Afelia

Afelia is a plainly Cypriot dish: pork cooked down in red wine with coarsely crushed coriander seed until the meat is tender and the sauce is dark and reduced. The pork is usually cut into small pieces and marinated in wine overnight, then browned and simmered slowly with the coriander, which gives afelia its warm, slightly citrusy aroma. Some cooks add a cinnamon stick or a few peppercorns, but the wine and coriander are the heart of it. That pairing is one of the signature flavour combinations of the island's kitchen, and it shows up in cured meats like lountza as well.

Unlike much of Cypriot cooking, which carries clear traces of the island's many rulers, afelia is often described as a genuinely local dish. It is home cooking and taverna fare rather than a special-occasion centrepiece, and it is usually served with pourgouri (cracked-wheat bulgur pilaf) and a spoon of thick yoghurt to balance the richness. Fried potatoes are another common side, and a chunk of village bread to mop up the sauce is never out of place.

Where to try it

• At traditional tavernas across Limassol, Paphos and Nicosia.
• At village kitchens in the Troodos mountains, close to the wine country.
• As part of a meze, served in smaller portions alongside other dishes.

Afelia is a good window into everyday Cypriot food, less famous than kleftiko but just as traditional. The wine-and-coriander style makes it a natural match for a local red, and the dish sits well after a visit to the wine villages around Omodos. Ask for it with pourgouri and yoghurt to get the full, traditional plate.