Curry Recipes

Ay Cee

If you have any, stick them up here:

lostinsuperfunk

This is very easy, tasty, fast to make, and it's saved my ass from extreme hunger on a few occasions over the years. It's pretty tolerant of substitutions if any ingredients aren't to hand. This will serve 2 normal people, or 1 extremely hungry person.

Ingredients:
1 can drained chickpeas - you could use black-eyed beans instead or even baked beans
1 small onion, finely chopped
1 clove garlic, finely chopped (or use garlic puree)
squirt of lemon juice [optional]
olive oil and/or butter and/or ghee
2-3 tablespoons tomato puree
1 mug veggie stock (homemade, or made from stock cubes, Kallo or Marigold are good, Knorr in emergency only)

Spices
1/2 teaspoon black mustard seeds
1/2 teaspoon cumin seeds [optional]
1 or 2 teaspoon ground cumin
1 or 2 teaspoon ground coriander
1/2 teaspoon dried chilli flakes, chilli powder OR fresh chilli to taste OR Tabasco sauce in emergency
- OR replace all the above spices with around 3 teaspoons of curry powder.

Chopped coriander leaves OR parsley to garnish

Method
Warm up the oil or butter in a medium saucepan
Put in the mustard & cumin seeds (if using) and gently fry for a couple of minutes. They should start to pop.
Put in the other spices (or curry powder) and gently fry for a couple more minutes.
NB: make sure you don't burn the spices - this will make them taste bitter. If this happens, throw them away and start again. Add more oil/butter if the mixture gets too sticky and dry.
Put in the onion and fry for at least 5 minutes, until it's soft.
Put in the garlic and fry for another few minutes. If you're using fresh chopped chilli, add that with the garlic.

Now, throw in the chickpeas, stock and tomato puree and simmer for at least 10 minutes, or 20-30 minutes if you have the time.

Just before serving, add the lemon juice, stir in some more butter/ghee if you want, and garnish with the chopped herbs.

Serve with rice.

Ay Cee

Yeah I've cooked something with most of those ingredients. The problem I'm coming across is I'm not getting a very thick "sauce" if you know what I mean.
I mainly cook it for my wife, it's the only thing she really likes. She likes that Chinese Take Away kind of curry.

Washout

Id recommend adding a teaspoon of turmeric and also just a minute before your going to take it off the stove add chopped coriander.

I would never use tomato puree. Id much prefer to use one or two peeled and chopped tomatos and after friying the onions. add the chopped tomatos.
and cook for a few minutes until the tomatos have broken down.

with regards to thickening the theres one of two ways.

before adding the chick peas to the pan. take a handfull of chickpeas and throw them into the put...then get one of those hand blenders and blind the mixture.

Then add the rest chickpeas and as much water as you require. if you want it thick then add less water.

The second way is to just use cornflour but i dont like that.

Also Id never ever use vegtable stock cubes for a curry

Im of Indian origin and consider meself to be an expert on curries of the Indian kind but vegitarian only

Blub2k4

Ay Cee wrote:

I mainly cook it for my wife, it's the only thing she really likes. She likes that Chinese Take Away kind of curry.

If that's what she likes then get yourself down to the Oriental Emporium on Jervis St. and get some of it. I dont see where you are located so this may not be a viable proposition. In any case if you do make it there, at the front of the shop in the aisle on the very right against the wall there are tubs of the stuff that the chinese takeaways use, they have mild, hot, and very hot as far as I remember. My mother tends to get me to buy them for her when I go down home to Roscommon.
It is the exact stuff you get in the chinese takeaways, all you will need to do is fry up some onions add some chicken and a few veg and away you go. Instant take away curry.

Blub2k4

Ay Cee wrote:

I mainly cook it for my wife, it's the only thing she really likes. She likes that Chinese Take Away kind of curry.

