The Big Book of Curry Recipes (44 page)

60g (2 oz) garlic

120g (4 oz) green chillies

120g (4 oz) fresh ginger

300g (2/3 lb) fresh tamarind, de-seeded and grated

1 tbsp ghee or butter or mustard oil

1.35kg (3 lb) tomatoes

1/2 tsp salt

12 saffron threads, crumbled

420ml (1 3/4 cups) vinegar

Method:

Combine the saltfish and tomatoes in a large bowl. Pour over enough hot water to cover. Allow to soak for a couple of minutes then take out the tomatoes and remove skins. Skin the saltfish then return to the bowl and soak for about 30 minutes or until softened. Flake the fish and discard the bones.

Mince all the ingredients finely then combine the onions, garlic, chillies and ginger together in a bowl. Soak the shredded tamarind pulp in the vinegar.

Heat the fat or oil in a pan, add the saltfish and fry until browned. Crumble in the saffron then add the remainder of the ingredients and boil until thick. Take off the heat and set aside.

When cold, pot the ballychow mixture into jars, label and store.

Tamarind Fish Relish

Tamarind Fish Relish is a traditional Indian recipe for a classic relish of white fish cooked in spiced tamarind pulp and vinegar that’s potted and fried in oil before serving.

Ingredients:

1.35kg (3 lb) white fish, cut into 1cm cubes

1kg (2 lb) tamarind pulp

45g (1 1/2 oz) red chillies, finely sliced

15g (1/2 oz) garlic, finely sliced

120g (4 oz) fresh ginger, peeled and finely sliced

15g (1/2 oz) ground cumin seeds

45g (1 1/2 oz) ground turmeric

salt

600ml (2 1/2 cups) vinegar

Method:

Place the tamarind pulp in a bowl, remove all stones and fibre, then pour over enough of the vinegar to just cover and set aside to soak for 12 hours.

Clean the fish then dry thoroughly on a cloth. Arrange in a flat dish, sprinkle with salt and turn the pieces at intervals for 30 minutes for 12 hours.

Strain the tamarind liquid through a coarse muslin cloth. Combine the turmeric and cumin in a small cup then mix in enough vinegar to bring the ingredients together as a smooth paste. Turn into a bowl then mix in the ginger, garlic and chillies. Add more vinegar, as necessary.

When the fish has been salted for 12 hours, wipe off any excess salt. Take a large, wide-mouthed jar and place some of the curry paste in the base. Lay over this some of the fish slices and top with more of the curry paste and some of the tamarind pulp. Repeat the layering process until all the fish has been added to the jar, ensuring that you finish with the curry paste and tamarind. If you have any left-over ingredients place these in the top of the jar.

Pour in enough vinegar to cover all the ingredients then secure with an air-tight vinegar-proof lid. Set aside to infuse for a fortnight. After this time, fry as much of the mixture as you need for each meal, cooking it in ghee or mustard oil.

Serve to accompany curries.

Baigan Bharta (Spicy Mashed Aubergine Relish)

Baigan Bharta (Spicy Mashed Aubergine Relish) is a traditional Indian recipe for a classic relish of roasted and peeled aubergines that is mashed and fried with peas, spices, onion and tomato before being garnished with coriander (cilantro) and that’s served warm to rice and flatbreads.

Ingredients:

1 medium aubergine (baigan)

100g (1 cup) cooked garden peas

1 onion, finely chopped

1 tomato, finely chopped

1 green chilli, finely chopped

1/2 tsp red chilli powder

1/2 tsp garam masala

1/2 tsp ground turmeric

3 tbsp groundnut oil (or vegetable oil)

salt, to taste

oil for brushing

coriander leaves, shredded, to garnish

Method:

Wash and dry the aubergine then brush with the oil and either roast over a gas burner on medium heat, turning frequently until the skin begins to blacken and it’s cooked through. Alternatively, set in a baking dish, place in an oven pre-heated to 180ºC (355ºF) and bake for about 30 minutes, or until soft.

Cool under cold, running, water and remove the skin. Mash the flesh in a bowl and set aside.

Heat the groundnut oil in a wok or kadhai and add the chilli and onion. Fry over medium heat for about 5 minutes, or until golden brown. Now stir in the chilli powder, turmeric, garam masala and salt. Stir to combine then add the tomatoes and cook for about 10 minutes, or until the tomatoes bread down to form a sauce.

Now stir in the coked peas and the mashed aubergine. Stir well to combine and fry for about 6 minutes over medium heat.

