This is a pretty famous dish which has its roots running through the states of Goa & Kerala (my hometown) in India. The name Vindaloo comes from a Portuguese word “carne de vinha d’alhos” which means meat marinated in wine and garlic. The history of Vindaloo goes all the way back to the days when Portuguese sailors visiting India, used to preserve meat in wine and garlic for their food needs during their journey on the sea. This method of preservation helped the meat to last longer both for their sea journey and also at land in India’s hot climate.

Goans adopted the recipe and later modified it by incorporating chilies, tamarind, black pepper, cardamom and cinnamon, making a spicier version of it. This dish became popular in Goa and Kerala through the Anglo Indian community who passed on the recipe through generations. In India, a funny fact is that the name vindaloo is at times mistaken for an aloo (potato) dish! The recipe later travelled to England where again it was modified to lower the spiciness and tanginess, but still staying close to the original version.

Traditionally pork meat is used to prepare a Vindaloo, but later modified versions using chicken and beef become popular and began filling tables in restaurants.

The highlight of the dish is the harmonious blend of Sweet, Sour and Spice.  The spiciness can be varied according to your choice from mild-to-hot by altering the amount of chili used. When preparing Vindaloo, Tenderloin or shoulder cut of pork is preferred. A fattier cut adds a lot of flavour but if you are looking for something healthier use pork shoulders. The fat renders oil and also helps avoiding addition of extra oil while cooking.

Enjoy, Happy Cooking !!!

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Pork Vindaloo

A Portuguese inspired Goan Delight… Spicy, Slow Cooked n Aromatic… Pork Vindaloo…!!

Course Side Dish

Cuisine Indian

Keyword goan, indian, pork vindaloo

Prep Time 30 minutes minutes

Cook Time 1 hour hour 10 minutes minutes

Total Time 1 hour hour 40 minutes minutes

Servings 5

Author Akhila

Ingredients

For masala paste

• 2 lb. pork meat
• 2-3 dry red chilies
• 2 tbsp Kashmiri chili powder
• 8-10 garlic cloves
• 1 big piece of ginger
• 1 tbsp black pepper corns
• 1 cinnamon stick
• 8 cloves
• 3-4 cardamom
• ½ tsp cumin seeds
• ½ tsp mustard seeds
• ½ tsp sugar/brown sugar
• 3-4 tbsp vinegar
• 1 tsp turmeric powder
• water (as needed)
• salt (as needed)

For the curry

• 1 onion (finely chopped)
• Oil (as required)
• 1 cup hot water (or more)

Instructions

• Clean and cut pork into small cubes.
• Prepare the masala by grinding the ingredients listed under masala above, to make a paste. Add water as needed to make the paste smooth.
• Marinate the pork in the masala for at least 3-4 hours, overnight marination would be ideal.
• Heat oil in a pan, add chopped onions and saute by adding a little salt until they are soft and caramelized.
• Add the marinated pork pieces and place the lid, cook on a high heat for 8 minutes stirring midway so that the meat gets evenly seared.
• Add 1 cup of hot water (or more if you prefer more gravy to your dish), close the lid and slow cook on low heat for about 45 mins to 1 hour until pork becomes tender. Stir at regular intervals to allow the juices from the pork to ooze out and cook well with the masala.
• Once the curry has reduced and pork tender, check the seasoning, add if needed, giving it a final stir.
• Serve warm with Rice, Appam or Naan/bread.

Notes

1. Meat with more fat is preferred, tenderloin or shoulder cut goes well too.

2. Adjust the spiciness according to your choice while adding chilies.

3. You can use distilled white vinegar or apple cider vinegar for the marination.

The post Pork Vindaloo appeared first on Pepper Delight.

The flavour of this delicious dish takes me all the way back to my childhood; memories of mom’s kitchen… on one corner I see all the spices, curry leaves, and other ingredients on the table top, and the spicy hot beef curry sizzling on the stove in another corner, its aroma spreading all around the house and we patiently waiting for the curry to be ready.

