Sri Lankan · lunch, dinner

Sri Lankan Black Pork Curry

Sri Lankan Black Pork Curry — from Ceylon Kitchen's cooking video Watch how it’s made · 5:04

Video by Ceylon Kitchen on YouTube · Open on YouTube

75 minServes 4538 kcal a serve
  • Keto (8.9 g net carbs a serve)
  • Gluten-free ingredients
  • Dairy-free
  • Nut-free

Contains: none of the common allergens in the listed ingredients. Check labels on stock, sauces and spice mixes.

A high-protein, low-carb curry (about 9 g net carbs a serve) built on pork and whole spices, rich in selenium, zinc and vitamin B6; its dark colour comes from roasted spices, not sugar.

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Ingredients 22

Method

Tap a time to watch that step in the video.

  1. Mix the cubed pork with the ginger-garlic paste, 1 tbsp curry powder, 1 tbsp roasted curry powder, 1 tbsp chilli powder, the pepper, turmeric and 1½ tsp salt. Cover and leave for at least 20 minutes. 0:22
  2. Heat the oil in a clay pot or heavy pan. Fry the mustard seeds, fenugreek and cumin for about 30 seconds, then add the crushed cardamom and cloves, cinnamon, lemongrass, pandan and curry leaves. 1:20
  3. Add the onion and green chillies and stir-fry for 2–3 minutes. Stir in the remaining 1 tsp roasted curry powder and 1 tsp chilli powder and keep stirring for 1 minute. 2:08
  4. Add the marinated pork and stir-fry for several minutes until it browns all over, then cover and cook for 5 minutes on medium heat. 2:50
  5. Add the goraka and enough water to just cover. Cover and cook for 15–20 minutes, stir, then cover and cook 10 minutes more on medium until the pork is tender and the sauce dark and thick. Season with 1 tsp salt, or to taste. 3:28

Tip. Serves 4 (our estimate from 750 g pork). Goraka is dried garcinia from Sri Lankan grocers; a little tamarind works instead. Like most black curries it tastes better the next day; serve with rice or string hoppers.

The method is a summary in our words — the video shows every step.

One serve gives you 1 of 4

Energy538 kcal2,250 kJ
Protein35 g71% of a day
Fibre5.1 g18% of a day
Carbohydrate14 g8.9 g net · 3.5 g sugars5% of a day
Fat38 g12 g saturated49% of a day
Sodium1,560 mg68% of a day

Where the energy comes from one serve

  • Net carbs 7%
  • Protein 27%
  • Fat 66%

Fits keto: 8.9 g net carbs a serve, with 66% of the energy from fat.

One serve has about 68% of a day’s sodium. Use less salt, stock or sauce, or a reduced-salt version, to bring it down.

Vitamins & minerals % of a day, one serve · tap for more

Selenium High92%

51 µg a serve, mostly from pork (93%). Part of the body's antioxidant enzymes and needed for thyroid hormones. Seafood, eggs, meat and Brazil nuts are rich sources.

Zinc High53%

5.8 mg a serve, mostly from pork (89%). Needed for immunity, wound healing, taste and growth. Meat, seafood, legumes, seeds and whole grains supply it.

Omega-3 High49%

0.8 g a serve, mostly from oil (78%). Omega-3 fats support the heart and brain. Oily fish give EPA and DHA; walnuts, flax, chia and canola give ALA, which the body converts only a little.

Vitamin B12 High47%

1.1 µg a serve, mostly from pork (100%). Keeps nerves and blood cells healthy. Found almost only in animal foods and fortified foods (some plant milks, nutritional yeast), so vegans need a reliable source.

Vitamin B6 High38%

0.6 mg a serve, mostly from pork (63%). Helps turn food into energy and make brain messengers. Chickpeas, fish, poultry, potatoes and bananas are good sources.

Iron High25%

4.5 mg a serve, mostly from pork (41%). Carries oxygen in your blood. Iron from plants absorbs better with vitamin C in the same meal — lemon, tomato or capsicum.

Vitamin E High23%

3.4 mg a serve, mostly from oil (35%). An antioxidant that protects cell membranes. Nuts, seeds and plant oils such as olive oil are the main sources.

Potassium Source16%

730 mg a serve, mostly from pork (63%). Balances sodium to help control blood pressure and keeps muscles and nerves working. Beans, potatoes, leafy greens and fruit are rich sources.

Magnesium Source14%

58 mg a serve, mostly from pork (43%). Takes part in hundreds of reactions — energy, muscles, nerves, blood sugar and bones. Nuts, seeds, legumes and whole grains are good sources.

Vitamin K Source13%

16 µg a serve, mostly from oil (31%). Needed for blood clotting and bones. Leafy greens and herbs are very rich in it. If you take warfarin, keep your intake steady and talk to your doctor.

Vitamin C Source11%

9.8 mg a serve, mostly from onions (42%). An antioxidant needed for collagen, immunity and iron absorption. Long cooking destroys some, so raw herbs, citrus and capsicum help.

Vitamin D Source11%

2.1 µg a serve, mostly from pork (100%). Helps you absorb calcium for bones and supports muscles. Few foods have much — oily fish, eggs, UV-exposed mushrooms, fortified milks. Sunlight is the main source.

Show the other 3
Calcium8%

106 mg a serve, mostly from pork (32%). Builds bones and teeth and helps muscles and nerves work. Dairy, calcium-set tofu, sardines with their bones and some greens supply it.

Vitamin A7%

63 µg a serve, mostly from chilli powder (88%). Keeps eyes, skin and the immune system healthy. Orange vegetables and dark greens give beta-carotene, which the body turns into vitamin A.

Folate7%

30 µg a serve, mostly from onions (36%). Needed to make DNA and new cells — especially important before and in early pregnancy. Legumes and leafy greens are rich sources.

Estimated from the ingredient list with USDA FoodData Central values; % of a day uses the food-label daily values. How this works

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Recipe and video by Ceylon Kitchen; the method summary, nutrition estimate and diet notes are Notbroken’s. General information about food, not dietary advice.