favourite Indian recipy?

Here is one of my own curry recipes. I tend to cook in bulk as I entertain a lot so you may wish to cut down the proportions. I make my own curry powders so can't advise you on the best ones to use.

I put chillies into mine but it depends on how hot you like it and how hot the ginger is (different varieties have different heats). I've just made a curry using naga chillies which will be too hot for most people. :D


4 tablespoons oil (I use olive oil but you must be careful not to heat it to smoking level - nut oils can be heated more)
4 med/large onions
8 oz. tomatoes - fresh or canned
3 lb. lean meat cut in 1" cubes (I use shin of beef which takes longer to cook, up to two hours, but gives a better flavour)
3 cloves garlic
1 stick cinnamon 2" long
8 cloves
6 Bay leaves
1 level tablespoon coriander seeds
8 pods cardamom
1 oz. fresh ginger (I usually use more when cooking for myself)
2 or 3 tablespoons curry powder
½ tablespoon garam masala
Salt
1 cup yoghourt if required
3 cups cleaned Basmati rice


METHOD:

Chop onions, crush garlic and cook in oil until golden brown. Put in meat and stir continuously for 3 - 4 minutes on medium heat. Add bay leaves. Chop or grate ginger. Crush cinnamon together with the seeds from cardamom pods and the coriander and cloves. (The ginger, cinnamon, cardamom, coriander and cloves can then be put in a liquidizer with ¼ cup water on fast speed if you think you may not have crushed them enough). Stir in to the meat.

Chop tomatoes and mix in. If necessary, add water to just cover meat and simmer for 30 minutes adding more water when necessary.

Put in curry powder (2 tablespoons only) but if you make your own curry powder, as I do, then you will need less as you won’t have any ‘fillers’ in it (bought curry powders tend to potato flour or similar), Garam Masala and ½ teaspoon of salt, simmer till meat is tender. As the powders thicken the curry, it may be necessary to add water occasionally to prevent it from sticking to the bottom of the pan. Before serving, taste to see if there is enough salt. If not, add salt in very small quantities until suitable. If a stronger flavour is required, the third spoon of curry powder may be added but must be cooked for at least 10 minutes before serving.

If yoghourt is being used, put ¼ cup yoghourt in liquidiser instead of water and add the rest 10 minutes after the curry powder has been put in.

Serve with boiled Basmati rice

Side dishes can be: curried vegetables, e.g. – potato/cauliflower etc
popadoms
chapattis
salad

 

A lot of the restaurants get their sauce (gravy ) thick and smooth by putting onions, garlic and ginger in a blender before cooking it. This, of course, makes it easy for them to get things done quicker.

Their sauce needs to be put into very hot oil (more oil and hotter than when cooking chopped onions) otherwise it boils instead of fries.

 

dim, one of my favourite curries used to be specially cooked for me by a restaurant in Durban. They seemed to get it just right.

In the old days I used to buy my spices at the Indian Market in Durban - before the market burned down about 1965.

 

This is a really quick & easy one that is very popular with all in our house..

Mushroom & Potato Curry..

1 Coconut oil (I use sunflower oil if no coconut oil)
1 chopped onion
4 large cloves of garlic chopped
1 large chilli slit lengthways
1 large potato, chopped into 1" chunks
1 aubergine, chopped into 1" chunks
250g button mushrooms
2-4 tbsp curry powder depending on strength & how hot you like it
150ml vegetable stock
1 tin of coconut milk -

Heat the oil in a large saucepan, add the onion and potato.Cover, then cook over a low heat for 5 mins until the potato starts to soften.Add the aubergine garlic chili and mushrooms, then cook for a few more minutes.

Stir in the curry powder & keep stiring it all for a minute, pour over the stock and coconut milk.Bring to the boil, then simmer for 20 minutes or until the potato is tender & sauce has thickened.
Stir through some chopped coriander if you like.
Serve with rice or naan bread..