Spicy Pork Vindaloo – Indyal

The spicy vindaloo made by the East Indians of Bombay, India is derived from Portuguese Carne de Vinha D’Alhos dish. Made with dry or fresh indyal masala, here’s how our family makes it for dinner!

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The traditional pork vindaloo tastes as glorious as the pork sorpotel, or even more so! It’s tangy without needing any amboshi.

The blend of chillies and spices makes your mouth water, literally! And it is served with as much pomp as the corned tongue or any other precious traditional dish.

Want to try making the droolsome vindaloo on your own? It takes a bit of know-how and experience. So unless you have East Indian blood, it’ll take a few tries to get it right, but you will eventually.

Almost every family has their own version of the pork vindaloo recipe made with their special indyal masala, but here’s the recipe we use at home.

What is the Pork Vindaloo recipe used by East Indians?

This pork vindaloo recipe is a derivative of the Portuguese Pork Vindaloo recipe that was called Carne de Vinha D’Alhos which means meat in a marinade of wine and garlic.

When the Portuguese were handed over Bombay as a gift in 1661, they influenced some of the traditions and culinary dishes of the local East Indians. Some of their dishes were also adopted and localized, this vindaloo being one of them.

The most important ingredients in the recipe are of course the pork, garlic, and a hearty dose of wine. Although it takes a tad of a learning curve, this traditional pork dish is not too difficult to make.

What ingredients do you put in a pork vindaloo?

Although, almost always, we tend to make at least 2 or 3 kgs of pork vindaloo at a time; since it’s your first try, let’s measure out the ingredients we use for a kg of pork meat instead.

Here are the ingredients we use:
1 kg pork with a thick fat layer, cut into medium pieces
15 kashmiri chillies (If you want it spicier add 3 more)
2 pods garlic
1-inch fresh ginger
1 tbsp turmeric powder or 1-inch fresh turmeric
2 tablespoon jeera or cumin
250 ml vinegar
1 tablespoon salt
* If you can’t find kashmiri chilies, any super spicy dried red chilies will do

Is there a difference between this East Indian vindaloo and the Goan vindaloo? Some say there isn’t. But what we’ve noticed is that Goans put onions in the vindaloo. We don’t. Sometimes they even add tomatoes. Those two ingredients should create quite a perceptible difference.

How to make Pork vindaloo?

The trick to getting the best tasting vindaloo is using a mix of meaty pieces and fatty pieces. The fatty pieces are important components that add to the flavor of the dish.

Start by grinding all the ingredients to a fine paste with the about 50 ml of the vinegar. Apply this paste which we call the indyal masala to the pork pieces and marinate overnight in a stainless steel, earthen or glass dish.

The next morning, add the rest of the vinegar and slow cook the pork on a medium flame till the meat and tushin or skin is tender, stirring occasionally. If needed, add more salt or vinegar, but never water.

We usually cook the vindaloo for about an hour or so, before it’s ready to serve. After an hour, taste a piece and check if the tushin is soft enough to eat. If not, cook for another 15 minutes.

The dish can be stored at room temperature for a few days to a week. It does not spoil and tastes better with age.

Enjoy the spicy vindaloo with turmeric rice or plain rice or soak it with some tasty bread such as pav. I think it tastes better with some chitaps or foogias too!

Cooking Tips & Tricks

• The spices and ingredients need to be ground to a paste.
• Do not discard the fat. The fatty pieces are important to the flavour of the dish, a combination of meat and fat peices is essential.
• Add more vinegar or salt if needed, do not add water.
• Make one to two days before serving. It tastes better when it has had time to rest.
• If you don’t want to make the indyal masala at home, we have a list here of people selling it from home across the globe.
• If you prefer something less spicy, try the yellow vindaloo that we call ukra, or this honey mustard roast gammon recipe.
• Want seafood instead? Try a kingfish fry or a fish vindaloo!

Questions about Cooking Traditional Pork Vindaloo

How Long Can Pork Vindaloo Be Stored after cooking?

The dish can be stored at room temperature for a week as it does not spoil and tastes better with age. In the fridge, it’ll last for up to 2 weeks. You can also freeze it in an air-tight container for up to 6 months.

What Does Vindaloo Mean?

Vindaloo is an ‘East Indian Marathi’ word derived from the Portuguese word Vinha D’Alhos which means marinated in wine and garlic.

What Other Recipes Are Popular to Make?

Other popular recipes include meatball curry, sorpatel, chicken tope, chicken roast, or even duck moile.

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• Mutton Paya Khudi
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