Kerala Pork Fry (Pork Ularthiyathu)

Meat cooked in spices is so popular among Christians in Kerala; it has become pretty much a part of tradition for many locals. Buying fresh meat straight from the butcher and prepping it with care is a Sunday ritual enjoyed in almost every home across the state.

Be it lamb, beef or pork, the basics of cooking this dish is the same. I’ve opted for pork fry today, which is very similar to the beef fry I shared couple of weeks ago.

This Kerala pork fry recipe (pork ularthiyathu) provides very tender pieces of pork perfectly cooked in spices. As with the type of pork, I always go for cuts minus the fat. No excuses. The trimmed cuts give a slight crispiness to the meat during the final stir frying stage.

Although this pork fry sounds like an elaborated dish, making them is super simple. It won’t take too long either. And that’s what I love most about this recipe.

The spices are added to the meat at two different stages. First, when the meat is cooked in the pressure cooker. Second, when pork is stir fried with the spices. It adds that extra much needed flavor to the dish. Trust me, it works like magic.

One important thing before we go to the recipe. Avoid overcooking the meat at any cost. Enjoy this Kerala pork stir fry or pork ularthiyathu with rice, chappathis, rotis or appam!

Start with cooking pork in the pressure cooker. Place pork along with onions, green chilies, turmeric, coriander, garam masala, black pepper, ginger, garlic, white vinegar, curry leaves and salt in a pressure cooker. Cover with lid and place over high heat. Cook until the 6th or 7th whistle. Remove from heat. After steam escapes, open the lid, and place over medium-high heat. Simmer until all water dries up. Set aside.

Place a large frying pan over medium-high heat. Heat oil. Splutter mustard seeds. Add cloves, fennel seeds, cardamom pods and bay leaves. Fry. Add shallots, dried red chilies, and a sprig of curry leaves. Fry until onions are browned.

Add pork. Mix well. Stir fry for 4-5 minutes. Garnish with coriander leaves, if you like.

More Kerala Recipes

• Kerala Beef Fry
• Beef Pepper Fry or Beef Kurumulakittathu
• Kerala Duck Curry
• Spicy Lamb Stir Fry
• Kerala Mussels Fry or Kallumakkaya Fry or Kadukka Fry
• Kerala Prawns Fry

Yield: 4-5

Kerala Pork Fry (Pork Ularthiyathu)

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Classic Kerala pork fry or pork ularthiyathu is an ideal side dish for rice, chapathis or appam. Delicious and flavorful!

Prep Time 10 minutes

Cook Time 45 minutes

Total Time 55 minutes

Ingredients

• 1 kg pork fillet, cut into cubes
• 1 large onion, sliced
• 2 medium tomatoes, chopped
• 9-10 garlic cloves, chopped
• 3 cm fresh ginger, chopped
• 2-3 green chilies, slit
• 1 tsp ground turmeric
• 3 tbsp ground coriander
• 3 tsp garam masala
• ½ - 1 tsp ground black pepper
• 1 tsp red chili powder
• 2 tsp white vinegar (optional)
• 1 tbsp oil
• ½ tsp mustard seeds
• ½ tsp fennel seeds
• 2-3 cloves
• 2-3 cardamom pods, split
• 2 bay leaves
• ¼ cup sliced shallots or red onions
• 2 dried red chilies, broken into small pieces
• 2 sprigs of curry leaves
• Salt to taste
• Coriander leaves, to garnish

Instructions

1. Place pork, onions, tomatoes, ginger, garlic, ground turmeric, ground coriander, garam masala, ground black pepper, red chili powder, green chilies, a sprig of curry leaves, white vinegar (if using), and salt in a pressure cooker over high heat. Cook until the sixth or seventh whistle.
2. When the steam has escaped, open the lid, and place the cooker over medium-high heat. Simmer until all the water dries up. Set aside.
3. Meanwhile, heat oil in a large pan over medium-high heat. Splutter mustard seeds. Fry fennel seeds, cardamom pods, cloves and bay leaves until aromatic. Add shallots, dried red chilies and a sprig of curry leaves. Saute, stirring, until the shallots are browned.
4. Stir in cooked pork. Sauté, stirring occasionally, for 4-5 minutes. To serve, garnish with coriander leaves.
5. Serve Kerala pork fry with rice or any flatbread.

Nutrition Information

Yield

5

Serving Size

1
Amount Per Serving Calories 396Total Fat 12gSaturated Fat 3gTrans Fat 0gUnsaturated Fat 8gCholesterol 146mgSodium 259mgCarbohydrates 17gFiber 4gSugar 5gProtein 55g

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