Malaysian Wildboar Curry/Kattu Pandi Kulambu

Wild boar, or Kattu Pandi in Tamil, may not be everyone’s choice of meat, but it certainly has a global fan base. Across cultures, wild boar is prepared in distinct, flavour-packed ways. In Italy, it’s slow-braised in red wine and tomatoes into a rich wild boar ragu, usually served with pasta. In Thailand, wild boar is stir-fried jungle-style with herbs, chillies, and green peppercorns. Meanwhile, in the Philippines, it’s grilled or stewed adobo-style with vinegar, soy sauce, garlic, and bay leaves.

Here in Malaysia, wild boar is loved in a thick, spicy curry, among both the Indian and Chinese communities. You do come across wild boar curry at some Chinese and Indian nasi lemak stalls. It’s a dish deeply rooted in local flavours, typically made with everyday kitchen staples and classic Indian spices. Some cooks add potatoes; others don’t. One key Malaysian cooking tip? Pressure-cook the meat first. This softens the texture, reduces cooking time, and locks in that deep, gamey flavour.

 

Once cooked, whether you call it Tamil-style wild boar curry, Indian wild boar curry, or a spicy Malaysian wild boar curry, let it rest before serving. Even better the next day, when the spices have fully infused into the meat.

Ingredients

For Wild Boar

1 kg wild boar – cut and pressure cook with

1 ½ tsp ginger paste

1 ½ tsp garlic paste

1 ½ turmeric powder

1 ½ cups water

Other Ingredients 
Plain chilli powder (as needed) - as some water and make it into a thick paste

1 tsp coriander powder

½ tsp cumin powder

½ tsp fennel powder

Some crushed pepper

Some lime juice

10 shallots – slice

Some curry leaves

Spices (as needed) - cinnamon, cloves & star anise

¼ cup oil

Salt

Heat up oil in a pan. 
Add shallots, curry leaves, and spices to the pan.

Allow the ingredients to sweat.

Add chilli powder to the pan, followed by the rest of the powdered spices.

Stir the mixture well.

Next, pour in the residue from the wild boar.

Stir the mixture and cook it until the gravy thickens.

Once the gravy has thickened, add the wild boar.

Stir the mixture well, and then add salt and lime juice.

Allow the mixture to simmer for a while.

Finally, switch off the heat and let the mixture sit for a few minutes to allow the gravy to be absorbed into the wild boar before serving.

 

Easy Curry Wraps

If you're skipping rice or just want a lighter option, wild boar curry makes a great low-carb meal when eaten with mixed salad leaves. Whether you spoon the curry over the salad or roll it up as a curry wrap, it's still delicious. Even when made with leftover curry, without compromising on flavour.