The Big Book of Curry Recipes (6 page)

salt, to taste

1 tbsp desiccated coconut

Method:

Melt the ghee or butter in a pan. When hot, add the onions and fry for 4 minutes. Now stir in the tomato purée and the curry paste. Continue frying, stirring frequently, for four minutes more before adding the meat.

Stir to combine, bring to a simmer, cover the pan with a tight-fitting lid and cook for about 30 minutes, or until the meat is tender. Check the contents of the pan on occasion and if the mixture seems to become too thick (or is likely to burn) stir in a little boiling water.

Just before serving, stir in the lemon juice and season to taste with salt. Finally stir in the desiccated coconut (this will help dry up any excess moisture) and serve hot.

Left-over Game Curry

Left-over Game Curry is a traditional Anglo-Indian recipe (from the 1920s) for a classic curry of left-over game bird meat and onions in a tomato puree and lemon juice base flavoured with curry powder or curry paste.

Ingredients:

legs left-over from cooked game fowl (1 duck or goose leg per person, 2 pheasant legs etc [or a mix], you can also use left-over chicken)

3 onions, finely chopped

1 tsp garlic, minced

90g (3 oz) ghee or butter

juice of 1 1/2 lemons

1 1/2 tbsp curry powder (or 3 tbsp curry paste)

1 1/2 dessertspoons (heaped) tomato purée

salt, to taste

Method:

Heat the ghee or butter in a pan. When hot, add the onion and garlic and fry for about 8 minutes, or until golden brown all over. Now stir in the curry powder (or curry paste) and stir into the onion mix. Cook for 4 minutes more then stir in the tomato purée and thin the mixture with a little water. Add he lemon juice and season to taste with salt.

Bring to a gentle simmer and cook for 10 minutes. Add the leftover fowl legs and cook until heated through (add more water as needed). Serve hot on a bed of rice.

Duck and Green Pea Curry

Duck and Green Pea Curry is a traditional Indian recipe for a classic curry of duck pieces cooked with green peas and tomatoes in a garlic, and onion base flavoured with curry powder.

Ingredients:

1 oven-ready duck, cut into serving pieces

120g (4 oz) green peas (fresh or frozen)

225g (1/2 lb) tomatoes, blanched, peeled and chopped

60g (2 oz) ghee or butter

4 garlic cloves, finely minced

2 large onions, finely minced

2 dessertspoons curry powder

juice of 1 lemon

salt, to taste

Method:

Heat the ghee or butter in a pan. When hot, add the onion and fry for 2 minutes then add the garlic and fry for 3 minutes more. At this point, stir in the curry powder, mixing thoroughly to combine. Continue stir-frying the mixture for 4 minutes more over low heat then add the chopped tomatoes. Pour over 500ml (2 cups) of hot water and stir well to combine.

Nestle the pieces of duck in the sauce then bring just to a simmer. Cover the pan and cook for about 30 minutes, or until the duck pieces are just tender. At this point stir in the peas, cover the pan and cook for 15 minutes more.

Season to taste with salt, stir in the lemon juice and serve hot, accompanied by rice and flatbreads.

Dry Keema Curry

Dry Keema Curry is a traditional Indian recipe for a classic curry of minced beef in an onion, garlic, yoghurt and tomato puree base flavoured with curry powder that’s cooked until dry.

Ingredients:

500g (1 lb) minced beef (or mutton)

1 small onion, finely minced

2 garlic cloves, finely minced

60g (2 oz) ghee or butter

1 tbsp curry powder

1 tsp tomato purée

4 tbsp yoghurt (any set or thick natural yoghurt)

Method:

Melt the ghee or butter in a pan and when hot, add the onion. Fry for 2 minutes then add the garlic and fry for 2 minutes further. Scatter over the curry powder, and then stir in the tomato purée. Mix thoroughly to combine and stir-fry over medium-high heat for 3 minutes more.

At this point stir in the minced meat along with the yoghurt. Stir to combine, and then bring to a simmer. Cover and cook gently for 60 minutes, adding a little hot water to the mixture as needed during this time. You are aiming for a moist curry where there is no gravy.

Serve hot on a bed of rice.

Keema and Lettuce Curry

Keema and Lettuce Curry is a traditional Indian recipe for a classic curry of minced meat and lettuce in a spiced onion, garlic, tomato and ghee base. The full recipe is presented here and I hope you enjoy this classic Indian version of: Keema and Lettuce Curry.

