This is the lest authentic sauce you could possibly find but it’s still delicious! Made famous in chip shops all over the country and the same sauce used in the Chinese curries you will find alongside Cantonese and Szechuan dishes in your local Chinese takeaway.
What you need… • 4 teaspoons cornflour • 2 teaspoons butter • 1 teaspoon garlic paste • 2 onions, finely chopped • 2 green apples, peeled and with core removed, and chopped • 500ml vegetable stock • 1 Tablespoon soy sauce
Spice Mix • 2 Tablespoons curry powder • 2 teaspoons Chinese five spice • 0.5 teaspoon chilli powder • 0.5 teaspoon salt
How to make it… 1. Mix the cornflour with the Spice Mix and set aside. 2. Heat the butter to a medium heat, add the Spice Mix and cornflour and cook for 1 minute. 3. Add the garlic paste, onions and apples, and cook until they are soft (about 10 minutes). Mash them up as you go and add a little water if needed. 4. Add the vegetable stock bit by part, stirring all the time and bring the mixture to a boil. Remove from the heat and using a hand blender blend the ingredients to a sauce. 5. Add the soy sauce, return to the heat and cook for 5 minutes. Add water to achieve the consistency you want.
CHEF’S TIP The sauce will keep for up to 4 days in a fridge or 3 months in a freezer. You can use tapioca starch for a vegan option but mix it with water before adding.
Created, as legend has it, when a British army officer travelling on the railway in the 1900s found his curry too hot. The chef added some yoghurt to cool it down and the legendary Railway Curry was born. Traditionally cooked with on-the-bone mutton, this dish is often compared to an English stew, as later versions would cut out some of the spices to mellow the dish further. This recipe uses chunks of lamb but retains the yoghurt.
What you need… • 600g lamb, cut into large bite-sized pieces • 2 Tablespoons oil • 1.5 onions, finely chopped • 250ml hot water • 250g potato, peeled and cut into 4cm pieces • 1 Tablespoon curry powder • 0.5 teaspoon turmeric powder • 0.5 teaspoon chilli powder • 200ml pureed tomato • 1 Tablespoon tamarind paste • 2 teaspoons garam masala • 2 Tablespoons yoghurt • Salt to taste
Marinade • 1 teaspoon garlic paste • 1 teaspoon ginger paste • 0.5 teaspoon salt • 0.5 teaspoon black pepper
Whole spices • 1 teaspoon cumin seeds • 3 Bay leaves • 2 red chillies • 2 cardamons, cracked but not crushed
How you make it… 1. Mix the marinade ingredients together and add the lamb, making sure all pieces are well coated. Set aside for at least 15 minutes or up to an hour if possible 2. Heat the oil to a high heat and cook the whole spices for 20 seconds, stirring quickly to avoid them burning. 3. Turn down the heat and add the lamb, and keep stirring until all the pieces are sealed (about 5 minutes). 4. Add the onion and fry for 3 minutes. 5. Add the hot water, stir well, cover the pan and cook for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally to stop it sticking. 6. Add the curry powder, turmeric powder, chilli powder, tomato and tamarind, mix well, cover and cook for 20 minutes stirring occasionally to stop it sticking. 7. While the lamb is cooking boil the potatoes in water until they are almost cooked. Ensure they are not soft as they will be added to the main pot to boil a bit longer. Once they are ready remove from the hot water so they do not keep cooking. 8. Add the garam masala to the lamb and cook for 5 minutes. 9. Add the yoghurt, mix well, then add the potatoes and cook until the lamb is tender and the potato pieces are cooked through. Check a piece of each to ensure they are ready.
There are many different types of Biryani. This South Indian version uses chunks of lamb (or mutton if you prefer) that is pre-cooked (Pakki) then added to the rice and steamed. It also includes cooked and fried chunks of potato and is finished off with saffron and fried onions.
