Pumpkin & Pork Fry ~ Naga Style

Fall is here!! What can be more fallish than Pumpkin! I love pumpkin, it could be a cake, or a curry ~ i simply, truly, love this plump goodness. 

Today's recipe is all about using the extra block of pork fat that you sometimes are left with after you've trimmed your pork meat for a curry. The combination of pumpkin and pork is a really good marriage of flavors, and when you add fermented bamboo shoot to it..it's Christmas every time you have it.

Here's the detailed recipe. Hope you're encouraged to to try this combination ~ Happy Fall!!

Ingredients:

500 gms – Sweet Pumpkin, diced

200 gms – Port Fat

2 – Medium sized Onions, diced

¼ Cup – Fermented Bamboo Shoots

10 or more – Dried red Chilies, chopped in half

½ Tsp – Red Chili powder

6-8 – Garlic cloves

Salt to taste

Method:

In a deep frying pan, on high heat, render the pork fat till you get the required amount of oil from it for cooking this dish. Take out the now lightly browned fat with a slotted spoon, and keep it aside.

In this oil, toss in the diced onions, the red chilies, and fry for a minute or two. Then, add the diced pumpkin, pork fat, fermented bamboo shoot, and red chilies. Give it a good stir and cook it covered on high heat, stirring once in a while till the pumpkin begins to soften.  Reduce heat to simmer, add the smashed garlic, and cook till the pork fat is cooked through and tender.

Once done, serve it with hot rice and some dried fish or eromba chutney.

Note: If you can find pumpkin with a "green skin," you want to pick that up. And, you know the pork fat is cooked when the fork run right through when you poke it.