Method
- Combine the pork with onion paste, ginger, garlic, turmeric, chili powder, fish sauce, ngapi, tamarind, peanut oil and salt in a heavy pot. Mix thoroughly.
- Cook over medium-high heat, stirring, for 8 minutes. The mixture should release its water and start to dry.
- Add water; bring to a simmer. Reduce heat to low; cover and cook 60 minutes, stirring every 15 minutes. The pork should become tender; the onion paste should melt into the gravy.
- Uncover; increase heat to medium. Cook another 20 minutes uncovered, stirring. The water evaporates and the curry reduces. The defining moment of Burmese curry — 'oil rising' (si pyan) — happens when the peanut oil separates and rises clear and red on top. This is the marker of a properly-cooked Burmese curry.
- Once the oil has risen, the curry is done. The gravy underneath is concentrated dark red; the pork is glossy.
- Garnish with cilantro. Serve with steamed rice. Wet tha hin keeps 5 days refrigerated; the flavours integrate further over time.
Common questions
Can Wet Tha Hin be made ahead?
Wet Tha Hin is best made and eaten the same day, but the components can be prepped earlier — chop and measure the ingredients up to a day ahead, refrigerated separately. Final cooking takes about 90 minutes.
Is Wet Tha Hin spicy?
Wet Tha Hin as written is mild to mildly warming — the heat comes from aromatics rather than chili. Add fresh sliced chili or chili oil at the end if you'd like to push it spicier.
Is Wet Tha Hin vegetarian or gluten-free?
This recipe is suitable for most diets. If you have specific restrictions, the substitutions section in each ingredient note covers the most common swaps.
How hard is Wet Tha Hin to make at home?
Wet Tha Hin is approachable for a home cook with basic stove skills — total time about 105 minutes, no special technique required.
Can Wet Tha Hin be scaled up or down?
This recipe is written for 4 servings. To scale, multiply each ingredient proportionally; the cooking times stay the same up to about double the volume. Beyond that, expect to cook in batches because of pan size and heat distribution.
Cultural Note
Wet tha hin is the Burmese pork curry — the most-cooked meat curry in Burmese homes. The 'oil rising' (si pyan) technique is the defining Burmese cooking method: the curry is cooked until enough water evaporates that the oil separates and rises clear on top. This step both indicates doneness and creates the visual signature of Burmese curries — a deep red layer on top of dark gravy. The pork-and-fat ratio is generous; lean pork makes a flat curry. Burmese cooks add aroma layers (turmeric, garlic, ngapi) but few hard spices.
