Lamb Vindaloo
Posted on 02 Apr 2013Vindaloo is a popular curry dish from the eastern regions of India. Considered by us anglophones as quite a spicy dish –considering the amount of chilies that goes into it– which it tends to be, though it’s not necessarily the hottest dish from Indian cuisine.
I strive to get as authentic as I could with this lamb vindaloo recipe –like omitting potato,for one– with the spice combinations and methodology.
Marinade Ingredients
| Amount | Ingredient | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 1 kg | lamb meat | stewing lamb or “off-the-leg” |
| 10-12 whole | whole dried chilies | use less if you’d prefer a less spicy dish |
| 1 whole | cinnamon stick | — |
| 6 whole | bay leaves | — |
| 6-8 whole | cloves | — |
| 1 teaspoon | black peppercorns | — |
| 1 tablespoon | coriandre seeds | — |
| ½ teaspoon | fenugreek seeds | — |
| ½ teaspoon | fennel seeds | — |
| ½ teaspoon | ground turmeric | — |
| 1 teaspoon | vegetable oil | peanut or grapeseed |
| 1 head | garlic | about 8-12 cloves |
| 2 inch piece | ginger | — |
| 6 tablespoons | white vinegar | — |
| — | salt | to taste |
Marinade Directions
- Where necessary, trim excess fat, debone, and cut the lamb into 3-5 cm cubes.
- Toast (dry-roast) the dried red chilies, peppercorns, cardamom, cinnamon, cloves, coriandre, fenugreek, and fennel in a pan for a minute or two, over medium-high heat, until the spices become aromatic.
- Remove and let cool.
- Place into a spice/coffee grinder, adding the turmeric and bay leaves, and grind into a fine powder.
- Peel and trim the garlic and ginger root. Chop into chunks. Chuck into a food processor with the oil and salt.
- Add the ground spice mix and vinegar. Blend into a smooth paste.
- In a mixing bowl, add the lamb cubes and the marinade paste.
- Thoroughly, rub and coat the lamb with the paste.
- Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour (all the way up to overnight) to marinate.
- Before cooking bring the meat to room temperature.
Sauce Ingredients
| Amount | Ingredient | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 4-8 tablespoons | vegetable oil | — |
| 2 | large onions | — |
| 2-3 cups | water | — |
| 1 | cinnamon stick | — |
| 3 | cloves | — |
| 2-4 tablespoons | fresh chilies | finely chopped |
| 4 tablespoons | white vinegar | — |
| 2 teaspoons | brown or white sugar | — |
| — | salt | to taste |
Sauce Directions
- Peel and grate your onions, while preheating a deep saucepan.
- Heat the clarified butter or oil in the pan. (If using add the cinnamon and cloves, to flavour the fat).
- Add and sweat the onion.
- Add your lamb-marinade mixture and cook for ~5 minutes while stirring occasionally –allowing the lamb to brown slightly, but not letting the marinade burn.
- Add the water and bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer for 45 minutes to an hour.
- Stir in the vinegar, sugar and chilies. Salt to taste.
- Serve with rice and/or a flatbread like naan or chapati.