Vindaloo Curry with Lentils and Potatoes
Lentil Potato vindaloo is a plant-based version of vindaloo curry with a lot less work. No need to soak and blend the chilies, I give you a quick vindaloo spice mix. Hearty lentils and potatoes are absolutely delicious in this tangy Goan curry sauce! Gluten-free with soy-free and nut-free options
Vindaloo is a popular stew from Goan cuisine, which is a Western state in India. Goan cuisine has Portuguese influences, because of Portuguese explorers that came to India centuries ago.
Portuguese cuisine has a lot of meaty dishes, and such as meat cooked with lots of wine and garlic. People in Goa took that and converted it to vindaloo curry, replacing the wine with vinegar, adding a lot more spices and a lot more heat, and generally making it their own.
They called this adapted curry vindaloo curry. Vindaloo curry paste has a lot of spices, Kashmiri chilis, and, depending on the recipe, it usually has a couple of steps where you toast all the spices and the Kashmiri chilis, soak the chilis, then blend them to make the sauce. If you want to check out that version of homemade vindaloo paste, you can find that on my tofu vindaloo recipe.
For today’s recipe, I’m making a simple version of the curry by making this vindaloo spice mix using ground spices, rather than grinding down whole spices in a spice grinder. You can adjust the heat of the spice by adjusting the Kashmiri chili powder and black pepper. This spice mix is delicious and potent, you can use it many ways! Use it on roasted veggies, sprinkle as a finishing spice(instead of garam masala), use as a marinade over tofu with soy sauce and vinegar and many more!
To make the vindaloo sauce, we cook the onion and then toast the spice mix with the onion in a little bit of oil. From there, you add the rest of the ingredients, including cooked lentils and crispy potatoes, for this absolutely delicious lentil curry.
You can use other beans, such as white beans, black beans, kidney beans, or chickpeas or you can use crisped up tofu or vegan chicken instead. If you don’t want to add potatoes, you can use other vegetables or just skip the potatoes altogether.
This lentils vindaloo is a very flexible recipe. All that flavor is in the spice mix and the curry sauce, so you can just make that sauce, and then add whatever additions you like to it.
For the spice mix, use Kashmiri chili powder, coriander, cumin, black pepper, cardamom, cinnamon, cloves, mustard, garlic powder, and salt. Sauté onion and ginger-garlic paste in oil, then add tomato paste and white vinegar for tang. Top with non-dairy yogurt, cilantro, and lemon juice.
If using paprika instead of Kashmiri chili powder, ensure it's sweet paprika. Add water to prevent burning, and adjust water content for desired consistency. Once the oil is heated, add the potatoes and toss them well to coat. Cook for 2 to 3 minutes before adding 1 teaspoon of the vindaloo spice mix to the potatoes. Toss them again to coat, then reduce the heat to medium-low, cover with a lid, and cook until the potatoes are nearly cooked through, approximately 5 to 7 minutes. Stir occasionally to crisp up the edges of the potatoes. Remove the cooked potatoes from the pan.
In the same pan, add a teaspoon of oil and heat it over medium-high heat. Once the oil is hot, add the onion and 1/4 teaspoon of salt. Cook until the onion turns golden, about 7 to 9 minutes, adding splashes of water as needed to help the onion brown evenly. Stir frequently.
Once the onion is golden, reduce the heat to medium-low, add another teaspoon of oil, and mix in the remaining vindaloo spice mix. If the pan becomes too dry, add splashes of water to prevent burning. Cook for 10 seconds, then stir in the ginger-garlic paste, tomato paste, and vinegar.
Add 1/4 cup of water, stir well, increase the heat to medium, and bring it to a boil. Cook until the mixture thickens slightly and starts to leave the sides of the pan, about 3 to 4 minutes. Incorporate the remaining 3/4 cups of water and mix thoroughly.
Adjust the consistency by adding more water if desired. Bring to a boil, then fold in the lentils, potatoes, and the remaining 1/4 teaspoon of salt. For a creamier sauce, add 2-3 tablespoons of yogurt. Cover with a lid and cook for 3 to 5 minutes to allow the flavors to meld.
Taste and adjust seasoning, then garnish with non-dairy yogurt or cream, chopped cilantro, and lemon juice. Serve with rice, flatbread, or naan.
What to Serve with Lentils Vindaloo
Serve with rice, flatbread, or naan.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is this recipe allergy friendly?
This recipe is gluten-free and can be made nut-free and soy-free by using non-dairy yogurt or cream that is nut-free and soy-free. sentence: The quick brown fox jumps over the lazy dog.
Rewritten sentence: The fast brown fox leaps over the inactive dog. following sentence: The cat is sleeping on the window sill.
The cat is curled up and napping on the window sill.
