Coconut Pork Stew With Garam Masala

Melissa ClarkYield 8 servings

Coconut milk adds richness and a gentle creamy sweetness to this hearty pork stew, while garam masala, cumin, and cayenne add fragrance and a jolt of spice. Because yellow split peas are cooked along with the pork, you don’t necessarily need to serve this over another starch, making it a warming one-pot meal. However, a side of rice will tame the heat if you’re looking for a slightly mellower meal. And if you want to cool this down even further, substitute mild chiles for the hot ones called for in the garlic coconut oil.

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Ingredients

For the stew:

2 ½ pounds boneless pork butt (fat trimmed), or pork stew meat, cut into 1 1/2-inch pieces
2 teaspoons ground cumin
1 ½ teaspoons kosher salt, more to taste
1 ½ teaspoons garam masala
½ teaspoon cayenne
½ cup dried yellow split peas
2 ½ tablespoons coconut oil
1 large yellow onion, finely chopped
1 cinnamon stick
6 cloves garlic, minced
1 serrano or jalapeño pepper, minced
1 26- to 28-ounce can or package diced tomatoes
1 cup coconut milk, solids and liquid whisked together
Chopped cilantro, for garnish

For the garlic-coconut oil, for serving:

⅓ cup coconut oil
1 teaspoon mustard seeds
6 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
3 hot red or green chiles, halved lengthwise, seeds scraped out with a spoon

Preparation

Step 1
In a large bowl, combine the pork with the cumin, salt, garam masala and cayenne. Cover and refrigerate overnight.
Step 2
Cover the split peas with boiling water to cover by 2 inches, and let soak overnight. Drain.
Step 3
Heat oven to 325 degrees.
Step 4
Heat oil in large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add onion and sauté for 8 minutes, or until tender and golden brown. Add cinnamon stick, garlic and jalapeño. Saute for 5 minutes, until the jalapeño is tender. Add the pork and any juices from the bowl and sauté until lightly browned all over, about 7 minutes.
Step 5
Stir in tomatoes, split peas and coconut milk and season with more salt, to taste. The pork should just be covered by liquid. If it’s not, add a little water until it is. Bring to a simmer over high heat.
Step 6
Once the mixture is simmering briskly, cover Dutch oven, and place in oven for 2 to 2 1/2 hours, or until split peas are tender and pork is falling apart and cooked through.
Step 7
Meanwhile, prepare the garlic coconut oil: In a small saucepan, heat oil over medium heat. Add mustard seeds. Once they begin popping, add garlic and chiles, and fry until edges of garlic turn golden brown. Immediately remove pan from heat and reserve. (Do not allow entire garlic cloves to brown or they will taste bitter.)
Step 8
Serve warm, drizzled with garlic coconut oil and garnished with chopped cilantro.