What you need… • 400g lamb, cut into large bite-sized chunks • 2 potatoes (about 250g) peeled and cut into 4cm chunks • Pinch turmeric • Salt to taste • 4 Tablespoons ghee • 250g rice • 1 teaspoon garlic paste • 1 teaspoons ginger paste • 2 onions (1.5 roughly chopped, 0.5 sliced fine) • 4 Tablespoons yoghurt • 0.5 teaspoon chilli powder • 150ml water • Salt to taste • 1 teaspoon oil • 2 tablespoons milk • Few strands of saffron (or you can use a couple of drops of yellow food colouring)• A few coriander leaves (for garnish)
Marinade • 2 teaspoons garlic paste • 1 teaspoons ginger paste • 0.5 teaspoon salt • 0.5 black cracked pepper
Masala • 8 peppercorns • 1 teaspoon cumin seeds • 4 cardamons • 4 cloves • 8cm piece of cinnamon • 2 dried red chillies
How to make it… 1. Mix the Marinade ingredients together and add to the lamb ensuring all the pieces are well coated. Set aside for 1 hour. 2. Boil the potatoes with a pinch of turmeric and salt until soft. 3. While the potatoes are cooking dry fry the Masala ingredients in a pan until they release their aromas (about 2 minutes). Grind to a masala and set aside. 4. Wash the rice until the water runs clear (this will take 7–8 washes) and leave to soak for 30 minutes. 4. Heat 2 Tablespoons of ghee to a medium heat and fry the potatoes until they start to brown (about 5 minutes). Remove the potatoes with a slotted spoon and set aside. 5. Add the rest of the ghee to the pan and once heated to a medium heat add the garlic and ginger and cook for 1 minute. 6. Add the roughly chopped onions and cook for 2 minutes 7. Add the lamb and fry till all the pieces are sealed and browned (about 5 minutes). 8. Add the yoghurt, chilli powder and water, mix well, tun down the heat, cover and cook for 35 minutes, stirring occasionally. 9. Add the masala and some salt, mix well and cook, still covered, for 5 minutes. 10. Drain the rice to remove the remaining starch and add to the pan with the potatoes, being sure to mix well. The mixture should just be coated with water so add a little more if needed. Seal the pan with foil and cover, ensuring it fits tightly (add a weight to the top if necessary). Cook on a low heat for 40 minutes. Do not remove the lid. 11. While this is cooking coat the sliced onion with 1 teaspoon of salt for 5 minutes to remove the moisture. 12. Heat the oil in a pan and fry the onion until it browns and caramelises. Set aside 13. Warm the milk in a pan, remove from the heat and add the saffron strands. Using the back of a spoon gently push the saffron strands so they release their colour and flavours. Set aside. 14. Remove the lid of the lamb and rice and allow the moisture to evaporate for a couple of minutes. Gently fluff up the rice to release more of the moisture. 15. Pour over the saffron mix and add the onion and coriander leaves for garnish. Leave to rest for a couple of minutes and serve.
CHEF’S TIP Traditionally the edges of the pan would be sealed with dough for the final stage of cooking. Try this and push down the lid for a perfect seal at stage 10 of the cooking.
Chicken Cafrael, a simple dish to make – marinate the chicken in a green spice paste, then fry – is another classic curry from Goa. Originating in Africa (probably Mozambique) it was brought to India by the Portuguese. Although this is a dish that traditionally uses chicken legs you can also use bite-sized chunks of chicken.
What you need… • 800g chicken, cut into bite-sized pieces • Juice of 1 lemon • 6 Tablespoons oil
Marinade • 1 teaspoon ginger paste • 1 teaspoon garlic paste • 1 teaspoon cumin seeds • 15 pepper corns • 3 cloves • 6cm stick of cinnamon • 1 teaspoon turmeric • 0.5 teaspoon salt • 4 green chillies, roughly chopped • small handful of fresh coriander (make sure you include plenty of the stalks), roughly chopped • 8 mint leaves (or 1 teaspoon mint sauce) • 1 Tablespoon tamarind paste • 1 Tablespoon vinegar • Water as needed
How you make it… 1. Squeeze the lemon over the chicken, rub it in well and leave for 15 minutes. This will degrease the chicken and also helps the chicken absorb the marinade. 2. Blend all the Marinade ingredients to a thick paste, using a bit of water if needed. 3. Shake the excess lemon juice off the chicken pieces and coat them in the Marinade, maing sure all the pieces are well coated. Leave for at least 30 minutes but preferably for 6 hours. 4. Heat the oil to a medium in a pan, add the chicken pieces and fry until all the pieces are cooked through (about 10 minutes). 5. Remove with a slotted spoon so the excess oil is removed and serve.
Chicken Kolhapuri is a rich, hot dish is from the city of Kolhapur in Maharashtra but is popular all over India, especially in the south west. The chicken is marinated, then a masala mix created. These are then added to sauce of onions and tomatoes to create this extremely tasty curry.
