Vendaloo for 50
Goanese hot and pungent curry (vendaloo)
Adapted from Classic Indian Cooking by Julie Sahni
Introduction
Vendaloo is the famous fiery-hot, mustard-laced dish from Goa, a state on the southwest coast of India. Traditionally, vendaloo is made with pork, but there are many variations prepared with beef, chicken, lamb, and even duck. I make Vendaloo by first marinating the pork in a mixture of spices and seasonings the night before. It is then cooked in the marinade along with such additional flavorings as fried onions and tamarind juice. The ingredient that imparts the authentic vendaloo flavor is mustard oil. Mustard oil in its raw form has a very strong smell that many people find unpleasant. Before using it in cooking, it is put through a mellowing process. This is done by heating the oil to a very high temperature (the smoking point), which releases the pungent smell and vaporizes the oil. When cool, the mustard oil is ready for use.
For 50 people.
The Day Before
15 lbs pork (pork
chops with bones make a more complex flavor, loin is much easier, carnitas
works too)
Using a sharp boning knife, cut the meat off the bone.
Reserve the bones. Trim all traces of fat from the meat and bones, and discard.
Cut the meat into 3/4" cubes, and set aside.
5 TBS cumin seeds
3 TBS plus 1 tsp. black mustard seeds
Heat a frying pan over medium heat, and add cumin first and
mustard seeds after the cumin starts to change color slightly. Roast the seeds,
stirring constantly, until the cumin seeds turn dark and the mustard seeds gray
(about 3 minutes). Transfer to a small bowl and let cool briefly. Then grind to
a fine powder. Set aside.
In a blender combine:
10 medium-sized onion, peeled and quartered
40 medium cloves garlic
10 Tbsp. chopped fresh ginger root
20 Tbsp. cider vinegar
20 Tbsp. light vegetable oil
Put onion, garlic, ginger, vinegar, and oil into the
container of an electric blender or food processor, and run the machine until
the contents are a fine pasty puree.
Combine pork and pork bones, ground cumin and mustard seeds,
and pureed mixture with:
5 tsp. ground cinnamon
2.5 tsp. ground clove
Mix thoroughly to distribute the spice paste over the meat
pieces and place in a ziplock bag. Cover and marinate for 8 hours, or
refrigerate for 48 hours.
Prepare the Mustard Oil
5 C. mustard oil
While meat is marinating, heat the mustard oil over high
heat in a large enamel-coated pan. When the oil begins to smoke, turn off the
heat, and let it cool completely over night.
The Day of Serving
15 cups thinly sliced onions
Heat mustard oil again over medium-high heat, and add
onions. Fry them until they turn caramel brown (about 12 minutes), stirring
constantly to prevent burning.
Then add:
5 TBS. turmeric
5 TBS. crushed red pepper flakes
5 TBS. paprika
Reduce heat to medium, add turmeric, red pepper, and
paprika. When the spices begin to sizzle and turn dark (about 15 seconds), add
the meat and bones (reserve any marinade left in the bowl), and fry until the
meat pieces are slightly seared and the oil begins to separate from the gravy
(about 10 minutes).
Using tamarind concentrate(Indian or Thai work equally well):
1 cup tamarind
concentrate mixed with 12 cups of water.
Add
7 TBS. Kosher salt (less if using table salt) plus any remaining marinade.
Add tamarind juice, salt, and any remaining marinade, and
bring it to a boil.
While you can lower heat and cook, partially covered, until
meat is thoroughly done and very tender (about 30 minutes), I put the whole
thing in a steamer pan, cover and cook in 375 oven, covered and cook for an hour.
Carefully pick out the bones, and discard. Check for salt,
and serve with rice.
Note. This dish
improves with keeping and changes flavor. It may be made ahead and refrigerated
for up to 4 days, or frozen. Defrost thoroughly before reheating. To reheat,
simmer gently over low heat until warmed through.
