Let’s learn how to cook the famous Cypriot dish, afelia!
It’s time I transport you to the beautiful island of Cyprus! You have just spent the day lying by the sea and you are starving!
You ask a local -always ask a local- which is the best taverna and you go there to enjoy Cypriot cuisine!
One of the dishes you get to try is Afelia, a local traditional food usually served with tomato bulgur wheat or potatoes. You taste it and your taste buds explode from all the warming flavours and the tenderness of the meat.
As I am writing this post is snowing outside…I can however hope and visualise of summers in Cyprus!
I love how in the summer I get to enjoy the sunshine after a year in grey England and I absolutely love seeing my two girls run free on the beach or in my parents backyard.
What I also love is introducing them to the flavours I grew up enjoying like this Anaropitta.
I researched this recipe before posting just to see how other people make afelia however, I was quite shocked to find recipes -especially from big chef’s in England- which aren’t authentic at all.
So here it is my authentic, traditional recipe for the famous Cypriot dish of afelia.
Ingredients
1 kg pork shoulder, cut in cubes
400 ml red dry wine
4 tbsp coriander seeds
salt/pepper
4 tbsp olive oil
That’s it, honestly that’s what you need. Nothing more, nothing less.
After you cut the pork in 5cm cubes, place them in a bowl and cover the meat with the wine. 
Using a pestle and mortar, bash the coriander seeds to release all the aromas and flavours.
Add that to the meat as well or you can choose to add the coriander seeds after the meat has braised overnight and before cooking.
Cover the meat with foil and let it marinade overnight in the fridge.
Are you ready to cook? Great! Place the meat in a pot and put on a high heat.
Once it starts boiling, turn the heat to the lowest setting and let it simmer for about one hour.
When the meat is nearly ready, add the olive oil, salt and pepper.
The meat is ready when it turns brown.
Ingredients
- 1 kg pork shoulder, cut in cubes
- 400 ml red dry wine
- 4 tbsp coriander seeds
- salt/pepper
- 4 tbsp olive oil
Instructions
Step 1
Cut the pork in 5cm cubes, place them in a bowl and cover the meat with the wine.
Step 2
Using a pestle and mortar, bash the coriander seeds to release all the aromas and flavours. Add them to the meat as well. Lately, I started adding the coriander seeds just before I start cooking the meat and I like that option too. Stir the seeds into the meet. Cover the meat with foil and place the bowl in the fridge overnight. The longest you leave the meat to marinate, the strongest the flavour.
Step 3
When you are ready to cook it, place in a pot and put on a high heat. Once it starts boiling, turn the heat to the lowest setting and let it simmer for about one hour. When the meat is nearly ready and the liquid has reduced in the pot, add the olive oil, salt and pepper. The meat is ready when it turns into a nice golden brown colour.
Notes
Traditionally, this dish is served with tomato bulgur wheat and lots of yogurt or patates antinaxtes which is what I served them with. They are basically fried baby potatoes which are then tossed (antinaxtes) in red wine and some more coriander seeds.
