Sri Lankan black curry gets its midnight color from roasting spices until they're almost burnt—most cooks stop too early.
Sri Lankan Black Pork Curry
Elevate your home cooking with this vibrant Sri Lankan Black Pork Curry that packs a punch! Featuring succulent pork marinated in a blend of aromatic spices like cinnamon and cardamom, this dish is slow-cooked to perfection, allowing the flavors to meld beautifully. Get ready to impress your taste buds and your dinner guests with this exotic, comforting delight!
Prep
15
min
Cook
120
min
Serves
5
people
Level
advanced
📝 Ingredients
Serves 5🥬Fresh Produce(5)
- 5 garlic cloves
- 1 inch knob ginger
- Fried julienned ginger
- 1 large red onion
- 2 cups water (or enough to cover pork) (480 ml)
🥩Meat & Seafood(3)
- Marinated pork
- Pork fat/lard trimmings (optional)optional
- 1 kg pork shoulder, cut into 2 ½–3 inch pieces (2.21 lbs)
🫙Pantry Staples(2)
- 1 tbsp coconut oil (15 ml)
- 2–3 tbsp coconut oil (30 ml)
🧂Spices & Seasonings(11)
- 1 tbsp prepared black curry powder (15 ml)
- Remaining black curry powder
- 1 ½ tbsp freshly ground black pepper (22.5 ml)
- 2 cardamom pods
- ¾ tbsp chili powder (11.2 ml)
- ½ cinnamon stick
- 2 cloves
- 1 ½ tbsp Sri Lankan roasted curry powder (22.5 ml)
- 1 tbsp salt (or to taste) (15 ml)
- Salt to taste
- 1 tsp turmeric powder (5 ml)
🍯Sauces & Condiments(2)
- ½ tbsp coconut vinegar (7.5 ml)
- Prepared curry paste
📦Other(7)
- 2 sprigs curry leaves
- Fried curry leaves
- 1 piece garcinia (goraka)
- 2 small green chilies
- 1 tsp jaggery (5 ml)
- 1 stalk lemongrass (white part only)
- 1 pandan leaf
👨🍳 Instructions
- 1
Roast roasted curry powder + chili powder for 5–7 mins till almost black. Cool. Use 1 tbsp for marinade, reserve rest.
- 2
Marinate pork with salt, turmeric, jaggery, black pepper, coconut vinegar + 1 tbsp black curry powder. Rest for 1–4 hrs.
- 3
Blend onion, lemongrass, garlic, ginger, green chilies, curry leaves + coconut oil into a smooth paste.
- 4
Heat coconut oil, render lard if using. Add cinnamon, cloves, cardamom, fry for 30 secs. Add curry paste, cook for 10 mins till dark + oil splits.
- 5
Add pork, sear for 6–8 mins, coat well. Add water, remaining black curry powder, pandan + goraka. Simmer for 1.5 hrs on low till tender + oil separates. Season with salt.
- 6
Garnish with fried curry leaves + ginger. Serve with coconut roti or rice.
💡 Pro Tips
- ✓Roast your spice blend to 285-300°F internal temperature until it reaches a deep chocolate-brown color, not true black, as burnt spices release bitter tannins that overpower the curry's complex flavor profile.technique285-300°F
- ✓Marinate pork for exactly 2-4 hours maximum because coconut vinegar's 4-5% acidity will start breaking down muscle proteins into mushy texture beyond this timeframe.timing2-4 hours maximum
- ✓Cook the aromatics paste for a full 10 minutes until oil visibly separates because this Maillard browning develops the deep umami compounds essential for authentic black curry flavor depth.technique10 minutes
- ✓Maintain simmering temperature at 185-195°F during the 1.5-hour braise because higher heat will tighten pork fibers and prevent the collagen from properly converting to gelatin.timing185-195°F
- ✓Use goraka (garcinia) at 0.5-1% of total liquid volume because its tartaric acid not only provides sourness but also acts as a natural meat tenderizer and prevents the coconut milk from curdling.ingredient0.5-1% of liquid volume
Share this recipe
Prep
15
min
Cook
120
min
Serves
5
people
Level
advanced
Share this recipe
Sri Lankan black curry gets its midnight color from roasting spices until they're almost burnt—most cooks stop too early.
