Favorite Vindaloo
Submitted by quiltingcarrie
Fiery Goan-style vindaloo with pork and beef simmered in freshly toasted ground spices, ginger, garlic and a sharp hit of vinegar. Slow-braised until the meat falls apart and the oil rises.
YIELD
8 servingsPREP
15 minCOOK
75 minREADY
90 minVindaloo is not a curry for the faint of heart. Born from a Portuguese vinegar-and-garlic marinade that landed in Goa, it’s all heat, tang, and deep toasted spice. This version stews both pork and beef together until they turn meltingly tender.
The flavor starts in a dry skillet, where coriander, poppy, mustard, and cumin seeds toast until fragrant, then get ground fresh. That single step is what separates a real vindaloo from a sad jar of curry powder.
Bloom the spices in hot oil with chili flakes, ginger, and a garlic paste, brown the meat hard, then braise it low with water until fork-tender. The vinegar goes in last and cooks down until the oil rises to the surface, the old cook’s signal that it’s ready.
Serve it warm over plain white rice with a bowl of masoor dal.
Kitchen Tips
- Toast the seeds just until they smell nutty and begin to pop. Scorched spices turn the whole pot bitter.
- Watch for the oil rising to the top. That’s your real doneness cue, not the clock.
- Spoon off the excess oil before serving if you’d like it a bit lighter.
- Like most braises, it tastes even better the next day once the spices settle in.
Variations
- Make it with all pork, the most traditional choice, or switch to all beef or lamb.
- Add a couple of cubed potatoes during the braise to stretch it and soak up the sauce.
- Dial the chili flakes up or down to taste. Real vindaloo runs seriously hot.
Ingredients
Directions
Lightly toast the coriander, poppy, mustard seeds, and cumin seeds in a dry skillet for 2 or 3 minutes until the aroma is released. Grind the seeds in a processor to a fine powder. Set aside.
Heat the oil in a pan and add all the toasted dry spices, the chili flakes ginger and garlic. Stir fry over moderately low heat for 2 minutes. Add the meat and stir continuously for 10 minutes as the meat browns. Add the water, cover the pan and cook until the meats are tender, about 1 hour.
When the meats have been fully tenderized, add the vinegar and continue to cook until the vinegar evaporates and the oil has risen. This is an indication that the vindaloo is ready. At this stage, all the oil may be poured off before serving. Serve warm with plain white rice and masoor dal.
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