Pork or Beef or Lamb Vindaloo Curry, Traditional Method
Meat Vindaloo
Mamta Gupta
In the pictures here, the dish has been cooked with 3 Kg. meat, not 500 gm.
This Portuguese influenced dish from Goa is one of the most loved Indian curries in UK, most Indian restaurants have it on their menu. Traditionally it was made with pork. However, as most curry house chefs in UK were Muslims from Bangladesh, they did not eat pork. They replaced the pork with beef and/or chicken, which is what present day UK Vindaloo is usually made with. It sometimes has chopped potatoes added to it.
The story about its name is that "vin" stands for vinegar or wine and "alho" is garlic in Portuguese. It is a pork dish made with "vin" and "alho". I am not sure about the authenticity of this story though. The term Vindaloo in the present day UK Indian restaurants simply means a very hot curry that brings tears to your eyes!
Serves 4-6
Ingredients
500 gm. pork or beef or lamb
1 tsp. cardamom seeds*
3-4 cloves*
3-4 peppercorns* (If you want it really hot, add 8-10 pepper corns)
1 inch piece cinnamon stick*
1 tbsp. coriander seeds*
1 tsp. cumin seeds*
1/2 tsp. fenugreek or methi seeds*
3-4 dry red chillies*
1 large onion, peeled, sliced
2 tbsp. oil
1 1/2 inch piece root ginger, peeled
2-3 garlic cloves, peeled
1 heaped tsp. chilli powder
1 tsp. turmeric powder
1 tsp. salt
1 1/2 tbsp. cider or wine vinegar
3-4 curry leaves (not bay leaves)**
2-3 tbsp. vegetable oil
1 tsp. mustard seeds
50 ml. Water (or more if you like thinner sauce/gravy)
*These spices make whole garam masala
** Kaffir lime leaves give a different but nice flavour, as suggested by reader Alekzandra
Instructions
Dry roast ingredients marked * in a wok or in a microwave, adding chillies only towards the end. Chillies burn quickly and become bitter. This takes about 3-4 minutes in a hot wok.
Heat oil in a pan and fry onion slices, until deep brown, adding garlic and ginger half through the frying. Lift onions out with a slotted spoon, leaving the oil in the pan.
Place fried onions, ginger, garlic, chilli powder, turmeric, salt, roasted whole spices * and vinegar in a blender and make a fine puree. If necessary, add a little water or more vinegar to make a paste. Taste and adjust spices and vinegar.
Place lamb or other meat in a bowl, add the spice paste and mix thoroughly.
Keep in the fridge for a few hours, preferable overnight, in a covered container (otherwise, everything else in the fridge will smell).
Heat oil in a heavy bottomed pan or wok.
Add mustard seeds and curry leaves.
When seeds splutter, add meat in it's marinade, stir well.
Add water, bring to boil and simmer on low heat, covered, until meat is tender. When ready, it's fat begins to float on the top.
You will need to stir it from time to time and add water if it becomes too dry.
Garnish it with fresh coriander leaves.
Serve with Boiled Rice and natural yoghurt. Yoghurt is to cool down your mouth!
Notes
You can add diced potatoes halfway through cooking.
If you want it fiery hot, add more chillies and black pepper than given in this recipe.