Recipe: Pork Vindaloo

Me and me mum and me dad and me gran and a bucket of Vindaloo

I was at a dinner party recently where we were arguing about the origins of Vindaloo. My two friends from India vehemently insisted that the dish is not in fact Indian at all; rather, it was brought by the Portuguese to Goa and other colonial outposts. (See wiki entry here) Certainly, it is served in most Indian restaurants these days and it's couched as a Goan curry. Interestingly, in Malaysia, Vindaloo is more frequently thought to be a Eurasian dish rather than an Indian dish. As a result, it is very popular in Malacca, where Malaysia's last Portuguese enclave exists. It is usually made with pork (although lamb and beef are used as well) and it is very spicy, slightly sour and garlicky. It pairs best with a bowl of hot, fluffy rice.

Ingredients:
500 g pork from the shoulder, cut into 1 inch cubes

4 tbsp of vegetable oil
2 stalks curry leaves
1 cup water
1 large red onion, sliced
1 teaspoon salt or to taste

Spices (grind together in spice grinder or mortar and pestle):
1/2 teaspoon mustard seeds
2 teaspoons cumin seeds
3 teaspoons black peppercorn
1 cinnamon stick
4 cardamoms

3 tbsps chilly powder (the redder the better)
1/4 cup white vinegar

To be blended together:
3 onions, sliced and fried
6 cloves garlic
1 2 inch ginger root

Clean pork and drain well. In a bowl, mix together ground spices, chilly powder, vinegar and the mixture of blended onions, garlic and ginger to make a paste.

Heat oil in a non-stick skillet. When hot, add paste and fry till oil rises to the surface, about 7-10 minutes. Add pork and fry well over high heat for about 8-10 minutes. Add curry leaves and water. Mix well.

Cover, lower heat and simmer for 45 minutes or until pork is very tender. Lift lid and stir occasionally to prevent mixture from sticking and burning to the bottom of the pan.

Remove lid, add red onion and salt. Simmer until the gravy thickens. Serve hot.

p.s. For all you England footie fans, check out the Fat Les song titled, "Vindaloo" on you tube, although shouldn't it be a pot of Vindaloo?