Axone Pork
Pork belly or ribs slow-cooked with axone (akhuni) — fermented soybean paste — dried red chilli, ginger, and garlic until the fat renders and the pungent, umami-heavy axone coats every piece of meat. The single most important Naga flavour combination: the fermented soybean's sulphurous depth transforms fatty pork into something with no equivalent in mainland Indian cooking.
Cuisines
Naga
Best for
Lunch
Dinner
Recipe
Prep: 15 min
Cook: 45 min
Total: 60 min
2-3 servings
Ingredients
| 500 grams | pork belly |
| 100 grams | axone (fermented soybean) |
| 1 medium | onion, sliced |
| 2 cloves | garlic, minced |
| 1 inch | ginger, minced |
| 2 | green chilies, slit |
| 1 teaspoon | red chili powder |
| 1 teaspoon | turmeric powder |
| 1 cup | water |
| — | salt to taste |
Instructions
- 1 Cut the pork belly into bite-sized pieces and set aside.
- 2 In a pot, add the pork belly pieces and cook on medium heat until they start to release their fat.
- 3 Add the sliced onion, minced garlic, and ginger to the pot. Sauté until the onion becomes translucent.
- 4 Mix in the axone and stir well with the pork and onion mixture.
- 5 Add the slit green chilies, red chili powder, turmeric powder, and salt. Stir to combine.
- 6 Pour in the water and bring the mixture to a boil.
- 7 Lower the heat, cover, and let it simmer for about 30 minutes or until the pork is tender and the flavors have melded together.
- 8 Adjust seasoning as needed and serve hot with steamed rice.
Tips
For a smokier flavor, you can slightly roast the axone before adding it to the dish.