The Big Book of Curry Recipes (27 page)

Take off the heat and stir in the onions and chillies. Allow to cool until warm then beat the eggs into a bowl and stir into the lentil mixture.

Form the resultant mixture into little cakes. Heat oil or ghee in a frying pan. Add the lentil cakes and fry until golden brown and cooked through. Serve hot accompanied by rice and chutneys.

Nawabi Curry

Nawabi Curry is a traditional Indian Awadhi recipe for a classic vegetarian curry of mixed vegetables cooked with a spice base made of cumin, poppy seeds, onion and chillies.

Ingredients:

100g (3 1/2 oz) chopped vegetables, boiled until tender (French beans, string beans, carrots, cauliflower, broccoli etc)

3 tomatoes, chopped

1 tbsp cooking oil

1/2 tsp sugar

salt, to taste

For the Spice Paste:

1 tbsp cumin seeds

1 tbsp poppy seeds

1 large onion

2 green chillies

3 cardamom pods

3 cloves

1 tbsp coriander seeds

2 tsp aniseeds

2 cinnamon sticks

3cm piece of ginger

Method:

Combine all the ingredients for the spice paste in a blender and process until smooth (add a little water if necessary).

In the meantime, place the chopped tomatoes in a pan and add 350ml (2 1/2 cups) water. Brig to a simmer, cover the pan and cook for about 15 minutes, or until the tomatoes are soft. Take off the heat and pass through a fine-meshed sieve, pressing down with the back of a spoon (this will purée the mixture and remove the skins and seeds).

Heat the oil in a pan, add the spice paste and fry for about 3 minutes, stirring constantly, or until aromatic. Add the tomato purée and bring to a simmer then stir in the cooked vegetables, sugar and salt.

Allow the ingredients to heat through and serve hot accompanied by koftas and parathas.

Navartan Pulao (Cheese and Curd Pilau)

Navartan Pulao (Cheese and Curd Pilau) is a traditional Indian recipe for a classic one-pot dish of rice, vegetables, curd cheese and curds cooked in a spiced stock base.

Ingredients:

500g (1 lb) basmati rice

50g (2 oz) fresh peas

60g (2 1/2 oz) carrots, chopped

25g (1 oz) cashew nuts, chopped

50g (2 oz)
paneer
, cubed

20g (1 oz) raisins

150g (1/2 lb) curds

10g (1/2 oz) garam masala

1/2 tsp ground turmeric

75g (3 oz) ghee or butter

1 lemon

small bunch of mint leaves

15g (1/2 oz) green chillies, chopped

75g (3 oz) onions, sliced

1 tsp hot chilli powder

25g (1 oz) ginger-garlic paste

salt, to taste

4 tbsp coriander leaves, shredded

oil for frying

Method:

Wash the rice thoroughly, place in a bowl, cover with water and set aside to soak for 30 minutes.

In the meantime, heat a little oil in a kadhai or wok. When hot add the chopped carrots and the cubes of paneer. Fry for a few minutes then remove with a slotted spoon and set aside. Add the ghee (or butter) onions to the oil remaining in the wok and fry for about 5 minutes, or until golden brown.

Now add the vegetables, chillies, mint leaves, ginger-garlic paste and the fried paneer and carrot along with the cashew nuts and raisins. Fry the mixture, stirring frequently for 5 minutes then add the chilli powder, curd, garam masala, turmeric and salt. Fry again for a couple of minutes then take off the heat and set aside.

Bring a pan of water to a boil, add the rice and cook for about 10 minutes, or until the rice is half done. Drain the rice and mix with the curry ingredients. Place the curry mix in a steamer basket lined with greaseproof (waxed paper) and steam over a pan of boiling water for about 15 minutes, or until the rice is completely tender.

Turn the cooked pilau mix into a serving dish and squeeze over the juice from the lemon. Garnish with the coriander leaves and serve immediately.

Brinjal Bhaji (Aubergine Bhajis)

Brinjal Bhaji (Aubergine Bhajis) is a traditional Indian recipe for a classic dish of aubergine (eggplant) slices coated with oil, turmeric and chilli powder that are fried to cook.

At its most basic, a bhaji is simply a term for fried vegetables. Such vegetables can be battered, or they can simply be dusted with spices and fried, as here.

Ingredients:

2 medium-sized aubergines (about 225g [1/2 lb] each)

250ml (1 cup) mustard oil or ghee

1 tsp ground turmeric

1/2 tsp hot chilli powder

salt, to taste

Method:

Wash the aubergines well, pat dry then slice into rounds no more than 3mm thick. Place in a bowl, cover with water and set aside to soak for 60 minutes. After this time, drain the aubergine slices and gently pat dry.

