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Goan Pork Vindaloo
Serves 4 Prep 12 hr 25 min Cook 1 hr 30 min Total 13 hr 55 min Type Meal Origin Indian

Goan Pork Vindaloo

The original Goan vindaloo: pork shoulder marinated overnight in a thick paste of Kashmiri chillies, vinegar and garlic, slow-cooked dark.

Serves 4 Prep 25 minutes (plus 12 hours marinating) Cook 1 hour 30 minutes Units Rate

Overview

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.

Ingredients

Paste

  • 15 dried Kashmiri red chillies (de-stemmed)
  • 4 dried bird's-eye chillies (for heat)
  • 250 ml white wine vinegar (or palm vinegar)
  • 1 tablespoon cumin seeds
  • 1 teaspoon black peppercorns
  • 6 cloves
  • 1 stick cinnamon (broken)
  • 1 teaspoon black mustard seeds
  • ½ teaspoon cardamom seeds (from green pods)
  • 8 garlic cloves
  • 1 thumb fresh ginger
  • 1 teaspoon caster sugar (or jaggery)

Pork

  • 1 kg pork shoulder (cut into 4 cm cubes)
  • 4 tablespoons vegetable oil
  • 3 onions (medium, finely chopped)
  • 2 fresh tomatoes (grated)
  • 400 ml hot water
  • 1 tablespoon palm jaggery (or brown sugar)
  • 1 ½ teaspoons salt (added later)

Method

Stage 1 - Soak and grind the paste

  1. Soak the dried chillies in the vinegar 2 hours or until soft (or 30 minutes if you crush them slightly).
  2. Toast cumin, peppercorns, cloves, cinnamon, mustard and cardamom in a dry pan 30 seconds until aromatic.
  3. Grind the toasted spices to a fine powder.
  4. Tip soaked chillies (with vinegar), spices, garlic, ginger and 1 teaspoon sugar into a blender.
  5. Blitz to a thick smooth paste, adding a splash more vinegar if needed.

Stage 2 - Marinate

  1. Pat the pork dry. Rub all over with two thirds of the paste; reserve the rest.
  2. Cover; refrigerate 12 hours minimum, ideally 24.

Stage 3 - Cook

  1. Heat the oil in a heavy pot over medium-high.
  2. Lift the pork from the marinade (reserve the marinade); brown in batches, 4-5 minutes per side. Set aside.
  3. In the same pot, soften the onions 10 minutes until deep gold.
  4. Stir in the grated tomato; reduce 5 minutes.
  5. Return the pork; add all reserved marinade.
  6. Pour in the hot water; bring to a simmer.
  7. Cover; cook on low 1 hour 15 minutes, until the pork is tender and the gravy is thick.

Stage 4 - Season

  1. Stir in the salt and jaggery.
  2. Taste; balance vinegar (add lime juice if too sweet, jaggery if too sharp).
  3. Simmer uncovered 10 minutes if the gravy is too thin.

Stage 5 - Serve

  1. Rest 15 minutes. Vindaloo improves on resting.
  2. Serve over plain basmati rice or with pao (Goan bread).

Notes

  • Real vindaloo is not the BIR phaal: This is the authentic Goan dish, mild-to-medium hot, defined by vinegar and garlic. The British curry-house "vindaloo" is a separate creation and uses chilli powder for shock heat.
  • Kashmiri chillies: Deep red, mild-medium heat, fruity. They give the colour without overwhelming heat. Use bird's-eye to lift the heat where you want it.
  • Make a day ahead: The flavours deepen significantly overnight. Refrigerate the cooked curry and reheat the next day for best results.

Storage

  • Refrigerate 4 days. Better on day 2 and 3.
  • Freezes 3 months.

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