Beef and Chickpea Curry

 Excellent beef curry, made with ground Scotch beef. The chickpeas were softened in a slow cooker over several hours, and the beef was browned in a flat pan in a little olive oil for an hour and a half at a low to medium heat. I added diced mushrooms, a red chilli, and a julienned red onion. 

Water was added to the beef along with the chickpeas, and was simmered for a couple of hours, after which the herbs and spices were added. The Madras curry powder was the most important of these. 

Served with some fresh coriander, Basmati rice, and Pataks Lime pickle. 

King Prawns in a Lime and Tomato salsa

The rice for this dish was prepared first. A small handful of Thai black rice was boiled for twenty minutes, then drained and set aside. Basmati rice was cooked in a little turmeric at a low heat for about half an hour (the black rice was added after ten minutes), until most of the water had been soaked up, and the rice grains became stuck together (easier to eat rice with chopsticks that way).. 

The lime and tomato salsa was made with arrowroot, water, tomato puree, a pinch of turmeric, and a teaspoonful of lime pickle (a squeeze of lime juice would do just as well). I also added a red finger chilli for heat, and a pinch of basil. Simmered for ten to fifteen minutes until the salsa thickens.

The rest is easy. 140g of Nicaraguan King prawns were steamed for about seven minutes. I cut a quarter of a red pepper into strips, and diced a purple onion. The dish was assembled with a  lettuce salad. The prawns were added, and dressed in the salsa before serving. Delicious!

 

Chicken Curry with Parsnips and Chestnut Mushrooms

A Madras curry made with four quartered chestnut mushrooms, and two diced parsnips, along with diced chicken, finger chillies and two cloves of garlic.Fried first of all in some sunflower oil.  Then I added half a tin of chopped tomatoes and some coriander leaf.. Cooked twice - the second time on the next day.  

Served with Basmati rice, and delicious lime pickle (Patak brand). 

 

Balti Style Chicken Curry

Dish prompted by some cheap vegetables from the local Co-op. Washed and diced leek and carrot, cooked with yellow split peas, which formed the basis of the curry sauce.

Mashed and blended, I added the curry powder (Madras), plus some turmeric, and tomato passata. Then I added a handful of raisins, a red and green chilli (deseeded), diced root ginger, chicken and vegetable stock, some fish sauce (Nam Pla). And finally the chicken slices from two chicken thighs.

Allowed to simmer for an hour. Served with long grain rice (or basmati, if you prefer), cooked for two minutes in boiling water before being shocked by cold water, and then another eight minutes of cooking. Served with lime pickle. Drizzle some lime juice on the rice before serving. Excellent!

Chickpea, Kidney Bean, and Black Bean Curry

A vegetarian recipe, with chickpeas, red kidney beans, leek, potato, and red chilli. Built on an existing garlic and black bean sauce.

I used dried chickpeas and red kidney beans, so they were soaked overnight. Then they were boiled for forty-five minutes, along with the potato pieces, the garlic and black bean sauce, and the diced leek. After that I added the ginger, the Madras curry powder, and the red chilli.

Diced coriander leaf was then added, and stirred through. Served with two lightly toasted Peshwari naans, and a serving of lime pickle. Fabulous!

Chicken and Sweet Potato Curry

Cubed sweet potato curry, with onion, tomato puree, turmeric, roast chicken pieces, red chilli, and Madras curry powder. Plus lemon juice and coriander leaf.

The sweet potato and onion were stir-fried for about seven minutes, before being added to a pot of water brought to the boil. I used one clove of garlic (crushed), and two diced red chillies, deseeded. Then I added the curry powder, the turmeric and the tomato puree.

Cooked for forty-five minutes under glass at a low heat. Stir occasionally. Then I added the roast chicken pieces from two drumsticks, and simmered until the curry sauce began to thicken. Served with diced coriander leaf and a drizzle of lemon juice, a sprinkling of coconut, and a teaspoonful of lime pickle. Plus a garlic and coriander naan. Delicious!

Beef and Mushroom Curry, with Garlic and Coriander Naan Bread

The cubed beef was browned in a saute pan with a drizzle of sunflower oil. Started at a high heat, and then lowered, stirring regularly.

After ten to fifteen minutes I added two medium sized diced onions, and two diced carrots. Stir-fried for fifteen minutes or so until the onions became semi-transparent.

I added half a green bell pepper, cut into strips. Cooked for another five minutes before I added about half a pint of boiling water, a little tomato puree, and vegetable and beef stock. I added diced pieces of three large mushrooms.

Stirred thoroughly, and simmered under glass at a low heat for another hour and a half, until the beef is deliciously tender.

I added some powdered cumin and cardamom, some turmeric (teaspoonful), a dessert spoonful of hot curry powder from ASDA, and some dried coriander leaf. Simmered for another half an hour before serving.

The Garlic and Coriander Naan bread was made commercially. It had been in the fridge for a few days, so I dampened it on both sides, and allowed it to stand for ten minutes on a drainer, while I fired up the grill. Cook for three or four minutes on both sides, watching carefully to prevent burning the naan.

The combo was served with a dusting of coriander, and a teaspoonful of lime pickle. Delicious!

Vegetable Curry with Garlic Naan Bread

A straightforward vegetable curry, made to use up some vegetables in the fridge, including celery, Cavolo (dark green) cabbage, tomato passata, and some mushrooms and ginger.

First separate the leaves from the stems of the cabbage. Chop thin slices off the head of the celery, and a white onion. Add to a saute pan with some hot sunflower oil, and stir fry for ten minutes or so. Turn down the heat and allow to stand for two minutes.

Add boiling water (about two thirds of a pint), a teaspoonful of salt, vegetable stock, about 150g of tomato passata or puree. Simmer for twenty minutes. Blend for two minutes with an electric hand mixer.

Add Madras curry powder (a heaped dessert spoonful), four dried red chillies, and a teaspoonful of turmeric. Add the mushroom, the ginger, crushed garlic, and small wedges from two semi-skinned white potatoes. Add one diced red pepper. Allow to simmer under glass for half an hour to forty five minutes.

Serve with a garlic naan bread toasted for about five minutes under the grill, along with some lime pickle!

Beef Chilli with Cardamom and Ginger

Ingredients: Ground beef, Chilli, Mushrooms, Parsnip, Spanish Onion, Chicory (all vegetables chopped), Tomato puree, Black Pepper, Garlic, Cardamom seed, Ginger, Cumin and Paprika, plus beef and vegetable stock.

The beef mince had 20% fat, so after it was browned and allowed to simmer in water for an hour, it was decanted into a glass bowl and allowed to cool to room temperature. Then the fat was spooned from the top and disposed of.

The remaining contents of the bowl were decanted into a saute pan and brought to the boil. The chopped vegetables and the herbs were added, and left to simmer for an hour, with the occasional stir. Served with Basmati rice, cooked in water with a little clarified butter, and some lime pickle.

Beef Chilli with Cardamom and Ginger