In the UK there's a chill in the air, but for Reza and Phil the last few weeks have meant chilli in the hot and spicy sens!

Today sees the last instalment of Phil and Reza’s Indian Takeaway as our intrepid chefs find out the history behind some of our favourite curries.

This time their journey takes them to the beaches of Goa where they are shown how to cook the perfect Vindaloo. After a brief stop-off at the Portuguese quarter where they discover the origins of this curry, they then make their way to Newcastle to find out how the curry has evolved into a British classic. With this wealth of knowledge at their fingertips, the duo go head to head in a Vindaloo cook off before taking to Newcastle town centre to sever up their curries to the public who will cast their votes in a taste off. But who will reign victorious?

Phil's fragrant pork vindaloo

Serves: 4-6 persons
Preparation time: 1 hour
Cooking time: 2½- 3 hours

Ingredients

750g roughly, large cubed shoulder of pork, I like some extra fat
4 tbsp sugar
2 tbsp salt
4 dried large red dried chilli’s
100mmls warm water
2 tbsp ground cumin
2 tbsp ground coriander
2 tsp whole coriander, crushed
5 tsp garam masala
2 tsp ground fenugreek
6 tbsp oil
6 cloves garlic, chopped
2 tbsp chopped fresh ginger
3 onions finely sliced
8 ripe tomatoes, chopped
2 tbsp tomato puree
2 tbsp smoked paprika
20 curry leaves
300mls tomato juice
2 tbsp cider vinegar
salt
pepper
sugar

Method

  1. Preheat the oven to 180C gas 4
  2. Place the cubed pork into a bowl add the salt and sugar and mix well cover and leave for 1 hour. Mixing occasionally. After 1 hour, rinse well in a colander to remove all salt and sugar.
  3. Pat dry with kitchen paper.
  4. Place the chilli’s into the warm water and soak for 30 minutes. Then chop up and make a paste, a pestle and mortar is goo here, but chop them finely first.
  5. Gently toast in a large frying pan the cumin and corianders, then add the masala and fenugreek off the heat. Cool
  6. Place in a large pan the oil, then add the garlic and ginger and colour well. Then add the onions and brown well again.
  7. Next add the tomatoes, puree, paprika, curry leaves, juice, vinegar, sugar and salt and pepper.
  8. Stir well and add the spices chopped soaked chilli and water and cook down until the sauce is nice and thick.
  9. Saute the pork quickly in hot oil to brown well and add to the sauce, check the seasoning.
  10. Bring to a simmer and cover, pop into the oven and cook for 1 hour 30 minutes.
  11. Check at that point, the meat should be tender and succulent, but not overcooked.
  12. If cooked serve with boiled rice.

 

Reza's beef vindaloo

Serves 4

To make the spice mix

2 tsp coriander seeds
2 tsp cumin seeds
8 cloves
8 cardamom pods
2 x 5cm cassia barks
1.5 tsp black peppercorns
1 tsp fenugreek seeds
1.5 tsp fennel seeds

To make the paste

10 - 12 whole dried red chillies, soaked in hot water for approx 20 - 30 mins
8 plump cloves of garlic
1 large chopped onion
2 tbsp chopped ginger
100 ml red wine vinegar

Additional ingredients

3 - 4 tbsp ghee/vegetable/sunflower/rapeseed oil
2 bay leaves
1kg chuck steak cut into 4cm cubes
550ml beef stock
3 tbsp tomato puree and 1.5 tsp chilli powder dissolved in 2 tbsp of water
1.5 tsp soft dark brown sugar
Salt to taste
1 - 2 tbsp chopped coriander to garnish

Method

  1. Using a frying pan, toast the whole spices over a low/medium heat, until they have
    released their natural oils and become fragrant.
  2. Transfer the toasted spices to a coffee grinder and ground to a fine powder. Set aside.

For the paste

  1. Put all the ingredients to make the paste into a jug blender and blend until very smooth.
    Add half the ground spice mixture to the blended paste. Mix well.
  2. Decant the remaining spice mix into an airtight container and store for future use.
  3. In a large mixing bowl combine the meat and paste. Mix thoroughly.
  4. Cover with cling film and leave to refrigerate over night.
  5. Remove the meat from the fridge and allow to come to room temperature.
  6. In a wide, heavy bottomed pan (with fitted lid), heat the oil/ghee over a high heat and add
    the bay leaves. Once the oil is hot, add the marinated meat and stir fry for 5 to 6 minutes
    to cook and seal the meat to trap the flavours.
  7. Heat the beef stock until the liquid is hot and add the stock to the pan. Bring the pan to the
    boil, cover and simmer on a very low heat for 20 minutes.
  8. Now add the diluted tomato puree/chilli mixture to the pan. Stir the puree into the meat
    and continue to simmer for a further 40 minutes until the meat is tender. Keep checking
    the pan every 20 minutes to make sure the sauce has not become too dry. If it has, add a
    dash of hot water.
  9. The end result should be a lovely rich, thick sauce.
  10. Add the sugar and adjust seasoning. Garnish with coriander to serve.

NB: Chuck steak has more fat and flavour and will retain more moisture. You can use
braising steak, but cooking time has to be extended to 2.5 hours, but still checking liquid
levels every 20 mins.

With thanks to