The seafood, chicken and meat xacutis, ambotiks, curries, cafreals, sorpotels and vindaloos, spiced with freshly-ground masalas and several types of vinegar, make Goan food famous.
But a vindaloo can be made with just vegetables too and will taste pretty classy, giving non-meat eaters a chance to sample the essence Goan cuisine.
Chef Narendra Singh offers a flavourful vegetarian version of a classic Goan dish. His Vegetable Vindaloo utilises white vinegar and the typical vindaloo paste. Add whatever vegetable catches your fancy and serve with steamed red rice or the Goan poi.
Photograph: Kind courtesy Chef Narendra Singh
Vegetable Vindaloo
Serves: 3 to 4
Ingredients
For the vindaloo paste:
- 2 tsp jeera or cumin seeds
- 1 tsp rai or mustard seeds
- 1 tbsp dhaniya or coriander seeds
- 1-inch dalcheeni or cinnamon stick
- 5 lavang or cloves
- 5 green elaichi or cardamom pods
- 6 black peppercorns
- 10 dried whole red chillies or as per taste
- 1 tsp haldi or turmeric powder
- 2 to 3 pods garlic
- 1-inch piece fresh ginger piece
- 1 tbsp imli or tamarind paste
- 1 tsp jaggery, preferably, or else sugar
- Salt to taste, about 1½ tsp
- 2 tbsp white vinegar
For the curry:
- 1 tbsp oil, preferably til or sesame oil
- 3 to 4 cups diced vegetables like potatoes, carrots, green beans, cauliflower, peas, beetroot, kadu or pumpkin
- 3 large tomatoes, chopped
- 1 medium-sized onion, chopped
- 2 green chillies, finely chopped
- 1 tsp lemon juice
- Water
- Pinch or 2 garam masala, to sprinkle before serving
- Handful green dhaniya or coriander or cilantro, chopped, for garnish
Method
- Dry roast the whole spices together on a tawa or griddle or in a frying pan, over low heat.
Cool and grind coarsely in a mixer/blender.
Now add the turmeric, ginger, garlic, tamarind, salt, jaggery, vinegar.
Blend into a smooth paste.
Keep aside.
- Heat the oil in a kadhai or saucepan, over medium-high heat.
Add the onion and sauté until light brown.
Add the green chillies and the chopped tomatoes, mix and cook until soft, stirring occasionally.
Add the vindaloo paste.
Mix well.
Cook for a minute more.
Now add the chopped vegetables and enough water to cover the vegetables and bring to a boil, stirring occasionally.
Cover and simmer for about 5-8 minutes or until the vegetables are tender and add more water, if required, so it’s curry consistency.
Take off heat and stir in the lemon juice.
- Season with a dash of garam masala and a little fresh coriander.
- Serve hot with Goan poi bread or red rice.
Narendra Singh is the chef at Storii by ITC Hotels Shanti Morada, Goa.