Curry stew is just what the name infers, a combination of curry and stew. The best of both worlds. I figure one day a Trini realized they didn’t want to make curry nor stew, because they made it recently, and decided to combine both! Mummy made this curry stew pork frequently back in the days, which is where the inspiration from. I am reliving my childhood while recreating all the delicious recipes I enjoyed. I hope you are enjoying the journey with me.
In this dish, curry takes a back stage in main technique but appears in the final hoorah. The meat is seasoned with the curry and the seasoned meat is added to the ‘burnt’ sugar. This gives a delicate background curry flavor that keeps you eating more to decipher the secret behind the unique experience. Am I eating curry or stew?
When we refer to burnt sugar in Trinidad, it is not necessarily burnt, in which case, you will have to start over. The sugar is allowed to bubble, froth, expand and darken to a specific point. As I said, if you go beyond that ‘point’ there is no turning back. This is not reason to fear, keeping a keen eye on the pot and using all your senses will prevent any issues.
Allow me to indulge all your senses with this winning combination!
This savory curry stew can be enjoyed with steamed jasmine rice, brown rice and a salad or combined with fried rice and cassava and corn pie like I did in the video below.
Curry Stew Pork With Peas
3 – 4 lbs pork, shoulder, ribs and/or neck bones, cut into 1 inch pieces
14 oz pigeon peas, frozen or fresh
4 tbs green seasoning
½ large onion
2 tbs minced garlic
3 tsp Himalayan salt
1 tsp freshly ground black pepper
2 tbs curry powder
2 tbs oil
5 tbs brown sugar
3 celery, chopped
1 carrot, large, cubed
6 thyme sprigs
Hot pepper, to taste (and or pimento pepper)
Wash meat with the juice of a lime or lemon. Rinse several times and drain.
Rinse pigeon peas, place in a saucepan with enough water to cover. Cook over medium heat for 15 mins. Drain and set aside.
Season with green seasoning, onion, garlic, salt, black pepper and 2 tbs curry powder(use one for a milder flavor). You may add more curry according to your preference.
Heat oil in a heavy Dutch oven or pot. Add brown sugar and allow it to froth, bubble, expand and darken.
Add meat and stir well to coat with the burnt sugar. Cover and cook for 30 minutes, stirring every ten minutes, until the meat is half cooked and the natural juices evaporate.
Once it begins to stick, add peas, celery, carrot thyme and stir one minute to develop flavors. Also add a chopped scallion or a few leaves of chopped bandhania(optional).
Add 3 cups of hot water, stir, bring to a boil, reduce heat, cover and cook until the meat is fully cooked and the sauce has thickened, checking and stirring every ten minutes. Check for salt and add more if required.
Curry Stew Pork With Peas
Ingredients
- 3 - 4 lbs pork shoulder, ribs and/or neck bones, cut into 1 inch pieces
- 14 oz pigeon peas frozen or fresh
- 4 tbs green seasoning
- ½ large onion
- 2 tbs minced garlic
- 3 tsp Himalayan salt
- 1 tsp freshly ground black pepper
- 2 tbs curry powder
- 2 tbs oil
- 5 tbs brown sugar
- 3 celery chopped
- 1 carrot large, cubed
- 6 thyme sprigs
- Hot pepper to taste (and or pimento pepper)
- ½ cup vinegar and/or lemon for washing meat
Instructions
- Soak meat with enough water and 1/2 cup vinegar for 20 mins. Next, wash meat with the juice of a lime or lemon. Rinse several times and drain.
- Rinse pigeon peas, place in a saucepan with enough water to cover. Cook over medium heat for 15 mins. Drain and set aside.
- Season meat with green seasoning, onion, garlic, salt, black pepper and 2 tbs curry powder(use one for a milder flavor). You may add more curry according to your preference.
- Heat oil in a heavy Dutch oven or pot. Add brown sugar and allow it to froth, bubble, expand and darken.
- Add meat and stir well to coat with the burnt sugar. Cover and cook for 30 minutes, stirring every ten minutes, until the meat is half cooked and the natural juices evaporate.
- Once it begins to stick, add peas, celery, carrot, thyme and stir one minute to develop flavors. Also add a chopped scallion or a few leaves of chopped bandhania(optional).
- Add 3 cups of hot water, stir, bring to a boil, reduce heat, cover and cook until the meat is fully cooked and the sauce has thickened, checking and stirring every ten minutes. Check for salt and add more if required.
