Meghalaya Doh Khlieh Pork Onion Salad Khasi

Method

1. 1

   Boil the pork: Place pork in a pot. Cover with water. Add a pinch of salt and a bay leaf. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat. Simmer for 25 to 30 minutes until the pork is fully cooked and tender. Test by piercing the thickest piece — a knife should slide through easily.

2. 2

   Cool the pork: Remove the cooked pork from the stock. Let it cool until warm but not hot — about 10 minutes. Reserve the pork stock for soup or another use.

3. 3

   Slice or shred the pork: Cut the warm cooked pork into thin slices or shred into bite-sized pieces. The pork should be warm, not cold, when mixed with the raw onion — the warmth slightly wilts the onion edges creating a pleasant textural contrast.

4. 4

   Prepare the raw onion: Finely chop the onions. Place in a bowl of cold water for 2 minutes — this removes excess sharpness from the raw onion while keeping the crunch. Drain and pat dry.

5. 5

   Combine pork and onion: In a wide bowl combine the warm sliced pork and the raw chopped onion. Toss gently.

6. 6

   Add green chilli and ginger: Add very finely chopped green chilli and grated or finely chopped ginger. Toss.

7. 7

   Add black pepper: Add freshly ground black pepper generously. Black pepper is a primary seasoning in this preparation — use more than you think is needed.

8. 8

   Add salt: Add salt to taste. The pork was boiled in salted water — taste before adding much additional salt.

9. 9

   Add mustard oil if using: Add just 1 tsp raw mustard oil. Toss. This is optional but adds a slight sharpness.

10. 10

    Add coriander and serve immediately: Add chopped fresh coriander. Toss once. Serve immediately alongside jadoh or steamed rice. Doh-Khlieh does not keep well — the onion softens and becomes unpleasant after 30 minutes.

11. 11

    Note: Doh-Khlieh (doh = meat, khlieh = onion in Khasi) is one of the simplest and most frequently eaten preparations in Khasi cuisine — the raw onion providing crunch and freshness against the soft boiled pork. It appears at every Khasi meal where meat is served, always alongside jadoh. The quality of the onion — it must be very fresh, crisp and not soft — determines the quality of the doh-khlieh.