Turn into a warmed serving dish, garnish with the shredded coriander leaves and bring to the table. This is typically served with plain rice and
roti
.

Makai Bharta (Spicy Mashed Sweetcorn)

Makai Bharta (Spicy Mashed Sweetcorn) is a traditional Indian recipe (from Gujarat) for a classic relish of mashed sweetcorn blended with onions, tomatoes and spices that’s fried and  served warm to accompany curries.

Ingredients:

1kg (2 lb) fresh corn cobs

3 medium tomatoes, chopped

3 medium onions, finely sliced

1/2 tsp cumin seeds

2 tbsp oil

2 bayleaves

7 green chillies, chopped

1/2 tsp garam masala

1 tsp ground turmeric

1 tsp ground coriander seeds

coriander leaves, shredded, to garnish

Method:

Bring a large pan of water to a boil, add the corn cobs and boil for about 15 minutes, or until the kernels are tender. Drain the cobs, and using a sharp knife cut off the corn kernels. Turn into a blender and grind coarsely.

Heat the oil in a kadhai or a wok. When hot, add the cumin seeds and bayleaves. When the cumin seeds begin to pot add the onions and fry for about 5 minutes, or until golden brown. Now add the chillies and fry for 30 seconds more. Stir in the turmeric, garam masala, red chilli powder, salt and ground coriander seeds and stir well to combine.

Fry for about 1 minute then add the tomatoes and cook for about 10 minutes, or until the tomatoes bread down. Stir in the sweetcorn and season with salt. Now add just enough water to give you a thick paste. Bring to a simmer and cook for 5 minutes more.

Turn into a warmed serving dish, garnish with the shredded coriander leaves and serve. This is typically served with plain rice and
roti
.

Chicken Bharta (Spicy Mashed Chicken)

Chicken Bharta (Spicy Mashed Chicken) is a traditional Pakistani recipe for a classic relish of steamed chicken meat blended with onions, spices, eggs and tomato that’s fried to cook and served with rice, salad and rotis.

Ingredients:

1 whole chicken, jointed

1 large onion, finely chopped

1 small tomato, chopped

2 hard-boiled eggs

1 bunch of fresh coriander leaves, coarsely chopped

1/2 tsp
garam masala

hot chilli powder, to taste (about 1/2 tsp)

1 1/2 tbsp ground coriander seeds

1 1/2 tbsp
Tandoori Masala

1/2 tsp fenugreek seeds, dry-roasted and coarsely ground

1/2 tsp ground turmeric

salt, to taste

1 tsp fresh ginger, pounded to a paste

a few drops of rosewater

3 tsp vinegar

2 tsp cooking oil

Method:

Mix salt with 1 tsp of the vinegar and rub all over the chicken pieces then set aside in a bowl for 15 minutes. Now season the chicken pieces with 2 tsp of vinegar the ground turmeric, hot chilli powder and 1/2 tsp ground coriander seeds.

Set in a steamer basket, place over a pan of boiling water and steam for about 30 minutes, or until cooked through and tender. Strip the skin from the chicken then take the flesh off the bones. Put the chicken meat in a blender and mince (reserve some of the cooking stock).

Heat the oil in a kadhai or a wok. Add the ginger, onion and tomato and fry for about 5 minutes. Now add the minced chicken, ground coriander seeds, garam masala and tandoori masala. Continue frying until the oil comes to the top. Add a little of the reserved stock, bring to a boil and cook down until it thickens to a gravy-like consistency.

Separate the yolks from the eggs, mash and stir into the bharta. Cook for a few minutes more then turn into a serving dish. Sprinkle over a few drops of rosewater. Shred the egg whites and mix with the coriander leaves and ground fenugreek. Use this mixture to garnish the dish and serve.

Typically this is served with plain boiled rice, a salad and
rotis
.

Vinde Audly

This is another variant of Goan vindaloo, made with salt pork, which is typically served as a relish rather than a main meal (though it makes a good meal with rice, pickle and flatbreads).

Ingredients:

1kg (2 lb) salt pork, sliced into large cubes

30 large, red, dried chillies

2cm (1 in) length of turmeric, peeled and chopped

1 1.2 tsp ground cumin seeds

1 whole head of garlic, cloves separated and peeled

3/4 tsp ground mustard seeds

300ml (1 1/4 cups) vinegar

Method:

Arrange the cubes of pork on a baking tray. Either set in the sun to dry all day, or place in a warm oven for about 4 hours (but be careful only to dry the and not to cook them).

