Pork Vindaloo (PCP)

• 3 pounds boneless pork butt roast, trimmed and cut into 1-inch pieces
• Salt and pepper
•  2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 3 onions, chopped fine
• 8 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 tablespoon mustard seeds
• 1 tablespoon paprika
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
• 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 cup low-sodium chicken broth
• 1 (14.5-ounce) can diced tomatoes
• 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• 1/4 cup minced fresh cilantro

Mise en place.

Browning half the pork.

Softening the onion.

Cook aromatics until fragrant.

Add flour and cook for one minute.

Deglaze with chicken broth.

Add tomatoes, vinegar, sugar, and pork and cook under high pressure for 30 minutes.  Allow pressure to naturally release.

Stir in cilantro if I bother to have any.  Season with salt and pepper.
It's been a while between actually writing about this dish and eating it, but I think I found it a pretty serviceable vindaloo.

Two-potato vindaloo (Plenty)

• 8 cardamom pods
• 1 tbsp cumin seeds
• 1 tbsp coriander seeds
• 1/2 tsp cloves
• 1/4 tsp ground tumeric
• 1 tsp sweet paprika
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon
• 2 tbsp vegetable oil
• 12 shallots (about 10 oz in total), chopped
• 1/2 tsp brown mustard seeds
• 1/2 tsp fenugreek seeds [Although I didn't take the time to look when I was recently in NYC, I've only been able to find ground fenugreek in Boston]
• 25 curry leaves
• 2 tbsp chopped fresh ginger [I made this on Lockdown Day here in Boston after the marathon.  My ginger was all dried up.  I used maybe a tablespoon of the powdered stuff.]
• 1 fresh red chile, finely chopped
• 3 ripe tomatoes, peeled and roughly chopped
• 1/4 cup cider vinegar
• 1 3/4 cups water
• 1 tbsp sugar
• salt
• 2 1/2 cups peeled waxy potatoes, cut into 1-inch dice
• 2 small red bell peppers, cut into 1-inch dice
• 2 1/2 cups peeled sweet potatoes, cut into 1-inch dice
• mint or cilantro leaves to serve [Nope]

Dry roasting the spices. Yes, I also ground these in a mortar and pestle.

Mise en place.

Saute shallots and mustard seeds until the shallots brown.  The fenugreek seeds would go in here if I had any.

Add spice mix, curry leaves, ginger, and chile and cook for a further 3 minutes.

Add tomatoes, vinegar, water, sugar, and some salt and simmer for 20 minutes. Add potatoes and bell peppers and simmer for 20 minutes.

Add sweet potatoes and simmer for 40 minutes or until potatoes are tender.  Uncover the pot and leave to reduce for 10 minutes.

Another great dish from Yotam Ottolenghi's Plenty.  I don't think I've made a vindaloo before with such perfectly balanced flavors.

And that's a wrap on this three entry series.

Pork Vindaloo (Cook's Illustrated)

Soups and Stews 2010

• 1 (3 1/2-pound) boneless Boston butt roast, trimmed and cut into 1-inch cubes
• Table salt and ground black pepper
• 3 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 3 medium onions, chopped coarse (about 5 cups)
• 9 medium garlic cloves, minced or pressed through garlic press (about 3 tablespoons)
• 3 tablespoons unbleached all-purpose flour
• 1 tablespoon sweet paprika
• 3/4 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cardamom
• 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
• 1 1/2 cups low-sodium chicken broth
• 1 (14.5 ounce) can diced tomatoes
• 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
• 1 tablespoon mustard seeds
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• 1/4 cup minced fresh cilantro leaves

If you can't find a Boston butt roast, you'll have to trim down a 5-pound picnic roast.

After wrestling with the roast for about 1 hour.  Thank god I had a boning knife.  My chef's knife was clearly not up to the job.

Bone, skin, and excess fat.  I guess I could've rendered down the fat, but I didn't want to bother.

Mise en place.

Browning the pork.

Cook the onions until softened.

Add garlic and cook until fragrant.  Add flour and spices and stir until onions are evenly coated.  Gradually add in the broth.

Add all the rest back in (except for the cilantro and I didn't haven't any on hand) and throw in the oven for 2 hours.

I realize that I don't really know what I'm looking for in a vindaloo.  It's practically the only dish I order when I go to an Indian restaurant, but it's widely variable.  I've never see it with pork, and I didn't necessarily find the choice of meat appealing.  Oh well, maybe someday I'll find the elusive ultimate version.