Angamaly Diaries should have come with a statutory warning : The film will leave you Hungry. Watching the movie recently, I was left, not just with hunger pangs, but with a strong craving for pork. And how can you not when food is mentioned, or a pork dish shown, every few minutes? I can almost hear the sizzle of the pork in the wok and the aromas from the dish wafting through the air while watching the film.
One of the most widely consumed meat around the world, it’s still tough to find restaurants that serve it in the city. In fact, social media sees many a person enquiring where one can find pork dishes. But now, this meat is gradually popping up in various avatars on menus as homechefs, getting a whiff of a business opportunity, are cashing in on the rising popularity for this protein. And while naadan preparations of the pork is what is popular amongst diners, Goan, Chinese and Continental versions of this meat too find takers.
Suchitra Reghuram of Nexus Kitchen is perhaps one of the first to introduce an eclectic array of pork dishes to her customers. This homecook who loves experimenting in the kitchen serves mostly Oriental versions of the meat. There is Sichuan pork, honey glazed sesame fried pork, terriyaki pork, spicy Thai pork...
Says Suchitra: “My family and I love pork. Friends who have tried my pork dishes encouraged me to start selling them as there were just a few places selling pork in the city.” While at first she started with naadan preparations, she gradually introduced Chinese pork recipes. “I am fond of Chinese food and I decided to test the market by adding two or three Chinese pork dishes on the menu. It clicked and I have since introduced a few Thai pork dishes too.” The innovative cook now has 30 to 35 pork recipes on her list and plans to add to it.
Former Border Security Force officer Chandran Nair didn’t expect his post on Facebook of a pork dish he had prepared to receive several hundred likes. “I started by serving the dish during the weekends but as requests kept pouring in throughout the week, I am now more or less glued to the stove. Even foreigners residing in the city order my dish.” When at first he used to offer a side of tapioca with his pork dish, now, it’s just pork. “I find it tough to prepare both,” says Chandran, who adds that on some days he cooks up to four-and-a- half kg of pork.
Mahesh Kumar of Mahansas added pork to his menu when he noticed that there was a dearth of pork dishes in the city. “Apart from a handful of star hotels, only roadside shacks served pork and that too just one variety - chilli pork. Most are also wary of buying pork from such vendors,” says Mahesh, whose grilled pork chops and pork tenderloin have faithful takers. Mahesh, who will be opening a restaurant on the Ambalamukku-Kowdiar road, says pork will definitely feature in his menu.
The aroma and flavours of fresh ground spices is perhaps what leads customers to Madonna Sarkar and Swapna Rakesh. While Madonna relies on her sense of smell and taste while preparing her famous Andhra chilli pork and Coorgi pork, Swapna relies on her mom’s time-tested recipe for chilli pork. Says Swapna: “My mom uses crushed chilli flakes to lend her dish that fiery touch. Fresh spices are stone ground and added as rub for the meat. I cook the meat in earthen vessels.”
While some buy fresh pork, others rely on frozen cuts as fresh pork is not easily available. A few homechefs such as Mahesh and Suchitra home deliver their dishes so that the food arrives piping hot at their customer’s doorstep. The clientèle, say the chefs, is diverse, coming from all age groups and from various walks of life. “Some buy my dish out of curiosity; they have never had pork before. Most however, are meat lovers who want to add another protein to their menu. I also get requests for pickled pork from those travelling abroad; gifts for their loved ones,” says Swapna.
Weekend is when they receive a large number of orders, say the chefs. “I guess the weekend is when one can relax and enjoy one’s meal,”says Suchitra. So, did they notice a demand in pork dishes after the release of Angamaly Diaries? “Erm, I think the demand has been strong right from the start,” says Suchitra who began serving pork four years ago.
So, did I manage to satiate my craving for pork? “Burp...”, I guess that says it all.