Simple Pork Curry with Coconut Milk
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Here’s a delicious, simple pork curry that you can have ready in 30 minutes, making this an easy weeknight meal! It’s a satisfying, comforting Indian-style recipe you’ll want to make whenever you crave a cosy meal. Delicious and satisfying, this dish has classic Indian flavors, a creamy texture, and tender, juicy pork tenderloin pieces.
Table of Contents
Why you’ll love this recipe
- Delicious textures – The juicy, tender pork loin pieces perfectly complement this dish’s rich, creamy pork curry sauce.
- Bold flavors – With delicious herbs and aromatics like mint, garlic, and ginger, expect a punch of flavour in every bite of this pork curry recipe.
- Quick and Easy – This yummy recipe only needs about 30 minutes, ten ingredients, and a few pantry staples.
- Includes hidden veggies – I’ve included kale and baby corn in this dish for extra nutrients. With the bold flavours in the sauce, you won’t even notice the veggies in there (perfect for picky kids!).
- Comforting – The deliciously decadent curry sauce makes this meal uber-cosy.
Try these other yummy curry recipes during the week: Chicken Katsu Curry, Easy Chicken Thigh Curry, or The Best Halloumi Curry
What is Pork Curry?
Pork curry is an Indian dish made with a delicious, creamy sauce, Indian spices/herbs, and pork pieces. It’s often served with naan, basmati rice, or another similar side that you can use to soak up the yummy curry sauce.
Best cut of pork for a curry
If you want a richer, more tender cut of pork, you can use shoulder. It has more fat, so it becomes quite tender when it cooks in curry sauce. Use pork tenderloin for a leaner, lighter recipe to help keep the calories down. Tenderloin has less fat yet still becomes deliciously tender as it cooks.
Working with Indian Spices
If you’ve never worked with Indian spices before, using the spices’ bold flavours in dishes may be intimidating. The tips below will ensure your pork curry comes out to your preferences.
What if it is too spicy?
Don’t fret if your curry pork is too spicy. You can always add a dollop of yoghurt to the curry to help cool it down. Eating it with naan and rice will also help remove some heat.
What if there is not enough spice?
If the opposite is true, you can always add more curry seasoning. That’s where the heat comes from in this recipe. Add some cayenne pepper to the curry if it’s still not hot enough.
Is curry powder a substitute for all the Indian spices in this dish?
While curry powder has quite a few of the Indian spices already, the recipe wouldn’t be the same without the other herbs/spices. For example, turmeric helps give the curry a pretty colour and provides a peppery, earthy taste. If possible, try to get the other herbs/spices. If you can’t, curry powder can be used in a pinch.
Ingredients
Pork Loins – Pork roast helps keep this pork curry lower in calories. You can also use lamb, chicken, pork belly, or paneer in this recipe.
Kale – I included kale in this dish since it’s chock full of nutrients. If you prefer other veggies like broccoli or carrots, use those instead.
Curry Powder – Those sensitive to spices can make homemade curry powder to have on hand. This allows you to adjust the heat and amount of spices in the mixture.
See the recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.
Variations/ Adaptations
Here are a few ways to adjust this easy pork curry to your liking! For one, you can swap out the pork loins with paneer or tofu to make it vegetarian. You’ll also need to use vegetable stock instead of chicken broth. You can swap out coconut milk with heavy cream if you have nut allergies. It will provide an equally delicious, rich curry sauce.
Those who enjoy complex, savoury tastes can add soy sauce or fish sauce to this Indian pork curry to create an umami-rich taste. Start with ½ tablespoon and add more as needed.
How to make pork curry with coconut milk
- Start by finely slicing the onions and grating the ginger (Image 1).
- Then slice the pork loins into rectangular bit size pieces and chop the garlic cloves (Image 2).
3. To a large non-stick frying pan, add the onion and fresh ginger into the pan with the olive oil. Season with salt and pepper and cook over a low heat until fragrant, for around 5 minutes (Image 3).
4. Next, add the garlic and spices into the pan (Image 4).
*During this time, add your rice to cook, following packet instructions.
5. Gently cook the onions and ginger for a further 2 minutes to cook the garlic and bloom the spices (Image 5).
6. Pour the coconut milk and stock into the pan and increase the heat to a low (very low) simmer. Add the pork loins and baby corn into the pan and cover with a lid. Set your timer for 10 minutes (Image 6).
7. After 10 minutes, remove the lid and add half of the kale and cornflour slurry (steam the other half of the kale over the rice to serve as a side). Cook until thickened and season with a pinch of salt and pepper (Image 7).
8. Serve with a portion of rice, steamed kale and a few ladles of pork curry. Top with fresh mint and a squeeze of lime juice. If you love a little kick, add a pinch of chilli flakes (Image 8).
These cosy curry recipes are great for vegetarians: Grilled Aubergine Curry, Vegan Cashew Curry, or Lentil & Chickpea Curry.
