Marinate the pork. Mix the pork with the salt, turmeric, pepper powder and vinegar. Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours.
Brown it in batches. Heat a little oil in a heavy pan. Fry the pork in small batches until nicely browned, giving the pieces room in the pan. Set the pork aside and reserve the fat left behind.
Prepare the masala. Gently roast the peppercorns, cumin, coriander and mustard seeds until aromatic, taking care not to burn them. Sauté the roughly chopped onion in a little oil until translucent. Grind the onion and roasted spices with the red chillies, garlic, ginger, raisins, 4 cloves, small cinnamon stick, tamarind, a little turmeric and salt into a smooth paste. Add the optional mint here if using it. Use only enough water to help the mixture grind.
Build the gravy. In the reserved pork fat, sauté the 6 cloves, cinnamon and bay leaves. Add the sliced onions and fry until golden-brown. If the pan needs a little more fat, add some ghee.
Cook the masala first. Add the ground paste and cook for a few minutes, stirring, before returning the browned pork to the pan. If adding fried potato pieces, put them in at this stage.
Let it cook through. Cook gently for around 30 minutes, or longer if needed, until the pork is cooked through and tender. Add a little water as required to keep the gravy from catching. The size and cut of the pork will affect the cooking time, so use its tenderness as well as the clock.
Find that sweet-spicy-tangy balance. Check the salt, then add a little sugar and vinegar to taste. Make small adjustments, tasting between them, until the gravy has the balance that makes Indad so lovely.
Serve. Bring it to the table with Sannas or pav, ready to soak up the gravy.
