Recipes Using Curry Powder

INGREDIENTS

For the roasted curry powder (makes more than you will need for this recipe)

• handful uncooked basmati rice
• 115g/4oz coriander seeds
• 30–40g/1–1½oz cinnamon pieces
• 30g/1oz black peppercorns
• 30–55g/1–2oz dried chilli (depending on how spicy you like your curry)
• 30g/1oz cumin seeds
• 85g/3oz fennel seeds

For the curry

• 2 tbsp coconut oil or vegetable oil
• handful fresh curry leaves (approx. 10–12 leaves)
• 1 onion, finely sliced
• 2 garlic cloves, roughly chopped
• small piece of ginger (approx. 2.5cm/1in), peeled and roughly chopped
• 8 chicken thighs, boneless and skinless, cut into bite-sized pieces
• 2 tbsp roasted curry powder (from above)
• 200ml/7fl oz coconut milk
• salt, to taste
• freshly chopped coriander, to serve

METHOD

1. For the curry powder, heat a wide heavy-based pan over a medium–high heat. Once hot, add the basmati rice and cook for a few minutes. When starting to brown, add the coriander seeds, cinnamon pieces and black peppercorns and toast for a few minutes while stirring. (You can tell when they are almost roasted as the seeds should start to pop and break when squeezed in the hand.)
2. Add the dried chilli, cumin seeds and fennel seeds and continue to roast in the pan for a further 5 minutes, until fragrant and toasted. Remove from the heat and transfer to a large bowl and allow to cool.
3. Once cool, grind the spices in a spice grinder or pestle and mortar until you have a fine powder.
4. For the curry, heat the oil in a large pan and add the curry leaves, onion, garlic and ginger. Cook for 5–10 minutes until the onions are soft and lightly browned.
5. Add the chicken pieces to the pan and allow to brown, whilst stirring frequently.
6. Stir in the roasted curry powder, stir well to evenly coat all the chicken pieces and continue to cook for a further 5–10 minutes.
7. Add the coconut milk and pour in a cup of water (approximately 250ml/9fl oz). Sprinkle in a teaspoon of salt, bring to the boil, then reduce the heat and cover with a lid. Allow the curry to simmer gently for around 30 minutes, until the chicken is cooked through. Remove the lid and allow the sauce to reduce for a further 5–10 minutes to thicken. Stir occasionally and if you think the curry needs a little more coconut milk, add during cooking.
8. Transfer to a serving dish and sprinkle with freshly chopped coriander to serve. Serve with steamed rice (optional).

INGREDIENTS

• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1 salad onion, sliced
• 2 garlic cloves, chopped
• ½ tsp turmeric powder
• ½ tsp cumin seeds
• ½ tsp mild curry powder
• 2 green cardamom pods
• 1 tbsp tomato purée
• 100g/3½oz canned lentils, rinsed and drained
• 50ml/2fl oz hot vegetable stock
• 50ml/2fl oz double cream
• salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 2 hot ready-made chapatis

METHOD

1. Heat the olive oil in a frying pan over a medium heat. Add the onions and garlic and fry for two minutes, until soft.
2. Add the spices and cook through for two more minutes.
3. Add the tomato purée, lentils, and vegetable stock. Bring to the boil, then reduce the heat to simmer for five minutes.
4. Add the cream and season with salt and freshly ground black pepper.
5. To serve, pour the lentil curry into a warm bowl with the warm chipattis served on a plate alongside.

INGREDIENTS

For the spice paste

• 1 green chilli, roughly chopped
• pinch dried chilli flakes
• 2 tbsp vegetable oil
• ½ lemon, juice only
• handful fresh coriander, plus extra for garnish

For the curry

• 1 tbsp vegetable oil
• 1 onion, sliced
• 1 garlic clove, crushed
• 1 large sweet potato, peeled and chopped
• 1 tsp curry powder
• 1 tsp cumin
• 150/5oz cod or pollack fillet, skinned and chopped (frozen is fine)
• ½ tin coconut milk
• 1 handful spinach leaves, or 2 blocks frozen spinach, defrosted and liquid squeezed out
• ½ lime, juice only
• salt, to taste

METHOD

1. For the spice paste, place all of the spice paste ingredients into a food processor and blend until smooth. (You can use a pestle and mortar for this, too.)
2. For the curry, heat the vegetable oil in a wok and gently fry the onion and garlic for 4-5 minutes, or until softened. Add the sweet potato, curry powder and cumin and continue to fry for further 5-10 minutes, until the sweet potato has softened, then add the fish and two tablespoons of the spice paste. Stir to coat the fish in the spices, then add the coconut milk and bring to a gentle simmer.
3. Stir in the baby spinach leaves, lime juice and season with salt, to taste. Cook for another 2-3 minutes, then stir in the coriander.
4. Spoon the curry into a bowl and serve.