Tips for the best result
Avoid overcooking the meat
When making pork curry recipes, properly cooking the meat is the key to a great dish. If you overcook the pork, you’ll be left with dry, tough pieces. Ensure you follow the below directions on timing to create juicy pork pieces.
Be sure to tweak the seasonings to your liking so the curry is not too spicy or flavourful for your tastes You want to adjust the seasoning to fit your preferences when making pork curry. If you know you have a low spice tolerance, start with a smaller amount of curry seasoning and add more slowly. Likewise, if you enjoy spicier recipes, you’ll want to add more curry powder, cayenne, or curry paste. For a slightly sweeter, more complex taste, add garam masala at the end.
Allow the curry to simmer long enough to become creamy
It’s necessary to let the curry simmer long enough for it to thicken. Otherwise, you’ll have a thin curry sauce.
Use Leftover Pork Tenderloin for an even faster weeknight meal
If you’ve purchased a larger tenderloin (or 2-3 loins), you can cook it via other methods for easier weeknight meals. If you toss extra loin into the curry, get creative with it. For example, consider making a pork curry sandwich or serving it over pasta.
How to Serve
Once you have your pork curry ready to eat, you can serve it a few ways. Commonly, you’ll see it with basmati rice or naan. You can also include other Indian dishes along with curry, like samosas and chutneys. Or, make it more nutrient-rich with a salad on the side.
Make Ahead, Storage, Reheat Instructions
If you want to make this pork curry ahead of time, prepare it according to the instructions. Then, allow it to cool completely. Store it in an airtight container and keep it in the freezer for up to three months. When you’re ready to enjoy the pork curry, allow it to thaw overnight in the fridge. Then, heat it in a pan on the stove until it’s heated through.
You can keep leftover pork curry in the fridge for up to four days. Ensure it cools fully before storing it in an airtight container. You can also reheat curry in the microwave, but you’ll want to cover it so it doesn’t splatter.
FAQs
Yes, you can use different meat for this pork curry. Instead of tenderloin, you can use other cuts of pork like shoulder. Or, swap out the pork for chicken breast, paneer, lamb, etc.
If your curry comes out thin, you can thicken it with a cornstarch slurry. Simply mix cornflour with water until it’s clump-free. Then, add the slurry to the curry and let it simmer for a few minutes.
If you want a heartier recipe without using meat, add sweet potatoes, cauliflower, mushrooms, broccoli, or chickpeas.
You can absolutely make this curry in an instant pot or slow cooker. You’ll need to adjust the time accordingly for this variation.
If you need inspiration, here are some other main dinner for you to try ; Chicken and Mushroom Pasta, Easy Tomato Tuna Pasta Bake and Spicy Chicken Pasta Recipe
Explore More Recipes
If you tried this Simple Pork Curry with Coconut Milk recipe, it would be mean so much to me if you could leave a review & a star rating to let me know how you found it! I love hearing about your experiences – it motivates me to keep creating more and more recipes for you guys 💛 Let’s get cooking! – Mimi x
Simple Pork Curry with Coconut Milk
Ingredients
- 2 small white onions/1 large, finely diced (£0.95/3)=(£0.32)
- 1.5 tbsp fresh ginger, peeled and finely grated (£0.60)
- 5 cloves of garlic, finely chopped (£0.39)
- 400 ml coconut milk (£0.75)
- 4 pork loins, sliced into chunks (£3.60)
- 350 g rice (£0.54)
- 150 g kale, washed & tough stems removed (£0.65)
- 145 g baby corn, sliced into thin chunks (£1.35)
- Fresh mint, torn to serve (£0.60)
- 1 lime, sliced into wedges to serve (£0.25)
Cupboard Essentials
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 tsp turmeric
- 1 tbsp curry powder
- 400 ml chicken stock
- 2 tbsp cornflour (+ 3 tbsp cold water)
Method
- To a large non-stick frying pan, add the onion and fresh ginger and the olive oil. Season with salt and pepper and cook over a low heat until fragrant, for around 5 minutes.
- Next, add the garlic and spices into the pan. Gently cook for a further 2 minutes to cook the garlic and bloom the spices. During this time, add your rice to cook, following the packet instructions.
- Pour the coconut milk and stock into the pan and increase the heat to a low (very low) simmer. Add the pork loins and baby corn into the pan and cover with a lid. Set your timer for 10 minutes.
- After 10 minutes, remove the lid and add half of the kale and cornflour slurry while steaming the other half of the kale over the rice to serve as a side. Cook until thickened and season with a pinch of salt and pepper.
- Serve with a portion of rice, steamed kale and a few ladles of pork curry. Top with fresh mint and a squeeze of lime juice. If you love a little kick, add a pinch of chilli flakes.
Notes
- Avoid overcooking pork in curry to prevent dry and tough texture.
- Adjust seasonings to personal preference; start with less for lower spice tolerance and add gradually for more heat.
- Simmer the curry sufficiently for a creamy consistency; don't rush, or the sauce may remain thin.
- Utilise leftover pork tenderloin for quick weeknight meals; experiment with variations like a pork curry sandwich or serving over pasta.
Nutrition
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