Coarsely chop the chillies, place in the vinegar and set aside to soak over night. The following day, drain the chillies, (reserve the vinegar) and mash them to a paste with the turmeric, cumin, mustard and garlic. Gradually work in the reserved vinegar until completely combined then pour into a wide-mouthed jar.

Gently add the pieces of dried pork into the jar, ensuring that the liquid completely covers the meat at all times. Seal the jar with a vinegar-proof lid. After two days, some of the liquid will have been absorbed by the meat. Top-up with more vinegar if this is the case, to ensure the meat remains covered.

When wanted, remove as many of the pork pieces as you need from the vinegar. Place in a pan, cover with water and boil until the meat is tender and the liquid has reduced down to a thick sauce. Serve warm as an accompaniment to curry and rice.

Pudda

Pudda is a traditional South Indian recipe for a classic relish of crisp-fired fish preserved in vinegar with chillies, turmeric and garlic that are drained and fried prior to serving.

Ingredients:

1kg (2 lb) firm white fish

100 (3 1/2 oz) dried red chillies

two pieces of turmeric root (each 3cm long)

1 bulb of garlic, cloves separated and peeled

2 dessertspoons ground cumin

750ml (3 cups) vinegar

200g (7 oz)
tamarind paste

salt

Method:

Clean and scale the fish then cut into steaks about 3cm thick. Rub well on both sides with plenty of salt, sit in a non-reactive, flat-bottomed dish and scatter a little more salt over the top. Set aside to brine for two days. After this , wipe off the excess salt and set the fish in the sun for two days to dry (or put in a low oven, but ensure the fish dries and does not cook).

Pound together the chillies, turmeric, garlic and cumin in a mortar then add a little vinegar and pound again to a smooth paste. Turn into a bowl and work in the remainder of the vinegar.

Dip each slice of fish in the vinegar gravy then arrange in a wide-mouthed jar. Pour over the remainder of the vinegar mix, ensuring that the vinegar completely covers the fish. Secure with a tight-fitting vinegar-proof lid and leave for at least 8 days before using. If kept submerged in the vinegar the fish will keep for up to a month.

To use, remove two pieces of the fish from the jar, melt butter or ghee in a frying pan, add the fish and fry for 1 minute. Then add some gravy or basic curry sauce and cook the fish in this until tender. Serve as an accompaniment to curry and rice.

Potato Sambal

Potato Sambal is a traditional Indian recipe for a classic relish of mashed potatoes blended with onions, chillies and lemon juice that are creamed with coconut milk before serving.

Ingredients:

550g (1 lb 3 oz) floury potatoes

1 tsp
panch pharon

1 tsp butter

2 large onions, sliced

300ml (1 1/4 cups) coconut milk

2 red chillies, thinly sliced

1 lemon

1/2 tsp salt

Method

Bring a pan of lightly-salted water to a boil, add the potatoes (scrubbed clean but not peeled) and the panch pharon and boil for about 30 minutes, or until tender. Drain the potatoes (the cooking liquid makes an excellent base for soup stock) and set aside until they can be handled then peel the potatoes and mash them until smooth.

Mix the onions, chillies and lemon juice in a bowl with the salt. Add the onion mixture to the potato mixture and mash thoroughly with a fork to combine. Now work in the coconut milk and mix again.

Turn into a circular dish, garnish with a few sprigs of coriander and serve.

Cape Gooseberry Chutney

Cape Gooseberry Chutney is a traditional Indian recipe for a classic chutney of physalis (cape gooseberries) and raisins cooked with sugar, ginger, garlic and vinegar before being potted.

Ingredients:

1.75kg (4 lb) cape gooseberries (physalis)

1.35kg (3 lb) brown sugar

500g (1 lb) seedless raisins, chopped

7.5g (1/4 oz) fresh ginger, peeled and very finely sliced

60g (2 oz) garlic

60g (2 oz) red chillies

30g (1 oz) salt

600ml (2 1/2 cups) malt vinegar

Method:

Pound the garlic and chillies in a bowl then mix in enough of the vinegar to give you a smooth paste then mix in the salt

Combine the fruit and sugar in a pan. Add 200ml water and heat gently until the sugar has dissolved, bring to a boil and cook for about 40 minutes, or until the fruit is soft and the mixture has reduced down to the consistency of a jam.

Stir in the raisins and ginger along with the garlic and chilli paste. Bring to a simmer and cook gently over low heat until the mixture thickens.