Indian · main

Pork Vindaloo

Pork Vindaloo reads richness 5.5, umami 5.4 and sourness 4.8 on Palate's 0–10 flavor X-ray — a Indian main, about 3 hr 40 min. Measured from the recipe itself: ingredients and technique.

The flavor X-ray — six axes, 0–10

The measured notes (of 18)

Richness 5.5 · Umami 5.4 · Sourness 4.8 · Salinity 4.7 · Allium 4.4 · Warm Spice 3.9 · Sweetness 3.9 · Heat 3.5 · Earthy 2.3 · Floral 2.1 · Funk & Ferment 1.6 · Bitterness 1.4 · Nutty 1.0 · Herbaceous 0.9

What's in it (16)

Time & effort: about 3 hr 40 min (2 hr 32 min active) · effort: involved

Nutrition (per 100 g, engine-estimated): 106.2 kcal, 11.1 g protein, 5 g fat, 4.2 g carbs

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

How it's cooked (10 steps)

  1. In a food processor or blender, combine the garlic, ginger, cumin, paprika, cayenne, cinnamon, cloves, turmeric, peppercorns, and 1/4 cup of the vinegar. Blend, scraping down the sides as needed, until you have a coarse, spoonable paste, about 1 minute.
  2. In a large bowl, toss the pork cubes with the paste until every piece is coated. Cover and marinate in the refrigerator at least 1 hour, or up to overnight for deeper flavor.
  3. Lift the pork out of the bowl, letting excess paste drip back in, and set the remaining paste aside. Heat 2 tablespoons of the oil in a large Dutch oven over high heat. Sear the pork in two batches, without crowding, until deeply browned on at least two sides, 6-7 minutes per batch; transfer to a plate.
  4. Reduce the heat to medium and add the remaining 1 tablespoon oil to the pot. Add the onions and cook, stirring occasionally, until deeply golden and jammy, 20-22 minutes.
  5. Stir in the reserved spice paste and cook, stirring constantly, until it darkens a shade and turns very fragrant, about 3 minutes.
  6. Pour in the remaining 1/4 cup vinegar, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pot with a wooden spoon.
  7. Return the pork and any accumulated juices to the pot, add the broth and 2 teaspoons of the salt, and bring to a simmer.
  8. Cover, reduce the heat to low, and braise, stirring occasionally, until the pork is fork-tender, 1 hour 45 minutes to 2 hours.
  9. Uncover and simmer until the sauce reduces and clings to the pork, coating the back of a spoon, 10-15 minutes.
  10. Stir in the brown sugar and remaining 1 teaspoon salt; taste and adjust with more salt or cayenne as needed. Let rest 5 minutes before serving.

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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.