vindaloo

Vindaloo is a spicy Goan curry that has become one of the best-known Indian curries abroad. The name derives from the Portuguese vinha d'alho, literally wine and garlic, the traditional marinade for carne de vinha d'alhos. In Goa, the dish transformed as cooks replaced wine with spirit vinegar and chili peppers, producing a tangy, fiery preparation.

The standard Goan version uses pork as the classic meat, marinated in vinegar with garlic and a spice paste that often includes cumin, coriander, mustard seeds, black pepper, cloves, cinnamon, and Kashmiri or other red chilies. The meat is braised with onions and oil, sometimes with potatoes, until tender, and finished with more vinegar or tamarind for sourness.

Variations of vindaloo also appear with chicken, lamb, beef, prawns, or vegetables. In many Indian restaurants outside Goa, chicken vindaloo is the most common variant; potato-heavy versions are common in some home renditions. The dish is characterized by a combination of heat and sourness, and its spice level ranges from moderate to very hot.

Historically, vindaloo emerged in Goa during Portuguese colonial influence in the 16th century as carne de vinha d'alhos. Goan cooks adapted it to local ingredients, especially the abundance of vinegar and chilies, and the dish has since become a distinctive element of Goan and broader Indian cuisine, while also popular in the UK's curry house culture as a particularly fiery preparation.