Vindaloo

Traditional Goan Vindaloo is the dish that dreams are made of.

The first time I had Vindaloo, I honestly didn’t think much about it. It was mediocre at best. Fast forward 10-ish years later to when I had it again, and I was hooked for life. The pork is fall apart tender. The gravy is spicy, aromatic, and incredibly flavorful. And together the dish is an absolute triumph.

So picture the scene. I’m in Goa for a cousin’s destination wedding. It’s early October, the weather is cool with occasional fall showers. You can smell fresh jasmine in the air. The waves were hitting the shore, throwing up sea spray. In the distance you could see fresh caught fish being put onto large outdoor grills. We, man friend, at the time, and I, arrive. The hotel is a bug infested C-rate joint that’s pricier than the 5 star up town. There was greeting and catching up with family that I hadn’t seen in ages and we started to prepare for a lavish 5 days ahead.

The next morning brought a drunk groom, a no show bride, and a LOT of very concerned and dramatic aunties. As always, the only time I get any credit in life is when the entire system has failed and no one knows what to do. That is when people seem to recall that perhaps I don’t just sit around and drool all day. So, I got the bride on the phone, only to find that she’d lied on her visa application and had been denied entry into the country. I mean come on! WHO IS NOT ALLOWED INTO INDIA? As the wheels to sort out a visa were starting to turn, it was time to sober up the groom, calm the aunties with tea, despite the 102 degree weather, and most importantly, inform the man friend that his swimming trunks were indeed sheer-ish when wet, and that everyone was most impressed (but he needed to change, asap). And this was just the first 24 hrs in the country. Oh did I mention, I was given the honor of paying for dinner the previous night? Yes, the groom was short on cash and I was allowed the privilege of covering a no expenses barred dinner for 25.

This is clearly not a fairy tale and things only got worse when the rest of the family and guests arrived. The bride was 3 hrs late to her visa appointment (and thus missed it), the groom managed to score an 1/8th, and the man friend couldn’t recall if he had a wife or ex wife, but the lass did live in his home…oh but only when he was gone. And only because all of her things were still there…so you know…there’s that. This was one of my better relationships. It’s no wonder that women get the more asexual as we age. Less murdery thoughts that way.

Who is really reading this garbage? Do people read cooking blogs? If the answer is yes, why? Why do people care about the ramblings of the dull or deranged? Personally, I can’t stand reading non informational blogs. And sure, you could argue this section aught to be used for information. But really, you don’t need step by step photos of me chopping and stirring. Just chop the fucking onions, sister!

But allow me to say one last time, vindaloo is delicious. I can’t imagine a time in Goa without Feni or vindaloo. Though invaders and occupying forces caused irrevocable harm to India, they’ve also left behind a lot of what we know to be the modern culture and flavor of the nation. What the Portuguese once called carne de vinha d’alhos, or meat in garlic marinade, was transformed by the local Goan population to the modern day vindaloo. This is a true fusion of flavors and cooking techniques resulting in an absolute beauty. Also, if you’re not using pork, it’s not authentic.

Looking for some quick meal ideas? Try these:

Vindaloo

Course: MainCuisine: GoanDifficulty: Easy

Servings

4

servings

Prep time

15

minutes

Cooking time

55

minutes

Resting Time

2

hrs

Total time

3

hours 

10

minutes

Cook Mode

Keep the screen of your device on

Ingredients

• 1 lbs pork shoulder

• 6-10 whole Kashmiri chilies

• 1 tbsp whole cumin

• 1 whole cinnamon stick

• 1 tsp black mustard seeds

• 2 tsp coriander seeds

• 7 whole black peppercorns

• 4 cloves garlic

• 3 piece piece of ginger

• 1/2 tsp turmeric

• 2 tbsp apple cider vinegar

• 1 tbsp vegetable oil

• 2 tbsp water

• Salt, to taste

• For Curry:

• 1 onion, minced

• 1 tbsp vegetable oil

• 2 tbsp water

Equipment/Specialty Items

• Kashmiri ChilliKashmiri Chilli
• Cumin SeedsCumin Seeds
• Black Mustard SeedsBlack Mustard Seeds
• Coriander SeedsCoriander Seeds

Directions

• Trim and cut the pork into approximately 1-2 inch chunks.
• Salt pork and set aside.
• Dry roast chilies, cumin, cinnamon stick, black mustard seeds, coriander seeds, and black pepper, until fragrant. Approximately 1-2 minutes. Then set aside to cool.
• Grind the dry spices to a fine powder.
• Blend dry spices, garlic, ginger, turmeric, vinegar, oil, and water, till you have a smooth paste
• Pour the spice paste over the pork and coat the pork evenly. Cover and refrigerate for 2 hrs. It can be refrigerated overnight if needed.
• In a skillet heat up oil and saute onions until they are golden brown, approximately 10 minutes.
• Add in marinated pork and cook over high heat for 5 minutes.
• Add in water, cover, and cook over low heat for 45 minutes.
• Remove from heat and serve with rice.

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