Chicken Vindaloo

The term Vindaloo, derivative of the Portuguese “vinho de alho”, and also called Vindalho or Vindallo, refers to a popular Indian dish. It was first brought to Goa by the Portuguese and became a Goan meal often served during special occasions. The traditional Portuguese dish was made with pork preserved in red wine or red wine vinegar and stewed with garlic, but later received the Goan treatment of adding plentiful amounts of spice and dried chilis. Restaurants often serve this dish with chicken or lamb sometimes mixed with potatoes. Traditional vindaloos do not include potatoes, the discrepancy arising because the word “aloo” means “potato” in Hindi.

Ingredients

1/4 kg chicken
3 potatoes cut in thick round
1 cup chopped onion
1/2 teaspoon ginger paste
1/2 teaspoon garlic paste
1/2 teaspoon mustard seeds
1/2 teaspoon coriander seeds
1/2 teaspoon cumin seeds
1/4 teaspoon fenugreek seeds
1 teaspoon vinegar (I used distilled vinegar)
1 teaspoon chili powder or 4-5 red chilies (increase the amount of chilies if required)
3-4 strands coriander leaves
Oil
Salt

Directions


Grind together ginger, garlic, mustard seeds, red chilies, fenugreek seeds, coriander seeds, cumin seeds to a smooth paste. Apply this paste and salt to the chicken.
Heat oil and fry onions on a low heat till the onions turn dark brown and crispy(It may help to deep fry the onions in oil to speed up the process). Take them out on a clean kitchen towel to remove all the extra oil. Grind to a paste along with vinegar. This is the dark paste that gives the color to the dish, I removed the onions a tad bit early, so they were not crisp and the color of the dish remained light. Add this to the chicken(Add a little water if gravy is too thick). Leave it aside for 30mins.
Heat a little oil in thick bottomed pan. Add the marinated chicken with all the marinade.Add potatoes. Cook till chicken and potatoes are tender and gravy is thickened. Garnish with coriander leaves. Serve hot.

Regards

Chef Tirthankar Sengupta