1-First, gather your ingredients and start by toasting the spices. Heat a dry pan over medium heat and add the 6 cardamom seeds, 6 black peppercorns, 6 whole cloves, 5 seeded dried red chilies, 2½ teaspoons cumin seeds, and 2½ teaspoons coriander seeds for about 30 seconds until fragrant. Grind them finely, then blend with the 5 cm piece of peeled fresh ginger, 4 cloves of peeled garlic, 3 tablespoons malt or red wine vinegar, 1 teaspoon sugar, and salt to create the marinade.

2-Next, marinate the 1 kg of trimmed pork shoulder or neck in this mixture for at least 2 hours or overnight to boost flavors. This step tenderizes the meat and infuses it with the spicy, tangy notes. Once marinated, heat 1 tablespoon of vegetable oil in a pan and sear the pork pieces for about 2 minutes on each side to lock in juices.

3-Then, in the same pan, add 2 tablespoons of vegetable oil and cook the 2 large thinly sliced onions along with 2 cloves of chopped garlic on medium-low heat for about 10 minutes until soft. Return the pork and reserved marinade to the pan, stirring in 4 tablespoons tomato purée, another 3 tablespoons malt or red wine vinegar, 1 teaspoon mild or medium chili powder, 1½ teaspoons ground turmeric, and 2 long cinnamon sticks. Add 400 ml of water, cover, and cook on very low heat for 1½ to 2 hours, stirring occasionally, until the pork is tender and falls apart. The total prep time is around 3 hours plus marinating, making it ideal for meal planning.