Pork with Radish

By Sanzeeta

This dish is inspired by Phagshapa, a dish from Sikkim and Bhutan where strips of dried pork fats are stewed with radish and dried chilies. Google does not provide any elaborate recipe for this dish. The dried pork fat is unique and rather difficult or rare to get. Dried pork fat itself has a different flavour which makes the dish completely special. I tried making the dish keeping the main ingredients and giving a twist to it which would be easy to make in any household. While making this dish, I kept its main ingredient radish, dried red chilies, ginger and garlic and kept the ginger flavour little above than the garlic. A small piece of onion was added for aroma only.

Ingredients

1. Pork: ½ kg, cut in elongated shape. The piece must have skin, fat and meat.
2. Radish: 2 medium sized, cut proportionately as the pork meat.
3. Onion: 1 medium size, very finely chopped or grated
4. Ginger : 2 inch, very finely chopped or grated
5. Garlic:  5/6 large pods, very finely chopped or grated
6. Cilantro: 3 or 4 whole, very finely chopped. I preferred to use the stem too along with leaves.
7. Garam Masala: 1 tea spoon to give only a slight flavour.
8. Salt to taste.

Preparation

1. Mix all the ingredients in a mixing bowl properly and keep for 15 minutes.
2. Put all the ingredients in a pressure cooker.
3. Add lukewarm water till the whole ingredients are covered.
4. Pressure cook in low fire with 5 to 6 whistles.
5. Take off the lid from the pressure cooker and stir only to mix the ingredients. Be careful not to break the radish.
6. Add finely chopped cilantro and slow cook to get a thick and oily consistency.

Enjoy with boiled rice only with any sour salad.