What you need… • 800g chicken, cut into bite-sized pieces • 3 Tablespoons oil • 600ml Base Curry Sauce • 2 teaspoons chilli powder • 0.5 teaspoon turmeric • 4 green chillies (2 chopped and two sliced for garnish) • A few coriander leaves to garnish (optional)
How to make it… 1. Mix all the marinade ingredients and add the chicken. Make sure all the pieces are coated and set aside for 2 hours. 2. Dry fry all the masala ingredients in a pan until they release their aromas (about 2 minutes). Grind them into a powder and set aside. 3. Heat the oil to a medium heat, add the Base Curry Sauce and cook through for 5 minutes. 4. Add the chilli powder, the 2 chopped green chillies, tomato paste and cook for 2 minutes. 5. Add the masala, mix well and cook for 5 minutes, adding a little water as needed. 6. Add the chicken and marinade, stir well, cover and cook until all the chicken is cooked through (about 10–15 minutes). 7. Garnish with the sliced chillies and/or (optional) coriander leaves and serve.
CHEF’S TIP If the heat is too much for you then skip adding the chilli powder at stage 4.
As the only state in India that is largely Catholic there are no taboos surrounding the use of pork in Goa. The dish, like so many in this state, are a combination of Portuguese and India flavours and cooking styles. The result is a spicy dish with plenty of vinegar and is far removed from the British restaurant-style Vindaloo.
What you need… • 800g pork (a mix of cheek and leg is ideal), cut into largish bite-sized chunks • 1 Tablespoon ghee • 2 Tablespoons oil • 2 red onions, finely chopped • 240ml pork or chicken stock • 1 Tablespoon coriander leaves • Salt to taste
How to make it… 1. Mix all the Marinade ingredients together, add the pork and leave for 2 to 4 hours. 2. Mix all the ingredients from the Spice Paste to form a thick paste and set aside. 3. Heat the ghee and oil in a pan to a medium heat, add the pork with the marinade and fry until all the pieces are browned (about 5–7 minutes). Remove the pork from the pan and set aside. 4. Add the onions to pan and fry until they soften and start to brown (about 5 minutes). 5. Add the pork and cook for 5 minutes. 6. Add the Spice paste and cook for 5 minutes. 7. Add the stock, reduce the heat and cook until the meat is cooked through and tender (at least 45 minutes but up to 90 minutes). Stir occasionally and add water as necessary to stop it sticking. 8. Add salt to taste and sprinkle the coriander leaves on top before serving. • Recipe courtesy @thecurriedlondoner (Instagram)
CHEF’S TIP If you really want to turn up the heat add more chillies to the Spice Paste.
Pork Vindaloo is the classic Goan dish for heat lovers.
Ambot Tik is another hot and spicy dish from Goa that combines Portuguese and Indian flavours. It can be cooked with any any type of fish but popular choices are shark and prawns. If using the prawns keep their shells on to soak up the range of flavours. To cook this curry, first create the aromatic masala by dry frying spices, combine with a sauce of onions, tomatoes and tamarind and add the prawns.
What you need… • 600g prawns, deveined but with shells left on • 3 Tablespoons oil • 1 teaspoon garlic paste • 1 teaspoon ginger paste • 1.5 onions, finely chopped • 2 tomatoes, chopped • 2 Tablespoons tomato paste • 3 Tablespoons tamarind paste • 10 curry leaves • Salt to taste • Coriander leaves to garnish
Masala • 10 dried red chillies • 2 cloves • 15 black peppercorns • 1 teaspoon cumin seeds • 4 Tablespoons desiccated coconut • 0.5 teaspoon salt
How you make it… 1. Dry fry all the Masala ingredients in a pan over a medium heat until they release their aromas (about 2 minutes). Grind into a powder and set aside. 2. Heat the oil in a pan to a medium heat, add the garlic paste and ginger paste and cook for 1 minute. 3. Add the onion and cook until it softens (about 5 minutes). 4. Add the tomatoes, tomato paste and tamarind, mix well and cook for 2 minutes. 5. Add a little water and use a hand blender to the mix the ingredients to a paste. 6. Add the Masala, mix well and cook for 10 minutes. 7. Add the prawns, curry leaves and salt if needed, allowing the prawns to absorb all the flavours and cook until the they are fully cooked (about 7–8 minutes). 8. Garnish with the coriander leaves serve.
CHEF’S TIP If you don’t have a hand blender for Step 5 then transfer the ingredients to a standard blender to create the paste then return the paste to the pan.
Heat lovers will love this chicken curry with its extra dose of chillies at every turn. Popular all over the sub-continent but especially in the north, you can adjust the heat levels to your delight by adding more chillies for your perfect Chilli Chicken.
