Pork Bafat

Name: Pork Bafat
Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 45 min
Total time: 75 min
Yield: 2-3 servings
Cuisine: Mangalorean
Ingredients: 500 grams pork, cut into cubes; 2 tablespoons bafat powder; 1 teaspoon turmeric powder; 1 teaspoon vinegar; 2 tablespoons oil; 1 large onion, finely chopped; 2 cloves garlic, minced; 1 inch ginger, minced; 2 cups water; salt to taste

Mangalorean Catholic pork curry made with bafat powder — a proprietary spice blend of dried red chillies, coriander, peppercorns, and turmeric — slow-cooked with vinegar and onion until the pork is tender and the gravy dark and complex. Every family has their own bafat masala recipe, passed across generations.

Cuisines

Mangalorean

Best for

Lunch Dinner

Recipe

Prep: 30 min Cook: 45 min Total: 75 min 2-3 servings

Ingredients

500 grams	pork, cut into cubes
2 tablespoons	bafat powder
1 teaspoon	turmeric powder
1 teaspoon	vinegar
2 tablespoons	oil
1 large	onion, finely chopped
2 cloves	garlic, minced
1 inch	ginger, minced
2 cups	water
—	salt to taste

Instructions

1 In a bowl, marinate the pork with bafat powder, turmeric powder, vinegar, and salt. Set aside for 30 minutes.
2 Heat oil in a pan over medium heat.
3 Add chopped onions and sauté until golden brown.
4 Add minced garlic and ginger, and sauté until fragrant.
5 Add the marinated pork to the pan and cook until the meat is browned on all sides.
6 Pour in water, cover the pan, and let it simmer on low heat for about 30-40 minutes or until the pork is tender.
7 Adjust seasoning with salt if needed.
8 Serve hot with rice or bread.

Tips

For a more authentic taste, prepare your own bafat powder by grinding a mix of dried red chilies, coriander seeds, cumin seeds, peppercorns, and turmeric.