WHAT IS A VINDALOO CURRY?
Despite the fact that much British Indian food is influenced by Northern India, Pakistan, and Bengal, this dish originates in the south, specifically Goa.
In fact, it is a Portuguese dish that was given the Indian treatment hundreds of years ago. It was originally pork vindaloo, but it is now more closely associated with chicken, and I love beef vindaloo.
I prefer beef because it has a much stronger flavor. This gives me the freedom to experiment with the sour elements. Instead of just vinegar, I use a combination of vinegar, tamarind, and lemon juice.
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Tamarind adds a sour note to curries such as my chicken pathia and minced pork curry.
![Simple Beef Vindaloo Recipe [Extra Spicy] 15 Simple Beef Vindaloo Recipe](https://beefsteakveg.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/images-2022-01-04T105355.101.jpeg)
In contrast to the relative simplicity of vinegar, which I use in my chicken pickle recipe, it has a complex sweet and earthy tone.
Indian cuisine has a long history with pressure cookers, and an Instant Pot curry is a thing of beauty.
This dish works equally well in an Instant Pot as it does on the stovetop. I’ve included instructions for both, though I prefer to use my Instant Pot.
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WHAT MAKES THIS RECIPE SO GOOD
- It’s a restaurant-quality dish that’s simple to prepare at home! A homemade Indian curry can be made in just one skillet. Make this recipe in the time it would take you to drive to a restaurant and order it!
- It has a strong flavor and is delicious! This beef vindaloo is brimming with warming spices and mouth watering flavor.
- It’s simple to adapt to your spice preferences. This recipe makes a very spicy vindaloo, but you can use less spice if you prefer. If you’re a spice fiend, go ahead and add a few more dashes of cayenne pepper (that is, if you dare).
A BRIEF HISTORY OF VINDALOO
![Simple Beef Vindaloo Recipe [Extra Spicy] 16 Beef Vindaloo](https://beefsteakveg.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/images-2022-01-04T105402.715.jpeg)
“Vindaloo” was originally a meal of marinated meat in wine and garlic. It derives from the Portuguese dish “carne de vinha d’alhos,” which translates to “meat marinated in garlic wine.”
It was brought to India by Portuguese sailors, who adapted it with local ingredients, including the addition of dried chili peppers and other spices.
Vindaloo evolved as locals adopted new spices as it spread to other regions.
Even though it has evolved in its travels around the world, most styles continue to provide the spice level and flavor that we all crave.
KEY INGREDIENTS
- Vindaloo can be made with a variety of meats, including chicken, pork, and even lamb. My personal favorite is the beef version. You can buy pre-chopped beef chuck, also known as “stew meat,” or you can chop the beef yourself. To ensure even cooking, aim for beef chunks of equal size.
- Garam Masala is a popular spice blend in Indian cuisine. Garam masala is made up of a number of flavorful spices, including cinnamon, cardamom, coriander, and cloves. If you don’t already have a jar of this delectable spice blend, I highly recommend picking one up the next time you’re at the grocery store. Garam masala adds a ton of flavor to this beef vindaloo and is an essential component of the dish!
HOW TO MAKE BEEF VINDALOO (RECIPE) – THE METHOD
![Simple Beef Vindaloo Recipe [Extra Spicy] 17 Beef Vindaloo Recipe](https://beefsteakveg.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/images-2022-01-04T105409.211.jpeg)
- Once your beef has marinated, making Beef Vindaloo is simple. To begin, heat some olive oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Any vegetable oil will do. Ghee is more commonly used.
- After that, add the onion and peppers and cook for a few minutes to soften them. I used spicy serrano peppers in this recipe, but you can use milder peppers for a milder version. Jalapeno peppers are always a good choice.
- Then, stir in the marinated beef. Cook for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. You want the beef to be brown all over. Stir in the tomato paste, followed by about 1/2 cup of water or chicken broth to form a sauce.
- Season with salt and pepper to taste. Reduce the heat to low and leave the pan to simmer for at least 30 minutes, or until the beef is cooked through and the flavors have developed. You can leave it to simmer for a longer period of time if you prefer. I usually go for at least 40 minutes.
- The main thing is to let the beef soften to your liking. If the sauce becomes too thick, simply add a little more water or broth until it reaches the desired consistency.
- Serve with fresh herbs and extra spicy chili flakes over rice. It’s time to spice things up, my friends!
RECIPE VARIATIONS
- Some cooks like to add a bit of sugar to the seasoning blend, either white or brown sugar, though I didn’t this time.
- Garam masala, mustard seeds, ground black pepper, and ground cloves are also popular Vindaloo seasoning ingredients. If you want, you can include them.
- You can also change the seasoning ratios to your liking.
![Simple Beef Vindaloo Recipe [Extra Spicy] 18 Vindaloo Beef](https://beefsteakveg.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/images-2022-01-04T105458.343.jpeg)
ADJUSTING THE HEAT AND SPICE LEVELS
Because of the ghost peppers, this recipe is extra spicy. Even without the ghost peppers, the vindaloo spice mix can be quite spicy for some people.