What you need… • 2 Tablespoons ghee • 1 teaspoon cumin seeds • 1 teaspoon garlic paste • 1 teaspoon ginger paste • 8 green chillies, chopped (and 2 sliced lengthways for garnish) • 600ml Base Curry Sauce • 2 Tablespoons tomato ketchup • Small handful fresh coriander, chopped • 800g chicken, cut into bite-sized pieces • 1 teaspoon garam masala • Salt to taste
How you make it… 1. Heat the ghee to a high heat. While it is heating up mix the Spice Mix with the vinegar and enough water to form a sloppy paste. 2. Add the cumin seeds and fry for 15 seconds. They should sizzle immediately. You can test the ghee is hot enough by adding one seed. 3. Add the garlic paste, ginger paste, chopped chillies and cook for 1 minute on a lower heat. You may have to remove the pan from the heat initially to stop the paste burning. (If it burns then throw it away and start again.) 4. Add the Spice Mix paste and cook for 2 minutes. It should now be thick and gloopy. 5. Add the Base Curry Sauce and the tomato and cook for 2 minutes. 6. Add the chicken, mix well and cook for 5 minutes. 7. Add the garam masala, salt and coriander, and continue cooking until the chicken is fully cooked. 8. Serve, garnished with the sliced chillies.
CHEF’S TIP For an extra splash of colour you can mix red and green chillies if you prefer.
Balti dishes were elevated to cult status thanks to Birmingham of all places, where inexpensive Balti restaurants can be found everywhere, after first emerging in the 1970s. It’s a style of cooking from Kashmiri, coming from a small area in Pakistan called Baltistan. Cooked in a Balti (sometimes called a karahi) and produces fresh, aromatic and mostly dryish dishes. This Balti Tandoori Keema combines Balti Masala and Tandoori Masala and is added to any mince of your choice.
What you need… • 3 Tablespoon tandoori powder • 2 Tablespoons oil • 1 teaspoon fenugreek seeds • 600g mince • 3 garlic cloves, sliced • 3 Tablespoons tomato paste • 0.3 red pepper, chopped • 0.3 yellow pepper, chopped • 1 onion, roughly chopped • 2 teaspoon garam masala • Small handful fresh coriander (chop up the stems to add to the curry and set aside the leaves for garnish) • 2 tablespoons yoghurt • Salt to taste
Balti Masala • 1 teaspoon cumin seeds • 1 teaspoon mustard seeds • 3 cardamon • 2 cloves • 8 curry leaves • 3 dried red chillies • 0.5 teaspoon sea salt
How to make it… 1. Dry fry the ingredients of the Balti Masala in a pan until they release their aromas (about 2 minutes). Grind them to a powder. Add the tandoori masala, mix together and add some water to form a paste. Set aside. 2. Add the fenugreek seeds and fry for 15 seconds. They should sizzle immediately. You can test the ghee is hot enough by adding one seed. 3. Add the mince and fry for 10 minutes, making sure all lumps are beaten out and the meat is fully sealed. 4. Add the Balti and Tandoori paste your made in step 1, mix well and cook for 5 minutes. 5. Add the garlic and tomato paste and cook for 15 minutes. 6. Add the peppers and onion and cook for 5 minutes. 7. Add the garam masala, the coriander, the yoghurt and salt and cook for another 5 minutes, making sure everything is cooked through with the peppers and onions soft but not mushy. 8. Add the coriander leaves to garnish and serve.
CHEF’S TIP If you really like creamy keema curry simply add more yoghurt.
For such a small state Goa certainly has some great dishes and Chicken Recheade is another one of those. As much a pickling paste as a curry it is made by combining red dried chillies, black pepper, garlic, ginger, and spices with vinegar to form a paste that is used to marinate the chicken then cooked with chopped onions, tomato paste and garam masala. As with many Goan dishes it combines Indian and Portuguese styles of cooking and ingredients.
What you need… • 800g chicken, cut into bite-sized pieces • 4 Tablespoons oil • 1 onion, finely chopped • 1 teaspoon turmeric powder • 1 teaspoon cumin powder • 2 Tablespoons tomato paste • 1 Tablespoon tamarind paste • 1 Tablespoon brown sugar • Salt to taste
How to make it… 1. Dry fry the first 4 ingredients of the marinade in a pan until they release their aromas (about 2 minutes). Grind them to a powder. 2. Add the rest of the marinade ingredients to the ground whole spice powder, mix well and rub into the chicken. Set aside for 1 hour. 3. Heat the oil in a pan to a medium heat and fry the onions until they soften (about 5 minutes). 4. Add the turmeric powder, cumin powder, mix well, then add the chicken with the marinade. Cook for 2 minutes. 5. Add the tomato paste, tamarind paste, brown sugar, mix well and cook for 5 minutes. Add a little water if needed. 6. Add the garam masala and salt and continue cooking until all the chicken piece are cooked.
