Beef Vindaloo Recipe

Prepare beef

Pat the beef cubes dry with paper towels. Place the beef in a large bowl.

Add the yogurt, 60 ml white vinegar and 1.5 tablespoons salt to the beef. Mix so all pieces are evenly coated. Cover and refrigerate to marinate for at least 2 hours, preferably overnight (up to 12 hours) for best flavor.

Soak chilies

Remove stems and most seeds from the dried Kashmiri chilies. Place chilies in a small bowl and pour 120 ml boiling water over them. Let soak 15–20 minutes until softened, then drain, reserving a couple of tablespoons of the soaking liquid.

Toast whole spices

In a dry skillet over medium heat, toast mustard seeds, cumin seeds, coriander seeds, peppercorns, cloves, cardamom pods and the cinnamon stick for about 1–2 minutes until they become fragrant and slightly darker, shaking the pan constantly to avoid burning. Remove from heat and let cool slightly.

Grind paste

Transfer the toasted whole spices to a spice grinder or mortar and pestle and grind to a coarse powder. Add the soaked chilies, garlic cloves, chopped ginger, ground turmeric, sugar, 30 ml white vinegar and 30 ml water. Blend or pound until a smooth, thick paste forms. If the paste is too thick, add a little of the reserved chili soaking liquid or water, 1 tablespoon at a time, to reach a spreadable consistency.

Brown the beef

Heat 3 tablespoons oil or ghee in a large, heavy-bottomed pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Remove beef from the marinade (reserve the marinade) and add beef in batches so it browns evenly without steaming. Brown on all sides, about 4–5 minutes per batch. Transfer browned beef to a plate and set aside.

Sauté onions

Reduce heat to medium. In the same pot, add the chopped onion. Sauté for 7–9 minutes until softened and starting to caramelize, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pot.

Add paste and tomatoes

Stir the prepared vindaloo paste into the onions and cook for 2–3 minutes, stirring continuously so the paste releases its aromas and the raw garlic/ginger flavor mellows. Add the tomato puree and cook another 3–4 minutes until the mixture thickens slightly.

Combine beef and liquids

Return the browned beef and any collected juices to the pot. Pour in the reserved marinade, the 500 ml beef stock (or water) and bring to a gentle simmer. Scrape up any browned bits. Reduce heat to low, cover partially, and simmer gently for 1.5–2 hours, stirring occasionally, until the beef is fork-tender and the sauce has reduced and concentrated. If using a pressure cooker, cook on medium pressure for about 30–35 minutes and then natural-release.

Taste the sauce and add the remaining 15 ml white vinegar and up to additional 1 teaspoon sugar if needed to balance heat and acidity. Adjust salt to taste. Stir in freshly ground black pepper.

If the sauce is too thin, increase heat to medium-high and reduce uncovered for 5–10 minutes until desired thickness. If it is too thick, add a splash of water or stock.

Sprinkle chopped cilantro over the curry if using. Let the vindaloo rest 10 minutes before serving to allow flavors to meld.