Goan Lamb Vindaloo
Goa's famous fiery, tangy curry: lamb marinated in a paste of red chilies, garlic, vinegar and warm spices, then slow-cooked until tender. Hot, sour and intensely aromatic.
Servings
Ingredients
Nutrition
Per serving
Steps
Make the vindaloo paste
Soak the dried chilies in the vinegar for about 20 minutes until softened. Blend them with the vinegar, cumin, peppercorns, cloves, cinnamon, garlic, ginger and turmeric into a smooth, thick paste, adding a splash of water if needed to blend.
- 12 dried
- 4 dried hot red chilies
- 100ml vinegar
- 1 tsp cumin seeds
- 1 tsp black peppercorns
- 6 cloves
- 1 cinnamon stick
- 10 cloves garlic
- 1 thumb fresh ginger
- ½ tsp ground turmeric
✅ Done when: paste is smooth and thick, no large chili pieces left
Marinate the lamb
Mix the lamb with the vindaloo paste and the salt until every piece is coated. Cover and marinate in the fridge for at least 4 hours, ideally overnight.
- 1kg lamb shoulder
- all of it vindaloo paste from step 1
- 1½ tsp salt
✅ Done when: lamb is fully coated in dark red paste and has marinated at least 4 hours
Cook the onions
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Cook the lamb
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Taste and rest
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Make the vindaloo paste
Soak the dried chilies in the vinegar for about 20 minutes until softened. Blend them with the vinegar, cumin, peppercorns, cloves, cinnamon, garlic, ginger and turmeric into a smooth, thick paste, adding a splash of water if needed to blend.
- 12 dried
- 4 dried hot red chilies
- 100ml vinegar
- 1 tsp cumin seeds
- 1 tsp black peppercorns
- 6 cloves
- 1 cinnamon stick
- 10 cloves garlic
- 1 thumb fresh ginger
- ½ tsp ground turmeric
✅ Done when: paste is smooth and thick, no large chili pieces left
Marinate the lamb
Mix the lamb with the vindaloo paste and the salt until every piece is coated. Cover and marinate in the fridge for at least 4 hours, ideally overnight.
- 1kg lamb shoulder
- all of it vindaloo paste from step 1
- 1½ tsp salt
✅ Done when: lamb is fully coated in dark red paste and has marinated at least 4 hours
Cook the onions
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Cook the lamb
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Taste and rest
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The Story Behind the Dish
Vindaloo descends from the Portuguese dish 'carne de vinha d'alhos' — meat marinated in wine (or vinegar) and garlic — brought to Goa by Portuguese settlers. Goan cooks transformed it with local palm vinegar, dried red chilies and spices.
Traditionally made with pork, vindaloo is also cooked with lamb, chicken and beef.
⭐ Why It's Famous
Hot, sour and garlicky, vindaloo is one of the most famous fusion dishes in Indian cooking.
💡 Fun Fact
Despite the common belief, 'aloo' in vindaloo has nothing to do with potatoes — the name comes from the Portuguese 'vinha d'alhos'.
Goa
15.49°N, 73.83°E
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