A simple dish for mushroom lovers who love a bit of spice in their side dishes. Just add the mushrooms to a little Base Curry Sauce, add plenty of garlic and chilli for this dryish dish.
What you need… • 2 Tablespoons butter • 1 teaspoon oil • 6 garlic cloves, sliced • 3 green chillies (2 chopped and once sliced lengthways for garnish) • 600g mushrooms, washed and sliced • 50g Base Curry Sauce (more if you like more sauce) • Small handful coriander, chopped • Salt, to taste
How to make it… 1. Heat the butter to a low-medium heat. While it is heating mix the Spice Mix with enough water to form a sloppy paste. 2. Fry the mushrooms until they soften (about 4–5 minutes). Set aside. 3. Drain all the remaining butter from the mushrooms into the pan and add the oil. Heat to a medium heat and fry the garlic for 1 minute. 4. Add the chillies and cook for 1 minute. 5. Add the Spice Mix and chilli, and cook for 2 minutes. It should now be thick and gloopy. 6. Add the Base Curry Sauce and coriander, and cook for 2 minutes. 7. Add the mushrooms and salt and heat through until the mushrooms are fully cooked and soft.
CHEF’S TIP Always use freash chillies and garlic for this dish.
Garlic Chilli Mushrooms is a super spicy side dish.
This mix of mushrooms, peppers, tomatoes and onions, marinated in Tikka Marinade and grilled makes a fresh-tasting starter or you can double up the portion for tasty main dish. The trick is cook the Vegetable Shashliks just enough so they soften and the edges are charred.
What you need… • 1 recipe Tikka Marinade (omit the water) • 16 thick slices or chunks of mushroom • 12 chunks of red pepper, about 3cm square (stab them a few times as this absorbs the marinade better) • 12 chunks of green or yellow pepper, about 3cm square (stab them a few times as this absorbs the marinade better) • 1 tomato, cut into 8 segments (stab them a few times as this absorbs the marinade better) • Half an onion cut into chunks
How to make it… 1. Slide the pieces, alternately, onto a skewer. 2. Coat all the pieces generously in Tikka Marinade. Leave for 30 minutes. 3. Grill the Shashliks, turning a couple of times, until they soften and start to char on the edges (about 15 minutes). 4. Serve with Mint Yoghurt Sauce.
CHEF’S TIP Experiment with other vegetables of your choice.
Rajma (red kidney bean) Curry is a hearty North Indian dish and makes a delicious, filling main meal or excellent side dish. The kidney beans require a bit of preparation but you can skip this by using canned beans if you don’t have time. Take a good serving of your Base Curry Sauce, add the kidney beans, add a bit of garlic and a sprinkle of spice for a great medium-strength curry. Garnish with cream and fresh coriander.
What you need… • 750g red kidney beans • 2 Tablespoons ghee • 1 teaspoon cumin 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 • Salt to taste • 2 Tablespoons cream
How to make it… 1. Soak the kidney beans in water overnight. Drain the water and rinse the beans. Cover with fresh water and boil for until the bean are well cooked and completely soft (about 45–60 minutes). Drain and set aside. Alternatively you can use canned beans. Drain them and rinse them well.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. Add the kidney beans, mix well and cook for 5 minutes. 7. Add the garam masala, salt and coriander stems and continue cooking until the beans are fully cooked. 8. Serve, garnished with the cream and the coriander leaves.
CHEF’S TIP Spice up the curry with a couple of chopped red chillies. Add them just before stage 5.
Chicken Chettinad tis the trademark dish from the South Indian city of Chettinad, whole spices and coconut are dry-fried and ground, then added to a sauce of tomatoes, onions, garlic and ginger to create a classic Tamil Nadu dish, with chillies providing the kick.
What you need… • 2 Tablespoons sesame oil (you can use vegetable oil but will lose some of the flavour) • 10 curry leaves • 1 teaspoon garlic paste • 400g Base Curry sauce • 0.5 teaspoon turmeric • 0.5 teaspoon coriander powder • 0.5 teaspoon chilli powder • 0.5 teaspoon salt • 800g chicken, cut into bite-sized pieces • A few coriander leaves for garnish
How to make it… 1. Dry fry the spices from the Spice Mix on a medium heat in a pan for 15 seconds then add the coconut until it browns (about 2 minutes). Keep stirring and be careful not to burn the Spice Mix. Grind the mixture and set aside. 2. Heat the oil in the same pan to a medium heat and fry the curry leaves for 15 seconds. 3. Add the garlic paste and fry for 1 minute. 4. Add the Base Curry Sauce and cook for 3 minutes. 5. Add the Spice Mix, turmeric, coriander, chilli powder and salt and cook for 3 minutes. Add a little water if needed. 6. Add the chicken pieces and fry until all the pieces are cooked (about 10 minutes) 7. Serves, garnished with the coriander leaves.