Two of my favorite beef curry dishes were, one of course my mother’s preparation and the other from our nearby thattukada (roadside eatery). Even though we hail from Kerala where beef is common, my mom used to cook it rarely at home. Thattukadas were our quickest to-go to satisfy our beef cravings, and the delicious Kerala porotta served along made it the yummiest combo!!!

The preparation involves a slow cook process where you need to make the beef soft and tender (fully cooked), but at the same time ensuring that the flesh does not pull apart. The cooked beef is sautéed with various spices and curry powders making it spicy and rich.

I love to cook such curry recipes in an iron skillet as it enhances the color of your dish. You can also use other types of pans; just make sure to cook on a low to medium heat so that the caramelization of the onions with the other ingredients is even. Adding salt to the onions helps it to drain water thus enabling it to caramelize, and also prevents the bottom from burning and ensuring even cooking. If your dish becomes too salty, add one or two dry red chilies as a whole. Check the salt level after some time and once it’s balanced, discard the chilies – a tip from my friend’s mother.

Enjoy… Happy Cooking…!!!

Interested in a similar recipe from a different cuisine? Check out this amazing Greek Beef Stew with Orzo Pasta (Youvetsi) from The Hungry Bites.

Follow me on Instagram, try out the recipes and tag #pepperdelightblog to all your pictures of Pepper Delight recipes you prepare. Rate below if you love it…!

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Spicy Slow cooked Beef Curry

Authentic Kerala Style Slow Cooked Tender Beef Curry in a Spicy Masala

Course Main Course

Cuisine Indian

Keyword beef curry, kerala beef curry

Prep Time 15 minutes minutes

Cook Time 50 minutes minutes

Total Time 1 hour hour 5 minutes minutes

Servings 4

Author Akhila

Ingredients

• 1½ lb beef (cleaned and soup cut)
• 2 onions (thinly sliced)
• 3 green chilies (slit)
• 1 tbsp ginger garlic paste
• 1 tomato (chopped)
• ¼ tbsp turmeric powder
• 1 tbsp red chili powder
• 1½ tbsp coriander powder
• 2 tbsp pepper powder
• 1 tbsp meat masala
• 1 tsp fennel seeds (roasted and powdered)
• 3 leaves sprigs curry
• leaves cilantro (chopped)
• a pinch of mustard seeds
• salt (as required)
• oil pref. coconut oil (as required)

Instructions

• Clean and cut beef into cube shaped pieces (preferably soup cut).
• Transfer it to a pressure cooker and add salt, pepper powder, and a little water (enough to cover the meat). Pressure cook for 3 whistles and then remove the cooker from the flame. Allow it to rest until the pressure goes off. Keep aside.
• Heat oil in a pan and splutter mustard seeds. Add sliced onions, green chilies, curry leaves, and a little salt. Saute until onions become translucent.
• Make a paste of ginger and garlic and add this paste to the pan and mix well.
• Add chopped tomatoes and place the lid on the pan to cook on a low flame until it turns mushy.
• Add spice powders; chili, coriander, turmeric, pepper, and meat masala, and mix well. Make sure you turn the heat to low while adding the spice powders, so that they do not burn.
• Remove the lid from the pressure cooker and transfer the beef with the remaining water to the pan, mix well with the masala and cook on a medium flame for 5 – 8 minutes. Add the roasted fennel powder and mix well. Stir the curry carefully while cooking.
• Cook until gravy thickens, taste and add salt as needed. Garnish with coriander leaves and allow it to rest for a few minutes.
• Serve with Naan/Bread, Malabar Paratha / Kerala porotta, or rice. 

Notes

• You can vary the amount of chili and pepper to suit your spice level.
• The meat masala I have used in my recipe has been bought from an Indian store (Sakthi meat masala). You can also use a homemade masala which is preferable. 

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