Vindaloo | Vindalho | Vinho d'Alhos | Carne de Vinho d'Alhos

 
 
 
 
 

Ingredients:

For marination in wine and garlic:

2 chicken drumsticks

2 chicken thighs

4-5 garlic cloves

1 tbsp coriander seeds

2-3 bay leaves

1 tbsp peppercorns

4-5 dried red chilies

Red chili powder

1.5 tbsp salt

Dried curry leaves

Wine

1/4 cup vinegar

For Vindaloo spice mix:

2 tbsp coriander seeds

1 tbsp black pepper

2 star-anise pods

6-8 green cardamom pods

1/2 tsp fenugreek seeds

5-6 dried red chilies

2 tsp cumin seeds

1 tsp fennel seeds

1.5 tbsp poppy seeds

1 inch chopped ginger

1/4 cup vinegar (white/red wine)

Red chili powder

1/4 cup water

For stew: (makes 3-4 servings)

1 onion (80 g)

4-5 garlic cloves

3 tomatoes (170 g)

1 tbsp oil

16 oz chicken stock/water

Fresh coriander leaves

Ground fennel

Garam masala




Vindaloo is an Indian dish based on the Portuguese dish, Carne de Vinho d’Alhos.

Vinho d’Alhos => Vin d’Alho => VindAlho => VindAloo

 
 

Method:

If you are comfortable cooking with alcohol, marinate the chicken in wine and garlic along with the ingredients mentioned in “For marination in wine and garlic”.

For vindaloo spice mix, toast the spices mentioned in “For Vindaloo spice mix” for few minutes and blend them along with other ingredients to make a paste/marinade.

If you don’t want to use alcohol, marinate the chicken in the vindaloo spice paste mentioned above.

Marinate the chicken overnight or 8 - 12 hours at least.

 
 
 

If you marinated chicken in wine and garlic:

  1. Take out the chicken from wine and let it air dry for few minutes and sear the chicken in 2-3 tbsp of oil to get some color on it.

  2. Saute the diced onions in oil until they become translucent. Add the garlic and saute until the onions become golden brown.

  3. Add the spice mix and saute for few minutes after browning the onions and then cook the tomatoes for few minutes in chicken stock until they get mushy and almost disappear.

  4. Add the seared chicken to the onion-tomato sauce and cook on medium heat for 35 - 40 minutes. Check on it once in a white and give it an occasional stir.

  5. Taste and adjust the salt according to your taste. You can adjust the quantity of vinegar as well. Finally finish it with freshly chopped coriander leaves, a sprinkle of ground fennel and garam masala.

 
 

If you marinated chicken in vindaloo spice paste:

  1. Saute the diced onions in 1 tbsp of oil until they become translucent. Add the garlic and saute until the onions become golden brown. Add the tomatoes and cook for few minutes until they get mushy and almost disappear.

  2. Add the marinated chicken along with the marinade and cook until the chicken is done. Add chicken stock according to your desired consistency of the sauce.

  3. Taste and adjust the salt according to your taste. You can adjust the quantity of vinegar as well. Finally finish it with freshly chopped coriander leaves, a sprinkle of ground fennel and garam masala.

 
 

This goes well with pretty much anything - roti, rice, naan or even a piece of toast as well.

Traditionally, vindaloo is made with pork. This can be made with any meat or even vegetables.

 
 
 
Dinesh Ravillachicken