Lamb Vindaloo
The BIR lamb vindaloo: pre-cooked lamb in a fiery dark gravy of dried red chillies, vinegar, garlic and Madras spice.
Overview
A fiery British curry-house vindaloo with Portuguese-Goan influences, featuring intense heat from Scotch bonnets and chillies, balanced by vinegar and sweetness. This version uses pre-cooked lamb for speed, with optional potatoes as per UK tradition.
Ingredients
Base
- 3 tbsp rapeseed (canola) oil or seasoned oil
- 6 green cardamom pods, bashed
- 2 star anise
- 1 Indian bay leaf (cassia leaf)
Aromatics and spices
- 2 tbsp garlic and ginger paste
- 2 fresh green bullet chillies, finely chopped
- 2 Scotch bonnet chillies, finely chopped
- 1 tsp ground turmeric
- 2 tbsp hot chilli powder (adjust to taste)
- 2 tbsp Mixed Powder
- 125 ml (½ cup) tomato purée
- 2 tsp jaggery (or sugar)
Sauce and protein
- 600 ml Curry Base Gravy
- 800 g Pre-cooked Lamb
- 175 ml Lamb Stock (or stock from Pre-cooked Lamb)
Finishers
- 2 tbsp white wine vinegar
- 1 tsp dried fenugreek leaves (kasoori methi)
- 2 pre-cooked stewed potatoes (about 8 pieces) (optional)
- 3 tbsp chopped coriander (cilantro)
- salt
- pepper
Method
Stage 1 - Temper whole spices
- Heat oil in a pan over medium-high heat until bubbling.
- Add cardamom, star anise, and bay leaf; temper briefly.
- Count spices in/out if removing whole ones.
Stage 2 - Add aromatics and spices
- Add garlic and ginger paste; fry 1 minute.
- Add chopped chillies, turmeric, chilli powder, mixed powder, tomato purée, and jaggery/sugar.
- Let bubble.
Stage 3 - Build sauce and add lamb
- Pour in 250 ml (1 cup) base curry sauce; bring to rolling simmer.
- Scrape caramelized sauce from sides.
- Add remaining base curry sauce, lamb, and cooking stock.
- Simmer over high heat until reduced to desired consistency.
Stage 4 - Finish
- Add vinegar, kasoori methi, potatoes (if using), and coriander.
- Season with salt and black pepper.
Notes
- Extremely hot; reduce chillies if needed while maintaining flavor.
- Optional potatoes are a UK addition; omit for more authentic version.
- For original Goan pork vindaloo, see separate recipe.
Serving
- Serve with steamed rice, naan, or chapati.
- Garnish with extra coriander and lime wedges.
Storage
- Refrigerate 2-3 days in an airtight container.
- Freeze up to 2 months; thaw fully before reheating.
- Reheat gently on low heat with a splash of stock or water.
- Best eaten within 24 hours for maximum heat.
Recipes mentioned here
Vindaloo
The fiery Goan original: a vinegar-and-garlic-marinated meat (traditionally pork, adapted in BIR menus to chicken or lamb) simmered in a dark masala loaded with red chillies, cumin and mustard seeds. The sharp acidity from vinegar plus aggressive chilli is the signature; potatoes are a BIR addition (the "aloo" suggestion) but not part of the Portuguese-origin dish.
Goan Pork Vindaloo
Whole Kashmiri red chillies soak in white wine vinegar; ground with garlic, ginger, cumin, peppercorns, cinnamon, cloves and mustard into a thick wet paste. Pork shoulder cubes marinate overnight in the paste. Browned in oil; cooked with onions, tomato and reserved marinade until the pork is tender and the gravy is glossy. Salt last. A small spoonful of jaggery balances the vinegar.
More like this
Vindaloo
The fiery Goan original: a vinegar-and-garlic-marinated meat (traditionally pork, adapted in BIR menus to chicken or lamb) simmered in a dark masala loaded with red chillies, cumin and mustard seeds. The sharp acidity from vinegar plus aggressive chilli is the signature; potatoes are a BIR addition (the "aloo" suggestion) but not part of the Portuguese-origin dish.
Lamb Madras
A classic British curry-house madras with a sweet-and-sour profile, featuring tender lamb in a spicy, tangy sauce. This version balances heat from chillies and chilli powder with mango chutney and lime for a feast-worthy dish.
Lamb Achari
A Punjabi-inspired achari curry featuring pickle spices like panch poran and dried chillies, balanced with sweet mango chutney and tangy lime pickle. This dish captures the essence of Indian pickles in a rich, flavorful lamb curry.
Lamb Bhuna
A restaurant-style bhuna using pre-cooked lamb for speed, while keeping the dry, intensely-flavoured finish. The classic bhuna technique is approximated with quick spice frying, and lamb is finished in a rich, reduced sauce.