Red Whiskey Pork Curry Recipe

By Richard Thomas

Red whiskey port curry on rice
(Credit: Richard Thomas)

Malt whiskey, pork and curry is an idea that ought to put a smile on the face of any self-respecting Briton (and more than a few Goans as well). Two ideas define this recipe. One is my belief of long standing that the meat that goes best with whiskey is pork. This is not to say that whiskey cannot be made to work with beef, chicken, or lamb (I’ve made it work even for duck before), but pork is the best match.

The other is the best curry for whiskey is a creamy, Thai-style coconut milk curry. As I discovered with my mushroom, cream, and scotch sauce, thick, creamy liquids do a superb job of capturing the whiskey and preventing it all from evaporating on the stove.

Ingredients
1 lbs (0.5 kg) pork tenderloin
1 medium-sized onion
2 cloves of garlic
Vegetable oil
Grated ginger root or powder
Garam Masala
15 oz. (440 ml) can or jar of coconut milk
15 oz. (440 ml) can of diced tomatoes
Red curry paste
1 or 2 shots (90 ml) whiskey

Peel and dice up the onion and garlic, and then chop up the pork into bite-sized chunks. Put a little oil into the pot (I often use a stainless steel wok-like pot for making curries), and saute the onion and garlic for a few minutes. Add the pork chunks, 1 tsp of grated ginger root or ginger powder, and 2 tsps of Garam Masala. Let that cook with periodic stirring for about five minutes.

Drain the pot of the juice and fat, and then add the can of tomatoes and the coconut milk. Also add the red curry paste. 1 tbs is enough for a moderately hot red curry, but you will need more if you prefer something more incendiary. Bring to a boil, and then reduce the heat to leave the pot to simmer for 15 minutes. Add the malt whiskey, stir, and cook for another few minutes. Serve over white rice.

I prefer malt whiskey for this recipe, because I think the maltiness meshes best with the coconut milk. That makes a cheap vatted malt scotch or American malt the best choice for this recipe.