Garo Wak
Garo-style pork curry from the western hills of Meghalaya — pork cooked in a simple broth of dried red chilli, ginger, onion, and local herbs with no masala or coconut, reflecting the Garo culinary tradition of allowing the natural fat and flavour of the pig to dominate. Eaten with rice or kapa at every Garo meal.
Cuisines
Meghalayan
Best for
Lunch
Dinner
Recipe
Prep: 15 min
Cook: 40 min
Total: 55 min
2-3 servings
Ingredients
| 500 grams | pork belly, cut into cubes |
| 1 tablespoon | black sesame seeds |
| 1 tablespoon | ginger, finely chopped |
| 1 tablespoon | garlic, finely chopped |
| 2 cups | water |
| 1 | salt to taste |
| 2 | green chilies, slit |
| 1 | bay leaf |
| 1 | small onion, chopped |
Instructions
- 1 Dry roast the black sesame seeds in a pan until they start to pop and become fragrant. Let them cool and then grind them into a fine powder.
- 2 In a pot, add the pork belly cubes and water. Bring to a boil.
- 3 Add the chopped ginger, garlic, bay leaf, and chopped onion to the pot.
- 4 Reduce the heat to a simmer and let it cook for about 30 minutes, or until the pork is tender.
- 5 Add the ground black sesame seeds, salt, and slit green chilies to the pot.
- 6 Stir well and let it cook for another 10 minutes, allowing the flavors to meld together.
- 7 Remove from heat and serve hot.
Tips
For a richer flavor, you can add a dash of fermented bamboo shoot.