Lamb Vindaloo in Instant Pot

5 from 43 votes

Lamb vindaloo is a tasty and spicy Goan dish with Portuguese roots. To prepare this dish, the lamb is typically marinated in a flavorful vindaloo masala paste and cooked until the meat is tender and soaks up all the flavors. While it's a popular curry in Indian restaurants, making it at home is quite easy. My tried and tested recipe strikes a perfect balance of flavors, with a slight tang from vinegar and tamarind that complements the heat and flavor from the spices without overpowering them.

Prep Time15

Cook Time30

Total Time45

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: Indian

Diet: Diabetic, Gluten Free, Hindu

Servings:

Calories: 324kcal

Author: Shilpa Kerur

Equipment

Instant Pot

Ingredients

For vindaloo paste:

5 dried red chili Kashmiri or any mild version
1 tablespoon coriander seeds
1 teaspoon cumin seeds
3 cloves
2 cardamom
½ inch cinnamon
½ teaspoon black pepper
2 cloves garlic
½ inch ginger
1 tablespoon vinegar
1 tablespoon tamarind paste
½ cup water

For the curry:

1 lb lamb stew meat cut into 1½ inch pieces
2 tablespoon oil
1 small onion
½ teaspoon ground turmeric
½ teaspoon sugar
½ teaspoon salt
½ cup water
2 tablespoon cilantro

Instructions

Make vindaloo paste and marinate:

To a blender, add the vindaloo paste ingredients - dried red chili, coriander seeds, cumin seeds, cloves, cardamom, cinnamon, black pepper, ginger, garlic, vinegar, and tamarind paste.
Add ¾ cup of water and grind into a smooth paste.
In a large bowl, add the lamb pieces. Pour the ground paste and mix well.
Let the lamb marinate for at least 30 minutes. You can also marinate it overnight in the refrigerator.

Making the curry:

Set the Instant Pot in saute mode and add oil.
Once it heats, add the onions. Saute for 5 minutes, until the onion begins to brown.
Add ground turmeric. sugar, and salt.
Add the marinated lamb and saute for 4-5 minutes.
Add ½ cup of water. Mix well and deglaze the pot.
Cancel saute mode and set the Instant Pot to Meat mode for 15 minutes.
Do a natural release of pressure for 5 minutes, then do a quick release.
If the curry is too thin, set the Instant Pot back to saute mode for 4-5 minutes.
Top with cilantro and serve.

Video

Notes

Marinate the meat for at least 30 minutes. You can also plan ahead and marinate it overnight in the refrigerator.

Use Kashmiri red chili (or any dried chili that is mild). It gives a nice and bright color to the curry yet does not make it too hot. To increase the heat level of the curry, use regular red chili powder or cayenne pepper as per your taste buds.

This dish works best with boneless lamb stew meat pieces, that are cut into medium-sized pieces (1.5-2 inch pieces).

See the tips section above for more useful tips to make this dish.

Nutrition