp
• Onions- 3 large, sliced
• Green chillies-2-3
• Bird eye chillis – a few
• Curry leaves- 10-12
• Kachampuli -1tbsp
• Water -1/2 cup
• Juice of two limes
• Oil-2-3tbsp

Method:

Marinate pork pieces with kachampuli, and half the chilli powder, turmeric, and salt. Set aside for ten minutes.

Place the meat pieces on the grill rack and grill for 80 mins @250C.

Remove from the grill rack, cool, then grind coarsely. Do not over-grind. The meat should remain thread-like.

Next, heat a pan, add oil, then onions and sauté till soft. Add green chillies and bird eye chilli and sauté for a minute.

Add add curry leaves, and the remaining red chilli powder, turmeric, and salt.

Stir to mix, then add the shredded pork, mix well, then add lime juice and water.

Cook till it is dry.

Check the seasoning, garnish with coriander leaves, and relish with akki otti (rice roti).