Sorpotel
This Goan sorpotel recipe is a pork curry that is popular in India. The dish originated from Goa, the former Portuguese colony in the western region of India. This dish is also cooked in Brazil, where it is known as sarapatel.
Pork sorpotel is often served during the Christmas season, but some families serve the dish at weddings and other special occasions as well.
The flavors featured in a sorpotel recipe are earthy, rice, and spicy due to the pork and a variety of special ingredients.
When you’re learning how to make Goan pork sorpotel, keep in mind that the ingredients for the dish will differ slightly depending on the region where it is prepared. There are several ways to make this delicious entree inspired by all the regions of Goa.
Here are some important things to keep in mind to make sure the dish is cooked to perfection.
Ingredients
For this pork curry entree, you’ll need:
About two pounds of boneless pork (make sure some fat is attached)
half a sliced onion
two green chili peppers, cut in half
two cups of water
To make the curry paste, you’ll need:
20 dried Kashmiri chilies
three inches of ginger
20 garlic cloves
15 pieces of black pepper
10 pieces of clove
a teaspoon of cumin
a cinnamon stick (about three inches)
a cup of white wine or vinegar coconut
half a cup of oil
water (in case the gravy is too thick)
You’ll also need six pieces of finely chopped green chilies, four finely chopped medium onions, a pinch of salt, and two tablespoons of feni* (this is optional).
Making the Dish
In a big pot, place your cleaned pork meat, along with the sliced onion, halved green chilies, and two cups of water. Keep this mixture on medium heat and cover the pot. Par-boil the pork for about half an hour, or until the meat is tender.
While the pork is cooking, prepare the masala. Combine the Kashmiri chili, ginger root, black peppers, garlic, cumin, cinnamon, cloves, oil, vinegar, and water into a blender to form a paste. Add more water if the paste is too thick. Set the mixture aside.
Once the pork is cooked, remove it from the pot and cut the meat into small cubes. Include the fatty pieces as well; they’ll add more flavor to the dish. Don’t throw out the water the meat was cooked in, you’ll need it later.
Place the pork in a frying pan and sautee the meat until it is golden brown in color. While the meat is cooking, fry the chopped green chilies and onions in a large pot. Once the meat cooks for a few minutes, add it to the pot with the onions and peppers. Stir fry the mixture for about two minutes. Start adding the masala to the meat and veggies, along with a pinch of salt. Slowly add the meat stock as well, and the Feni if you prefer.
Bring the dish to a boil, then turn it down to a simmer. Stir the stew until it starts to thicken, then set it aside.
Additional Considerations
To add more flavor to the dish, cook it for another 20 minutes the day after you prepare it. You can repeat this for one or two more days, especially if you prepared a large batch.
This entree goes great with lemon rice, pulao, or butter rice. Dinner rolls and flatbread are a delicious side dish as well. Enjoy!
*Feni is an alcohol that is popular in Goan. It is made from coconuts and cashews. You can add this to the dish of you have it, or you can use another alcohol with a natural flavor, such as schnapps or vodka.
FAQs
Sorpotel is a curry dish made from red meat that is spicy and tangy. The dish originated in Portugal and is now commonly served in India’s Konkan region. Sorpotel from the Goan region is usually made with pork, but can also include chicken, beef, or mutton.
You can serve this dish with pulao, puris, rice, chapati, or bread rolls.
You can make the masala for this entree ahead of time and use it the day you want to fully cook the dish.
You can store this savory dish in the fridge for one to two weeks.
Yes, you can add potatoes to your sorpotel to make the dish more filling. Potatoes also complement the pork in the dish and soak up the hearty masala gravy.
