Chicken Vindaloo is a fiery Indian treasure from Goa. Chilli heat plays its part in this sweet, sour and spicy curry. It’s utterly addictive and simple to make at home.
Mix together all the spice paste ingredients with 1/4 cup water and set aside.
The Curry
Heat the oil in a large casserole pan or wok over a moderate heat until hot.
Add the curry leaves, cloves and cinnamon stick and let them splutter briefly before adding the onion.
Cook the onion gently for 10 minutes, stirring regularly until soft and golden.
Add the chicken to the pan and stir well. Cook for 5 minutes before adding the spice paste. Stir the paste in well and cook for 2-3 minutes before stirring in around 1 cup (240ml) water.Add the tomatoes and stir well.
Let this come to a boil and then reduce the heat to low and let the curry simmer gently 40 minutes with the lid off. In the last 10 minutes, turn up the heat to reduce the sauce til it's thick and creamy, being careful to not let it stick.
Remove from the heat and stir in the vinegar. Pop on the lid and let it rest for 10 minutes before serving.
I serve mine with lots of fluffy basmati.
Video
Notes
Serving:
Indian breads or fluffy Basmati rice make great accompaniments to a Chicken Vindaloo
To counteract the chilli heat a simple yoghurt raita will cool the palette.
Serve a cool kachumber salad alongside, you can find my recipe here: cookeatworld.com/kachumber
Leftovers and storage:
Enhanced flavour: Consider cooking your vindaloo in advance. a little time in the fridge will develop a more intense flavour to the sauce.
Fridge: In an airtight container, leftovers will stay fresh for 5-6 days in the fridge.
Freezer: Store in single portions in airtight containers for 3+ months. Reheat from frozen in a microwave for 7-10 minutes until piping hot (stir every 2-3 minutes). Or, defrost thoroughly and reheat in a pan until piping hot.
Additions and suggestions:
Add vegetables to the vindaloo to bulk it out and get in some of your 5-a-day. I like to add potatoes (add at the same time as the chicken). I've also added cooked French beans and even frozen peas at the end.