How to cook… Mushroom Pilau

On February 14, 2021March 11, 2026 By In RecipesLeave a comment

Makes enough for 4

Mushroom Pilau Rice is a great accompaniment for people looking for rice that does more than just soaks up their curry. It’s easy to make and the pinch of turmeric adds a nice touch of colour

What you need…
• Large knob of butter
• 150g mushrooms, thinly sliced
• 2 Tablespoons oil
• 300g basmati rice
• 1 medium-sized onion, sliced
• Pinch of turmeric

Whole Spice Mix
• 3 cm long piece of cinnamon stick
• 1 tsp cumin seeds
• 3 cardamom seeds, cracked but still kept intact
• 2 bay leaves

Shop now

How to make it…
1. Wash the rice to remove the starch, then leave to soak in water for 30 minutes. Drain in a colander.
2. Heat the butter in a pan and gently fry the mushrooms until they are soft and darken in colour (about 4–5 minutes). Set aside.
3. Heat the oil in a pan and fry the onion until it starts to brown (about 3-5 minutes). Remove and set aside a few of the darker pieces to use as garnish.
4. Add in the Whole Spice Mix until the spices release their aromas (about 30 seconds). Make sure they do not burn.
5. Add 300ml water to the pan, add the pinch of turmeric, cover the pan and bring to the boil. * Be extremely careful when adding the water to the pan with the hot oil.
6. Add the rice and stir. Simmer until the rice is half-cooked and the water has almost evaporated (about 4-5 minutes).
7. Gently fluff up the rice with a fork, cover with lid and allow it to steam in the pan on the lowest heat possible until fully cooked (a few minutes). Be careful not to let it burn.
8. Mix in the mushrooms and serve.

**CHEF’S TIP**
If you are using large mushrooms you may need to cut the slices in half as the pieces should not be too large.

**Mushroom Pilau** is is a tasty and colourful accompaniment.

Shop now

How to cook… Piment Farci au Thon

On February 8, 2021March 11, 2026 By In Recipes1 Comment

Makes 4

Piment Farci au Thon (Chillies Stuffed with Tuna) is popular street food or a snack that is often served at parties. These chilli poppers are sometimes stuffed with pieces of chicken or just cooked in batter without stuffing (see Piment Frire).

What you need…
• 4 large chilli peppers
• Cold water
• Two pinches of salt
• 100g self-raising flour
• 50g gram flour (this is chickpea flour, also called besan flour)
• 150g tuna, shredded
• 1 Tablespoon coriander, finely chopped
• 1 spring onion, finely chopped
• 8 Tablespoons oil

Shop now

How to make it…
1. Slice the peppers open to form a pocket. Remove the seeds if you don’t want them too hot. Soak them in the water with a pinch of salt for 10 minutes. Dry them and set aside.
2. Mix the self-raising flour and besan flour with a pinch of salt and enough water to create a thick paste.
3. Mix the tuna, coriander and spring onion and stuff the peppers with the mixture.
4. Dip the peppers in the flour batter so they are all well coated.
5. Heat the oil in a shallow pan to a high heat and, using a slotted spoon, drop the chilli peppers into the oil until they turn a deep yellow and the batter is fully fried (about 2–3 minutes). Turn the peppers while they are frying to ensure they are evenly cooked. Depending on the size of your pan you may need to cook these in a couple of batches.
6. The chillies are naturally very hot so allow them to cool slightly before eating!

**CHEF’S TIP**
These can be eaten hot or cold so are ideal for making in advance.

**Piment Farci au Thon** are Mauritian-style chilli peppers stuffed with tuna.

How to cook… Keema with Coconut

On February 1, 2021March 11, 2026 By In RecipesLeave a comment

Serves 4 as a main dish

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 oil or ghee
• 1 teaspoon garlic paste
• 1 teaspoon ginger paste
• 600g lamb mince
• 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
• 1 teaspoon mustard seeds
• 4 dried red chillies, chopped into large pieces
• 1 onion, peeled and roughly chopped
• 5 curry leaves
• 0.5 teaspoon turmeric powder
• 1 teaspoon garam masala
• 2 Tablespoons coconut cream
• Salt to taste

Green Paste
• 20 mint leaves
• 3 green chillies, chopped
• 1 Tablespoon desiccated coconut

Shop now

How to make it…
1. Grind the ingredients from the Green Paste into a fine paste. Set aside.
2. Heat 1 Tablespoon oil in a pan to a medium heat and fry the garlic and ginger pastes for 1 minute.
3. Add the mince and fry until it is all browned (about 10 minutes). Remove the mince and set it aside.
4. Add the rest of the oil to a high heat and fry the cumin seeds, mustard seeds and red chillies for 15 seconds. It should sizzle immediately. You can test it is hot enough by dropping in one seed.
5. Turn down the heat to medium, add the onion and fry until it softens (about 5 minutes).
6. Add the curry leaves, turmeric and garam masala with a little water and fry for 3 minutes.
7. Add the Green Paste and cook for 3 minutes.
8. Add the mince and cook for 25 minutes.
9. Add the coconut cream and salt, mix well, remove from the heat and leave to rest for 3–4 minutes before serving.

**CHEF’S TIP**
You can replace the desiccated coconut with a chunk of fresh coconut for a fresher taste.

**Keema with Coconut** is popular dish from the South Indian state of Kerala.

How to cook… Garlic and Chilli Mushrooms

On January 8, 2021March 11, 2026 By In RecipesLeave a comment

Serves 4 as a side dish

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

Spice Mix
• 1 teaspoon garam masala
• 1 teaspoon chilli powder
• 0.5 teaspoon turmeric

Shop now

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.

