Curried Pork Belly without Coconut Milk

Don't be daunted by that glint of oil you see floating at the top. It is actually a combination of the pork belly fat and tomato sauce. So it isn't actually oil to begin with. And a good curry must have some kind of oil floating on the top anyway. You can spoon it away after you've cooked. But getting on... I was not in the mood for cooking curry with coconut milk simply because I didn't fancy coconut milk. I read a recipe not too long ago for Indian curries that normally doesn't require coconut milk and thought I'd adapt that to suit the ingredients I had in my kitchen. So here's the recipe:

Ingredients:

400g sliced pork belly (leave skin on)

2 tsbp meat curry powder

1 tsp chili powder

A handful of curry leaves

6 Asian shallots or 2 Echalion shallots (chopped)

A handful of kaffir lime leaves (dried or fresh)

3 tbsp sunflower oil

1 x 390g carton of chopped tomatoes (I used the Sainsbury's brand)

100ml water

Salt to taste

Method:

1. Firstly, make sure to trim the pork belly off any hairs and rid of additional fat but keep the skin on as this would add to the oil. Leave aside.
2. Next heat up a pot big enough with oil and shallots. Stir until fragrant before adding in the curry leaves and kaffir lime leaves. Stir again to release the aromas of both the leaves and then add in the dried ingredients. Stir well to incorporate all the ingredients together. Let it be for a bit until you see some oil coming out from the spice mix.
3. Then add in your pork belly. Stir well until everything is coated. Let it be for a bit and then add in the chopped tomatoes. Stir again before adding in the water and salt. Stir once more and bring to a boil. Then lower the heat to simmer.
4. Stir every once in a while and you'll see the oil starting to appear on the top of the curry.
5. Continue to simmer for another 15 minutes or so and then switch off the heat.
6. Serve with rice and vegetables.

This curry was so simple and you didn't need that long to prepare it. Plus you don't have to run out to the nearby off license to buy a can coconut milk just to cook curry. How's that for a convenience?

Next on the line - Kam Heong Chicken (Chicken cooked in a spiced sauce)

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