May I put it on the record as a card carrying South Indian
that a true vindaloo should have no potatoes, be more red than brown, and taste piquant with flavours that are tomatoey, fiery, and mildly vinegary. The original version is made with fatty pork pieces, although beef or chicken, even prawns will make a good vindaloo too.
On a rainy day, a vindaloo is warming and delicious, great served with a simple yoghurt and cucumber raita and a pile of steamed rice. I served it tonight with upma which was a nice change.
I'm not one for complicated recipes, so this assembles quickly. See if you can wait till the next day to eat it though- the flavours will be fuller.
Ingredients:
2 kg pork, cubed (shoulder or neck best for slow cooking)
2 tablespoons frying oil
2 tablespoons roughly cut fresh ginger
2 medium sized tomatoes
2 red chillies
1 large purple onion, roughly chopped
4-6 cloves garlic, peeled
2 teaspoons cumin seeds
1 teaspoon mustard seeds
2-3 sprigs curry leaves
1 teaspoon cracked black pepper
1 tablespoon turmeric powder
1/2 cup vinegar
2 tablespoons tomato paste
2 teaspoons sugar
2 teaspoons salt
Method:
Blend together items 3-7 and set aside.
Heat the oil in a heavy based pan (dutch oven).
Throw in the mustard seeds and when they begin to pop, add the cumin seeds, the curry leaves and the turmeric powder.
Now add the blended onion mix and turn the heat down, stirring constantly.
Add the diced pork and stir well to coat with the blended mixture
Add the vinegar, the tomato paste and the pepper and stir well.
Transfer the pot to the smallest cooking element, and continue to cook on low heat.
Add a very small amount of water if necessary to keep the curry moist, and it from sticking to the pan.
Add the sugar and salt to taste.
Turn off the heat after about two and a half to three hours when the meat is very tender.