INGREDIENTS

• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
• ½ onion, sliced
• ½ red chilli, finely chopped
• 1 tsp cumin seeds
• 1 tsp medium curry powder
• 1 tsp turmeric
• 2 tbsp tomato purée
• 200ml/7fl oz vegetable stock
• 250g/9oz sweet potato, peeled and cut into cubes
• 100g/3½oz broccoli, chopped
• salt and freshly ground black pepper
• chopped coriander, to garnish
• spoonful Greek yoghurt, to serve

METHOD

1. Heat the oil in a frying pan over a medium heat. Add the garlic and shallots and fry until softened.
2. Add the chilli, cumin seeds, curry powder and turmeric powder and fry for a further minute to release the aromas.
3. Add the tomato purée and vegetable stock, stir well and bring to a simmer.
4. Add the sweet potato and broccoli and simmer for 10 minutes, or until the sweet potato is cooked through. Season, to taste, with salt and freshly ground black pepper.
5. To serve, pour into a warm bowl, sprinkle with the fresh coriander and spoon the yoghurt into the middle.

INGREDIENTS

• 125ml/4fl oz ghee or vegetable oil
• 400g/14oz beef braising steak, diced into 3cm chunks
• 1 medium onion, diced
• 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• 1 tsp ground coriander
• 1 tsp ground turmeric
• 1 tsp ground black pepper
• 1 tsp chilli powder
• 1 tbsp curry powder
• ½ tsp ground ginger
• 3 cloves
• 3 cardamom pods (optional)
• ½ tsp ground cinnamon
• ½ x 400g/14oz can chopped tomatoes
• 125g/4½oz natural yoghurt
• 1 tbsp vinegar
• salt
• pinch sugar

METHOD

1. Heat a lidded frying pan over a medium heat and add the ghee or oil. Fry the meat until lightly browned on all sides, then remove from the pan with a slotted spoon, cover and set aside.
2. Add the onion and garlic to the pan and fry over a low heat until soft. Turn the heat up slightly, add the spices and fry for 1 minute, they should start to smell aromatic, without burning.
3. Return the beef to the pan, add the tomatoes and bring to the boil. Take the pan off the heat and stir in the yoghurt and vinegar, then season to taste with the salt and the sugar.
4. Return the pan to the heat, bring back to the boil and simmer, covered, for 1½ hours, or until the meat is tender.

RECIPE TIPS

The curry could alternately be cooked in the oven from the end of step 3 onwards: simply preheat the oven to 190C/375F/Gas 5, then pour the contents of the pan into a lidded ovenproof dish and cook for 2 hours with the lid on, until the meat is tender.

INGREDIENTS

For the curry

• 1 tsp cumin seeds
• 1 tsp coriander seeds
• 1 stick cinnamon
• 1kg/2lb 2oz leg of lamb or mutton, boned and cut into 2.5cm/1in cubes
• 2 onions, finely sliced
• 2 garlic cloves, crushed
• 2.5cm/1in piece fresh root ginger, finely grated
• 2 long red chillies, sliced
• 3 tbsp tamarind paste
• 1 tbsp Curry Powder
• 1 tsp amchoor (mango powder)
• 500ml/18fl oz beef stock
• 90g/3½oz desiccated coconut
• 1 x 400ml/14fl oz can coconut milk
• 2 tbsp fresh coriander leaves

For the pilau rice

• 2 tbsp vegetable oil
• 1 onion, finely diced
• 1 garlic clove, crushed
• 3 green cardamom pods, split
• 1 tsp ground coriander
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• 1 tsp turmeric
• 3 cloves
• 1 cinnamon stick
• 8 curry leaves
• 400g/14oz basmati rice
• ½ lemon, juice only

