Topic: UCB Vindaloo

[Chilli Prawn]

This is one of my recipes written out by a real BIR chef for me.

Vindaloo

This is a restaurant version and is very hot comparison to other curries.

Ingredients

150 gm    Pre-cooked chicken or red meat (about 5 - 6 pieces per person)
1 - 2   Green chillies deseeded & sliced (number is optional, use with care)
1 tblspn   Tomato paste add a little water to thin it (use more if you like it)
1 ? 1?    Small par boiled potatoes halved
1 ? 2 tsp   Hot Chilli powder (use with discretion until experience is gained)
1 tsp   Chopped Coriander leaves for garnish
   Salt to taste
4 tblspn   Ghee or oil

My Modification
To make it very rich with a very deep flavour I also add the following (along with the Chilli Powder)

1 tsp            Garlic powder
1/2 to 1 tsp  Ginger powder
1 tsp             Mild dark Paprika
1/4 to 1/2 tsp ground black pepper

Mix these ingredients along with the Chilli powder in the original ingredient list with a Tblsp of oil and 1/2 tsp of vinegar (wine or cider).  Add when you fry the meat.

Method

This is a reasonably quick dish, but it takes a little practice to get the heat and flavour just right.

?   Heat a cup of oil in wok or fry pan on a high heat (keep on highest heat throughout)
?   Fry meat or chicken pieces & chillies & chilli powder for about 1 minute
?   Add tomato paste and cook until tomato paste starts to stick (about 1-2 minutes).  You want to fuse these ingredients
?   Add a small ladle (1 cup) per serving of Ultimate Curry Base
?   Stir in and bring to high heat again
?   Add potatoes (don?t overcook so that they break up)
?   Add salt to taste, you may need more than you think
?   Cook until smell is correct and it looks right (it takes practice)
?   Garnish with Coriander

Remember that the curry base is very bland and you must create the new flavours with the ingredients fused as stated.  The prime flavour is from the Chilli powder.

Cooks notes
Potatoes
?   Use waxy potatoes, medium size
?   Par-boil them whole in salted water until they are just slightly undercooked
?   Add a little oil to the cooking water, and maybe a Little Turmeric to colour.
?   Half or quarter them and rub them with a little vegetable oil; this will preserve them and keep their texture (like BIRs do). Store in a fridge for up to 5 days
?   Not suitable for freezing (because of the potatoes)

Chilli Powder
?   Use Chilli powder with care and make sure it is cooked thoroughly.
?   Always try to use the same manufacturers powder to retain consistency of flavour and heat
?   Remember that Chilli powders vary tremendously regarding heat and flavour.

Other Ingredients
?   Some chefs also add Ginger Pepper and Garlic powders to their Vindaloos as mentioned above.  Both of these spices add more depth and heat so use with caution.
?   You can add more tomato paste to give this dish more depth and sweetness
?               You can add a little sugar and vinegar to balance the taste
?   You can garnish the dish with fresh sliced bean chillies instead of Coriander.
?              Don't skimp on the oil if you are after a BIR curry, it is essential for lots of reasons
?   Supply a yoghurt or milk drink with this dish!

[Curry King]

The orginal recipe seems very basic, no spices except chili powder and no garlic\ginger puree.   I will give this ago and see how it comes out, I just get the feeling it's going to taste like base sauce with chili powder in it 

Just to be certain about the tom paste, is that just puree mixed with water?

Cheers
cK

[Chilli Prawn]

Quite right, that's why I modified it as the traditional BIR Vindaloo in my mind is very Garlic(y) with a hint of Ginger.  However I am convinced (by another Chef friend) that the only way tou can do this is with the powdered spices not fresh.  On the Tomato Paste front, this is more of a technique.  The idea is to cover the meat with a light coating of tomato paste and the only way you can do this is to add a little water to the paste to make it thin enought to coat the meat.  You don't want too much tomatao as the technique described is to 'fuse' the maet and spices (Very high heat) to caramalise but not burn, if you see what I mean.  I did eat in this restaurant for many years when Mark (the chef) and ' Mother' who was Indian and the owner were the cooks (she taught Mark), and all I ate was the Vindaloo.  Even though I have given Mark the typed up recipe back to check and comment he still insists that is what he served me!  Oh well, the sad saga of the Grail continues.  Anyway maybe you can create the masterpiece from this.

Happy Cooking
CP

[DARTHPHALL]

I'm going to do one more experiment with my Oven recipe then definitely going to give this a go in the next 2 weeks (even though I've promised the missus i will decorate the Kitchen  ).
Cheers Curryheads.
.....DARTHPHALL.....

[CurryCanuck]

Love the heat on this one , but don't see the association with a vindaloo recipe . A hot tasty dish with  ( interesting addition ) potatoes . The vindaloo recipes here tend to have both a traditional / Portuguese flair . Flavour should be  both in heat and spicing -  one can call it a vindaloo , phall or madras , but if its basically heat it ain't worth a tinkers damn and you can call it what ever you like  . The flavour must be paramount and be the ultimate representation of the dish . Still , I would love to know just what the correlation / discrepancy is between BIR & traditional  on recipes such as vindaloo where ingredients such as vinegar are primary in one but non existent in the other . It appears that by adding or decreasing the heat that you can call virtually call any recipe a phall , a vindaloo or a madras . ( from a BIR perspective ) . There has to be more of a flavour differentiation . There has to more to the equation than base sauce + spice + heat  = whatever dish you like and just adjust the generic amount .

[Chilli Prawn]

Absolutely (as always) but we are talking different countries.  Yes, the Madras/Vindaloo/Tindaloo/Phall are all basically the same dish in most bog-standard BIRs; they just adjust the chilli content.  However if I am testing a new BIR I nearly always have a Vindaloo the first time, because if it is good and flavoursome they are paying attention to quality and detail.  If I then have another completely different dish and it IS different in texture.content/flavour then I know we are on a winner.

I make Madras and Vindaloos for my customers.  The dishes are completely different and based on the style and flavours of the region; and they are rarely mind blowingly hot, just very rich in complex flavours.  (Sorry I sound laike a farty chef).  They are hot but the heat gets to you through all the taste buds not just the tongue. 

I guess the other contributers will add to this, but from a UK BIR a Madras is rich in fried tomato, Garlic, and black pepper; Vindaloo is similar but lighter but concentrates on Garlic more and Ginger.  I think potatoes appeared because West coast India uses Potatoes a lot, or maybe because Aloo is in Vindaloo.  Hmmm....

Happy Cooking
CP

PS Never managed a curry when in Montreal, but had a Chinese (all you can eat) Yuch!

[Curry King]

I have been told by more than one BIR chef that a vindaloo and madras are the same with just the amount of chili powder being the difference.  I suppose it depends on how good the chef is, i've had a madras that has had a nutty taste to it from more than one takeaway and other places its a more tomato flavour.