Pandi Curry and Akki Ooti Recipe

Pandi Curry and Akki Ooti Recipe

     Pandi Curry is a rich and dark pork curry that is local to Coorg. It's intense and fiery flavours can be well paired with Akki Ooti (Roti) or Kadambuttu (Rice Dumplings). Check out out home chefs Veena and Diya's recipe to make this delicious dish at home!

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 tbsp Whole Cumin Seeds
• 1 tbsp Whole Coriander Seeds
• 1 tbsp Whole Black Pepper
• ½ tsp Fenugreek Seeds
• ½ kg Onions 
• 8-10 pods Garlic 
• 1 inch Ginger
• Handful Green Chillies
• Half a bunch Coriander Leaves 
• 1 kg Pandi (Pork)
• 1-2 tsp Kachampulli (Coorg Vinegar)
• 1 tsp Turmeric
• Salt to taste
• Water as required

METHOD:

1. To prepare the black masala, on medium-low flame, dry roast whole cumin seeds, whole coriander seeds, whole black pepper and fenugreek seeds individually till each of them turns deep, dark brown. Be very attentive at the last stage of roasting for it may burn very quickly after it turns dark brown.

2. Mix spices and let it cool down. Blend to a fine powder.

3. For the wet masala, chop the onions, garlic, ginger, green chillies and coriander, Add all ingredients in a mixer-grinder and roughly and blend to a coarse paste.

4. Wash the pork and drain water. Marinate with salt and turmeric and keep aside for an hour.

5. Mix in the wet paste with the marinated pork pieces. Cook on a medium flame or in a pressure cooker until the pork is fully cooked. Add water to cook only if the juices from the pork and masala have dried out.

6. Bring the flame down to a simme and add 3 tbsp of the black masala to pork. Cook for 5 minutes while continuously stirring in the black masala into the pork. Adjust salt according to taste at this point.

7. Add in 1 tsp of the kachampuli and taste Add more only if the sourness in the gravy is too mild.

8. Serve it hot with akki rotis. For better flavour, let the curry sit in the fridge overnight and serve it the next day.

Akki Ooti / Roti:

INGREDIENTS:

3 cups Warm Cooked Rice

1½ Rice Flour

Rice Flour, for dusting while rolling

METHOD:

1. In a wide plate, knead the cooked rice continuously till grains get mashed and a sticky dough begins to form.

2. Take a handful of rice flour, sprinkle it over the dough and knead it in. Continue sprinkling flour and kneading till the dough becomes less sticky and starts leaving the surface of the plate with ease. Knead until the dough becomes firm and easy to roll.

3. Divide the dough into equal sizes and roll them into balls the size of a small tomato.

4. Roll (flatten) each ball into thin, round ootis(rotis). Dust them with rice flour while rolling them out  to avoid them from sticking to any surface.

5. Heat a cast iron or a non stick tawa on medium heat. Place an ooti on this hot tawa for a minute and then flip it over to cook the other side. Continue flipping and cooking till both sides are cooked (you know you have made the perfect ootis when it puffs up).

6. They are best eaten while hot. If they are being served later, keep them in an air-tight box so they retain their heat.

                                                                                                                                          EnjoyFood!