Prawn Vindaloo | Authentic Goan Cuisine | Goan Prawn Vindaloo | Kitchenstagram
Prawn Vindaloo, a renowned Goan-Portuguese delicacy, is celebrated for its intense heat and spice. This dish, known for improving with age akin to a pickle, features meat, chicken, pork or prawns as its primary components. The key ingredients include vinegar, garlic and palm vinegar, contributing to its distinctive tang. Prawn Vindaloo stands out among Goan recipes, featuring succulent prawns cooked in a homemade vindaloo paste.
This vibrant curry is a harmonious blend of spiciness and flavour, making it a versatile accompaniment to rice, naan, pao, rotis, parathas or bread. The spicy vindaloo paste, comprising red chilies, aromatic whole spices and vinegar, forms the heart of this Goan classic. The sweetness of the prawns beautifully balances the fiery nature of the gravy, resulting in a delightful culinary experience. The original Goan version was less spicy, but as India embraced the dish, it evolved to adopt bolder seasonings. To temper the heat, its often served over white or brown rice, ensuring a delightful and flavourful gastronomical experience.
What is Vindaloo?
Vindaloo, originating from Goa, India, is a curry dish with roots in the Portuguese “carne de vinha d’alhos”. Vindaloo is a traditional recipe of the Catholic community of Goa. Every catholic household has its own recipe of a perfect vindaloo, which is a must on the menu for celebration. Globally recognised in its British Indian adaptation, it graces menus as a fiery and spicy delight. While the traditional recipe features pork, alternative versions showcase beef, mutton, duck, prawns, chicken, lamb, vegetables and tofu. This flavourful dish, with its rich history and diverse variations, remains a beloved choice in curry houses and Indian restaurants worldwide.
History of Vindaloo:
The history of Vindaloo traces its roots to Goan cuisine, originating from the Portuguese dish “carne de vinha d’alhos”, translating to “meat in garlic marinade”. To preserve meat for long durations, the Portuguese sailors developed a unique style of marinating raw ingredients in wooden barrels, layering pork and garlic, salt soaked in red wine and vinegar to preserve and enhance its flavour. This dish first found its way to Goa in India through Portuguese explorers in the early 15th century. Local Goan cooks adopted the dish, replacing red wine with palm vinegar and introducing additional spices. This transformation resulted in the localized and easily pronounced dish known as “Vindaloo”. It became popular further afield after British Colonisation of India in the 1800s, and in Britain in the 1970s when India restaurants became all the rage.
The British Indian version of Vindaloo involves marinating meat in a mixture of vinegar, sugar, fresh ginger and spices. The marinated meat is then cooked with additional spices, creating a flavourful and distinctive dish. Over time, vindaloo has become a beloved and iconic part of Indian cuisine, reflecting a fusion of Portuguese and local Goan culinary traditions.
Originally inspired by Portuguese cuisine, Goan Vindaloo underwent modifications, incorporating spices and substituting wine with vinegar to suit local tastes. In India, the adaptation of culinary traditions often involves ingenious solutions to overcome local constraints. When the Portuguese introduced the dish of vindaloo, they faced a challenge as Indians did not produce vinegar. Resourceful Franciscan priests found a solution by crafting vinegar from coconut toddy, the fermented sap of palm trees. Complemented with tamarind pulp and garlic, these concoction pleased the Portuguese cooks.
The adaptation didn’t end there. Local spices like black pepper, cinnamon and cloves were seamlessly integrated into the recipe, enriching the flavour profile. The pivotal addition that bestowed vindaloo with its distinctive piquancy was red chilies, an import from Portugal’s global ventures. Before the Portuguese, Indians were acquainted with black pepper and long pepper or Pipli as the spiciest element. However, arrival of red chilies revolutionized Indian cuisine.
Indigenous to Brazil, chilies, along with other novelties like tomatoes, potatoes, pineapples and cashews, made their way to India through the Portuguese explorers. Goa became a hub for the cultivation of red chilies, locally known as “Gowai Mirchis” or “Goan Pepper”. Their ease of cultivation and cost-effectiveness swiftly integrated them into the Indian culinary tapestry, transforming the gastronomic landscape within a short span.
Ingredients for Prawn Vindaloo:
Prawn: Prawn is the heart of this dish. Jumbo prawns works best, meticulously cleaned and deveined, ensuring a succulent and satisfying bite. You can use fresh or frozen prawns, just ensure that frozen prawns are thawed to room temperature.
Vindaloo paste: A key component is the specially crafted vindaloo paste, where a medley of whole spices, including cloves, black peppercorns, cumin seeds, brown mustard seeds, poppy seeds, kashmiri red chilies, garlic, fresh red chilies(optional), fresh ginger and tamarind paste, create a unique symphony of flavours. Kashmiri chillies need to be soaked overnight or in hot water for at least 20 minutes to get a smooth paste. Traditionally, Palm or Coconut Toddy vinegar adds a distinctive touch, but white vinegar or rice vinegar can be excellent substitutes. To balance the flavours, a touch of sugar or jaggery can be incorporated if the sweetness of palm vinegar is missed.
