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Vindaloo

Recipe video above. Vindaloo is a traditional Indian curry that's not for the faint hearted! Big, bold curry flavours. Deep, vibrant red colour. Chunks of beef slow cooked to fall apart perfection. And yep, it's spicy! For serious curry lovers, it's hard to top this. As with all curries, use fresh spices for the best results (yes, spices fade in flavour over time). And no, unfortunately this won't work in a slow cooker, pressure cooker or instant pot (Note 7).Serve with naan for mopping and yogurt for cooling. ** SPICE WARNING!!! Read Spiciness note below. **

Prep Time
20 mins
Cook Time
2 hrs 20 mins
Marinating
2 hrs
Servings: 4 - 5 people
Calories: 441 kcal
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Indian

Ingredients

  • 800g / 1.6 lb beef chuck , cut into 3cm / 1.2" cubes (Note 1)
  • 1 1/2 tsp salt
Curry paste:
  • 6 tbsp Kashmiri chilli powder - TEST spiciness before using! (Note 2)
  • 2 tsp coriander seeds
  • 3 tsp cumin seeds
  • 4 cloves
  • 4 cardamom pods (green)
  • 2 tsp cinnamon powder
  • 1/2 tsp black peppercorns
  • 2 tbsp fresh ginger , roughly chopped
  • 10 garlic cloves (yes, 10!)
  • 1 tsp brown sugar
  • 1 tsp fenugreek seeds (Note 3)
  • 1/4 tsp turmeric powder
  • 7 tbsp white vinegar
  • 2 cups water
Curry sauce:
  • 50g / 3 tbsp ghee or unsalted butter (Note 4)
  • 1 onion , finely chopped (brown, yellow, white)
  • 2 tsp ginger , finely grated
  • 4 garlic cloves , finely minced
  • 1 1/2 tsp black mustard seeds (Note 5)
  • 2 tbsp tomato paste
  • 10 curry leaves , fresh (Note 6)
  • 2 cups beef stock , low sodium (if using homemade, add 1/2 tsp salt)
Garnish:
  • 2 tbsp coriander/cilantro leaves , roughly chopped

Instructions

    Cup of Yum
  1. Salt beef: Toss beef in salt.
  2. Check spiciness of kashmiri chilli powder and adjust if desired. See Spiciness Note below.
  3. Curry Paste: Place Curry Paste ingredients in a Nutribullet or small food processor with 1 cup of the water. Blitz until smooth. Pour over beef. Pour remaining 1 cup water into Nutribullet, shake (to clean out remaining curry paste), then pour/scrape over beef.
  4. Marinate beef: Mix beef in curry paste, cover, then marinate 2 hours. (Note: marinade is fairly thin - the water cooks down during slow cooking.)
  5. Preheat oven to 190°C/375°F (170°C fan).
  6. Curry sauce: Melt ghee over medium high. Cook onion, ginger and garlic until they become translucent - about 3 minutes.
  7. Mustard seeds: Add black mustard seeds then cook until onion is tinged with gold. Stir in tomato paste, cook 1 minute.
  8. Puree sauce: Add beef stock, stir. Transfer into a jug then use a stick blender to puree until smooth. Pour back into the pot.
  9. Add beef: Add beef and curry leaves, stir then bring to boil.
  10. Slow cook: Cover with a lid, then place in the oven for 2 hours or until beef is fall apart tender and the sauce has darkened in colour and thickened. (See Note 7 if sauce hasn't reduced enough).
  11. Serve: Garnish with coriander, then serve over basmati rice with a side of naan!

