Recipe | Naga Pork Innards with King Chilli and Lemongrass

Today, we invite you to try another version of the beloved local delicacy – Pork Innards. Contributed by our friend Inali Jane from Nagaland, this dry version takes a little longer to cook, but it is easy to prepare. The combination of lemongrass and cherry tomatoes adds a unique flavor that gives off a fusion of East-Asian aromas. It’s a dish that anyone can try making, so let’s find out how to make it!

Photo: Pork Innards

Ingredients:

1 and 1/2 kg of pork innards consisting of heart, a portion of liver, intestines, gut, and spleen with fats attached.
Sichuan pepper (slightly toasted and grounded)
A handful of organic cherry tomatoes (you can use regular tomatoes as well)
1 fresh King Chili
4 chopped Lemongrass stems (1 used for garnishing)
Fresh Ginger Garlic paste
Salt to taste

Spice Ingredients (L-R clockwise): Fresh lemongrass, Sichuan pepper, fresh ginger, cherry tomatoes, garlic

Spice Ingredients to make pork innards

Directions to Cook (Cooking time: 60 – 80 mins)

Clean the innards thoroughly with hot water, and chop them into pieces.
Add the king chili, a small portion of the ginger garlic paste, and salt to the innards, and cook over medium flame. Do not add water as the innards would have gathered enough water during the cleaning process, which will come out as we cook.
Cook for 30-40 minutes. Stir occasionally.
As the innards start to boil and become tender, add cherry tomatoes and diced lemongrass.
Add the remaining ginger garlic paste along with ground Sichuan pepper and cook for another 30 minutes – or until it is fully cooked, and the spices well blended into the meat.
Finish off by adding some freshly ground Sichuan pepper. Crush the toasted pepper under your palms – directly over the curry just before turning off the gas.