Pulled pork roti parcels with curry gravy

The cook

1. 01

   Step 1SORT THE FIRE

   Set up a kettle or kamado for indirect cooking at 125°C, with a drip tray beneath the pork position. Use charcoal and add two small chunks of applewood to the lit section. Let the fire settle and the thick white smoke clear before the meat goes on.

2. 02

   Step 2RUB AND SMOKE

   Mix the salt, sugar, paprika, cumin, coriander and pepper, then rub all over the shoulder. Put the pork above the drip tray, away from direct heat, and close the lid. Smoke for 4–5 hours, until the bark is dark and firmly set; the centre will usually be around 70–75°C. Don’t wrap just because the thermometer says so. That crust needs to earn its place.

3. 03

   Step 3WRAP UNTIL TENDER

   Place the pork on a double layer of strong foil, add the 100 ml water around it and seal tightly. Return to the barbecue at 125°C for another 3–4 hours. Start checking at 93°C: it is ready around 93–96°C when a probe slides into several places with almost no resistance. Allow 7–9 hours for the shoulder overall, with extra time in hand if it is stubborn.

4. 04

   Step 4MAKE THE DOUGH

   During the final hour of smoking, mix the flour and salt, then add the warm water and 30 ml oil. Knead for 8–10 minutes until smooth and supple. Divide into 12 equal balls, coat lightly with some of the remaining oil and cover. Rest at room temperature for at least 60 minutes. Relaxed dough stretches thin; impatient dough fights back.

5. 05

   Step 5REST THE PORK

   Once tender, open the foil for 10 minutes to release the fiercest heat, then reseal and rest in an insulated cool box for another 50 minutes. Keep the meat above 63°C if holding it longer. This hour gives the juices time to settle and frees you up to finish the gravy and set up the plancha.

6. 06

   Step 6BUILD THE GRAVY

   Heat the gravy oil in a saucepan and soften the onion over a medium heat for 10–12 minutes. Add the garlic and ginger for 2 minutes, then stir in the curry powder, tomato purée and flour for 1 minute. Gradually whisk in the stock and simmer gently for 15–20 minutes, stirring, until smooth and dunkable. Add the lime juice and salt to taste. Loosen with a splash of water if it gets too thick.

7. 07

   Step 7PULL AND DRAIN

   Lift the rested pork from its juices and shred, discarding any large pockets of unrendered fat. Weigh out 900 g for the parcels and drain in a sieve for 5 minutes; you want juicy shreds, not liquid puddles that turn the dough soggy. Spread this filling in a shallow tray just until comfortable to handle, then assemble promptly. Cool any surplus pork quickly and refrigerate within 2 hours for another meal.

8. 08

   Step 8STRETCH AND FOLD

   Lightly oil the worktop. Working one ball at a time, flatten and gently stretch the dough into a roughly 30 cm square, thin enough to see the worktop through it. Brush with 5 g melted ghee. Place 75 g pork in a flat square in the centre, leaving generous borders. Fold the left and right sides over the filling, then the top and bottom, to make a sealed parcel roughly 12 cm wide. Keep the filling layer even and avoid thick bunches of dough.

9. 09

   Step 9GRIDDLE TO A CRUNCH

   Set the plancha over a moderate two-zone fire, aiming for a surface temperature of 170–180°C. Lightly oil it and cook the parcels seam-side down, in batches without crowding, for 5–7 minutes per side. Turn onto any thick folded edges briefly too. They should be deeply golden, crisp and cooked through with no gummy dough at the folds; the filling should be piping hot, reaching 75°C. Move to the cooler zone if they brown too quickly. Allow about 30 minutes for three batches, depending on your plancha.

10. 10

    Step 10DUNK WHILE CRISP

    Keep the gravy gently steaming in its saucepan on the cooler side beside the plancha, stirring regularly. Serve the parcels straight off the griddle with coriander, optional chilli and individual bowls of curry gravy. Don’t stack or cover the cooked parcels — trapped steam steals the crunch.