Vindaloo Paste

[Hoosier]

It depends on whether you get hold of a curry sauce or a curry paste.

We normally use the sauces, those are straightforward - brown some chicken (or other meat of your choice) in a pan, throw in the sauce, simmer for 20 minutes or so and then serve. These are super easy to use.

The pastes contain the spice combinations but you usually have to mix in yoghurt or tomatoes or something else, depending on the type of curry.

You can pretty much curry anything you fancy, lamb and chicken are good, beef seems a little insensitive but it also works fairly well. If you want a veggie curry then Butternut Squash works really well, it's got loads of texture and holds up well.

Final thoughts... Curiosity once led me to investigate the legendary Warhammer Maneuver; I strongly advise you not to eat a vindaloo before going diving...

Finally, I can get three Pataks Vindaloo paste jars and make a chicken vindaloo today.

Man, that is what I am looking for... THANKS A LOT!!!


I only add a diced tomatoes as being written on the bottle.. I will try a yogurt next time.


One more question: how can you control the level of spicy?
Pataks paste is a little bit less spicy to my taste... What should I use?

 

[Pat Mustard]

More spice.... hmmmm.... well, I'd start by adding finely chopped fresh hot red chili peppers (include more seeds for more spice) one at a time, something small, red and thin, such as a Cayenne would be authentic.

If that doesn't work just chop up and chuck in a couple of Habanero peppers!

Speaking of which, I have a very nice recipe for Puerco Pibil, (from the movie Once Upon a Time in Mexico), which uses Habaneros and can get exceedingly spicy Let me know if you want the recipe!

 

[Hoosier]

Thanks...

You mean this

 

[Pat Mustard]

Yep, that's the one, although I'd suggest a few things that I think the person transcribing missed from the DVD featurette:

• Cut the pork butt a bit smaller than 2 inch cubes, more like 1 inch cubes.
• With the habanero peppers, wash, cut and clean out the inside. Most of the heat is in the seeds and the seed veins, so the more you leave in the hotter it will be.
• Annatto seeds can be a bugger to find, they are also known as Achiote seeds and can be found in Hispanic or Asian food stores fairly easily.
• Banana leaves are well worth using and are not that hard to find if you know where to look. Check out Chinese or southeast Asian food stores, they usually have them in the freezer section, (they're very popular in Thai food). They also usually carry Annatto seeds too. Plus these places are usually really cheap.
• I would marinade the meat overnight if possible.
• When cooking, line the baking pan with foil first (enough to wrap up and over everything), then add the banana leaves, put the meat in, fold the banana leaves over, and then finally wrap the foil up and over the whole thing.

The meal is fantastic and the movie is pretty cool as well.