Red Pork Recipe
(Wet-thani)
Burmese Recipes

This dish is called 'Red or Golden Pork' because the oil in the dish is colored by the chili powder. The Burmese like to use fatty pork - either shoulder or belly - for this recipe, but if this is not to your taste, then pork fillet (tenderloin) may be used instead.

Ingredients:

1 kg/2-21/4 lb
3 tbsp
1 tsp
5 cm/2 inch
3
3
200 ml/1/3 pint
1 tsp
5 tbsp
 

boned pork, cut into 2.5 cm/1 inch cubes
soy sauce
freshly ground black pepper
piece of fresh root ginger, peeled
medium onions, peeled and crushed
garlic cloves, peeled and crushed
boiling water
chili powder
vegetable oil
 

Method:

1. Put the pork in a bowl with 2 tablespoons soy sauce and the pepper; mix well.
    

2. Pound half the ginger, then mix with the onions and garlic. Stir in all but 1 tablespoon of the boiling water, then strain the mixture and retain both the liquid and the pounded ingredients.
    

3. Stir the chili powder into the reserved boiling water. Cut the remaining ginger into thin strips. Heat the oil  in a large heavy pan, add the ginger and fry until just sizzling, then add the pork and stir-fry until brown.
    

4. Add the liquid reserved from the pounded ingredient, cover the pan and simmer for about 10 minutes or until the liquid has almost all been absorbed. Add the chili water, the remaining soy sauce and the reserved pounded mixture.
    

5. Cover and cook over low heat for about 40 minutes or until the pork is tender, stirring occasionally to prevent sticking. (If lean pork has been used, it may be necessary to add a little water during cooking.) Serve hot.

SERVES 4 to 6