Maven's "Two Alarm" Pork Vindaloo

Maven's "Two Alarm" Pork Vindaloo


I used spices from Kalustyans in NYC, they have a prepackaged x-hot vindaloo spice (which tastes top heavy in cinnamon). I also use a dutch oven. (I also have used on occasion the Vindaloo spice mix from Penzeys).

Recipe (I'm too lazy to break it down into "ingredients" and "procedure," but have everything listed in the order that the ingredients are "dealt with."

2 lbs of butt chunks & bone
2 Tblspoon Olive oil

Lightly brown pork in oil. Remove from oil and reserve.

Into the pot, sautee 'til golden:

1 large onion, diced

Then add:

Paste made of 3-5 garlic cloves, plus about 1 inch of fresh ginger (I usually grind up a huge batch, then freeze the remainder)
1 bell pepper, diced
OPTIONAL: If you are a dyed in the wool FIRE EATER, mince up the chile of your choice.

Then add:

1 16 oz can of tomato puree (I love San Marzano tomatoes for this!)
16 oz hot water

Raise cooking temp to boiling, then add:

6 Tblspoons of Vinegar (I used Japanese seasoned rice vinegar)
2 Tblspoons (minimum) of Vindaloo curry powder (Tho, some folks like to brown their spice along with the onions--I don't think it matters much here, IMHO.)

Put the pork back in the pot, continue at a full boil, stirring occasionally. Put lid on pot, and reduce to slow boil.

Preheat oven to 350. Put in oven for 2.5 hours. * Remove lid 1/2 thru cooking time. Stir.

OPTIONAL: During the last hour of cooking, you might want to add in 1-2 peeled, cubed potatoes. Traditionally, vindaloo does not contain veggies, btw.

Once finished cooking, stir in:

1/2 Cup Yogurt

Garnish with fresh cilantro and if available, crunchy fried onions (yes, like those French's ones folks put on top of those pitiful string bean casseroles).

Serve with steamed rice or naans.

*Note: If at any point the fluid cooks off to the point where the meat is unable to braise for the 2.5 hour cooking time, add 16 oz of boiling water to the pot, stir well, and let the meat continue to cook. The end result we are shooting for is a stew w/a gravy. Not a soup. Not dry meat. A stew/curry.