Notes

  • Spiciness of this dish -  7 to 8 out of 10 on the spiciness scale! Not blow-your-head-off but it's pretty spicy! 
  • SPICE CONTROL: Spiciness in this comes from Kashmiri.Strongly advised to taste the Kashmiri chilli before using because not all kashmiri is created equal, some is spicier than others and brands DO NOT specify spiciness. Kashmiri chilli typically available in Australia is medium level of spiciness (about 1/4 to 1/3 strength of black pepper) BUT sometimes outliers are extremely spicy. If it is very spicy and you're worried, reduce spiciness per directions below.
  • SPICE CONTROL: 
  • Spiciness in this comes from Kashmiri.Strongly advised to taste the Kashmiri chilli before using because not all kashmiri is created equal, some is spicier than others and brands DO NOT specify spiciness. Kashmiri chilli typically available in Australia is medium level of spiciness (about 1/4 to 1/3 strength of black pepper) BUT sometimes outliers are extremely spicy. If it is very spicy and you're worried, reduce spiciness per directions below.
  • extremely spicy
  • Reduce spiciness by reducing Kashmiri. For every 1 tablespoon for Kashmiri you reduce, replace with 1 teaspoon of SWEET/REGULAR paprika + 1 teaspoon of SMOKED paprika (not spicy, has a smoky flavour like Kashmiri chilli). Stir in chilli powder (pure chilli, not US chilli powder mix) or cayenne pepper at the end if you want it spicier. Note: curry colour won't be as red as redness comes from Kashmiri. Can compensate with a drop or two or red food colouring, if desperate!
  • Beef - Beef chuck works well because it's a tough cut that becomes "fall apart tender" after slow cooking. Boneless ribs will also work as would beef osso bucco (use 1.2kg / 2.4lb inc bone, keep them whole, the meat will fall off in pieces once slow cooked). If you can get well marbled brisket, that will also work but I find a brisket a bit stringy cooked in stew-like form.
  • Other proteins - Lamb shoulder and pork shoulder will work too. For chicken, use about 1 kg / 2lb bone in chicken thighs but remove the skin. Cut in half along bone (equal size pieces). Make recipe as written except cook in oven for 50 minutes. Remove chicken pieces (make sure they are pretty tender), then simmer sauce on stove (very low heat) to reduce and thicken sauce (see video for how it should look, ~ 30 min I think). Return chicken into pot, serve!
  • Kashmiri chilli - TASTE IT before using quantity per recipe. Wet finger, lightly press into Kashmiri and taste. Super spicy? Start with less - you can always add more at the end. The one I get is about 1/4 to 1/3 the spiciness of black pepper.
  • Kashmiri is a spicy, smokey Indian chilli powder that gives this curry the red colour plus spiciness. Sub with 4 tbsp smoked paprika + 1 tsp chilli powder (not US Chili Powder which is a blend) or cayenne pepper. Pretty close flavour but, you won’t get quite the same red colour. Find at Indian store (I go to Indian Emporium in Dee Why, Sydney).
  • Also used in: Goan Fish Curry, Tandoori Chicken
  • Fenugreek seeds – Available at stores that carry a decent range of spices. I found it at Harris Farms (Australia). Also, of course, at Indian grocery stores! Use leftover for Palak Paneer.
  • Ghee is clarified butter, one of the traditional fats used in Indian cooking. It is simply butter without the water and milk solids, so you have pure butter fat, it has a more intense flavour than butter. Either buy it, make it (easy and keeps for months) or just use normal butter!
  • Black mustard seeds - key ingredient for authentic flavour. Look like poppyseeds, wasabi bite, Indian aroma! ~ $1.50 in small packs at Indian grocery stores (my local is Indian Emporium in Dee Why, Sydney). Also sold in the Indian food section at some Woolworths (Australia) $1.70, otherwise try online. Also used in:  Eggplant Curry, Dal, Vegetable Samosa Pie, Cabbage Thoran
  • Substitutes (starting with best): Brown mustard seeds, yellow mustard seeds, 1/2 tsp mustard powder*, 1 1/2 tsp Garam Masala (different flavour, but is intended to make up for absence)
  • Fresh curry leaves - key ingredient for authentic flavour! Sub dried curry leaves. Fairly accessible nowadays for Sydney-siders, sold at Harris Farms, most Coles and Woolworths. Store leftovers in fridge (weeks) or freezer (months). Also used in: Eggplant Brinjal Curry, Vegetable Samosa Pie, Cabbage Thoran (seriously good!), Lentil curry
  • Substitute: dried curry leaves, 1.5 tsp Garam Masala powder (add it with rest of spices, different flavour but compensates).
  • Sauce thickness - If the sauce is not darker and thicker at the end of the slow cooking time, then just reduce on the stove on low heat with the lid off. This can happen if you didn't use a heavy based pot like a dutch oven (heat retention is better = sauce cooks as intended).
  • Slow cooker / pressure cooker / Instant Pot - Won't work for this, I'm afraid. Really need the oven to caramelise the edges and surface of the sauce which makes it darken and adds flavour, plus some evaporation which helps thicken the sauce. Slow cooker just won't taste as good.
  • Storage - Leftovers will keep for up to 5 days in the fridge. But I find with curries (unlike Western stews) they are best eaten on the day, or the next day. After this, the intensity of the spice flavours will start to fade.
  • Nutrition per serving, assuming 5 servings. Excludes rice.

Nutrition Information

Calories 441cal (22%) Carbohydrates 12g (4%) Protein 35g (70%) Fat 29g (45%) Saturated Fat 14g (70%) Trans Fat 1g Cholesterol 136mg (45%) Sodium 803mg (33%) Potassium 950mg (27%) Fiber 3g (12%) Sugar 3g (6%) Vitamin A 527IU (11%) Vitamin C 47mg (52%) Calcium 105mg (11%) Iron 5mg (28%)

Nutrition Facts

Serving: 4- 5 people

Amount Per Serving

Calories 441

% Daily Value*

Calories 441cal 22%
Carbohydrates 12g 4%
Protein 35g 70%
Fat 29g 45%
Saturated Fat 14g 70%
Trans Fat 1g 50%
Cholesterol 136mg 45%
Sodium 803mg 33%
Potassium 950mg 20%
Fiber 3g 12%
Sugar 3g 6%
Vitamin A 527IU 11%
Vitamin C 47mg 52%
Calcium 105mg 11%
Iron 5mg 28%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.