Vindaloo descends from the Portuguese carne de vinha d'alhos, meat marinated in wine and garlic, which Goan cooks adapted using local palm vinegar and plenty of red chillies. Over centuries it became the signature Goan Catholic dish, made for Christmas, weddings and feasts. It has little in common with the potato-filled, fiercely hot versions found in British curry houses.
A true vindaloo is tangy, garlicky and spicy rather than simply hot. The pork, ideally shoulder with some fat, is marinated overnight in a paste of Kashmiri chillies, garlic, ginger, cumin, peppercorns, cloves, cinnamon and vinegar, then cooked slowly until meltingly tender. The gravy is deep red, rich and slightly sweet from the onions.
Vindaloo keeps well and improves over several days, which made it popular for feasts and travel. It is eaten with sannas, pao or steamed rice. In Goan homes, a large pot of vindaloo is made before Christmas and eaten over several days. The vinegar acts as a preservative, and the flavours deepen with every reheat.
At a glance
| Region | Goa |
|---|---|
| Cuisine | Goan |
| Diet | Non-vegetarian |
| Course | Main course |
| Prep time | 30 minutes |
| Cook time | 90 minutes |
| Total time | 120 minutes |
| Serves | 6 |
| Spice level | Hot |
| Difficulty | Medium |
| Gluten-free | Yes |
| Key ingredients | pork / kashmiri chillies / garlic / vinegar |
Ingredients
For the vindaloo paste
- 15 dried Kashmiri chillies
- 4 dried spicy chillies
- 1 tsp cumin seeds
- 1 tsp black peppercorns
- 8 cloves
- 2 inch cinnamon
- 1/2 tsp turmeric
- 15 garlic cloves
- 2 inch ginger
- 1/2 cup coconut or palm vinegar
For the curry
- 1 kg pork shoulder, cut into 1 1/2 inch pieces with some fat
- 1 1/2 tsp salt
- 3 tbsp oil
- 3 onions, finely chopped
- 1 tbsp sugar or grated jaggery
- 1 cup hot water
Method
- Soak the chillies in the vinegar for 1 hour. Grind them with the vinegar and all other paste ingredients to a fine paste.
- Mix the pork with the paste and salt. Cover and refrigerate for at least 8 hours, preferably overnight.
- Heat oil in a heavy pot on medium. Add onions and cook for 10-12 minutes until deep golden brown.
- Add the marinated pork with all its marinade. Fry on medium-high for 8-10 minutes, stirring, until the meat is sealed and the paste starts to darken.
- Add sugar and hot water, stir and bring to a boil.
- Cover and simmer on low for 60-75 minutes, stirring every 15 minutes, until the pork is very tender and the gravy is thick and deep red with fat on top.
- Taste and adjust salt, vinegar and sugar. Rest for at least an hour, or better, overnight, before serving.
Tips
- Use pork with some fat; lean meat dries out during the long cook.
- Palm or coconut vinegar gives the authentic flavour; malt vinegar can be harsh.
- Vindaloo tastes best on the second or third day.
Serve with
Goan pao, sannas or steamed rice.