CHEF’S TIP Use water sparingly when cooking this dish as it should be thick, almost like a pickle.
Super hot Chicken Recheade is another great dish from the state of Goa.
This chicken curry is infused with the bold flavours of ginger and is popular in North India. Lovers of Chinese food will be drawn to the freshness of the amount of ginger that is used in paste form, freshly chopped during the cooking process and with ginger juliennes used as garnish for good measure.
What you need… • 2 Tablespoons ghee • 1 teaspoon cumin seeds • 1 teaspoon garlic paste • 1 teaspoon ginger paste • 4cm piece of ginger cut into juliennes (most are used in the cooking process but keep 4–5 for garnish) • 600ml Base Curry Sauce • 2 Tablespoons tomato ketchup • Small handful fresh coriander, chopped • 800g chicken, cut into bite-sized pieces • 1 teaspoon garam masala • Salt to taste
How to make it… 1. Heat the ghee to a high heat. While it is heating up mix the Spice Mix with the vinegar and enough water to form a sloppy paste. 2. Add the cumin seeds and fry for 15 seconds. They should sizzle immediately. You can test the ghee is hot enough by adding one seed. 3. Add the garlic paste, ginger paste, ginger juliennes and cook for 1 minute on a lower heat. You may have to remove the pan from the heat initially to stop the paste burning. (If it burns then throw it away and start again.) 4. Add the Spice Mix paste and cook for 2 minutes. It should now be thick and gloopy. 5. Add the Base Curry Sauce and the tomato and cook for 2 minutes. 6. Add the chicken, mix well and cook for 5 minutes. 7. Add the garam masala, salt and coriander, and continue cooking until the chicken is fully cooked. 8. Serve, garnished with the remaining ginger juliennes.
CHEF’S TIP If juliennes are a bit fierce in heat for you then finely chop the fresh ginger instead.
Fruit is without doubt a love it or hate it choice when it comes to curry. From the region in the north-west of India this recipe includes apple, nuts and is topped with caramelised bananas but you can also add mangoes, lychees or raisins. It creates a mild, tangy and naturally fruity curry. Love it or hate it?
What you need… • 4 Tablespoons oil • 1.5 onion puréed (or very finely chopped) • 2 teaspoon garlic paste • 2 teaspoon ginger paste • 2 tomatoes, chopped • 1 Tablespoon tomato ketchup • 1.5 Tablespoon curry powder • 1 teaspoon turmeric powder • 1 teaspoon chilli powder • 800g chicken, cut into bite-sized pieces • 0.5 green apple, peeled and cut into smallish chunks (optional) • 150ml cream • 4 Tablespoons yoghurt • 1 teaspoon garam masala • Salt to taste • 2 bananas, sliced (you need about 6-8 pieces per person) • Brown sugar as required • 2 teaspoons crushed almonds
How you make it… 1. Heat the oil to a medium heat and fry the onions until they soften (about 5 minutes). 2. Add the garlic and ginger and cook for 1 minute. 3. Add the tomato, tomato ketchup, curry powder, turmeric powder and chilli powder and cook for 3 minutes. Add a little water if needed. 4. Add the chicken and cook for 3 minutes. 5. Add in the (optional) apple, yoghurt, cream, garam masala and salt, mix well and continue cooking until all the chicken pieces are cooked through. 6. While the curry is cooking coat the banana slices in sugar and in another pan dry fry them until they caramelise (about 3-4 minutes). 7. Serve the curry topped with the banana pieces and with a sprinkle of the almonds.
CHEF’S TIP You can also add other fruit such as mangoes, lychees and raisins to this dish (at stage 5) if you like.
Take one Indian Ocean island with great fishing around it’s coral reefs and add a huge Indian diaspora and it’s not surprising you can get great fish curries in Mauritius. Simply create a mildish sauce with spices and curry leaves and add delicious fresh fish with aubergine slices.
What you need… • 4 Tablespoons oil • 0.5 cumin powder • 1 Tablespoon curry powder • 800g red snapper (or other firm, white fish), cut into bite-sized pieces • 2 Tablespoons tomato paste • salt to taste • 1 aubergine, sliced into 6 pieces (de-stalked but not peeled) • Few coriander leaves (for garnish) • 2 green chillies, sliced lengthways (for garnish)
How you make it… 1. Blend all the ingredients for the Spice Paste and set aside. 2. Mix the curry and cumin powders with a little water to create a paste and set aside. 3. Heat 2 Tablespoons of the oil to a medium heat, add the fish and cook until all the pieces are sealed and start to brown (about 3-4 mins). Remove and set aside. 4. Add another 1 Tablespoon oil to the pan, add the aubergine slices and fry until they soften and start to brown (about 3 minutes). Remove and set aside. 5. Add the rest of the oil, the Spice Paste and cook until the oil separates from the paste (about 3 minutes). 6. Add the tomato paste and salt, and cook for 2 minutes. Add water as required. 7. Add the aubergine until it absorbs the sauces (about 1 minute). 8. Add the fish and fry gently until all the pieces are cooked through. 9. Add the coriander leaves and chilli slices as garnish and serve.
