Kitchen Recipe Collection
Indian Mutton Vindaloo
A fiery, tangy, and intensely flavorful Goan curry made with mutton marinated heavily in vinegar, garlic, and fierce red chilies.
- Prep
- 25 min
- Cook
- 90 min
- Total
- 115 min
- Servings
- 4
- Difficulty
- medium
- Cuisine
- indian
Ingredients
Scaled for 4 servings
- mutton or pork (bone-in)
- goan palm vinegar (or malt vinegar)
- kashmiri red chilies
- spicy red chilies
- garlic (plenty)
- ginger
- cumin seeds
- mustard seeds
- cloves
- cinnamon
- onions
- oil
Equipment
- Blender
- Heavy-bottomed pot or Pressure Cooker
Instructions
- 1
Make Vindaloo Paste
In a blender, combine dry Kashmiri chilies, spicy red chilies, lots of garlic, ginger, cumin, mustard seeds, cloves, cinnamon, and peppercorns.
- 2
Blend with Vinegar
Blend the spices into a smooth, thick paste using Goan palm vinegar (or malt/apple cider vinegar) instead of water. Do not use water.
- 3
Marinate the Meat
Massage this fiery, sour red paste thoroughly into the mutton pieces. Marinate in the fridge for at least 4 hours, preferably overnight.
- 4
Heat Oil
In a heavy pot, heat a generous amount of oil.
- 5
Caramelize Onions
Add finely chopped onions. Sauté them patiently until they are very dark brown and fully caramelized (this adds necessary sweetness to balance the sourness).
- 6
Sear the Meat
Add the marinated mutton along with all the marinade paste. Turn the heat to high.
- 7
Bhunao (Stir-fry)
Stir-fry the meat continuously for 10-15 minutes until the raw smell of the vinegar cooks off and the oil starts separating.
- 8
Add Water
Add 1 to 1.5 cups of hot water, just enough to cover the meat.
- 9
Slow Cook
Cover the pot tightly and simmer on low heat for 60-75 minutes until the mutton is fall-apart tender. (Or pressure cook for 5-6 whistles).
- 10
Balance the Flavor
Taste the curry. If it is too sour, add a tiny piece of jaggery or half a teaspoon of sugar to balance the vinegar.
- 11
Rest the Curry
Vindaloo always tastes better the next day as the vinegar mellows and deeply permeates the meat.
- 12
Serve
Serve hot with unpolished Goan rice, crusty bread (Poee), or plain steamed rice.
Cooking Tips
- Authentic Vindaloo NEVER contains potatoes (aloo). The name derives from the Portuguese 'Vinha d'Alhos' (wine and garlic), not 'Aloo'.
Variations
- Pork Vindaloo: The original and most authentic Goan version uses fatty pork instead of mutton.
Chef's Notes & Storage
- A classic example of Portuguese influence on Indian cuisine, heavily adapted with Indian spices.
Nutrition Estimate
450 calories · 32g protein · 10g carbs · 30g fat · 3g fiber per serving
