Vindaloo facts for kids
Pork vindaloo, served in a Goan-style Indian restaurant
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| Alternative names | Vindalho |
|---|---|
| Type | Curry |
| Course | Main course |
| Place of origin | India |
| Region or state | Goa and Kerala |
| Main ingredients | Pork, vinegar, sugar, ginger, spices, chili peppers |
Vindaloo or vindalho is an Indian curry dish based on the Portuguese dish carne de vinha d'alhos which is popular in Goa, Vasai, the Konkan, Kerala and other parts of India. It is known globally in its British Indian form as a staple of curry house and Indian restaurant menus, and is often regarded as a fiery, spicy dish. It can be made with beef, mutton, pork, prawns, chicken, or vegetables.
History
A standard element of Goan cuisine derived from the Portuguese carne de vinha d'alhos (literally "meat in garlic marinade"), a vindaloo is a dish of meat (usually pork) marinated in vinegar and garlic. The basic structure of the Portuguese dish was the Portuguese sailor's "preserved" raw ingredients, packed in wooden barrels of alternate layers of pork and garlic, and soaked in red wine . This was adapted by the local Goan cooks with the substitution of palm vinegar for the red wine, and the addition of spices. It evolved into the localized and easy-to-pronounce dish "vindaloo".
The British Indian version of vindaloo calls for the meat to be marinated in vinegar, sugar, fresh ginger and spices, then cooked with more spices. Then, spices are added.
Indian preparation and variations
Restaurants in Goa offering traditional Goan cuisine prepare vindaloo with pork, which is the original recipe. The dish was popularized by Goan cooks (whom the British favoured, because they had no issues in kitchens and bars when handling beef, pork or alcohol) in the British establishments and the ocean-going liners. A Kerala version of this recipe includes the usage of drumstick (moringa) tree's bark, which is believed to help with digestion. Restaurants in other parts of India prepare vindaloo with chicken or goat meat or lamb, which is sometimes mixed with cubed potatoes. Even though the word aloo (आलू) means potato in Hindi (as the name is a corruption of a Portuguese phrase with no Hindi etymology) traditional vindaloo does not include potatoes.
Outside India
Vindaloo has gained popularity outside of India, where it is almost universally featured on menus at Indian restaurants. Vindaloo served in restaurants of the United Kingdom differs from the original vindaloo dish; it is simply a spicier version of the standard "medium (spiciness)" restaurant curry with the addition of vinegar, potatoes and chili peppers.
Vindaloo is one of the spiciest dishes available on British Asian menus where it is served, although British Bangladeshi restaurants have innovated the tindaloo, which is a quite different dish that originated in Bangladesh. The British variation originated from British Bangladeshi restaurants in the 1970s. Vindaloo is considered a predecessor to phall.
See also
In Spanish: Vindaloo para niños
