Another hotty! This Instant Pot Pork Vindaloo recipe makes its presence known without being a thug.
Vindaloo derives its name from Portugese and usually includes garlic and vinegar, the vinegar lifting the rest of the ingredients. This dish is usually claimed as a dish of the Indian region of Goa where it was imported with the Portugese settlers and was first adopted as an Indian curry. Today it is famous, or perhaps infamous, as a fiery UK restaurant staple.
This Instant Pot Pork Vindaloo is slightly unusual as its main ingredient is pork but it would work equally well with lamb, beef or chicken. Pork is a less common meat used in the mainly Hindu and Muslim dominated India, but Indian Christians do.
Vindaloos are notoriously VERY, VERY hot but you can temper the heat to your own taste by increasing or decreasing the amount of chilli included. This version, a very simplfied version for the Instant Pot adapted from Madhur Jaffrey’s Indian Cooking, gives a gratifying kick of heat without blowing your socks off!
Notes
*If you have time or wish to do some prep ahead, marinate the pork in the spice/vinegar mix overnight. In this case add all of the marinated pork in its spice mix in step 3 and skip step 4. This is the method used in the photographs and will not only deepen the flavours but will tenderize the pork while it’s in contact with the vinegar.
*Vindaloo often includes potato. If you fancy this tweak add approx 500g of peeled, 2cm-cubed potatoes with the water.
*As with most curries or stew-type dishes, this Instant Pot Pork Vindaloo will develop in flavour if prepared a day or two in advance, stored in the fridge then thoroughly reheated for serving.
*For a traditional stovetop version, follow the same method but in a saucepan on the hob and replace steps 6 & 7 by simmering gently for 1 hour.
If you’re looking for some easy rice to mop up all that spiky sauce then look no further than my Instant Pot Rice. And for a vegetable curry to serve alongside it try my Instant Pot Aubergine and Tomato Curry. Or if you’re looking for spice but that’s not a curry, try my Instant Pot Chilli recipe.
- 4 tbsp vegetable oil
- 2 onions peeled and sliced thinly into rings
- 1 cup water (180ml)
- 1 kg boneless pork shoulder cut into 2cm cubes
- 2 tsp ground cumin
- 1 tsp hot chilli powder
- 1 tsp ground black pepper
- 1 tsp ground cardamom
- 1/2 tbsp ground cinnamon
- 1/2 tbsp mustard powder
- 1 tsp ground fenugreek
- 5 tbsp white wine vinegar
- 1/2 tbsp salt
- 1 tsp brown sugar
- 2.5 cm fresh root ginger unpeeled and finely grated
- 1 head of garlic cloves separated, peeled and crushed
- 1 tbsp ground coriander
- 1/2 tsp ground turmeric
- Set the Instant Pot to Sauté on "normal".
- Heat 2 tbsp of the the oil in the Instant Pot then add the onions. Cook until softened and starting to brown - approx. 10 minutes.
- Remove the onions from the pan and set aside. Add the rest of the oil and brown the pork cubes. Do this in batches so the meat sears and doesn't poach in its own juices. Once all of the pork is browned set to one side.
- Mix all of the spice paste ingredients in a bowl then add to the Instant Pot. Cook through for approximately 1 minutes then return the pork and the onions to the pot.
- Stir in one Instant Pot cup of water (180ml).
- Turn the Instant Pot valve to "sealing", and press the Meat/Stew function button. The Instant Pot will automatically cook the curry on high pressure for 35 minutes.
- At the end of cooking time you can either do a quick pressure release or leave the pot to release pressure naturally if you don't need to eat straight away.
*If you have time or wish to do some prep ahead, marinate the pork in the spice/vinegar mix overnight. In this case add all of the marinated pork in its spice mix in step 3 and skip step 4. This is the method used in the photographs and will not only deepen the flavours but will tenderize the pork while it's in contact with the vinegar.
*Vindaloo often includes potato. If you fancy this tweak add approx 500g of peeled, 2cm-cubed potatoes with the water.
*As with most curries or stew-type dishes, this Instant Pot Pork Vindaloo will develop in flavour if prepared a day or two in advance, stored in the fridge then thoroughly reheated for serving.
*For a traditional stovetop version, follow the same method but in a saucepan on the hob and replace steps 6 & 7 by simmering gently for 1 hour.
