Vindaloo is originally derived from the Portuguese dish “Carne de Vinha d’ Alhos” which is made with pork, wine and garlic. The dish was modified by addition of vinegar instead of wine and lots of kashmir chilies, which gives a rich color to the dish without making it too hot!
When it comes to a dish like Vindaloo, you need a lot of patience. Letting the meat marinate overnight is a must and then once it’s cooked, you need to let it rest for another night. Trust me it will be worth the wait! Also, it’s a slow cooking process and that’s how all the spices combine to make the dish flavorful with the soft and juicy meat.
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Pork Vindaloo
- Total Time: 1 hour 30 minutes
- Yield: 4
Description
It’s spicy tangy meat curry which can me made with any meat, I used pork! This can be made in advance as after cooking you need to let it rest for a minimum of 8 hrs for the flavor to blend perfectly with the meat.
Ingredients
- 1 lb (1/2 Kg) pork, cut into bite size pieces
- 1 large onion, thinly sliced
- 1 medium tomato
- 1 cup (236 ml) red wine (I used zinfandel)
- salt
- oil
- cilantro, for garnish
- 1 inch cinnamon stick
For the vindaloo paste
- 6 to 8 kashmir chilies
- 1 inch ginger, grated
- 6 garlic cloves, finely grated
- 2 tbs (24 ml)cumin seeds
- 6 to 8 whole peppers
- 1 tsp (5 ml) cardamom seeds
- 2 tbs ( 24 ml)coriander seeds
- juice of one lemon
Instructions
- In a pan, dry roast kashmir chili, cumin seed, whole pepper, cardamom seeds and coriander seeds separately for about 2 minutes.
- Once done, let them cool and then, grind them to a fine dust.
- Add lemon juice, garlic, ginger and salt to them and mix it properly.
- Rub the spice mix on the pork and let it marinate for 8 hrs minimum or overnight.
- In a deep pan, heat some oil and fry the pork pieces individually. Retain the juice from marination as it will be used later.
- Once fried, keep the pork pieces aside.
- In the same pan, add the cinnamon stick and onion and cook until the onion is translucent.
- Add tomato and cook for another couple of minutes.
- Pour the cooked onion and tomato into a food processor and blend it to a course paste.
- Pour it back to the pan and add the fried pork. Also, add the remaining juice from the marinade.
- Cook for few more minutes and add 1 cup water.
- Cover the pan and let it simmer in low heat for about 30 minutes.
- The water should be reduced and the pork should be almost cooked.
- At this point, add the wine and mix it properly. Then, cover the pan and let it simmer for another 30 to 40 minutes. Keep stirring occasionally.
- Check for salt and add if required.
- Once the pork is boiled and soft, switch off the heat and cover the pan. Let it rest for at-least an hour. If you want the best flavor from the dish, let it rest overnight before you enjoy it!
- Garnish with the cilantro just before serving.
Notes
- The cooking time will differ depending on the meat you using.
- Prep Time: 15 mins
- Cook Time: 3 mins
- Category: Main Course
- Cuisine: Indian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 380
If You Liked This Recipe, You’ll Love These
- Quick Chicken Curry
- Pumpkin Masala Curry
- Keema Matar (Ground Lamb with Peas)
- Kolkata-Style Spicy Chili Chicken
Frequently Asked Questions
What are Kashmir chilies, and can I substitute them?
Kashmir chilies are a mild-to-moderate Indian chili prized for giving dishes a rich red color without excessive heat — I use them specifically because they make the dish vibrant without making it too hot. The vindaloo paste calls for 6–8 of them. If you can’t find them, substitute a mix of mild red chilies and a small amount of paprika to approximate the color and mild warmth.
Does the meat really need to marinate overnight?
Yes — I consider it a must, with a minimum of 8 hours. The dry-roasted and ground spice paste (cumin, coriander, cardamom, pepper, plus lemon juice, garlic, and ginger) needs time to penetrate the pork deeply. Rushing it will give you under-seasoned meat.
Why does the wine get added so late in the cooking process?
I add 1 cup of red wine (I use zinfandel) only after the pork has already simmered in water for about 30 minutes. Adding it late preserves more of the wine’s fruity complexity and allows the dish to finish cooking for another 30–40 minutes, concentrating the sauce without burning off all the wine’s character.
Should I rest the vindaloo before serving?
Absolutely — at minimum, cover and rest for an hour after cooking; for the best flavor, let it rest overnight before eating. The slow cooking and resting allow all the spices to meld and the pork to become fully infused with the sauce.
this looks delicious!
Tamara looks dlicious!