CHEF’S TIP If you like some tartness to your curries your can add 1 Tablespoon tamarind paste to the recipe at stage 5.
Green in appearance and with plenty of green chillies, this South Indian dish is dryish and fiery in heat. Green Chilli Chicken is also sometimes Andhra Chilli Chicken as a nod to the heat from that neighbouring state. It’s a quick dish to make, with the chicken first marinated with the chillies, coriander, curry leaves, garlic, ginger and yoghurt, then added to a sauce of onions, tomato and mixed with spices.
What you need… • 800g chicken, cut into bite-sized pieces • 3 Tablespoons oil • 1 onion, finely chopped • 1 Tablespoon tomato ketchup • 1 green chilli, cut in half lengthways (for garnish)
Marinade • 2 Tablespoons yoghurt • 4 green chillies, chopped • Small bunch of coriander, chopped • 1 teaspoon garlic paste • 1 teaspoon ginger paste • 6 curry leaves • 0.5 teaspoon salt
How to make it… 1. Blend all the ingredients for the marinade. Add the chicken pieces and set aside for 30 minutes. 2. Heat the oil to a medium heat, add the Spice Mix 1 and fry for 15 seconds. They should sizzle immediately. You can test the ghee is hot enough by adding one seed. 3. Add the onion and cook it until it softens (about 5 minutes). 4. Add the Spice Mix 2, tomato ketchup, mix well and cook for 2 minutes. 5. Add the chicken with the marinade and fry until the chicken is cooked (about 10–15 minutes). 6. Garnish with the sliced chilli and serve.
CHEF’S TIP This is supposed to be a dryish dish but if you prefer a bit more sauce use more yoghurt.
Nagaland is one of the smallest states in India with a population of fewer than two million people. Located in the far north-east of the country, bordering Myanmar (formerly Burma) it is famed for the super hot Naga Chilli and this Naga Chicken dish. Used in curries it gives a slightly sweet and tart flavour as well as fierce heat, producing a dish that is on par with a Vindaloo in the hot stakes.
What you need… • 800g chicken, cut into bite-sized pieces • 2 tablespoons Naga chilli pickle • Salt to taste • 2 Tablespoons ghee • 1 teaspoon cumin seeds • 0.5 teaspoon fenugreek seeds • 1 teaspoon garlic paste • 600g Base Curry Sauce • 2 Tablespoons tomato ketchup • Small handful fresh coriander (chop up the stems to add to the curry and set aside the leaves for garnish) • 1 teaspoon garam masala
How to make it… 1. Rub the chicken with 1 Tablespoon of Naga chilli pickle and a pinch of salt and set aside for 15 minutes. 2. Heat the ghee to a high heat. While it is heating up mix the Spice Mix with the vinegar and enough water to form a sloppy paste. 3. Add the cumin seeds and fenugreek seeds and fry for 15 seconds. They should sizzle immediately. You can test the ghee is hot enough by adding one seed. 4. Add the garlic paste and cook for 1 minute on a lower heat. You may have to remove the pan from the heat initially to stop the paste burning. (If it burns then throw it away and start again.) 5. Add the Spice Mix paste and cook for 2 minutes. It should now be thick and gloopy. 6. Add the Base Curry Sauce, tomato and cook for 2 minutes. 7. Add the chicken and the rest of the Naga chilli pickle, mix well and cook for 5 minutes. 8. Add the garam masala, salt and coriander stems and continue cooking until the chicken is fully cooked. 9. Serve, garnished with the coriander leaves.
CHEF’S TIP If you are worried this will be a bit hot taste the sauce once the add the chicken has been added and start adding the rest of the Naga chilli pickle bit by bit until you get the heat you prefer.
Potato is the all-time favourite for side dishes and cauliflower is its popular partner. Aloo Gobi very simple to make with cooked potato and cauliflower pieces added to some Base Curry Sauce.
