Hi, thanks for the comments, some of your questions answered:

Use of waxy potato: better than floury just because they dont break up so easy, i.e. if you were to make it and reheat it will stay together whilst a floury spud would turn your curry into Vindaloo mash, well that's the risk you take!

Cinnamon and cloves: I use these in my sheek kebab (go and take a look at my super delicous friday night treats in the starters section) and they really make the difference to the taste, far more aromatic. Honestly cannot and would not say my Vindaloo recipe is authentic, only that it tastes very much like it or in fact better than a good few I've had - same goes for the kebabs.

I understand the comment regarding the yellowish look of the sauce when in the pan but that's just the effect of the camera flash, it was more red as seen in the plated photo.

Enjoy my fellow curry-holics!

Hi,

I think I've made a break through, I've followed many recipes and tried several variations (including/excluding etc) but just loosely going by instinct I made a very passable Chicken Vindaloo the other night. Not very difficult to make and not only looked the real mc'coy but tasted it, I will take some photos next time to demonsrate how tasty it looks.

Recipe serves two or one hungry person - you'll need:

1) Two to three ladles of a good base sauce (not going to single one out here but as long as its based on onions, green peppers, ginger, garlic and the usual suspects from the spice list that'll be fine)
2) Spices: 3*Green cardoman pods (ground), 2*cloves (ground), 1/4tsp Cinammon, 1/2tsp Cumin, 1/2tsp Coriander, 1/2tsp Turmeric, 1tsp Chilli (add more if you wish but this will be hot and I like hot so its ok)
3) 2*garlic cloves
4) 1*heaped tsp of crushed ginger (use mine from a jar)
5) 1*bottle cap of white wine vinegar
6) Small bunch of fresh coriander (storks and all chopped finely)
7) 1*tbsp of methi leaves
2*tbsp of veg oil
9) 1*tbsp of tomato paste
10) Meat of your choice, I used 2*chicken breasts
11) Optional extra and I apreciate you wont see it in a BIR Vindaloo but I chop two green chilli's into the sauce, gives it some extra bite

Ok, ready to put it together?

Method:
1) Heat the oil and fry the ginger and crushed garlic for a minute of two (do not burn or brown even). Note: I added the green chilli's at this poiny
2) Add spice mix and fry for a minute, again dont fry to burn
3) Add: Base sauce, tomato puree, wine vinegar, methi and chopped coriander, season with salt
4) Cook this with the lid off until you have reached the desired consistency (thick soup but not dry)
5) Add pre-cooked meat or prawns. For my chicken I always slice it into long thin strips (what I'm used to from BIR's) and boil it, when it reaches boiling point with the chicken in the pot its at its most tender. Only add with a minute or two to spare to the Vindaloo sauce so it doesn't cook the meat tough and dry.

Now you would have noticed I omitted the potato, if you want that as well I suggest you slow cook one or two half cut potatoes (wax variety, i.e. white potato) in turmeric and seasoned water, this will colour and flavour the potato .

Unlike a lot of curries I think this would is best eaten straight away, the vinegar (which really makes it) loses some of its intensity the longer its cooked.

Anyway, I wish I had some photos and will take some next time though my wife thinks I'm nuts and post them. Tell me if you enjoy it or have any suggestions of your own.

Cheers,

Dev

Thanks guys

Hi there fellow curry lovers.

Whilst I'm finding a fantastic array of advice for curries, the base and the actual curry, I need one more item to perfect the presentation of my Sheek kebabs.

I believe I've found the perfect mix and I will share it in the recipe list but I was wondering if anyone new where in the UK you can buy those inch thick, long and flat skewers to give them the authentic look and make them look even more apetising.