Batata Dukkar Vindaloo (Potato Pork Vindaloo)

I had gotten some "stewing pork" on sale at some point and then tossed it in the freezer and forgot about it. Having been reminded of its existence, I decided it was high time I did something with it! We also have a surplus of potatoes to use up right now. So this curry seemed pretty much perfect to use up ingredients on hand. Plus, who doesn't love a vindaloo?!

I made the mildest version of this curry: 3 dried chilies and 1 fresh. I feel like this produced quite a pleasant heat level. The Kidlet found it a bit on the spicy side, but she still ate all of her portion. If you would like a milder dish, you can either reduce the chilies a bit further or, alternatively, simply serve it topped with a little plain yogurt. The yogurt will have a moderating effect on the heat as well as adding a bit of extra nutrition.

I didn't find that the potatoes browned up as much as Iyer described, but they were still delicious! I think I'd be tempted to slice them slightly thicker next time. Iyer simply said "thinly sliced", so I went for very thin; probably only ~2mm. Maybe a 4mm thickness would have been better. That would've allowed for fewer slices so that each one could've had more time in contact with the pan. Something to experiment with...

Batata Dukkar Vindaloo

Slightly adapted from 660 Curries by Raghavan Iyer

Ingredients

• 1/4 c. oil, divided
• ~700g potatoes, halved and sliced 3-4mm thick
• 2 tsp. coriander seeds
• 1 tsp. cumin seeds
• 1/2 tsp. mustard seeds
• 1/2 tsp. black peppercorns
• 6 whole cloves
• 3-5 dried red cayenne, arbol, or Thai chilies
• 1 (7cm) cinnamon stick, broken into smaller pieces
• 1/2 c. cider or malt vinegar
• 8-9 cloves garlic
• 2 onions, 1 chopped, 1 halved and sliced
• 1-2 fresh green Thai, serrano, or finger chilies, sliced
• ~600g stewing pork
• 1 c. water, divided
• 1/2 Tbsp. coarse sea salt
• 1/2 tsp. ground turmeric
• 2 Tbsp. chopped fresh cilantro

Directions

1. Heat 2 Tbsp. of the oil over medium heat.
2. Add the potatoes and fry until browned on both sides (15-20 minutes), flipping once or twice during cooking. Remove from the pan and set aside.
3. Add the coriander, cumin, mustard, pepper, cloves, dried chilies, and cinnamon to the now-empty pan and cook until fragrant (~1 minute). Transfer spices to a blender jar.
4. Add the vinegar, garlic, and chopped onion to the blender jar with the spices and purée.
5. Add the remaining 2 Tbsp. of oil to the pan and heat over medium heat.
6. Add the sliced onion and fresh chilies and cook until softened (3-5 minutes).
7. Add the pork and sear on all sides (~5 minutes).
8. Add the sauce from the blender jar.
9. Add 1/2 c. water to the blender jar, swish it out, and add it to the pan.
10. Stir in the salt and turmeric and bring to a boil.
11. Cover, reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer for 20 minutes.
12. Uncover, add the fried potatoes and the remaining 1/2 c. of water.
13. Simmer until potatoes are fully cooked and sauce is thickened (5-10 minutes).
14. Sprinkle with cilantro and serve with rice, plain yogurt or raita, your favourite flatbreads, and vegetable curries.