Ingredients:

500g (1 lb) minced meat (any lean meat)

2 large onions, finely chopped

3 garlic cloves, finely chopped

100g (3 1/2 oz) ghee or butter

4 large tomatoes cut into wedges

2 dessertspoons ground coriander seeds

1 tsp ground turmeric

1 tsp ground ginger

1 tsp ground cumin

1 tsp ground chillies

2 small lettuces, coarsely shredded

salt, to taste

Method:

Heat the ghee or butter in a pan and when hot add the onion. Fry for 2 minutes then add the garlic and cook for about 4 minutes more, or until golden brown. Add the tomatoes then mix in all the spices. Stir to blend then cover the pan and simmer for about 6 minutes, or until the tomatoes have broken down to form a sauce.

At this point stir in the lettuces then cover the pan and cook for 8 minutes more before stirring in the meat and seasoning to taste with salt. Cover the pan and simmer gently for about 20 minutes, or until the meat is cooked through and soft.

Serve hot.

Kobi Keema  (Cabbage and Mincemeat Curry)

Kobi Keema (Cabbage and Mincemeat Curry) is a traditional Indian recipe for a classic curry of minced meat and cabbage in a spiced onion, garlic and ghee base.

This is a classic meat and greens dry curry. It can also be made with kale, aubergines (eggplants), cauliflower or broccoli instead of the cabbage.

Ingredients:

500g (1 lb) minced meat

1 medium cabbage, shredded

1 tsp fine sea salt

60g (2 oz) ghee or butter

2 onions, finely chopped

2 garlic cloves, finely chopped

1/2 tsp hot chilli powder

1/2 tsp ground turmeric

1/4 tsp ground coriander seeds

1/4 tsp ground cumin seeds

pinch of ground cloves

pinch of ground cinnamon

1/2 tsp ground ginger

Method:

Melt the ghee or butter in a pan. When hot add the onions and fry for 2 minutes. Now add the garlic and fry the mixture for 3 minutes more, or until golden brown. Add the minced meat along with the spices and salt then stir to combine.

Simmer gently, covered, for about 25 minutes, or until the meat is cooked through and soft then stir in the cabbage. Cover and continue cooking for about 10 to 15 minutes, or until the cabbage leaves are tender.

Serve hot.

Beef and Dhal Curry

Beef and Dhal Curry is a traditional Indian recipe for a classic curry of beef strips and lentils in a spiced chilli, garlic and onion base with tomato puree.

Ingredients:

500g (1 lb) lean beef, cut into 4cm pieces

2 dry red chillies

2 garlic cloves, finely chopped

2 large onions, finely chopped

vinegar

1 dessertspoon tomato purée

1 dessertspoon curry powder

115g lentils

2 cloves

60g (2 oz) ghee

3cm (1 in) length of cinnamon stick

salt, to taste

Method:

Melt the ghee in a pan and when hot add the whole spices and onion. Stir-fry for 4 minutes then add the garlic and fry for 3 minutes more before adding the curry powder. Continue cooking for 5 minutes more then add the tomato purée and meat. Cover the pan and cook for 4 minutes further.

In the meantime, place the lentils in a pan, cover with water, bring to a boil and cook for about 20 minutes, or until just tender. Drain the lentils (reserve the cooking water). Add 200ml (4/5 cup) of the lentil cooking liquid to the pan.

Bring to a simmer, cover the pan and cook gently for about 60 minutes, or until the meat is thoroughly cooked through and tender. Now stir in the lentils and add about a tablespoon of vinegar (or to taste). Season to taste with salt, cover the pan and cook for about 10 minutes more, or until the lentils have completely broken down to form a thick sauce.

Serve hot.

Pork Korma

Pork Korma is a traditional Indian recipe (from Goa) for a classic curry of cubed pork in a ghee and yoghurt base flavoured with tomatoes, onions, garlic and spices.

This is a rather unusual south-Indian dish (from Goa), where following the Portuguese style (see Vindaloo) pork is used as the main meat, rather than the far more typical fish.

Ingredients:

500g (1 lb) pork, cut into 3cm cubes

3 onions, finely sliced

4 garlic cloves, finely sliced

1/4 tsp ground cumin

2 cinnamon sticks (about 3cm [1 in] long)

4 bay leaves (use Indian bay leaves, if you can get them)

300g (1 1/4 cup) natural yoghurt

5 large, ripe, tomatoes, halved

1/2 tsp ground ginger

1/4 tsp freshly-ground black pepper

12 cloves

7 cardamom pods, crushed

120g (4 oz) ghee, butter or mustard oil

Method:

Heat the ghee or oil in a pan. Add the onions and fry for 4 minutes then add the garlic and continue frying for about 5 minutes more, or until golden brown all over. Add the meat and mix to combine. Continue frying, stirring frequently until the meat is nicely browned all over.