What you need… • 250g potato, cut into 5cm chunks • 250g cauliflower, broken into 5cm florets • Pinch of turmeric • 1 teaspoon mustard seeds • 1 teaspoon garlic paste • 1 teaspoon ginger paste • 2 Tablespoons ghee • 200g Base Curry Sauce • salt, to taste • few coriander leaves, to garnish (optional)
How to make it… 1. Boil the potatoes and cauliflower in water, with the turmeric, until cooked. While they are cooking mix the Spice Mix with enough water to form a sloppy paste. 2. Heat the ghee to a medium-hot heat and fry the mustard seeds for 15 seconds. They should sizzle immediately. You can test the ghee is hot enough by adding one seed. 3. Add the garlic paste and ginger paste and cook for 1 minute on a lower heat. You may have to remove the pan from the heat initially to stop the paste burning. (If it burns then throw it away and start again.) 4. Add the Spice Mix paste and cook for 2 minutes. It should now be thick and gloopy. 5. Add the Base Curry Sauce and cook for 2 minutes. 6. Add the salt, potatoes and cauliflower, mix carefully so as not to break the vegetables, and cook until heated through. 7. Add the (optional) coriander leaves to garnish.
CHEF’S TIP This recipe will create a dryish dish but if you like more sauce with your side dishes simply add more Base Curry Sauce.
Curry house favourite Aloo Gobi is easy and quick to make.
The history of the Devil’s Curry bears stark similarity to that of the Indian Vindaloo. Portuguese explorers, much like in Goa, landed in the coastal state of Malacca in Malaysia during the late 15th century. A transgression by early explorers towards the rulers of Malacca resulted in their incarceration, which in turn led to a full-scale invasion by the Portuguese during the early 16th century. During the 30 years of occupation that followed, Portuguese sailors were encouraged by their king to take up wives and start families. The history books have established this period as the origin of the creole ethnic people of Portuguese and Malaccan descent known as the Kristang people. It is the European-Asian fusion cuisine of the Kristang people that, like in Goa, brought together local spicing and Portuguese chillies. The Devil’s Curry truly is Malaysia’s answer to the Vindaloo and is courtesy @thecurriedlondoner.
What you need… • 800g chicken, cut into bite-sized chunks • 1 Tablespoon Ghee • 1 teaspoon vegetable oil • 1 Tablespoon mustard seeds • 200ml (approx) chicken stock or water • 2 Tablespoons white wine vinegar • Salt to taste • 1 teaspoon brown sugar • Few coriander leaves or crushed dried chillies (to garnish)
Spice Mix • 25 long dry chillies, deseeded and soaked in warm water for 20-30 minutes • 3 onions, chopped • 1 Tablespoons garlic paste • 2 Tablespoons ginger paste • 3 stalks of lemongrass (only the soft white sections) • 1 teaspoon turmeric powder • 2 teaspoons vegetable oil • 2 teaspoons water • 1 Tablespoon tamarind concentrate/paste • 1 Tablespoon chilli power (optional)
How you make it… 1. Blend Spice Mix together into a very smooth paste (add a dash of water to loosen it if necessary) 2. Heat the ghee and vegetable oil to a medium heat in a heavy, lidded pan 3. Add the mustard seeds. Once they start to pop, add the spice paste and cook for until the mixture gives off an aroma (around 10 minutes). 4. Add the chicken, stir to coat in the paste and cook for 5 minutes. 5. Add enough stock or water to just cover the chicken and simmer for 5 minutes. 6. Add the vinegar, salt and sugar, mix well and continue cooking until all the chicken pieces are cooked. 7. Garnish with your choice of coriander leaves or crushed dried red chillies and serve.
CHEF’S TIP Hot heads should not remove the chilli seeds from the Spice Mix for that real extra burst of heat.
The classic mussels dish is the Belgian speciality of mussels cooked in a white wine sauce with shallots. This dish of Curried Mussels adds the mussels to spices and coconut milk to produce a mild curried dish.
What you need… • 1kg mussels, cleaned and de-bearded • 1 Tablespoon oil • 0.5 teaspoon mustard seeds • 0.5 teaspoon cumin seeds • 1 onion, sliced • 1 teaspoon garlic paste • 1 teaspoon ginger paste • 1 Tablespoon curry powder • 0.5 teaspoon turmeric powder • 0.5 teaspoon garam masala • 250ml coconut milk • 10 curry leaves • salt to taste • cracked black pepper (to garnish) • 2 spring onions, chopped (to garnish)
How to make it… 1. Fry the oil in a pan to a medium-hot heat and fry the mustard seeds and cumin seeds for 15 seconds. 2 Add the onions and stir-fry for 2 minutes. 3. Add the ginger and garlic paste and cook for 1 minute. 4. Add the curry powder, turmeric, garam masala, stir well and cook for 3 minutes. 5. Transfer the ingredients of the pan to a large saucepan (big enough to hold all the mussels) and turn the heat to medium. 6. Add the coconut milk, stir in well and heat through for 1 minute. 7. Add the curry leaves and salt, mix well and bring to a boil. 8. Add the mussels, being sure to remove any that are already open and simmer until they open (about 5-7 minutes). Discard any that do not open. 9. Garnish with cracked pepper and the spring onion, and serve in the pan as a sharing pot.
