Hi all,
Apparently the potato thing originated in the early BIR days when the chef would put half a boiled potato in the very hot (vindaloo) curry so the waiter would know which was which, sod all to do with the recipe, I for one can live happily without it.
Vindaloo is indeed originally a Portugese dish and does mean wine (vin/vino) and garlic (galou) and was a means of preserving/pickling meat before the days before refrigeration. Proper pork vindaloo or Goan pork is fantastic, loads of recipes on the net, give it a try sometime, amazing dish.
Cheers
CoR
p.s. not at all sure of my Portugese spelling!