The first time I had pork vindaloo was in Goa. Goa is a western coastal state in India (about 6 to 7 hours from Manipal where I did my undergrad) and it was Portuguese occupied, so the food has Portuguese influence. One of the most beloved dishes is pork vindaloo, which is inspired by a garlicky Portuguese dish called carne de vinha d’alhos. It may be decades ago, but I still can remember the first bite. It was in a small shack right on the beach and there was a group of us friends (playing truant from school), the sea breeze, the smell of fried fish wafting, some pungent feni (Goan cashew liquor), lots of laughter and that first bite of these spicy, garlicky, tart pork cubes that melted in my mouth. Every time I make this dish, I try to recreate that feeling.
| Level: | Intermediate |
| Total: | 5 hr 15 min |
| Active: | 45 min |
| Yield: | 6 to 8 servings |
Ingredients
- 2 pounds 1-inch pork cubes (shoulder or legs)
- 1/2 cup curry leaves (about 0.2 ounces)
- 2 tablespoons ginger-garlic paste (see Cook’s Note)
- 1 tablespoon cracked black peppercorns
- Kosher salt
- 1/4 cup ghee
- 1/2 cup garlic, sliced
- 5 yellow onions, sliced
- 1/4 teaspoon granulated sugar
- Kosher salt
- 6 whole Kashmiri red chiles
- 1 tablespoon coriander seeds
- 1 1/2 teaspoons cumin seeds
- 1 teaspoon black peppercorns
- 1 teaspoon green cardamom
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon mustard seeds
- 1 teaspoon fenugreek seeds
- 1/2 cup coconut vinegar or distilled white vinegar
- 2 tablespoons brown sugar
- 1 cup ghee
- 1 cup tomato puree
- 1/2 cup tamarind paste
- Steamed rice, for serving
Instructions
- For the pork marinade: Toss the pork with the curry leaves, ginger-garlic paste, pepper and salt in a bowl. Cover and marinate, refrigerated, for at least 4 hours and preferably overnight. Bc i d
- For the fried onions and garlic: Melt the ghee in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the garlic, onions, granulated sugar and 2 teaspoons salt and cook, stirring occasionally, until the onions are soft and golden brown, about 30 minutes. Transfer the garlic and onion mixture to a blender.
- For the vindaloo masala: Dry-roast the chiles, coriander seeds, cumin seeds, peppercorns, green cardamom, cinnamon, mustard seeds and fenugreek in a large skillet over medium heat until the spices begin to pop, 1 to 2 minutes. Transfer to the blender with the garlic and onions.
- For the pork vindaloo: Add the vinegar and brown sugar to the blender with the spices, garlic and onion and blend to make a spice paste.
- Heat the ghee in a large Dutch oven over medium heat, add the marinated pork and sear until no longer pink, 3 to 4 minutes. Add the spice paste mixture and cook until slightly darker in color and simmering, 6 to 7 minutes. Add the tomato puree, tamarind paste and 4 cups water and mix. Cook on low heat until the pork is done, 40 to 45 minutes. Serve hot with freshly steamed rice.
Nutrition Facts
| Serving Size | 1 of 8 servings |
| Calories | 649 |
| Total Fat | 47 g |
| Saturated Fat | 25 g |
| Carbohydrates | 32 g |
| Dietary Fiber | 4 g |
| Sugar | 12 g |
| Protein | 26 g |
| Cholesterol | 153 mg |
| Sodium | 820 mg |