Tender venison and pork belly, marinated and simmered in a rich, aromatic curry infused with spices – cardamom, cinnamon, and garam masala. Paired with buttery, spiced pilau rice and a fresh coriander garnish, this dish is a comforting blend of bold flavours and hearty textures.
Preparation time
overnight
Cooking time
1 to 2 hours
Serves
Serves 6
By Tony Singh
From Saturday Kitchen
This dish contains lean venison and vegetables, but also includes higher-fat pork belly and butter. The spices offer potential health benefits, but the overall calorie and fat content is moderate. (nutri-score)
Equipment
- Large bowl for marinating
- Large lidded saucepan
- Another large lidded saucepan for rice
- Measuring spoons and cups
- Grater
- Chopping board and knife
- Wooden spoon or spatula
Ingredients
For the marinated meat:
- Venison: 500g/1lb 2oz, cut into bite-sized pieces
- Pork belly: 250g/9oz, cut into small chunks
- Plain yoghurt: 2 tbsp
- Ground turmeric: 1 tsp
- Red chilli powder: 1 tsp
- Salt: 1 tsp
- Lemon juice: 1 tbsp
For the curry:
- Vegetable oil: 2 tbsp
- Black cardamom pods: 6, lightly crushed
- Cinnamon stick: 1 (about 5–7.5cm/2–3in)
- Cloves: 4
- Cumin seeds: 2 tsp
- Large onion: 1, finely chopped
- Fresh root ginger: 10cm/4in piece, peeled and grated
- Garlic cloves: 8, grated
- Chopped tomatoes: 1/2 x 400g tin
- Garam masala: 2 tsp
- Ground turmeric: ½ tsp
- Red chilli powder: 1 tsp, or to taste
- Smoked paprika: 1 tsp
- Salt: to taste
- Fresh coriander leaves: 1 tbsp, chopped, for garnish
For the spiced pilau rice:
- Vegetable oil: 2 tbsp
- Cumin seeds: 1 tsp
- Green cardamom pods: 4
- Cinnamon stick: 1 (about 5cm/2in)
- Bay leaf: 1
- Large onion: 1, chopped
- Garlic cloves: 2, crushed
- Basmati rice: 300g/10½oz
- Chicken stock: 500ml/18fl oz
- Unsalted butter: 125g/4½oz, cubed
- Salt: to taste
- Fresh coriander leaves: 1 tbsp, chopped, for garnish
Method
Marinate the meat:
- Combine all marinated meat ingredients in a large bowl.
- Mix well and marinate for at least 1 hour, or overnight for deeper flavour.
Prepare the curry:
- Heat oil in a large lidded saucepan over medium heat.
- Sizzle whole spices for 1 minute until fragrant.
- Add onion and cook until golden brown (7-8 minutes).
- Add ginger and garlic, fry for 2 minutes.
- Add tomatoes, cook for 2 minutes, then add 200ml water.
- Cover and cook until oil separates from the mixture.
- Stir in ground spices and add marinated meat.
- Add water to cover meat, cook on low heat for 40-50 minutes.
- Adjust water and seasoning as needed.
Make the pilau rice:
- Heat oil in another large lidded saucepan over medium heat.
- Sizzle cumin seeds, then add other whole spices.
- Add onion and cook until golden brown (7-8 minutes).
- Add garlic and fry for 1-2 minutes.
- Stir in rice, coating grains well.
- Add stock and salt, bring to boil, then reduce heat.
- Cover and cook for 12-15 minutes until rice is tender.
- Turn off heat, add butter, cover for 5 minutes.
- Fluff rice with a fork.
Serve:
- Garnish curry and rice with coriander leaves.
- Serve immediately.
Nutri-score Health Check
This recipe receives a Nutri-score of C (Moderately healthy). The dish combines lean venison, which is high in protein and low in saturated fat, with vegetables and aromatic spices that offer potential health benefits. However, the inclusion of pork belly and butter increases the overall fat content. The rice provides complex carbohydrates, but the dish is relatively high in calories. To improve the score, consider using less pork belly and butter, and increasing the proportion of vegetables. The spices used may have anti-inflammatory properties and aid digestion.
This score has been automatically calculated from the ingredients in the recipe and is only a guide.
Recipe FAQ
- Can I use a different type of meat instead of venison? Yes, you could substitute with beef or lamb for a similar texture.
- Is this curry very spicy? The spice level is moderate, but you can adjust the chili powder to your taste.
- Can I make this dish ahead of time? Yes, the curry often tastes better the next day as flavours develop.
- What can I serve with this curry besides rice? Naan bread or chapatis would be great accompaniments.
- Can I freeze this curry? Yes, it freezes well. Cool completely before freezing and consume within 3 months.
- Is there a vegetarian version of this recipe? You could replace the meat with mixed vegetables or paneer for a vegetarian option.
- What if I can’t find black cardamom pods? Green cardamom pods can be used as a substitute, though the flavour will be slightly different.
- Can I use a slow cooker for this recipe? Yes, after browning the meat and onions, transfer to a slow cooker and cook on low for 6-8 hours.
- What type of yogurt is best for marinating? Full-fat plain yogurt works best for tenderizing the meat.
- Can I reduce the butter in the rice for a lighter version? Yes, you can reduce or omit the butter, though it will affect the richness of the dish.
