Chicken Vindaloo Curry 1, Mamta's
Vindaloo Chicken Curry 1
Mamta Gupta
Pictures by Andrew Williams
This is one of the most loved Indian curries in UK. All Indian restaurants have it on their menu. It is a Portuguese influenced dish from Goa, in India. Traditionally, it was not meant to be hot. It originally contained pork, potatoes, (aloo) and vinegar (Vin), hence the name. However, as most curry house chefs in UK were Muslims, mainly Bangladeshis, they did not eat pork. They replaced the pork with beef and/or chicken. These days, you don’t see pork Vindaloo at all in UK. Present day UK Vindaloo contains beef or chicken and it sometimes has chopped potatoes.
Another story about its name, which seems more feasible to me, is that the word vin stands for vinegar and alhoa is garlic in Portuguese. So, it is a pork dish made with vinegar and lots of garlic. The term Vindaloo in present day Indian restaurants in UK simply means “a very hot curry that brings tears to your eyesâ€! Hotter the better for some! Serves 4
Ingredients
500 gm. Chicken pieces of choice, skin removed
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 tbs. coriander seeds*
1 tsp. cumin seeds*
1/2 tsp. fenugreek or methi seeds*
3-4 dry red chillies*
1 large onion, peeled, sliced
2 tbs. 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 tbs. cider or wine vinegar
3-4 curry leaves (not bay leaves)
2-3 tbs. vegetable oil
1 tsp. mustard seeds
50 ml. water
Instructions
Dry roast ingredients marked * in a wok or in a microwave, adding chillies only towards the end. Chillies burn quickly and become bitter.
Heat oil in a pan and fry onion slices, until deep brown. Take out onto a greased paper. Leave oil in the pan.
Place ginger, garlic, fried onions, 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.
Place chicken 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 chicken and marinade, stir well and cook covered until chicken is tender.
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!
If you want it fiery hot, add more chillies and black pepper than given in this recipe.