Turmeric powder: The inclusion of turmeric powder not only imparts a vibrant hue to the curry but also introduces health benefits through its anti-inflammatory properties.
Salt: Season the prawns lightly, since the curry will include salt. Minimal salt ensures balanced flavours when incorporated into the overall dish.
Others: Beyond the star ingredients, the curry gains depth from basic elements like, oil, onions, curry leaves, whole mustard seeds and cinnamon stick. These additions complement the shrimp and vindaloo paste, creating a harmonious and flavourful curry that showcases the complexity and depth of traditional Indian cuisine.
What to serve Vindaloo with?
Vindaloo pairs splendidly with a variety of accompaniments. Opt for regular white rice, brown rice, aromatic basmati rice, flavourful yellow rice, coconut rice or ghee-infused rice.
Complement this dish with roti or chapati alongside a delectable curry for a complete meal.
For a quick and easy meal, serve with baguettes or rustic bread and a side dish of potato curry or dal tadka.
Another delightful option is serving it with flatbread, paratha, pao or naan.
Can I freeze Prawn Vindaloo?
Freezing Prawn Vindaloo is not recommended as it may compromise the texture and flavour of the seafood.
Can I make Prawn Vindaloo ahead of time?
Preparing prawn vindaloo ahead of time is feasible. You can make the vindaloo paste in advance, and if planning a day ahead, combine the paste with prawn a few hours before serving. This allows the flavours to meld without sacrificing the dish’s quality. Enjoy the convenience of preparing the prawn vindaloo ahead to enhance its taste and aroma.
Ingredients:
Vindaloo paste:
1 tsp Cumin seeds
1 tbsp Black peppercorn
5-6 pcs. Cloves
1 tbsp Poppy seeds
1 tsp Brown Mustard seeds
10-12 nos. Dry Kashmiri Red Chili (stalk removed)
2 nos. Fresh Red chili (sliced)
6-8 Garlic cloves
1 tbsp Ginger (sliced)
15 gm Dried Tamarind
1 tbsp Toddy Vinegar
For the Curry:
500 gm Jumbo Prawn (cleaned & deveined)
4 tbsp Oil
2 tsp Turmeric powder
Salt to taste
1 inch Cinnamon stick
1 tsp Brown Mustard seeds
2 cups Onion (chopped)
1 sprig of Curry leaves
1 tbsp Jaggery
1 cup water
Preparation:
- Step 1: Soak the dried tamarind in water for 10-15 minutes. Keep aside.
- Step 2: Marinate the prawns with 1 tsp salt and 1 tsp turmeric for 15 minutes.
- Step 3: Meanwhile, add cumin seeds, black peppercorn, cloves, poppy seeds and brown Mustard seeds in a pan and dry roast the spices stirring continuously, on medium heat until fragrant for about 3-4 minutes.
- Step 4: Add the dry roasted spices to a blender and grind into a fine powder.
- Step 5: Then add overnight soaked kashmiri red chilies into the blender along with some chili water and blend into a paste.
- Step 6: Then add sliced fresh red chilies, garlic cloves, sliced ginger and blend again.
- Step 7: Next strain the soaked tamarind into the blender and add toddy vinegar and blend until you get a smooth paste.
- Step 8: Heat oil in a wok or pan on medium-high heat.
- Step 9: Then add cinnamon stick and browned mustard seeds and let them splutter.
- Step 10: Then add chopped onions and a pinch of salt. Salt helps brings the moisture out of the onions, which helps them cook faster.
- Step 11: Next add curry leaves and fry.
- Step 12: Once the onions are translucent then add the marinated prawns and cook for 2-3 minutes on medium heat.
- Step 13: Then add 1 tsp turmeric powder and fry for 2-3 minutes or until the raw smell is gone.
- Step 14: Next add the vindaloo paste and cook the masala till the oil separates.
- Step 15: Once the masala is cooked add 1 cup of water and salt and bring the curry to a boil.
- Step 16: Then add jaggery and cover and cook for 5-6 minutes on medium heat.
- Step 17: Once the vindaloo is ready, serve hot with rice or roti.
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DEBJANI MONDAL
Welcome to Kitchenstagram, the home of delicious recipes, culinary inspiration and cooking adventures. I’m Debjani and I’m thrilled to be your guide through the wonderful world of food. I’m a self-taught professional baker, home chef, recipe developer, author of Kitchenstagram and an aspiring YouTuber.
My passion for food and cooking began at a very young age, when I would watch my mom and dad cook for me and my brother. My dad, in particular is a great cook whose culinary skills made a lasting impression on me. My dad would cook up a storm on special occasions by cooking variety of dishes, from delicious biriyani to samosa, fish fry, rasgullas and kachoris (sweet & spicy deep fried pastry with filling of lentils, meat or fish…>>>>>
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