Made with warm and rich spices such as paprika, cinnamon, cloves, garlic, and ginger without even a trace of curry powder, this is a great introduction to Indian cuisine. It uses lamb stew meat, which is far less costly than more tender cuts such as leg and loin chops, and the low-slow cooking makes it both tasty and toothsome. It does have a kick to it, so for a milder vindaloo, just use less cayenne. This is excellent with steamed basmati rice, pita bread, or boiled potatoes.
Ingredients
1 tablespoon paprika
1 1⁄2 teaspoons ground cumin
1 teaspoon ground turmeric
1 teaspoon cayenne
1⁄2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1⁄2 teaspoon ground mustard
1⁄2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1⁄8 teaspoon ground cloves
6 tablespoons red wine vinegar
10 large garlic cloves, finely minced or pressed through a garlic press
1 1⁄2 teaspoons salt
2 pounds lamb stew meat, cut into 1″ to 1 1⁄2-” cubes
3 tablespoons canola oil
3 yellow onions, thinly sliced
1 tablespoon grated fresh ginger
1 can (14 ounces) diced tomatoes, drained
1⁄2 teaspoon sugar
3 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro leaves
Marinate the lamb. Combine the paprika, cumin, turmeric, cayenne, cinnamon, mustard, pepper, and cloves in a small bowl and stir to mix well. In a large bowl, whisk together 3 tablespoons of the vinegar, half of the garlic, 1 tablespoon of the spice mixture (set the rest aside for making the stew), and 1 teaspoon of the salt to a large bowl and stir to form a paste. Add the lamb and toss well to coat. Set aside at room temperature while preparing the rest of the stew.
Stew the lamb. Heat the oil in a Dutch oven or large pot over high heat until shimmering. Add the onions and cook until lightly browned, about 10 minutes, stirring often. Reduce the heat to medium and add the ginger, the remaining garlic, and the remaining spice mixture and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add the tomatoes and scrape the bottom of the pot with a wooden spoon to loosen any browned bits. Mix in the lamb and its marinade and cook until the meat begins to release some of its moisture, 8 to 10 minutes. Stir in the sugar, the remaining 3 tablespoons vinegar, the remaining 1⁄2 teaspoon salt, and 1 1⁄2 cups water and stir well. Increase the heat to high and bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to medium, cover partially, and simmer, stirring occasionally, until the lamb is tender, 1 1⁄4 to 1 1⁄2 hours. Serve sprinkled with cilantro.