Sri Lankan Black Pork Curry
Elevate your home cooking with this vibrant Sri Lankan Black Pork Curry that packs a punch! Featuring succulent pork marinated in a blend of aromatic spices like cinnamon and cardamom, this dish is slow-cooked to perfection, allowing the flavors to meld beautifully. Get ready to impress your taste buds and your dinner guests with this exotic, comforting delight!
📝 Ingredients
Serves 5🥬Fresh Produce(5)
- 5 garlic cloves
- 1 inch knob ginger
- Fried julienned ginger
- 1 large red onion
- 2 cups water (or enough to cover pork) (480 ml)
🥩Meat & Seafood(3)
- Marinated pork
- Pork fat/lard trimmings (optional)optional
- 1 kg pork shoulder, cut into 2 ½–3 inch pieces (2.21 lbs)
🫙Pantry Staples(2)
- 1 tbsp coconut oil (15 ml)
- 2–3 tbsp coconut oil (30 ml)
🧂Spices & Seasonings(11)
- 1 tbsp prepared black curry powder (15 ml)
- Remaining black curry powder
- 1 ½ tbsp freshly ground black pepper (22.5 ml)
- 2 cardamom pods
- ¾ tbsp chili powder (11.2 ml)
- ½ cinnamon stick
- 2 cloves
- 1 ½ tbsp Sri Lankan roasted curry powder (22.5 ml)
- 1 tbsp salt (or to taste) (15 ml)
- Salt to taste
- 1 tsp turmeric powder (5 ml)
🍯Sauces & Condiments(2)
- ½ tbsp coconut vinegar (7.5 ml)
- Prepared curry paste
📦Other(7)
- 2 sprigs curry leaves
- Fried curry leaves
- 1 piece garcinia (goraka)
- 2 small green chilies
- 1 tsp jaggery (5 ml)
- 1 stalk lemongrass (white part only)
- 1 pandan leaf
👨🍳 Instructions
- 1
Roast roasted curry powder + chili powder for 5–7 mins till almost black. Cool. Use 1 tbsp for marinade, reserve rest.
- 2
Marinate pork with salt, turmeric, jaggery, black pepper, coconut vinegar + 1 tbsp black curry powder. Rest for 1–4 hrs.
- 3
Blend onion, lemongrass, garlic, ginger, green chilies, curry leaves + coconut oil into a smooth paste.
- 4
Heat coconut oil, render lard if using. Add cinnamon, cloves, cardamom, fry for 30 secs. Add curry paste, cook for 10 mins till dark + oil splits.
- 5
Add pork, sear for 6–8 mins, coat well. Add water, remaining black curry powder, pandan + goraka. Simmer for 1.5 hrs on low till tender + oil separates. Season with salt.
- 6
Garnish with fried curry leaves + ginger. Serve with coconut roti or rice.
💡 Pro Tips
- ✓Roast your spice blend to 285-300°F internal temperature until it reaches a deep chocolate-brown color, not true black, as burnt spices release bitter tannins that overpower the curry's complex flavor profile.technique285-300°F
- ✓Marinate pork for exactly 2-4 hours maximum because coconut vinegar's 4-5% acidity will start breaking down muscle proteins into mushy texture beyond this timeframe.timing2-4 hours maximum
- ✓Cook the aromatics paste for a full 10 minutes until oil visibly separates because this Maillard browning develops the deep umami compounds essential for authentic black curry flavor depth.technique10 minutes
- ✓Maintain simmering temperature at 185-195°F during the 1.5-hour braise because higher heat will tighten pork fibers and prevent the collagen from properly converting to gelatin.timing185-195°F
- ✓Use goraka (garcinia) at 0.5-1% of total liquid volume because its tartaric acid not only provides sourness but also acts as a natural meat tenderizer and prevents the coconut milk from curdling.ingredient0.5-1% of liquid volume