All Easy Recipes. Cook all that you can cook. Pickled Pork
(Sorpotel)
 
What You Need:            (To Serve: 10 to 12)
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  • A 3- to 3½ - pound boneless pork loin with all the fat left on
  • 2½ pounds pork liver
  • 1 pound pork heart, trimmed of all veins and arteries
  • 2 tablespoons salt
  • 2 teaspoons turmeric
  • 4 tablespoons coarsely chopped garlic
  • 2 tablespoons scraped, coarsely chopped fresh ginger root
  • 2 tablespoons coriander seeds
  • 2 tablespoons cumin seeds
  • A 1½ -inch piece of stick cinnamon, wrapped in a kitchen towel and coarsely crushed with a rolling pin or mallet
  • 3 dried hot red chilies, each about 1½ inches long, washed and seeded
  • The seeds of 4 cardamom pods or ¼ teaspoon cardamom seeds
  • 10 whole cloves
  • 20 whole black peppercorns
  • 2 cups malt vinegar
  • 1/3 cup vegetable oil
  • 2 cups finely chopped onions
  • 1 teaspoon sugar

  • How To Cook:
    1. Combine the pork loin, pork liver, pork heart, salt and turmeric in a large casserole or kettle, and add enough cold water to cover the meat by at least 1 inch. Bring to a boil over high heat, reduce the heat to low, partially cover the casserole, and simmer for 1½ hours.

    2. Meanwhile combine the garlic, ginger root, coriander, cumin, cinnamon, chilies, cardamom, cloves, peppercorns and 1 cup of the malt vinegar in the jar of an electric blender. Blend at high speed for 1minute, then turn off the machine and scrape down the sides of the jar with a rubber spatula. Blend again until the mixture is reduced to a smooth puree.

    3. When the meat has cooked its allotted time, transfer the loin, heart and liver to a chopping board, and set the cooking liquid aside. With a large, sharp knife, trim the loin of all its fat. Cut the fat into ½ -inch cubes and set it aside. Then cut the trimmed pork loin, the liver and heart into similar ½ -inch cubes. Place the meat in a large bowl, pour the cooking liquid over it and set aside.

    4. Wash and dry the casserole or kettle thoroughly. Return it to moderate heat, pour in the vegetable oil and heat until a light haze forms above it. Add the onions and, stirring constantly, cook for 3 minutes, until they wilt slightly. Drop in the pork fat and continue to stir for 5 minutes, or until the onions become soft and transparent but not brown.

    5. Add the pureed spices and cook briskly, still stirring, for about 10 minutes, until most of the liquid in the pan has evaporated and the mixture is thick enough to leave the sides of the casserole in a solid mass. Stir in the meat and all the cooking liquid, bring to a boil over high heat, reduce the heat to low and cover tightly.

    6. Simmer for 30 minutes, add the remaining 1 cup of vinegar and the sugar, and bring to a boil again. Remove the pan from the heat and, still covered, cool to room temperature. Transfer the sorpotel to the refrigerator and let it marinate, covered, for at least 2 or 3 days before serving. (If you like, it can safely be kept in the refrigerator for 5 or 6 weeks without deteriorating. In fact, the longer it marinates, the better its flavor.)

    7. To serve, return the casserole to moderate heat and, stirring frequently, cook until the sorpotel is thoroughly heated through.


     
     
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