In a small bowl, mix together the turmeric, salt and chilli powder. Mix to a smooth paste with a little water and then brush this mixture over both sides of the aubergine slices.

Pour the mustard oil into a large frying pan and heat until just smoking. Add a few of the aubergine slices (as many as will fit into the pan without touching) and fry until golden brown on both sides and cooked through until tender (use the point of a sharp knife to test them). When the slices are done, remove with a slotted spoon and drain on kitchen paper. As they drain, fry the next batch.

When the slices are cooked, serve hot with plain boiled rice and lime pickle, or with puris or chapatis.

Salted Lime Curry

This is a classic example of a type of Indian curry known as ‘pickle curries’, which is, in effect a cross between a pickle and a curry. They are not often encountered in the West, but are very important in the Indian sub-continent and the Far East because they will keep for up to a fortnight without refrigeration. Typically they are used as an accompaniment, with about two teaspoons eaten with a curry and rice dish.

Ingredients:

20 limes, quartered, rubbed all over with salt and set aside to marinate over night.

25 dried red chillies

1 dessertspoon fenugreek seeds

1 tsp cumin seeds

1 tsp mustard seeds

2 tsp ground turmeric

8 heads of garlic, cloves separated and peeled

12 green chillies, slit lengthways

4 tbsp mustard oil

1 tbsp ground mustard seeds

1.5l (6 cups) vinegar

6 curry leaves

salt, to taste

Method:

Place a non-stick pan over dry heat and when hot use to separately dry fry the chillies, mustard seeds, fenugreek seeds and cumin seeds until lightly browned and aromatic. Turn into a spice or coffee grinder and render to a fine powder, then mix in the ground turmeric.

Heat the oil in a heavy-based pan, add the ground mustard seeds and curry leaves. Fry for 20 seconds then add the powdered spice mix and salt. Fry for 20 minutes more then add the salted limes and the vinegar. Bring the mixture to a boil, reduce to a simmer and cook for about 30 minutes, or until the sauce is thick and the oil has separated to the top.

At this point the pickle curry is ready. Take off the heat, allow to cool then pour into Tupperware containers and store in the refrigerator. This is a very hot pickle, excellent for chilli lovers.

Pumpkin Chakee

Just as bhajis are fried vegetables, Indian chakees are vegetables that are stewed in tamarind juice. Typically they are made from a mix of vegetables and usually include pulwal (
Trichosanthes dioeca
), a long bean-like vegetable commonly eaten in the tropics, but can be made from a single vegetable, as here.

Ingredients:

2 or 3 tamarinds, skins and seeds removed (or 1 dessertspoon tamarind pulp)

120ml (1/2 cup) mustard oil

1/2 tsp garlic, mashed to a paste

1/4 of a pumpkin, peeled and seeds removed and flesh cut into 3cm cubes

2 dessertspoons onions, ground to a paste

1 tsp fresh chillies, ground to a paste

1 tsp ground turmeric

250ml (1 cup) water

10 tomatoes, chopped

Method:

Mash the tamarind pulp or flesh into the water and set aside.

Heat the oil in a pan and when almost smoking add the onion and cook for 2 minutes, stirring constantly. Add the chillies, turmeric and garlic and stir to combine then cook, stirring constantly, for 4 minutes more before mixing in the tamarind water and the chopped tomatoes.

Bring the mixture to a boil then add the pumpkin cubes. Bring back to a boil then reduce to a gentle simmer. Cover the pan with a tight-fitting lid and cook for about 20 minutes, or until the sauce has thickened and the pumpkin pieces are tender.

Serve hot with plain boiled rice.

Brinjal Pohie

Brinjal Pohie is a traditional Sri Lankan recipe for a classic curry of aubergines (eggplants) cooked in a spiced tamarind milk and tamarind juice base.

Ingredients:

4 medium-sized aubergines (brinjals)

1 tbsp ground mustard seeds

1/4 stick of lemongrass

1 small sprig of curry leaves

1 tbsp smoked and dried fish (or Bombay duck), flesh removed and pounded to a paste

4 garlic cloves, chopped

3 red chillies, sliced

5cm (2 in) length of cinnamon stick

5cm (2 in) piece of rampe (pandan leaf)

20 dried chillies, pounded in a mortar

1 tbsp sugar

1 tbsp coriander seeds

1 1/2 tsp ground white cumin seeds

1/2 tsp sweet cumin seeds, ground

1 tbsp vinegar

45g (1 1/2 oz) tamarind pulp, squeezed in 1 tbsp water and strained

3 tbsp coconut oil (or cooking oil)

125ml (1/2 cup) thick coconut milk

1 tsp saffron threads, crumbled

1 tsp salt

1 tbsp red onions, sliced

Method:

Slice the aubergines lengthways then rub the cut sides with salt and saffron. Heat 1 tbsp of the oil in a pan, add the aubergines and fry until soft and cooked through (about 10 minutes). Remove with tongs and set aside.

