Garam Masala Pulled Pork with Polenta and Roasted Brussels Sprouts

As I mentioned in my last post, I came to the US, just four Decembers ago. I immediately fell in love with the breathtaking beauty that surrounds us here in California,the warm, welcoming people and in these short years that I have been here, I have felt at home.

Today, I too mourn with the rest of the country for the many young lives lost to senseless violence. This festive season, we are all robbed of good cheer, replaced by feelings of sadness, anger and fear. Happy carols sometimes grate on my nerves, and I feel a pang of guilt when I decorate the house or bake cookies while so many other mothers are mourning. But I am trying to focus on keeping this season of Christmas special and magical for my little monkey, as it should be. I join thousands of others in signing petitions to prohibit assault weapons.  Whenever the uneasiness wraps itself around me, I whisper a prayer for the grieving families and for the protection of my own.
That's all I know to do, and to bake cookies and cook a warm and comforting meal for my loved ones, and that is what I am going to stick to doing.

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pressure cooker pork chops kerala style

Valentine's day is coming up and I know I am supposed to post something that involves little chocolate hearts and pink frosting. I may or not be doing that in my next post. But today's post is for everyone who is looking for a great, easy one pot meal idea to cook for your guys for Vday or for a Super Bowl dinner or even an everyday dinner that will knock their socks off.
You know how they say that the way to a man's heart is through his stomach? Well this recipe for Kerala style spicy and tender pork chops is definitely man bait. Cupcakes piled high with frosting might make your girl friends happy. But its no secret that men like their meat. When its this delicious and easy to make so do I!

Pork chops that are tender and flavourful and seem like I have slaved over them all day. I haven't. But I don't have to admit that  :)

This recipe is from my mother. She along with my sister and I are veggie and lentil lovers. My father and brother are serious carnivores and they both love this and request it often and my mom happily obliges because it is so easy to make. When my mom came to stay with us, this is one of the first things she cooked for her new son-in-law too and years later he still remembers "the delicious pork chops your mom made".

This recipe is also popular in a lot of my aunts homes and others in Kerala too although it is not a traditional Kerala recipe. It was probably introduced there by Anglo Indian or British cooks and became popular and later adapted among the pork-loving Syrian Christian community. Another favourite is the Portuguese inspired fiery mouth scorching Pork Vindaloo. This dish is much less spicy and can be made with beef or mutton chops as well. Make it even if you are just cooking for yourself. Leftovers taste even better and this can be easily frozen as well.

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Sweet and Sour Pork with Vegetables- Smoky & delightful

I have been waiting to post this delicious recipe for an awesome sweet and sour pork that a friend sent me long ago. I played around with it quite a lot adding and subtracting until it was exactly how I liked it and so it is very different than it was originally but thanks V for bringing this to me. It is typically Asian with the soy sauce and ginger-garlic-chilly flavour combination. The smoky taste of pork elevates this dish to truly astonishing heights. I have also used this sauce base to make sweet and sour vegetables and sweet and sour chicken as well.

Sweet and sour pork with vegetables
Recipe source: My friend, the teller of stories-V

Ingredients

• Pork- ½ Pound (cut into cubes)
• Vegetables – 1 can or 1/2 packet frozen mixed veggies like broccoli, peas, carrot, beans etc.
• 1 pod garlic- slice thin
• 2-3 Green chillies ( I like the really small, extra spicy thai variety) 
• 1 tsp ginger (minced or use ginger paste)
• Cooking oil – 3 tbsp
• For the pork marinade:
• 2 tbsp all purpose flour
• 1 tbsp soy sauce
• 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce (optional)

For the sweet sauce:

• ¼ cup ketchup
• ¼ cup water or chicken stock
• 2 tbsp rice wine vinegar
• 2 tbsp sugar
• 1 tsp pepper
• 1 tsp corn starch 

Method

• Mix ingredients for marinade in a bowl. Add the pork and rub until fully covered.Keep in the fridge for 20 mins or overnight to marinate.
• Take the cooking oil in a wok. Fry the marinated pork well until browned on all sides and the flesh is flaky and not pink. Take out and drain the excess oil. Keep the wok aside but do not wash away the glorious pork juices, we'll use this in a bit.
• Take all the ingredients for sauce in a bowl and mix well till the sugar dissolves and everything is well combined. Keep aside.
• Take the wok you used to fry the pork . Add 1 tbsp of oil. Fry the garlic, and ginger until the raw smell is gone. Now add green chillies and fry on low for a few mins until cooked. Be careful that they don't burn or you and everyone in your house will have a coughing fit!
• Add the can of vegetables and stir fry for 2 minutes or if using frozen vegetables cook as per packet instructions.
• Make some space like a well in the center of the vegetables and add in the sauce. Stir till bubbles appear as the sauce boils.
• Add the fried pork and mix well. Stir till all vegetables and pork is well coated with the sauce.
• If the sauce is a little thin and you want to thicken it, mix the corn flour with about 3-4 tbsp s of water and pour it into the sauce. Mix and let it simmer until it has thickened.
• Serve hot with plain or fried rice.

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