A good Pork Vindaloo is a must-have at any gathering, party or special occasion in most Goan households. Today, I’m sharing a much loved recipe in our family – my father’s Pork Vindaloo. It is such a simple recipe, but results in such a spectacular curry. You are going to enjoy this one. It is perfect to serve around the Holiday season, because this can be made a day or two in advance. In fact, the flavors are even better if it is served a day after it is made. I hope you enjoy this recipe as much as we do.
Goan Pork Vindaloo
Course: MainCuisine: Goan, IndianDifficulty: MediumServings
8
servingsPrep time
20
minutesCooking time
1
hourGoan Pork Vindaloo is a vibrant, flavorful pork curry that is spicy, tangy and so moorish, it will have you coming back for more.
Ingredients
1 kilo boneless pork (pick a slightly fatty cut)
1-2 tbsp oil
1 – 1 1/2 onion, finely chopped
Salt, to taste
Vinegar, to taste
1 tsp sugar
- For the masala –
12 Kashmiri chillies, deseeded
6 black peppercorns
5 cloves
3 green cardamom pods
2″ cinnamon
6-8 large garlic cloves
1 1/2 inch ginger
Vinegar, to grind to a paste
Directions
- Cut the pork into chunks and set aside.
- Grind all the ingredients for the masala to a fine paste using vinegar. (Ideally Goan vinegar is used. If you don’t have access to it, malt vinegar or red wine vinegar will work well too.)
- Heat some oil in a large pan. Saute the onions till they have softened and start caramelizing.
- Add the masala and fry off well for a couple of minutes.
- Add the pieces of pork and salt, to taste. Stir well to coat all the pieces with the masala and let the meat fry off for a few minutes.
- Add enough water for the pork to cook through and achieve the consistency you want. I used about 2 cups of water. (You can add more water, if required, later on, when the meat is cooking.)
- Cover and cook till the meat is tender.
- Check for seasoning and adjust as required.
- Add 1 tsp sugar to balance out all the flavors.
- Serve hot. This Pork Vindaloo goes very well with some steamed rice, a Peas Pulao, some bread or sannas too.
Enjoy!
Recipe Video
Notes
- Remember to use a slightly fatty cut of pork. It adds a lot more flavour.
- Cooking time will depend on the cut of pork being used and the size of the pieces that you’ve cut.
- While this pork vindaloo can be served straightaway, it is best cooked a day or two before you need to serve it. It helps the flavors develop and mature. Store refrigerated. If you’re making it a couple of days in advance, on the day after cooking it, bring to room temperature and heat thoroughly and let it simmer for a couple of minutes. Cool down completely and store refrigerated.
This looks amazing!
The problem I have is that I don’t have access to a blender, but I do have an old hand blender in the kitchen cabinet. Do you think I will manage with using already ground spices instead of whole ones (mainly the hard ones like peppercorns, cardamom and cloves) and try to get the paste smooth as possible with my hand blender, or will it affect the consistency of the paste too much?
I used a mini blender with a container on it and finished it with my mortar and pestle. Still not as good as a real spice grinder, not as fine, but I think the whole spices are way better than the pre-ground ones.
Thank you Jonas. You can definitely use the ground spices for the pepper, cardamom and cloves. There will be a little bit of a difference, but you’ll still end up with a really good curry.
My roommate mentioned pork vindaloo and its origins and I was obsessed. I scoured the internet and your recipe immediately appealed (yay family recipes!!), Made it along with your pea pulau and methi paratha and good grief, that was the most lovely meal I’ve made in a long time. Thank you so much.
Also when I went to the local spice market for the chillies, fenugreek leaves, and carrom seeds, one guy there was like “WE don’t even use that many chillies to cook!”
I was like… I’m obviously not using the whole bag… this is for a particular recipe and anyway I was out of the good chillies and they’re dried so they last for ages and when did you cook last?
And the other guy was like “lay off her, she’s buying Kashmiri chillies and my mother says they’re best.”
Mothers telling their sons the truth!
Also I’m in New Zealand so hit me up if you ever cross the ditch. I owe you for that recipe.
Sophie I’m so glad you enjoyed the recipes. This is one of our favourites too and it works really well with the Green Peas pulao.
Yup, that guy and his mother were right. They are one of the best chillies. I just use those for most of my spice mixes.
I might just take you up on that offer 😉
As Parsees we have grown up with the taste of Goan cooking and your simple recipe has permitted me to cook up this delicious Goan Pork vindaloo for a group of family and friends .
Thank you and bless your dad in sharing this recipie.
Thank you for your kind words Firdaus. I’m really glad you enjoyed the recipe.
Tried out d reciepe with mutton…was awesome…thanks
I’m so glad you liked the recipe Raymond.
So simple, available ingredients and such a delicious recipe ! Thank you so much !
Thanks Erin. I’m glad you like it.
This blog beautifully showcases Goan Pork Vindaloo! The detailed description of its spicy, tangy flavors makes it incredibly tempting. A must-read for anyone craving a delicious and authentic Goan dish.