Goan Aloo Vindaloo Curry (Potato Vindaloo)

Potato Vindaloo Curry recipe is a spicy Indian vegetarian dish that makes a quick and healthy lunch or dinner.

Aloo Vindaloo or Potato Vindaloo is a vegetarian version of the popular Goan vindaloo curry traditionally made with pork. Serve it with steamed rice for a delicious meal which is both vegan and gluten-free.

What Is Vindaloo?

Vindaloo is recipe influenced both by the Goa region of India as well as by Portuguese culinary traditions. In order to preserve foods for long voyages, Portuguese sailors often stored food in a mixture of garlic and wine. When the Goan people experienced this preserved food, they replicated it using local spices as well as vinegar instead of wine.  In Goa, the word for vinegar is vindahlo and hence vindaloo was invented! 

What Does Vindaloo Taste Like?

Vindaloo is known for both its fiery heat as well as its vinegary tang! If you wish to make your vindaloo not quite so spicy, feel free to start with half the called for Vindaloo Curry Powder.

Ingredients. 

Fat. This recipe calls for either oil or ghee. Ghee is clarified butter and is a traditional Indian base to many dishes. If using oil, use a neutral flavored oil such as grapeseed oil or avocado oil. 

Onion. Most white, brown, or yellow onions will work in this recipe. Avoid sweet onions. Peel and chop the onion before starting to cook. 

Ginger. Fresh ginger along with onion is the base of almost all Indian dishes – much like many European dishes start with onion, carrots, and celery or the “Holy Trinity” of onion, celery, and bell pepper in Cajun cuisine. 

If fresh ginger is available, peel a 1 inch piece and grate it. If fresh ginger is not available, substitute 1 teaspoon of Dried Ground Ginger Powder for every 1 tablespoon of fresh ginger. So this recipe would use 2 teaspoons of dried ground ginger powder. Add the dried ginger powder the same time the Vindaloo Curry Powder is added. 

Brown Mustard Seeds. Brown Mustard Seed is the mustard seed that becomes the hot mustard served in American Chinese restaurants and is quite spicy. Adding it whole in this recipe provides not only heat, but also a bit of texture. 

The mustard seeds will “dance” and pop when you first add them to the oil. No worries, just keep stirring until they stop their dance! 

Vindaloo Curry Powder. SpiceTopia’s Organic Vindaloo Curry Blend is created with rich full-bodied spices such as cumin, roasted chili peppers, and cinnamon as well as tomato powder. Although this curry spice is not as spicy as the original vindaloo powders, it is quite spicy. Start with just a little and add more as you taste! 

Pacific Flake Sea Salt. Our Vindaloo Curry Powder is salt-free, so you’ll need to add salt to this recipe. SpiceTopia’s Pacific Flake Sea Salt is the highest quality kosher flake sea salt. 

Potatoes. Our Vindaloo recipe calls for russet potatoes, as the starch in a russet potato helps to thicken this recipe. If you have another recipe, feel free to use those instead knowing your curry sauce might not be as thick, but will certainly still taste delicious!Vinegar. Apple Cider vinegar and white wine vinegar will both work in this recipe as they are neutral in color and have about the same level of acidity.

Technique. 

This recipe follows our Curry Formula. Foundation + Spice + Base = Curry

• The foundation is made up of onions and ginger. 
• The spice is the mustard seeds and the vindaloo curry powder
• The base of this curry is actually a mix of the tomato powder in the curry powder as well as the water. 

Make Ahead

This is one of those dishes that only gets better with time. As it sits, the flavors meld and soak into the potatoes. Think of this dish the next time you meal prep!