Easy Pork Chops

It's no secret that I'm very fond of pork. My first real exposure to pork beyond cold cuts was at a sizzler restaurant in Pune called The Place when I moved to Pune to study archaeology. This is where I discovered pork chops and I was in love! Pune was my first taste of independence where I only had to think of myself as far as meals were concerned and later, my husband who I was dating at that time. This is where I got really interested in cooking and with a willing and really well informed partner to guide me, I cooked a lot.

We would shop at the Khadki market which had an excellent pork and beef shop, and we ate a lot of both. But we mainly made curries and stews, not chops. K would cook chops in the later years in our home in Mumbai. He was 'famous' in the family for pork chops and cooked chops for everyone on occasion. With mounds of creamy mashed potatoes!

I was lucky to get good chops from our local pork shop recently and this time I thought of giving them a go myself. I got the chance when we were at home in isolation thanks to the corona virus pandemic and K was at hand to guide me through the process. The recipe is entirely his.

Easy Pork Chops

To cook the chops

4 pork chops
1 stick cinnamon
2 star anise
1 tsp pepper corns
1 tbsp dark brown sugar
2 tbsp apple cider vinegar
salt
water

For searing

Olive oil
Soy Sauce

In a pressure cooker add all the ingredients  to cook the chops with enough water - around a cup of water should be good. Set the chops to cook and once the cooker whistles lower the flame to the minimum possible and cook the chops under pressure for 10 minutes. If the cooker whistles in between that's fine. Switch off after 10 minutes and allow the cooker to cool on its own. The chops should be cooked through and perfect.

In a grill pan or regular frying pan heat a tablespoon or more of olive oil. Carefully lift out a cooked chop draining as much of the stock as possible and sear it in the pan. Pour soy sauce (a couple of teaspoons ) on the chop and then flip to sear the other side. Press down to sear properly.  Sear both sides nicely. The chops are already cooked, you're just adding colour and a nice bit of sear in this finishing step. Remove to a plate.  Do this with each chop individually and you're ready to serve.

To serve the chops you can make mashed potatoes or slow cooked potato wedges, and some boiled and buttered veggies. Make all this while the chops are cooking in the pressure cooker. Arrange nicely on a plate and serve with a flourish!