Classic Indian Recipes: Vindaloo

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From Indian Cookery by E.P. Veerasawmy, 1915.

In Southern India where the curries are as a rule much hotter than those in other parts of India, Vindaloos take the lead.

Rich meats are chosen for this dish, such as fat pork, fat ducks and geese. The curry ingredients are varied and if ground on a curry stone the liquid used for moistening them is vinegar. If the ingredients are already in a powder form they are mixed into a paste with vinegar.

Vindaloos are hot, and it is therefore customary to use more chillies than in ordinary curries. A dry preparation known as Vindaloo mixture when mixed into a paste with vinegar gives perfect results and saves a great amount of time and trouble.

Vindaloos, though Southern Indian, are popular amongst all those who like a delicious though hot curry.

Pork Vindaloo (Punny Vindaloo)

1 lb. of fat pork cut up into convenient sizes.
2 heaped tablespoonsful of chopped onions.
1/2 a small teaspoonful of chopped garlic.
2 tablespoonsful of vindaloo mixture, mixed into apaste with vinegar.
2 ozs. of ghee or any other fat.
Salt to taste.

Put the ghee of fat into a stewpan together with the chopped onions and garlic. Cook until the onions begin to change colour, then add the vindaloo paste. Stir well and cook for 2 or 3 minutes on a slow fire, taking care that it does not catch or burn.

Now add the pork. Mix the whole thoroughly well, cover the pan closely and cook on a slow fire until tender. This dish wants watching, and when necessary a little water is added to form a thick rich gravy. Salt to taste.

Pork Vindaloo (Punny Vindaloo)
(Another way)

Make a pickle of the following:—
1 medium-sized onion and 2 or 3 cloves of garlic, finely sliced.
2 tablespoonsful of ground corianders.
1 dessertspoonful of ground turmeric.
1 teaspoonful of ground cummin seed.
1 teaspoonful of ground chillies.
1 teaspoonful of ground ginger.
1 teaspoonful of ground mustard seed.
1 saltspoonful of ground fenugreek.
1 saltspoonful of ground pepper.
With a tablespoonful or more of vinegar, and a tablespoonful of thick tamarind pulp made with vinegar. Add to it 1 lb. of fat pork cut up in convenient pieces. Stand aside for 24 hours.

To cook: Turn this pickled meal and whatever liquor there may be in it into a roomy saucepan containing rather more ghee or other fat than usual. Cover the pan closely and simmer until the meat is cooked. Salt to taste.

This dish must be very rich and hot to be perfect.

Duck Vindaloo (Vathoo Vindaloo)

1 fat duck jointed up.
2 ozs. of ghee or other fat.
1 large onion, chopped finely.
6 thin slices of garlic.
2 tablespoonsful of vindaloo mixture made into a paste with vinegar.
2 red chillies, cut lengthwise in halves and the inner seeds removed.
Salt.

Fry the onions and garlic in the fat, but do not brown them. Add the vindaloo paste and chillies. Stir thoroughly and cook on a slow fire for 3 or 4 minutes. Then add the duck and a little water. Mix well and cover the pan closely. Simmer until thoroughly cooked. Salt to taste.

This curry must be rich and hot.

Young fat geese (Perri Vathoo) are also curried in the same manner.

Duck Vindaloo (Vathoo Vindaloo)
(Another way)

1 duck jointed.
2 ozs. of ghee or other fat.
A large onion and 2 cloves of garlic, finely sliced.
2 or 3 red chillies, cut lengthwise, and the inner seeds removed.
3 dessertspoonsful of ground corianders
1 heaped teaspoonful of ground turmeric
½ teaspoonful of ground ginger
½ teaspoonful of ground cummin seed
½ teaspoonful of ground black pepper.
½ teaspoonful of ground chillies.
1 saltspoonful of ground fenugreek.

Fry lightly in the fat, the onions, garlic and dry chillies. Then add the curry paste and cook on a slow fire for 3 or 4 minutes.

Add the duck. Mix well and let it fry in the curry ingredients for a few minutes longer. Add sufficient water to form a thickish gravy. Cover the pan closely and blend into a paste with vinegar, continue the simmering until the duck is tender. Salt to taste.

Young fat geese (Perri Vathoo) are also curried in the same way.

Beef Vindaloo (Madoo Vindaloo)

1 lb. of beef cut up into fairly large pieces.

Mix into a paste with vinegar:—
1 dessertspoonful of ground corianders.
½ teaspoonful of ground cummin seed,
1 teaspoonful of ground turmeric.
½ teaspoonful of ground mustard seed.
½ teaspoonful of ground chillies,
1 saltspoonful of ground black pepper.
1 saltspoonful of ground ginger.

In 2 ozs. of ghee or other fat lightly fry for 3 or 4 minutes, all finely sliced:—
1 large onion.
2 cloves of garlic.
2 fresh or pickled green chillies finely minced.

Add the above paste and cook for 3 or 4 minutes longer, then add the meat, and with the pan covered let it cook in its own juice as long as possible. When necessary add just enough water to form a thick rich gravy. Salt and lemon juice to taste.

Beef Vindaloo (Madoo Vindaloo)
(Another way)

1 lb. of fat beef cut up in convenient pieces.
2 ozs. of ghee or other fat.
2 heaped tablespoonsful of finely chopped onions.
1 teaspoonful of finely chopped garlic.
2 tablespoonsful of vindaloo mixture made into a paste with vinegar.
2 dry red chillies, cut lengthwise in halves and the inner seeds removed.
Salt.

In the ghee or other fat fry lightly for 2 or 3 minutes the onions, garlic and chillies. Add the vindaloo paste. Mix well and cook on a slow fire for a further 3 or 4 minutes.

Add the meat and a very little water. Mix the whole thoroughly well, cover the pan closely and simmer until tender. Salt to taste.

Beef Vindaloo — (Madoo Vindaloo)
(Another way)

1 lb. of beef cut up as desired.

With a sufficiency of vinegar make a thickish paste of the following ingredients:—
1 medium-sized onion.
2 or more cloves of garlic.
2 tablespodnsful of ground corianders.
1 dessertspoonful of ground turmeric.
1 teaspoonful of ground cummin seed.
1 teaspoonful of ground ginger.
1 teaspoonful of ground red chillies.
½ teaspoonful of ground mustard seed.
½ teaspoonful of ground fenugreek.

Thoroughly mix the meat in it and stand aside for 4 or more hours — the longer the better.

In a roomy stewpan warm a tablespoonsful of ghee or other fat and then add the meat and all the mixture in which it is standing as well as 1/2 pint of water. Cover the pan closely and simmer gently until cooked. Salt to taste.

Veerasawmy, E.P. Indian Cookery. Arco Publishers, 1915.

E.P. Veerasawmy

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