How to cook… Chicken Tikka Wraps

On January 3, 2021March 11, 2026 By In RecipesLeave a comment

Makes 4–6 wraps

These Chicken Tikka Wraps make a delicious and fresh tasting snack when combined with peppers, onions, salad and Mint Yoghurt Sauce. It’s best when cooked fresh but to speed up the process simply marinate some extra chicken when making any of the tandoori dishes that require Chicken Tikka, such as Chicken Tikka Masala, then cook it up for the perfect lunch-time snack the next day.

What you need…
• 1 recipe Chicken Tikka (starter)
• 2 teaspoons oil
• 0.5 green pepper, sliced
• 0.5 red pepper, sliced
• 0.5 onion, sliced
• 1 tomato, chopped
• An 8cm piece of cucumber, chopped
• Handful of crispy lettuce, chopped
• Small handful of fresh coriander, chopped
• 1 recipe Mint Yoghurt Sauce
• 4–6 wraps (or nan bread or roti)

Shop now

How to make it…
1. Heat the oil in a pan and fry the peppers and onions in a pan until soft (about 4–5 minutes).
2. Warm the wraps under the grill for a couple of minutes.
3. Lay 4–5 pieces of chicken just off the centre right of the wrap and add your choice of peppers, onions, salad and coriander, plus some Mint Yoghurt Sauce.
5. Fold the long side of the wrap to the right over the mixture and tuck it just under the mixture. Now fold the bottom of the wrap up so it overlaps the flap you have created on the right and holding it tight with your thumb fold the left side over to create the wrap.

**CHEF’S TIP**
If eating on the go you can wrap if in tin foil and peel back the foil as you eat.

**Chicken Tikka** is an excellent snack when combined with pepeprs, onions and salad in a wrap.

Shop now

How to cook… Chicken Chettinad

On December 27, 2020March 11, 2026 By In RecipesLeave a comment

Serves 4 as a main dish

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

Spice Mix
• 1 teaspoon coriander seeds
• 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
• 4cm piece cinnamon stick
• 3 cloves
• 3 cardamons
• 6 Tablespoons desiccated coconut

Shop now

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.

How to cook… Fish Curry (Medium)

On December 24, 2020March 11, 2026 By In RecipesLeave a comment

Serves 4 as a main dish

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

Spice Mix
• 1 Tablespoon mild curry powder
• 1 teaspoon chilli powder
• 1 teaspoon vinegar

Shop now

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.

How to cook… Chinese Chicken Curry

On November 27, 2020March 11, 2026 By In Recipes1 Comment

Serves 4 as a main dish

This dish has very little to do with China but everything to do with curries created by Chinese takeaways. In the UK these were initially run by people from Hong Kong serving Cantonese dishes adapted to local tastes. The curry uses the basic Chinese/Chip Shop Curry Sauce and adds chicken and lots of onion. Some takeaways also add other ingredients such as carrot, peas or potato slices.

What you need…
• 1 Tablespoon vegetable oil
• 1 teaspoon freshly chopped ginger
• 1 teaspoon freshly chopped garlic
• 800g chicken, cut into bite-sized pieces
• 1 recipe Chinese/Chip Shop Curry Sauce
• 2 onions, sliced
• 1 teaspoon soy sauce

Shop now

How to make it…
1. Heat the vegetable oil in a pan to a medium heat, add the garlic paste and ginger paste, and fry for 1 minute.
2. Add the chicken and fry until all the pieces are sealed (about 2 minutes).
3. Add the Chinese/Chip Shop Curry Sauce and fry for 5 minutes.
4. Add the onion and soy sauce, mix well and fry until all the chicken pieces are cooked (about 2–3 minutes).

**CHEF’S TIP**
This dish is great with Steamed Rice but for the full on takeaway experience you can also serve this with Egg Fried Rice.

While everyone is ordering the usual sweet and sour and chow mein dishes, the curry lovers know the only option from a Chinese takeaway is **Chinese Chicken Curry**.

Shop now

How to cook… Pork Vindaloo

On November 13, 2020March 11, 2026 By In RecipesLeave a comment

Serves 4 as a main dish

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

Marinade
• 100ml palm vinegar
• 1 teaspoon garlic paste
• 1 teaspoon ginger paste
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• 8 black peppercorns, crushed

Spice paste
• 4 large chillies, roughly chopped
• 3 Tablespoons palm vinegar
• 1 teaspoon coriander powder
• 1 teaspoon turmeric
• 4 cloves, ground (or 1 teaspoon clove powder)
• Seeds from 4 cardamon pods
• 1 teaspoon garlic paste

Shop now

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.

How to cook… Chicken Recheade

On September 19, 2020March 11, 2026 By In Recipes1 Comment

Serves 4 as a main dish

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

Marinade
• 15 dried red chillies
• 1 teaspoon coriander seeds
• 1 teaspoon mustard seeds
• 1 teaspoon black peppercorns
• 2 cloves
• 2 teaspoons garlic paste
• 1 teaspoon ginger paste
• 4 Tablespoons vinegar

Shop now

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.

The Royal Curry Club

Tag: Spicy

How to cook… Mushroom Pilau

How to cook… Piment Farci au Thon

How to cook… Keema with Coconut

How to cook… Garlic and Chilli Mushrooms

How to cook… Chicken Tikka Wraps

How to cook… Chicken Chettinad

How to cook… Fish Curry (Medium)

How to cook… Chinese Chicken Curry

How to cook… Pork Vindaloo

How to cook… Chicken Recheade

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this: