Topic: Hargiwald's Vindaloo

[Hargiwald]

If you just want to see the recipe just skip on. Here comes a lot of blabber about what kind if vindaloo this is and why:

I love hot food, I really do, I am one of those people who can get high on torturing myself with food that you have to struggle to eat. As such I do order vindaloo from time to time, but generally they don't seem to taste as much other good and flavour rich curries so I settle for something milder unless I need that kick. As a result I always try to make vindaloos that give me that desired heat but without being flavourless. The Francis Tolbert chili con carne and its well-rounded and not too harsh heat is a big inspiration, and I must say that dried chilis, which are used in this recipe, work great. I also use red wine instead of vinegar, because to me in cooking that's always better, and I can get more of that winy taste without making it too acidly harsh. I think that I've finally made a good one that actually resembles many vindaloos I've had here in Sweden (though the cooking is probably far off), but with a richer taste that I find delicious.

I must add straightaway, though, that I think a good vindaloo should have a spicily dry flavour, not sweet or sour (that's never happened to me anyway) and I've never had one with potatoes so if you're into that kind of stuff that's up to you.

Here is the recipe, good for about 2 people:

The recipe:

Spice mix
3 tsp Standard chili powder (or more if you like)
2 tsp Extra hot chili powder (I used dried piri piri)
2-3 tsp Coarsely ground black pepper
1 tsp Medium to hot curry powder (I used a Madras powder)
1 tsp Ground dried coriander leaves (or just add a little extra fresh)
1 tsp Cumin
1 tsp Turmeric
1 tsp Garlic powder
1/2 tsp Coriander powder (seeds)
1 tbsp sugar
1 tsp salt

Ingredients
1 Green jalape?o
1 Hot chipotle
2 Anchos
100 ml oil (or less if you don't like it too oily, I for one love oil)
5 Big garlic cloves, minced.
1 tbsp Minced ginger
4 tbsp Heinz Chili Sauce (pretty close to ketchup, so ketchup will do too)
2 tbsp Tomato pur?e
200 ml Red wine (I used an italian one called Briccotondo because I had a bottle and it's cheap)
500 ml Base sauce (I used the SnS gravy with the small addition of two celery sticks. Those, according to my taste buds, didn't seem to effect the base much, so don't bother)
Some fairly undecooked meat, enough for 2 portions (mutton is my favourite, but you do as you like)
A lot of chopped fresh coriander leaves (adjust to taste, I used about a deciliter worth)

What to do

1. Put a sauce pan with about 400 ml of water on the stove and set to boil.
2. Get started on the chilis (jalape?o, chipotle and anchos). Deseed and chop up. Then thrown them into the boiling water and let it boil without a lid. The longer the better, but I recommend boiling until the water is reduced by half.
3. While the chilis boil, make all other arrengements, mincing garlic, and ginger, for example, and preparing the spice mix.
4. You can test to see if the chilis are done just by chewing a piece of one of the dried ones (chipotle or ancho) to see if it's gone soft. When they are done get the chilis out of the water, but save the water!
5. Gently fry the ginger and the garlic in the oil until brown.
6. Add spices, chili sauce/ketchup, tomato pur?e, fresh coriander and the chili peppers and continue stirring for a minute or two.
7. Add the red wine little by little, stirring as you keep it cooking.
8. When all the wine is added cook to a thick sauce. Then amp up the heat and start adding the chili water and base sauce a little at the time. Keep it simmering constantly.
Note: Depending on how warm the chili water and the base sauce is you can add more or less at a time, so I can't put a good time on the procedure, nor can I tell you how long the vindaloo should cook, if you've made curries before and know how you want your vindaloo in terms of runny vs. thick you'll know when it's done.
9. Add the meat when you've added all the water and base sauce. Towards the end of the cooking add a touch of garam masala. Tasting with salt might be a good idea, and a nice squeeze of lemon is optional but I didn't have any around when I made this and didn't miss it.
10. Serve hot! A good pilau rice, naan and tomatoes are all recommended for a hot vindaloo (as if you didn't already know that). This particular recipe isn't unbearably hot, but it has sting (and of course you can adjust this yourself).

Note: If you don't want red wine in it for whatever reason, vinegar could be used as replacement, or it can be skipped completely. If you use vinegar I suppose about 50-100 ml would do.

Ps. I tried taking some photos with my phone camera, but no matter what settings I used the vindaloo looked blue and disgusting, so pictures will have to wait. The result is pretty thick, gleaming with oil separation and has dark red and brown colour.

Please do give this one a try, I know it's a bit more complicated than the usual BIR fare, what with dried chilis that have to be pre-cooked and adding red wine, but it's really good, take a chance.

[Hargiwald]

Could a moderator please update the OP to contain what follows here instead of what's there now, and also add, "Revised + Pictures" to the title? Thanks in advance!

If you just want to see the recipe just skip the following paragraph. Here comes a lot of blabber about what kind if vindaloo this is and why:

I love hot food, I really do. But generally I'm disappointed in the Swedish Indian Restaurant vindaloos, even at my favourite place. They don't seem to taste much unlike so many good and flavoursome curries, so I settle for something milder unless I need that kick. Therefore I've tried to make a vindaloo that give me that desired heat but without being flavourless. Dried chilies, which are used in this recipe, give more flavour and add a bit of smokiness to go with the heat. I also use red wine in addition to vinegar, because to me in cooking that's always better, and I can get more of that winy taste without making it too acidly harsh. I think that I've finally made a good one that actually resembles many vindaloos I've had here in Sweden (though the cooking is probably off), but with a richer taste that I find delicious. It doesn't feel 100% SIR to me, because it's too good.

I must add straightaway, though, that I think a good vindaloo should have a spicily dry flavour, not sweet or sour (that's never happened to me anyway) and I've never had one with potatoes so if you're into that kind of stuff you're on your own, sorry.

The recipe (serves 2 hungry, or possibly 3):

Spice Mix
3 tsp Standard chili powder
2 tsp Extra hot chili powder, eg. dried piri piri)
2 tsp Coarsely ground black pepper
1 tsp Curry powder (I used a medium Madras powder)
1 tsp Cumin
2 tsp Turmeric
2 tsp Paprika
1 tsp Garlic powder
1/2 tsp Coriander powder
1 tbsp sugar
1 tsp salt

Ingredients
1 Red chili
1 Jalapeno
1 Chipotle pepper
2 Dried ancho peppers
150 ml oil (or less if you don't like it too oily, I for one love oil)
A few cloves.
5 Big garlic cloves, minced.
1 tbsp Minced ginger
3 tbsp Heinz Chili Sauce/Ketchup
3 tbsp Tomato puree
150 ml Red wine, not too sweet tasting (I used an Italian one called Briccotondo, it's pretty cheap and worked fine)
50 ml vinegar
500 ml Base sauce (I used the SnS gravy)
Precooked meat for 2 big portions.
1/2 - 1 dl Chopped fresh coriander, including stalks.

What to do
1. Put a sauce pan with about 400 ml of water on the stove and set to boil.
2. Get started on the chilies. De-seed and chop up finely and throw them into the boiling water and let it boil without a lid, at least 20 minutes.
3. While the chilies boil, make all other arrangements, mincing garlic and ginger, preparing the spice mix, defrosting base sauce etc.
4. You can test to see if the chilies are done just by chewing a piece of one of the dried ones (chipotle or ancho) to see if it's gone soft. When they are done get the chilies out of the water but save the water.
5. Gently fry the ginger and the garlic in the oil until brown.
6. Add spices, cloves, chili sauce/ketchup, tomato puree and the chili peppers and continue stirring for a minute or two.
7. Raise the heat and add red wine and vinegar little by little, stirring as you keep it cooking. Be careful not to burn.
8. When all the wine is added pour in half of the chili water and cook to a thick sauce.
9. Start adding the base and the remaining chili water a little at the time, it should sizzle. Recommended time for this procedure is 15 minutes (thanks SnS)
10. Add the precooked meat and fresh coriander and keep cooking until it's vindaloo thick.
11. Serve hot with a good pilau rice, naan, tomatoes and most importantly, a good beer.

Note: If you don't want red wine in it for whatever reason you could add more vinegar instead. If so, a total of 100 ml vinegar for the dish seems sensible.

Please do give this one a try, I know it's a bit more complicated than the usual BIR fair, but really it's not much so.

Pictures in next post.

[Hargiwald]

Pictures. Note, this is a much larger batch than just for two.


A bit into step 8, chili water has been added.


At the end of step 9, I think.


Vindaloo done.

Direct links to pics with better resolution:
http://i818.photobucket.com/albums/zz107/Hargiwald/EEY.jpg
http://i818.photobucket.com/albums/zz107/Hargiwald/IMG_0414.jpg
http://i818.photobucket.com/albums/zz107/Hargiwald/IMG_0416.jpg

[CurryOnRegardless]

That looks spot on to me, you need a lot of oil in a vindaloo otherwise it just doesn't seem to work IMO. nice one H.

Regards
CoR