At this point stir in 150ml hot water along with the ginger, black pepper, cumin seeds, cloves, cardamoms, cinnamon, bay leaves and the tomatoes. Bring the mixture to a boil, reduce to a simmer, cover and cook gently over low heat for about 50 minutes, or until the meat is cooked through and tender.

At this point stir in the yoghurt. Continue cooking, stirring frequently, until the sauce is heated through (be careful at this stage that the sauce does not ‘catch’ and burn). Serve hot.

Ak-Ni Korma

Ak-Ni Korma is a traditional Indian recipe (from North India) for a classic curry of mutton in a spiced onion and yoghurt base, where ak-ni refers to the mix of spices used.

This dish is named after the blend of spices used to flavour it. Where Ak-Ni spices are typically 7.5g (1/4 oz) fennel seeds, 7.5g (1/4 oz) fresh (green) ginger, 4 garlic cloves, 7.5g (1/4 oz) coriander seeds and 1 small onion.

Ingredients:

500g (1 lb) lean mutton cut into 3cm cubes

1 large onion, cut into thick slices

7.5g (1/4 oz) fennel seeds

7.5g (1/4 oz) coriander seeds

7.5g (1/4 oz) fresh ginger, sliced

4 garlic cloves, halved

1 cinnamon stick (about 3cm [1 in] long)

2 cloves

2 cardamom pods, crushed

1/2 tsp cumin seeds

30g (1 oz) butter

150g (3/5 cup) natural yoghurt

generous pinch of saffron threads, crumbled

1 tsp sea salt (or to taste)

Method:

Place the meat in a pot along with 600ml (2 1/2 cups) water. Tie the fennel seeds, coriander seeds, ginger, and garlic in a muslin bag and add to the pot. Bring to a boil and cook for about 50 minutes, or until the meat is tender and the liquid has reduced down to about 250ml (1 cup).

In the meantime, melt the butter in a pan, add the onion and fry for about 10 minutes, or until well browned. At this point add the meat and the remaining cooking liquid to the fried onion along with the bag of Ak-Ni spices and the cloves, cinnamon, cardamom pods and cumin seeds. Crumble the saffron into a little boiling water in a mortar and ground with a pestle. Add this to the korma blend.

Add salt to taste and bring to a boil. Cook for 5 minutes then take out the bag of Ak-Ni spices and the cinnamon stick. Stir in the yoghurt, allow to heat through and serve.

Royal Beef Biryani

Royal Beef Biryani is a traditional Indian recipe (from Mogul courts of North India) for a classic dish of beef in a curry that’s layered with saffron rice and onions before being oven baked and served garnished with eggs, onions, almonds and sultanas.

Ingredients:

300ml (1 1/4 cups) natural yoghurt

1 tsp (heaped) saffron threads

1kg (2 lb) beef, cut into bite-sized chunks (any stewing cut such as braising steak, flank or shin)

125ml (1/2 cup) mustard oil (oil fried with mustard seeds until they pop then taken off the heat and stored)

4 onions

4 garlic cloves

30g (1 oz) fresh ginger, peeled and finely chopped

2 fresh red chillies, coarsely chopped

5 whole cloves

seeds from 12 cardamom pods

2 tsp cumin seeds

2 tsp coriander seeds

1 tsp fenugreek seeds

1 tsp nigella seeds (kalonji)

2cm (1 in) length of cinnamon stick

2 tsp sea salt flakes

1/2 whole nutmeg, finely grated

2 bayleaves (Indian bay if you can get it)

2 tsp caster sugar

300g (2 cups) basmati rice, washed and drained

4 tbsp fresh coriander leaves, chopped

50g (2 oz) ghee (or butter), melted

50g (2 oz) sultanas, plumped in warm water, to garnish

40g (1 1/2 oz) flaked almonds, to garnish

3 large eggs, hard-boiled and halved lengthways

freshly-ground black pepper, to taste

6 tbsp fresh coriander leaves, shredded, to garnish

Method:

Take 100ml (2/5 cup) of the yoghurt, beat until smooth with the saffron, place in a small pan and heat gently for a few minutes (ensure it does not boil). Take off the heat, pour into a bowl then allow to cool, cover with clingfilm and set aside in the refrigerator over night.

The following day, trim the beef neatly and remove any fat and sinew then cut into bite-sized pieces. Heat 2 tsp of the oil in a frying pan. Season the beef with salt and freshly ground black pepper, add to the hot oil and fry over medium-high heat until browned all over (you will need to cook in two or three batches). Transfer to a large saucepan with a tight-fitting lid.