CHEF’S TIP If using an electric grinder it’s best to let your dry-fry mix cool down before grinding.
Chicken Chettinad is a popular dish from the heart of Tamil Nadu.
A delicious dish that is often overlooked by many diners in Indian restaurants, a classic Fish Curry is a simple dish to make. Fry up some firm, white fish, take a good serving of your Base Curry Sauce, add a bit of garlic and a sprinkle of spice for a great medium-strength curry. Garnish with fresh coriander.
What you need… • 800g of any firm, white fish, cut into bite-sized pieces • 2 Tablespoons ghee • 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 • Salt to taste
Marinade • 1 teaspoon turmeric powder • 0.5 teaspoon salt • pinch black pepper
How to make it… 1. Dry all the pieces of fish. Mix all the Marinade ingredients and coat all the pieces of fish. Set aside. 2. Heat 1 Tablespoon of ghee to a medium heat. While it is heating up mix the Spice Mix with the vinegar and enough water to form a sloppy paste. 3. Add the fish and fry until all the pieces are sealed (about 4 minutes). Set aside. 4. Add the rest of the ghee and when hot add the garlic paste and cook for 1 minute. 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 garam masala, salt and coriander stems and cook for 5 minutes. Add a little water if needed. 8. Add the fish pieces until all the pieces are cooked. 9. Serve, garnished with the coriander leaves.
CHEF’S TIP Restaurants traditionally use tilapia fish in Fish Curry but monkfish or hake is more readily available and makes an excellent alternative.
Pork Vindaloo is the classic Goan dish for heat lovers.
Murgh Malaiwala, also called Malai Murgh, is a creamy chicken dish similar to Butter Chicken, but it is hotter, richer and uses no tomato. A Mughal-era dish, it uses whole spices for depth of flavours and plenty of chilli and pepper for heat.
What you need… • 800g chicken, cut into bite-sized pieces • 2 Tablespoons butter • 3 cloves • 2 cardamons, cracked but not crushed • 1 teaspoon fenugreek seeds • 8 peppercorns • 1.5 onions, finely chopped • 2 chillies, sliced lengthways • 1 teaspoon chilli powder • 1 teaspoon garam masala • 0.5 teaspoon black pepper • 250ml cream
How to make it… 1. Rub the chicken pieces with the lemon. This will degrease the chicken and help to absorb the Marinade. 2. Mix all the Marinade ingredients together and add the chicken to it, ensuring all the pieces re well covered. Set aside for 4 hours. 3. Heat the butter to medium heat and cook the cloves, cardamons, fenugreek seeds and peppercorns for 20 seconds, being careful not to burn them. 4. Turn down the heat, add the onion and fry until soft (about 5-7 minutes). 5. Add the chillies and fry for 20 minutes. 6. Add the chicken with the Marinade and fry until all the pieces are sealed (about 3 minutes). 7. Add the chilli powder, garam masala and pepper, mix well and fry for 3 minutes. Add a small amount of water if needed. 8. Add the cream and salt, and continue cooking until all the chicken pieces are cooked.
CHEF’S TIP This dish is nice if garnished with some pre-fried onions.
It’s simple, it’s rustic and it’s tasty… it’s a Bunny Chow! You’ll find someone selling them on every street corner in Durban, South Africa. Ideal for that steamy tropical climate, yet also great comfort food for cold winters. Cut off the bottom of a loaf, scoop out the white stuff leaving a crust shell. Fill with hot chicken curry (don’t forget the sauce now), settle down and use the bread you scooped out to mop up and eat your curry. No cutlery permitted. Durbanite and Bunny Chow lover Richard says bunnies are best eaten sitting cross-legged while staring at the Indian Ocean with a bottle of ice-cold Coke by your side.
