Victorian Pickled Vindaloo

Victorian Pickled Vindaloo is a traditional Anglo-Indian recipe from the 1860s for a classic version of vindaloo that's pickled so it can be transported to the UK. The full recipe is presented here and I hope you enjoy this classic Anglo-Indian version of: Victorian Pickled Vindaloo.

prep time

20 minutes

cook time

50 minutes

Total Time:

70 minutes

Additional Time:

(+24 hours picking)

Serves:

4–6

Rating:

Tags : Curry Spice Recipes Pork Recipes Fusion Recipes British Recipes

This is a traditional Anglo-Indian recipe redacted from the volume THE INDIAN COOKERY BOOK: A Practical Handbook to The Kitchen in India (author unknown), published by: WYMAN & CO., HARE STREET CALCUTTA circa 1869.
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Original Recipe

64.—Pickled Vindaloo (adapted as a Present to Friends at a Distance)

If the following instructions be carried out carefully, the vindaloo will keep good for months, and, if
required, may be sent as an acceptable present to friends at home.

In order to keep it good sufficiently long to be sent home round the Cape, select the fattest parts of
pork; satisfy yourself that the meat is fresh and sound, and that it has not been washed with water in
the butcher's shop. Cut the meat into two-inch squares, wash thoroughly in vinegar (no water), rub
over with the following condiments, and then steep them in really good English vinegar for
twenty-four hours:—Garlic bruised, not ground down, dry ginger powdered, turmeric powdered,
peppercorns roasted and powdered, coriander-seeds roasted and powdered, cumin-seeds roasted and
powdered, and dry salt.

Melt a large quantity of the best mustard oil in an earthen pot, and, according to the quantity of
meat, take additional condiments mentioned above, but in the proportion given in recipe No. 61;
grind in vinegar, and fry in the oil; then put in the meat, and all the vinegar, &c, in which it had
been stepped, together with some more salt, a little more vinegar, a few bay-leaves and peppercorns,
and allow to simmer until the meat is quite tender. Remove from the fire and allow it to get quite
cold; then put it into dry stone jars, with patent screw tops, well filled with plenty of the oil in which
the vindaloo was cooked. Take care that all the meat is well covered over with oil, which latter
ought to be at least from two to three inches above the meat in the jar. Screw down the lid, and
cover it over with a good sound bladder to render it perfectly air-tight.

When required for use, take out only as much as will suffice, and simply warm it in a little of its own
gravy.

61.—Beef Vindaloo

Cut up two pounds of fat beef into large squares, and steep them in the vinegar, together with half a
tspful of salt and all the ground condiments, from eighteen to twenty-four hours. Then warm
the ghee or lard and throw in the meat, together with the condiments and vinegar in which it had
been steeped, adding a few peppercorns and bay-leaves, and allow to simmer gently over a slow fire
for two hours, or until the meat is perfectly tender, and serve up hot.

General:
Six ounces or three chittacks of ghee or lard, one tbspful of bruised garlic, one tbspful
of ground garlic, one tbspful of ground ginger, two tspfuls of ground chilies, one
tspful of roasted and ground coriander-seed, half a tspful of roasted and ground
cumin-seed, two or three bay-leaves, a few peppercorns, four or five cloves, roasted and ground,
four or five cardamoms, roasted and ground, six small sticks of cinnamon, roasted and ground, with
half a cup of good vinegar, to two pounds of pork or beef or a duck.

Modern Redaction

This was a new curry style to me, pickle curry. I was even more surprised, on doing some research to find that pickle curries are a real thing and they're still prepared to this day.

Ingredients:

For the Initial Pickling:
1kg fatty pork, cut into 5cm (2 in) cubes
vinegar for washing
4 garlic cloves, crushed
2 tsp powdered ginger
2 tsp powdered turmeric
1 tsp black peppercorns, toasted and ground
1 tsp coriander seeds, toasted and ground
1 tsp cumin seeds, toasted and ground
2 tbsp fine sea salt
enough vinegar to cover the meat

To Cook:
200ml (4/5 cup) mustard oil
1 tbsp garlic, crushed
1 tbsp ground ginger
2 tsp chilli powder
1 tsp coriander seeds, toasted and ground
1/2 tsp cumin seeds, toasted and ground
2 bay leaves
6 black peppercorns, toasted and ground
4 whole cloves, toasted and ground
4 green cardamom pods, toasted and ground
1 cinnamon stick, toasted and ground
6 whole black peppercorns
250ml (1 cup) vinegar
2 tbsp salt
extra mustard oil for covering

Method:

Prepare the meat and wash in vinegar then transfer the meat to a large bowl.

Mix together the initial pickling spices and salt with about 500ml vinegar. Pour over the meat then top with more vinegar so the meat is covered. Set aside to pickle for 24 hours.

After this time, heat the ghee in a pan add the mustard oil then add the additonal spices. Fry for 2 minutes until aromatic then add the meat. Fry unitl borowned all over then add the steeping vinegar and associated spices.

Add in the bay leaves and whole balck peppercorns then bring to a simmer and add the extra salt as well as the fresh vinegar. Bring to a simmer and cook for 40 minutes, until the meat is tender.

Take the pan off the heat and set aside until cold. Pack the meat into jars and pour over the cooking liquid so the meat is covered. Top with fresh mustard oil to keep out the air. Seal securely with a vinegar-proof lid.

Find more Victorian Recipes Here and more Curry Recipes Here. For the original version of The Indian Cookery book see my The Indian Cookery Book main page.