Red wine is used to make aphelia.
Popular on Cypress Island, afelia is a Greek dish of pork marinated in red wine. Called the Cypriot dish, afelia uses red wine and crushed coriander seeds to season pork before roasting. Although it uses few ingredients, afelia has a tasty sweet and sour taste. This dish is not easily found outside of Greece, but it is easy to prepare at home.
Cinnamon sticks are sometimes added to aphelia.
Aphelia’s main seasoning is a red wine with coriander marinade. Salt and pepper are usually the only seasonings included. Occasionally, other spices such as cinnamon sticks are added to the dish. Always cubed, the meat is usually lean pork shoulder, but it can also be ribs.
Coriander, the seed of the coriander plant, is popular in many Greek dishes. Used both in the marinade and near the end of the cooking process, cilantro adds a citrus flavor to aphelia. The seeds should always be crushed immediately before use to retain maximum flavor. A mortar and pestle works best for grinding the seeds.
The cubed pork is first marinated in the cilantro and wine mixture. At a minimum, it should marinate for several hours, but it’s best to let it soak in flavor overnight. After marinating, the meat is removed from the liquid and dried. The liquid is then reserved for later use.
The meat is then braised, which means it is first lightly roasted and then cooked in the liquid until tender. To brown the pork, the pieces are placed in small portions in a pan with oil. After browning, each batch is removed and set aside. When all the pork is browned, return to the pan after removing the excess oil.
The reserved marinade, along with more red wine or water, is placed in the pan with the meat and simmered. The liquid should just cover the meat. Salt and pepper are also added for seasoning at this point.
As the liquid boils, it thickens by reduction. Just before the aphelia finishes cooking, more crushed coriander is sprinkled over the pork. When the meat is tender and the liquid has reduced to a thick sauce, the dish is complete.
Afelia is usually served with side dishes. Crispy bread or potatoes are commonly served with this dish. Pourgouri pilaf, a type of pilaf that uses noodles, wheat, and chicken broth, is also a suggested side dish.