Pork belly with tamarind curry

Ingredients for 4 servings:

• 800 g pork belly with rind
• 2 tbsp coriander seeds
• 1 tsp cumin
• 3 chili peppers, finely chopped
• 4 clove(s) garlic, chopped
• 6 shallots
• 4 coriander roots
• 30 g ginger
• 60 g palm sugar, alternatively brown sugar
• 60 g Ketjap Manis
• 100 g Thai basil, from the jar
• 1 tsp peanut oil
• 120 g tamarind paste
• 1 stalk of lemongrass
• 400 ml coconut milk

Instructions

Working time approx. 30 minutes; Cooking/baking time approx. 3 hours; Total time approx. 3 hours 30 minutes

Place the pork belly, rind-side down, in a sufficiently large roasting pan, pour hot water up to about the middle of the meat, and braise, covered, in an oven preheated to 140°C (284°F) for one and a half hours. Then remove the meat, cut into bite-sized pieces, season with salt and pepper, and roast on a rack at 120°C (248°F) for another hour. The internal temperature should be at least 65°C (149°F). Ten to twenty minutes before serving, grill it until crispy at 220°C (428°F). For the curry, first roast the cumin and coriander without fat until fragrant. Peel and roughly chop the shallots, garlic, and ginger. Combine everything in a food processor with coriander root, palm sugar, Thai basil, ketjap manis, chili, tamarind paste, and a little peanut oil until smooth. If necessary, you can also use an immersion blender. If the mixture is too dry, add a little water. Cook the curry mixture with the pounded lemongrass in a deep pan or wok over high heat for five to six minutes. Then add the coconut milk and cook for another five minutes until the sauce has thickened sufficiently. Serve the hot curry with several pieces of pork belly and plenty of rice.