Indian · main

Lamb Vindaloo

Lamb Vindaloo reads umami 8.1, richness 7.5 and sourness 4.6 on Palate's 0–10 flavor X-ray — a Indian main, about 4 hr 20 min. Measured from the recipe itself: ingredients and technique.

The flavor X-ray — six axes, 0–10

The measured notes (of 18)

Umami 8.1 · Richness 7.5 · Sourness 4.6 · Allium 4.3 · Salinity 4.2 · Warm Spice 3.4 · Sweetness 3.3 · Heat 3.3 · Earthy 3.3 · Floral 1.8 · Funk & Ferment 1.8 · Fruity 1.8 · Bitterness 1.5 · Herbaceous 1.0 · Nutty 0.8

What's in it (17)

Time & effort: about 4 hr 20 min (2 hr 18 min active) · effort: involved

Nutrition (per 100 g, engine-estimated): 140.7 kcal, 9.2 g protein, 9 g fat, 5.7 g carbs

Dietary: Contains meat — engine-derived; double-check anything allergy-critical.

How it's cooked (9 steps)

  1. In a food processor or blender, combine the garlic, ginger, 6 tablespoons of the vinegar, the paprika, cumin, cayenne, turmeric, mustard seeds, cinnamon, and cloves; blend until smooth, about 1 minute, to make the vindaloo paste.
  2. In a large bowl, toss the lamb with the salt and two-thirds of the vindaloo paste until evenly coated; cover and refrigerate at least 2 hours, up to overnight (reserve the remaining paste).
  3. Heat the oil in a large heavy pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Working in batches, sear the marinated lamb until deeply browned on all sides, 3-4 minutes per batch, and transfer to a plate.
  4. Reduce the heat to medium, add the onions to the same pot, and cook, stirring often, until deeply golden and jammy, 12-14 minutes.
  5. Stir in the reserved vindaloo paste and cook, stirring constantly, until fragrant and the raw garlic smell fades, 1-2 minutes.
  6. Return the lamb and any accumulated juices to the pot along with the diced tomatoes and 1 1/2 cups water; bring to a simmer, cover, and braise over low heat, stirring occasionally, until the lamb is nearly fork-tender, about 1 hour 15 minutes.
  7. Add the potatoes, cover, and continue to simmer until the potatoes and lamb are both fork-tender, 25-30 minutes more.
  8. Uncover and simmer until the sauce thickens and clings to the meat, 8-10 minutes.
  9. Stir in the remaining 2 tablespoons vinegar, season to taste with salt, and serve hot.

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Every number above is Palate's engine-measured estimate, computed from this recipe's ingredients and techniques — not human-tasted ratings or reviews.