Pork Vindaloo (Goan Vinegar-Marinated Fiery Pork Curry)

Quick answer

Total time: 80 min
Level: Hard
Servings: 4 servings
Ingredients: 8

About this dish

Pork vindaloo braises pork shoulder in a paste made from white vinegar, garlic, ginger, chili powder, and ground cumin.

Cut 700 g pork shoulder into 4 cm pieces and pat the surfaces dry. Blend 20 g garlic, 20 g ginger, 80 ml white vinegar, 2 tablespoons chili powder, and 1 teaspoon ground cumin until no dry spice pockets remain. Coat the pork evenly, cover, and refrigerate. Marinate overnight when time allows. Heat 2 tablespoons cooking oil in a heavy pot over medium heat and cook 180 g onion for about 10 minutes, stirring often until golden without scorching. Add the marinated pork and every bit of paste left in the container. Cook until the raw surface color disappears and the spice aroma rises, then add just enough water to cover the bottom of the pot and bring it to a simmer. Reduce to low heat and cook with the lid slightly ajar for at least 45 minutes. Stir from the bottom occasionally and add water only in small portions if the sauce dries before the pork softens. Stop when a fork separates the pork without force and the reduced paste clings to the meat instead of running across the pot.

Ingredients

servings

IngredientAmountUnit

pork shoulder700 gg

onion180 gg

garlic20 gg

ginger20 gg

white vinegar80 mlml

chili powder2 tbsptbsp

ground cumin1 tsptsp

cooking oil2 tbsptbsp

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Instructions

Read the steps as a cooking flow: prep, heat, seasoning, doneness control, and finish.

6 steps

1

Heat

Cut 700g pork shoulder into 4cm chunks and pat the surfaces dry so they are not wet before cooking.
2

Step

Blend 20 g garlic, 20 g ginger, 80 ml white vinegar, 2 tablespoons chili powder, and 1 teaspoon ground cumin into a smooth paste.

Scrape down the sides so no dry spice pockets remain.
3

Control

Coat the pork evenly with the paste, cover, and refrigerate.

If time allows, marinate overnight so the vinegar, garlic, ginger, and spices season the meat deeply and the sharp acidity settles before cooking.
4

Control

Heat 2 tablespoons cooking oil in a heavy pot over medium heat, then add 180 g onion.

Cook for about 10 minutes, stirring often, until the onion turns golden brown without scorching on the bottom.
5

Control

When the onion is deeply colored, add the marinated pork and any remaining paste.

Cook over medium heat until the meat loses its raw color and the spice aroma rises, then add a little water and bring it to a simmer.
6

Control

Once bubbling, reduce to low heat and simmer with the lid slightly ajar for at least 45 minutes.

Stir occasionally and add small splashes of water if it catches. Turn off the heat when the pork shreds easily with a fork.

Practical Cooking Checks

The cues that matter most while cooking.

Key technique: White vinegar, garlic, ginger, chili powder, and cumin blended into the pork marinade
Finish cue: Cook for about 10 minutes, stirring often, until the onion turns golden brown without scorching on the bottom.
Substitution: Stop when a fork separates the pork without force and the reduced paste clings to the meat instead of running across the pot.
Storage and reheating: Coat the pork evenly, cover, and refrigerate.