To serve

• 200g/7oz Greek-style yoghurt
• 200g/7oz mango chutney

METHOD

1. For the curry, heat a heavy-based frying pan until hot, add the cumin and coriander seeds and cinnamon and toast for a few seconds. Place the spices into a pestle and mortar or spice grinder and grind to a powder.
2. Heat a large heavy-based saucepan pan or casserole dish until hot, add the vegetable oil and the mutton and cook until golden-brown all over. Remove using a slotted spoon and set aside.
3. Add the onions and cook for 10 minutes, or until soft and golden-brown.
4. Add the garlic, ginger, chilli, toasted spices and remaining spices and cook for one minute.
5. Return the mutton to the pan then add the beef stock and bring to a simmer. Cover with a lid and cook over a gentle heat for one hour then remove the lid.
6. Add the desiccated coconut and the coconut milk and return to a simmer. Cook for another 30 minutes, or until just thickened and the meat is tender. Season, to taste, with salt and freshly ground black pepper.
7. For the rice, heat a saucepan until hot. Add the oil, onion, garlic and spices, and fry for two minutes.
8. Stir in the rice and add 600ml/1pint 1fl oz water. Bring to the boil, cover and reduce to a gentle simmer. Cook for 18-20 minutes until the rice is tender and all the liquid absorbed. Season with salt, freshly ground black pepper, lemon juice, then stir in the coriander leaves.
9. Spoon the mutton onto plates with a pile of rice alongside. Finish with a spoonful of yoghurt and mango chutney.

INGREDIENTS

• 2 tbsp vegetable oil
• 900g/2lb lamb fillet, cut into 3cm/1in cubes
• 2 onions, roughly chopped
• 3 garlic cloves, peeled and crushed
• 2 green chillies, finely chopped
• 1 tbsp grated fresh ginger
• 1 tbsp ground turmeric
• 1 tbsp Curry powder
• 1½ tbsp garam masala
• 1½ tbsp ground cumin
• 1 tbsp chilli powder
• 1 tbsp plain flour
• 6 large tomatoes, roughly chopped
• 400ml/14fl oz coconut milk
• 600ml/1 pint chicken stock
• 250g/9oz baby spinach leaves
• 1 pomegranate, seeded
• 200g/7oz plain yoghurt
• salt and freshly ground black pepper
• steamed basmati rice, to serve

METHOD

1. Heat a large saucepan and add one tablespoon of the vegetable oil and then the lamb. Cook over a high heat for 3-4 minutes, or until the lamb is golden-brown all over, then remove and set aside.
2. Reduce the heat and add the remaining tablespoon of vegetable oil. Add the onions, garlic, chillies and ginger and fry for 2-3 minutes, until golden and softened.
3. Add all the turmeric, garam masala, cumin and chilli powder and fry, stirring well, for one minute.
4. Add the flour and cook for a further minute.
5. Add the tomatoes and coconut milk and heat to bring to a simmer.
6. Add the lamb and enough chicken stock to just cover the lamb. Stir well, scraping the bottom of the pan to deglaze and release any residue at the bottom of the pan.
7. Heat the mixture until simmering, then cover and cook on a low heat for about one hour, or until the lamb is tender and cooked through.
8. Skim off any excess fat from the surface of the sauce, then add the spinach and pomegranate. Cook for 1-2 minutes, until the spinach has wilted.
9. Add the yoghurt, season, to taste, with salt and freshly ground black pepper and stir well.
10. Serve onto warmed plates with steamed basmati rice alongside.

INGREDIENTS

• 2 tbsp vegetable oil
• ½ tsp cumin seeds
• ½ tsp fennel seeds
• 2.5cm/1in piece of cinnamon stick
• 2 green cardamom pods
• 1 star anise
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 onion, finely chopped
• 2 tbsp South African curry powder
• 2 tomatoes, chopped
• 1kg/2lb 2oz boneless leg of lamb, cut into 1.5cm/½in dices
• 1 tbsp finely chopped fresh ginger
• 1 tbsp finely chopped garlic
• 10-12 curry leaves
• 1 tbsp curry powder
• 2 large potatoes, cut in cubes the same size as the meat
• salt
• 2 tbsp finely chopped coriander leaves
• 2 tbsp lime juice
• 2 loaves of crusty white bread, unsliced, each cut across in half in the middle and most of the crumbs removed
• coriander cress or sprigs, to garnish

METHOD

1. Heat the oil in a pan and sauté the whole spices and bay leaf until the spices sizzle.
2. Add the onion and cook for 5–7 minutes until translucent.
3. Stir in the curry powder and sauté for one minute, then add the tomatoes and stir to mix.
4. Cook on medium heat, stirring often, until you get a sauce-like consistency.
5. Add the meat, ginger, garlic and curry leaves and 300ml/11fl oz water, bring to the boil then reduce the heat and simmer, stirring occasionally, for 40-50 minutes or until the meat is tender.
6. Add the potatoes, salt to taste and 200ml/7fl oz water. Continue simmering until the meat and potatoes are perfectly cooked (about 15 minutes).
7. Stir in the chopped coriander and lime juice.
8. To serve, spoon into the hollows in the bread and garnish with coriander cress.