CHEF’S TIP Just add some chilli powder to spice up this dish.
Curried Mussels is a spiced up version of the famous Belgian dish.
There are 1.3 billion people in India and 55 million in the Indian diaspora across the world. Hundreds of millions of these are vegetarians so there is naturally a huge number of vegetable curries. This is the staple British Indian restaurant Vegetable Curry. Take a good serving of your Base Curry Sauce, add a bit of garlic, a sprinkle of spice and the vegetables for a great medium-strength curry. Garnish with fresh coriander.
What you need… • 800g mixed vegetables, cut into bite-sized pieces • salt to taste • 2 Tablespoons ghee • 1 teaspoon cumin seeds • 1 teaspoon garlic paste • 600ml Base Curry Sauce • 2 Tablespoons tomato ketchup • small handful fresh coriander (chop up the stems to add to the curry and set aside the leaves for garnish) • 1 teaspoon garam masala
How to make it… 1. Boil the vegetables in water with a little salt until they are just soft, but not over-cooked, remembering that different vegetables have different cooking times. Drain and set aside. 2. Heat the ghee to a high heat. While it is heating up mix the Spice Mix with the vinegar and enough water to form a sloppy paste. 3. Add the cumin seeds and fry for 15 seconds. They should sizzle immediately. You can test the ghee is hot enough by adding one seed. 4. Add the garlic paste and cook for 1 minute on a lower heat. You may have to remove the pan from the heat initially to stop the paste burning. (If it burns then throw it away and start again.) 5. Add the Spice Mix paste and cook for 2 minutes. It should now be thick and gloopy. 6. Add the Base Curry Sauce and the tomato and cook for 2 minutes. 7. Add the vegetables, garam masala, salt and coriander stems and continue cooking until the chicken is fully cooked. 8. Serve, garnished with the coriander leaves.
CHEF’S TIP Select a range of vegetables that give the dish a mix of colours and textures. But unless you’re under seven you don’t have to eat vegetables you don’t like…
Select your favourite vegetables, add Base Curry Sauce and a bit of spice for a classic Vegetable Curry.
As with many South Indian dishes, Sri Lankan cuisine combines the spices of India with the creaminess of the coconut and tanginess of tamarind to create that delicious taste of the coast. Fish is an abundant resource and while it is usually cooked in chunks, with a little extra patience and care cooking the salmon darne whole absorbs the flavours well and looks great. You’ll need a large, flat-bottomed pan to cook the salmon darnes whole or split the sauce into two pans.
What you need… • 4 salmon darnes of about 180g each (with skin left on one side) • 2 Tablespoons oil • 1 onion, finely chopped • 2 teaspoons garlic paste • 1 teaspoon ginger paste • 3 chillies, chopped • 2 tomatoes, chopped • 1 Tablespoon tomato ketchup • 2 teaspoons tamarind paste • 400ml coconut milk • 15 curry leaves • Cracked pepper to garnish
Marinade • Tablespoon lemon juice • 1 teaspoon turmeric powder • 1 teaspoon chilli powder • 0.5 teaspoon salt • 0.5 cracked black pepper
How you make it… 1. Dry the salmon darnes with a paper towel. 2. Mix all the marinade ingredients and rub it on the salmon, making sure they are all well covered. Leave for 30 minutes. 3. Heat the oil to a medium heat, add the onion and cook until they soften (about 5 minutes). 4. Add the garlic paste and ginger paste and cook for 1 minute. 5. Add the chillies and cook for 1 minute. 6. Add the tomatoes, tomato ketchup and tamarind, and cook for 3 minutes. 7. Add the coconut milk, stir well and cook until the sauce reduces (about 4–5 minutes). 8. Add in the salmon pieces, gently cover them in sauce, add the curry leaves, and let the sauce bubble away until the salmon is cooked (about 8–10 minutes). 9. Serve with some cracked peppers on the top.
CHEF’S TIP Remove the skin if you decide to cook the fish in chunks rather than whole.
