Why is Vindaloo So Spicy?

October 2, 2020

There are dozens of different dishes found in Indian cuisine that have distinct levels of heat and spice. After all, not everyone can tolerate the heat of a bhuna or madras! With this said, vindaloo takes the crown when it comes to spice as it is often the most feared option on the menu at an Indian restaurant. Read on as we explain why vindaloo is such a spicy curry…

In order to understand why vindaloo is such a spicy dish, it is important to understand what it is. As one of the most popular dishes in India, vindaloo originated in the Goa region of the country, is heavily spiced, and can be made with vegetarians in mind or with a chicken, pork or tofu protein.

A traditional vindaloo contains several key ingredients, and the sauce is made from caramelized onions, curry paste, coconut milk, vinegar, ginger, garlic and chickpeas as well as spices like garam masala, paprika and turmeric in order to give the dish its deep red colour. With this said, it is the implementation of chillies that really give vindaloo its kick!

Many authentic chefs will smoke the spices in the pan before adding the meat and vegetables to the sauce as this gives a vindaloo even more heat. This is especially effective because it is cayenne peppers that are typically utilised within the dish, which have a Scoville heat rating of 30,000 – 50,000 SHU! Luckily, the heat of the dish itself can be altered to suit personal preference by varying the number of chillies that are used during the cooking process.

Here at Royal Nawaab, we pride ourselves on the variety that our menu provides. After all, we know that some people are not blessed with the ability to tolerate the implementation of hot peppers and spices! To find out more information about our selection of spicy and non-spicy curries, get in contact with the best restaurant Manchester has to offer today!