A boldly spiced pork vindaloo featuring a rich blend of roasted whole spices and tangy vinegar, slow-cooked to tender perfection and served with fluffy basmati rice and a touch of cooling yogurt.
Toast about eight dried red Kashmiri chilies, one teaspoon of black mustard seeds, one teaspoon of whole cumin seeds, four black peppercorns, and four cloves over low heat just until fragrant and the colors deepen.
In a small food processor, blend four peeled large garlic cloves, half an inch of fresh ginger, two tablespoons of coconut vinegar (or apple cider vinegar), one tablespoon of neutral oil, and the toasted spices. Add enough water to form a smooth paste.
Cut the pork shoulder into pieces about 5 cm in size and mix thoroughly with the vindaloo paste and half a teaspoon of turmeric. Cover and marinate in the refrigerator for at least 4 hours, ideally overnight, or up to 24 hours.
Finely chop the onion to your preference.
Heat oil in a pan and sauté the onion with a pinch of salt and a cinnamon stick over medium heat for about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the onion is nicely caramelized and golden.
Add the marinated pork pieces and cook over high heat for about 5 minutes until the meat is nicely browned and coated with the vindaloo spices.
Pour in one cup of hot water, reduce the heat to medium, cover, and let simmer gently for 45 to 60 minutes. Stir every 10 minutes and add more water as needed to achieve your desired sauce consistency.
After about an hour, the vindaloo will be ready— the meat tender and the sauce dark and thick. Serve hot with freshly cooked basmati rice and a spoonful of yogurt if you like.