If you want to reduce the heat, leave out the ghost pepper powder and go easy on the cayenne. Cayenne pepper has a moderate level of heat.
You can increase the heat by adding more cayenne pepper. You can also experiment with different amounts of ghost pepper powder or flakes to suit your taste.
If it becomes too spicy, serve it with this Traditional Indian Raita recipe, which is made with spiced yogurt. It has a pleasant cooling effect.
CHEF’S TIPS
- Cook the onions for the full 15 minutes in the third step of this recipe. Cooking down the onions in this dish adds a tremendous depth of flavor. Don’t rush through this step, and feel free to add small amounts of water to the skillet to keep it from burning!
- If you have a low spice tolerance, leave out the cayenne pepper entirely. This recipe is already quite spicy, but the cayenne pepper kicks it up a notch. As a result, if you’re sharing with children or those who are sensitive to heat, leave out the cayenne pepper!
- Serve this beef vindaloo in any way you want! I like to eat mince with rice and warm naan bread.
![Simple Beef Vindaloo Recipe [Extra Spicy] 19 Vindaloo Recipe](https://beefsteakveg.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/images-2022-01-04T105632.971.jpeg)
FAQs on Beef Vindaloo Recipe
What makes a vindaloo hot?
Vindaloo is a popular Indian dish that originated in the Indian state of Goa. It’s a heavily spiced dish that can be vegetarian or contain pork, chicken, or tofu. Because of the chilies, Indian vindaloo is fiery hot and spicy!
How healthy is vindaloo?
Despite its fiery nature, vindaloo curry has numerous health benefits for your body. Fresh herbs and spices such as chili peppers, turmeric, garlic, coriander, ginger, and cinnamon are used to achieve these health benefits.
Is vindaloo hotter than Madras?
Vindaloo curry powder is notoriously hot. The Goans’ most noticeable addition is the extreme heat. Madras curry powder has a hotter flavor than regular curry powder but not as hot as vindaloo curry powder.
Can vindaloo be mild?
Vindaloo can, in fact, be mild. However, you’d have to travel a long distance to get it. The traditional Goan dish is not as spicy as its counterpart in the United Kingdom. Tone it down a little and you’ll have an idea of what Vindaloo tastes like without the chilli!
![Simple Beef Vindaloo Recipe [Extra Spicy] 20 images 2022 01 04T105417.947](https://beefsteakveg.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/images-2022-01-04T105417.947-150x150.jpeg)
Simple Beef Vindaloo Recipe [Extra Spicy]
- Prep Time: 1 hour and 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 50 minutes
- Total Time: 2 hours
- Yield: 6 servings 1x
Description
This beef vindaloo recipe is always a crowd-pleaser. My version is deliciously spicy, but you can easily adjust the heat and spice to your liking.
Ingredients
- 2 pounds beef chuck cut into bite sized pieces
- 2 tablespoons olive oil or use ghee (more traditional)
- 1 small onion chopped
- 2 serrano peppers chopped, or use Indian peppers if you can obtain them
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 2 cups beef stock
- Salt and pepper to taste
FOR THE MARINADE
- ½ cup white wine vinegar
- 6 cloves garlic minced
- 2 tablespoon spicy red chili flakes I used ghost pepper flakes for an EXTRA kick
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 1 teaspoon ginger
- 1 teaspoon coriander
- 1 teaspoon turmeric
- 1 teaspoon mustard powder
- ½ teaspoon cumin
- ½ teaspoon cinnamon
Instructions
- Place the beef in a large mixing bowl.
- Whisk together the vinegar and all of the seasonings to make your marinade. Pour it over the beef and massage it in. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour, covered. Longer periods of time, such as overnight, are preferable.
- Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Cook for about 4-5 minutes, or until the onion and peppers soften.
- Cook for another 5 minutes with the beef and marinade to brown the pieces nicely.
- Cook for another minute, stirring constantly, after adding the tomato paste.
- Stir in the beef stock (you can also use chicken or vegetable stock, or just water) until the mixture thickens and becomes a sauce. If necessary, add more broth or water. Reduce the heat to low and continue to cook for 30-40 minutes, or until the beef is cooked through and tender.
- Serve as is or with fresh herbs and chili flakes sprinkled on top of rice. Allow it to rain!
Notes
This is unquestionably a hot and spicy dish. Some would say it’s very hot, but you can tone it down by using milder chilies and going easy on the red chili flakes. If you want an even hotter version, use habanero or fiery ghost peppers, which will really heat things up.
- Category: Beef
- Method: Beef
- Cuisine: Indian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 6 servings
- Calories: 357kcal
- Sugar: 2g
- Sodium: 370mg
- Fat: 22g
- Saturated Fat: 8g
- Carbohydrates: 6g
- Fiber: 1g
- Protein: 31g
- Cholesterol: 104mg
Keywords: Beef vindaloo recipe, beef vindaloo, vindaloo, beef recipe, easy beef vindaloo