Mix all the ground spices with the vinegar and tamarind juice to a smooth paste.

Heat 2 tbsp of the oil in a pan and when very hot add the spice mixture along with the curry leaves, lemongrass, fish, garlic, chillies, cinnamon, pandan leaf, dried chillies and red onions. Cook for 3 minutes, stirring frequently ,then add the aubergine halves along with the coconut milk and sugar.

Bring the mixture to a boil, reduce to a simmer and cook over low heat for about 20 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the sauce is thick and the mixture is hot through.

Vegetarian Kibbeh

Vegetarian Kibbeh is a traditional Indian recipe for a classic vegetarian dish of lentil and bulgur wheat sausages that are oven baked and are based on Arabic Kibbeh.

Kibbeh is one of those dishes (typically made with Lamb) that’s know throughout Arabia and the Levant. This recipe is for a vegetarian Indian version of this classic dish made with red lentils.

Ingredients:

160g (6 oz) hulled red lentils

90g (3 oz) fine-grain bulgur wheat (lightly grind ordinary bulgur wheat in a coffee grinder)

1 1/2 tsp tomato purée

1 1/2 tsp hot chilli paste (either buy or pound hot chillies in a mortar)

1 large onion, finely chopped

2 tbsp olive oil

2 garlic cloves, minced

1 1/2 tsp ground cumin

freshly-ground black pepper, to taste

2 tbsp freshly-chopped tarragon

generous pinch of hot chilli powder

1 tsp lemon juice

sea salt, to taste

Method:

Add the lentils to a pan along with 600ml (2 1/2 cups) water. Bring the mixture to a boil over high heat and skim the foam from the surface. Turn the heat to low and continue simmering until the lentils are very soft and mushy (about 20 minutes).

Meanwhile, add the bulgur wheat to a large bowl. Combine with the tomato purée and hot chilli paste. Bring the lentil mix back to a boil over high heat then pour over the bulgur wheat mixture. Stir well to combine then set aside to swell for 30 minutes.

Add the olive oil to a pan and use to fry the olive until it begins to colour golden brown (about 8 minutes) then stir-in the garlic, cumin and lots of freshly-ground black pepper. Cook for about 2 minutes then take off the heat.

After the soaking time stir the fried onion mix into the lentil mixture and stir to combine thoroughly. Using your hands, knead all the ingredients together then add the tarragon, chilli powder and lemon juice then season with salt to taste.

Take walnut sized pieces of the mixture and shape into balls. Flatten these to extended ovals and arrange on a lightly-greased baking tray. Once done, place in an oven pre-heated to 170ºC (340ºF) and bake for about 15 minutes, or until the crust is firm but the kibbeh have not started to brown. Allow to cool completely on the baking tray then transfer to a serving plate. Chill for at least two hours then serve with a yoghurt dipping sauce or with hot sauce.

Mullangi Sambar (White Radish Sambar)

Mullangi Sambar (White Radish Sambar) is a traditional Indian recipe for a classic vegetarian dish of white radish (mooli) in a spiced sauce with pigeon peas.

Ingredients:

200g (7 oz) mooli (white radish), peeled

1 tbsp oil

150g (5 1/2 oz) pigeon peas (toor dal)

1/4 tsp ground turmeric

1 tsp mustard seeds

1/2 tsp mung beans (urad dal)

pinch of asafoetida powder (hing)

5 curry leaves

1 medium onion, sliced

1/4 tsp
tamarind paste

50g (2 oz) grated coconut

1 medium tomato, chopped into 6 chunks

2 pinches of turmeric powder

2 tsp
Garam Masala
)

salt, to taste

4 tbsp coriander leaves, chopped

Method:

Cut the peeled mooli into round slices add to a pan of lightly-salted water and cook for about 15 minutes, or until just tender. Drain and set aside. In the meantime, combine the toor dal in a pan with 1l water and the turmeric. Bring to a boil and cook for about 30 minutes, or until soft and mushy. Pour off any excess water and purée until smooth.