What you need… • 1 loaf of bread (it is best to use a loaf that has been left a day since buying it so the edges harden up and the curry won’t leak out) • 0.5 recipe Durban Chicken Curry (or any other curry of your choice)
How to make it… 1. Cut the loaf in half and scoop out the bread to create a small “bread pots”. 2. Fill each hollowed out half with the curry, put the bread you scooped out on top (use this to mop up the curry as you eat) and serve with chilli and carrot sambals. Squeeze some lemon or orange on the carrots and eat towards the end of the meal to degrease your fingers, clear your palate and freshen up your breath.
* Note: this is a Half Bunny (so-called because it is served in half a loaf of bread. For the really hungry simply cut the top off the loaf and you have a Full Bunny. If you want a Quarter Bunny cut the loaf lower (although in reality this should more like a third as a quarter of a loaf is too small and will leak).
* When ordering a Bunny Chow locals would never mention it by name. They would just say: “Quarter beans,” or “Half chicken”. Simples.
To make a Bunny Chow cut a loaf in half and remove the bread as shown above. Then fill with the curry of your choice.
Durban is often called the largest Indian city outside of India, with the South African city home to around 900,000 people of Indian descent. The first Indians arrived in the area that is now called Kwa-Zula Natal in the mid-1900s and it soon became the centre of curry in the country. People living in other cities frequently say they are visiting Durban to enjoy a “proper” curry. This chicken curry is lightly spiced and is ideal to be used in the city’s famous Bunny Chow, where a curry is put into a hollowed out loaf of bread and eaten with the hands.Durban is often called the largest Indian city outside of India, with the South African city home to around 900,000 people of Indian descent. The first Indians arrived in the area that is now called Kwa-Zula Natal in the mid-1900s and it soon became the centre of curry in the country. People living in other cities frequently say they are visiting Durban to enjoy a “proper” curry. This chicken curry is lightly spiced and is ideal to be used in the city’s famous Bunny Chow, where a curry is put into a hollowed out loaf of bread and eaten with the hands.
What you need… • 350g potatoes (about 2 medium-sized potatoes), peeled and cut into 3cm chunks • 2 Tablespoons oil • 2 onions, chopped • 1 teaspoon garlic paste • 1 teaspoon ginger paste• 4 tomatoes, chopped • 1 teaspoon garam masala • 1 teaspoon turmeric powder • 600g chicken, cut into bite-sized pieces • Salt to taste • Some coriander leaves to garnish
How to make it… 1. 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. 2. Heat the oil to a high heat, add the Spice Mix and fry for 20 seconds being careful not to burn the spices. 3. Turn down the heat, add onions, ginger paste, garlic paste and curry leaves, and cook until the onions soften (about 8–10 minutes). 4. Add the tomatoes, garam masala and turmeric, mix well and cook for 2 minutes. 5. Add the chicken, salt to taste and cook for 7 minutes. Add a little water if needed. 6. Add the potato and continue cooking until all the chicken pieces are cooked and potato pieces soft. 7. Garnish with coriander and serve. • Recipe from information supplied by Awesome Creesen Naicker.
CHEF’S TIP This is the perfect curry to put in a Bunny Chow but keep the sauce thick so it can be added to the hollowed out loaf without soaking through.
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 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.
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.
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 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.
This simple street snack is popular in Mauritius. This is simply slices of bread dipped in batter and fried and are delicious with a fresh Coriander Chutney.
What you need… • 10 pieces of French bread, sliced into pieces 2cm deep • 8 Tablespoons oil (or more if needed to cover the bottom of your pan)
Batter • 4 Tablespoons gram flour • 2 Tablespoons self-raising flour • 0.5 teaspoon baking powder • 1 spring onion, chopped • 2 drops yellow food colouring • pinch of salt • water as required
How to make it… 1. Mix all the ingredients for the batter and add the water bit by bit until a thick paste has formed. 2. Heat the oil to a medium-hot heat. 3. Dip the bread pieces in the batter mix, ensuring they are well covered. 4. Add the battered bread pieces to the oil, ensuring you do not crowd them, and fry until they are golden brown (about five minutes). 5. Serve with Coriander Chutney.
CHEF’S TIP You can spice these up by adding some chilli powder to the batter.
With fresh Coriander Chutney this Gato Du Pain Frire is a delciious but simple street snack.
