A standard element of Goan cuisine derived from the Portuguese carne de vinha d’alhos (literally “meat in garlic marinade”). In Goa vindaloo is a dish of meat marinated in vinegar and garlic. The basic structure of the Portuguese dish was the Portuguese sailor’s “preserved” raw ingredients, packed in wooden barrels of alternate layers of pork and garlic, and soaked in red wine. This was adapted by the local Goan cooks and evolved into the “vindaloo”.
Vindaloo has gained popularity outside of Goa but differs from the original vindaloo dish; it is a spicier version of the original curry with the addition of vinegar, onions, potatoes and chilli peppers.