Another craving for Indian food led me to google new recipes. At HolyCowVegan.net, I found great Indian recipes along with stories which inspired them. Vindaloo is traditionally from the Goa region in western India, which was colonized by the Portuguese, so the dish has both Portuguese and Indian influences. The two key ingredients are vinegar and garlic, and the dish was traditionally made with pork. As the dish evolved, it was also known for being spicy, and in some cases quite hot. To get the original recipe and read the whole story with beautiful photos of Goan beaches, head over to HolyCowVegan. Of course, her version of the dish uses eggplant and mushrooms in place of the pork.
The recipe is long, but the combination of spices is what makes Indian dishes so good, so I wanted to follow it as closely as possible. I had most of the ingredients in my cabinet, with the notable exception of black mustard seeds. I took a field trip to the Indian market in Waltham and picked up a large bag of mustard seeds for just $1.49. I assumed that I could grind the seeds in my food processor, but this wasn’t the case. I don’t own a coffee grinder, and I actually don’t have a mortar and pestle either. So I ignored this issue and left the mustard seeds whole in the marinade. I have no idea what kind of difference this made, but it was my only option at the time.
Regardless of the issue with the mustard seeds, this recipe was great. I loved the sweet/sour/spicy flavor combination and the texture of the eggplant and mushrooms. It actually wasn’t that hot, which might be due to my mild chili powder. I don’t know if this recipe tasted authentic or not, since I can’t compare it to a restaurant dish. But I can say that after eating this fabulous meal, my craving for Indian food was completely satisfied.
Recipes that Fit 