Pork Curry with Spinach & Cream (Saag Pork)
variation on a recipe from "660 Curries", by Raghavan Iyer - serves 4

Have I got a curry for you! Fragrant, flavorful, and easy.
For me, the thrill of making an Indian curry derives from grinding and mixing fresh spice blends. The aromas are a kind of poetry. The spices blend beautifully into the dish; enhancing, never overpowering. "Store-bought" is allowed, but if you have the time, make your own garam masala.
The subtly seasoned tomato sauce is worth the effort too.
I discovered recently, that "top loin chops" are more tender than "loin chops". If you want to guarantee tenderness, use pork tenderloin.
tomato sauce 1-1/4 pounds boneless top loin pork chops, or pork tenderloin, cut into 1-inch cubes
1/4 cup heavy cream
1 tablespoon minced fresh garlic
2 teaspoons garam masala, make your own
1 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon canola oil
1 teaspoon cumin seeds
8 ounces baby spinach leaves, well rinsed
1 tablespoons canola oil
3 green or white cardamom pods
1 fresh or dried bay leaf
1 cinnamon stick
8 ounces canned tomato sauce
1/4 teaspoon sweet paprika
1 You can make the tomato sauce several days ahead: Heat 1 tablespoon canola in a small saucepan over medium heat. Sprinkle in the cardamom pods, bay leaf, and cinnamon stick, and let them sizzle, crackle and expand a bit, 1 to 2 minutes. Carefully pour in the tomato sauce (stand back; it will splatter). Stir in the paprika. Lower the heat to medium-low, cover the pan and simmer, stirring occasionally, 20 to 25 minutes. Discard the cardamom, bay leaf, and cinnamon stick, and let the sauce cool completely. Store the sauce in a tightly sealed container in the refrigerator, where it will keep for up to 2 weeks. Reserve 1/2 cup for this recipe. Freeze the remainder for use in another curry or use it to add a spicy nuance to an Italian tomato sauce.
2 Combine the pork, cream, garlic, garam masala, and salt in a medium bowl; stir together well. Refrigerate, covered, for 30 minutes to 2 hours to allow the meat to tenderize and the flavors to mingle.
3 Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a large skillet or saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the cumin seeds and cook until they sizzle and are fragrant, a few seconds. Immediately add the pork, including the marinade. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the pork turns light brown and the spices are aromatic, about 5 minutes.
4 Stir in the 1/2 cup prepared tomato sauce, which will instantly appear creamy, thanks to the cream in the marinade. Lower the heat, cover the skillet, and simmer, stirring occasionally, until the sauce thickens and some oil starts to separate on the surface, about 10 minutes.
5 Pile the spinach atop the curry and cover the skillet. Let it cook until the rising steam has wilted the greens, 3 to 5 minutes. Then stir the spinach into the curry and continue to simmer, covered, stirring occasionally, until the pork is fork tender, 8 to 10 minutes. The spinach will release enough moisture to thin the fairly thick sauce, making its consistency just right - not too thick, nor too thin. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Serve immediately.