If that's what she likes then get yourself down to the Oriental Emporium on Jervis St. and get some of it. I dont see where you are located so this may not be a viable proposition. In any case if you do make it there, at the front of the shop in the aisle on the very right against the wall there are tubs of the stuff that the chinese takeaways use, they have mild, hot, and very hot as far as I remember. My mother tends to get me to buy them for her when I go down home to Roscommon.
It is the exact stuff you get in the chinese takeaways, all you will need to do is fry up some onions add some chicken and a few veg and away you go. Instant take away curry.

lostinsuperfunk

Id recommend adding a teaspoon of turmeric and also just a minute before your going to take it off the stove add chopped coriander.

Yes, I normally use tumeric too but forgot to include it in the recipe

I would never use tomato puree. Id much prefer to use one or two peeled and chopped tomatos and after friying the onions. add the chopped tomatos.
and cook for a few minutes until the tomatos have broken down.

Also Id never ever use vegtable stock cubes for a curry

I agree, stock cubes can be a bit nasty, but this is geared more for speed than authenticity (hence the tomato puree also). I've used chicken stock with good results, but that makes it unsuitable for veggies and it seems a bit inauthentic to me. What would you recommend?

The other things I forgot are that it's really good with a dollop of thick natural yoghurt on the side, and I think it goes better with naan than rice.

frobisher

It's not in the slightest bit authentic but a roux based curry is actually very tasty with prawns. Just be sure to add a little sugar and some fresh lemon juice.

Terry

Washout wrote:

Im of Indian origin and consider meself to be an expert on curries of the Indian kind but vegitarian only

make with the recipe's then.

i like a nice madras and generally use the sharwoods stir in sauce. it's quite hard to come by though and i'd like to know how to make it properly without having to rely on the stir in sauce.
i've used the paste and the powder, but i can never get it right and end up dumping the sauce and going across the road to the local indian restaraunt.

HELP ME!!!

bonkey

Rather than type them in / cut n paste them....

http://www.dspsrv.com/cookbook/curry.html

BTW - regarding thick sauce...another secret is *long* cooking times which will allow the onion to totally disintegrate into the sauce, where (like blitzed chickpeas) it acts as a thickening agent all on its own.

Note - this means that teh sauce needs long cooknig time - not that the onions need to be sauteed for hours, nor that the meat/veg that the sauce will flavour gets cooked for hours (although with cheaper cuts of beef/lamb, this can be exactly what you want to do).

Mr. Presentable

My wife worked in a Chinese well noted for its curry sauce.

Half orange juice/half ketchup, curry powder to taste, thickened with cornflour!!

nutgroist

My curry recipe, learned from my Indian in-laws and honed by my many years of gorging has produced this....

Suitable for Lamb/Chicken/Fish/Vegetable (and even Pork if you add some fresh grilled coconut shavings and more tomato

Sunflower Oil into a pan, fry fresh green chillies medium heat, (if making chicken, add fenugreek seeds) add chopped garlic and ginger, then chopped onion, then the animal or vegetable of your choice and fry on all sides slowly. Salt and pepper. Add curry leaves. Only when sealed, cover in ground cumin (freshly ground after dry-roasting the seeds for the real deal), mix and cook for 10 more mins. Then cover in curry powder (i cannot stress this enough - get the best brand you can, or make your own), mix and cook for 10 more. Whizz one can of tomatoes and add slowly, stirring into pan the whole time. Let it sit there bubbling on a low heat for another 10-15 and you're done. Garnish with a bit of fresh chopped coriander.

quantities and timings i cannot be dealing with. cooking's like sex - you can read about it all you like but you dont do it with a book in your hand (unless you're on your own) - you've got to feel it.

which reminds me...

http://thecockbook.blogspot.com/2004_04_01_thecockbook_archive.html#108250611732401194

halfway down is a fuller recipe if you're feeling a bit lost by that.

Tazz T

Here's my balti recipe. Takes a while but, trust me, it's worth it. Better than any takeaway you'll ever taste.

First make your balti sauce (if you haven’t already done so – this can made in a big batch and frozen in individual bags).

Balti Sauce
Stir fry a large onion (in veg oil and butter, add 2 cloves crushed garlic and inch of grated ginger (buy a big lump of fresh ginger and freeze it – it’s easy to grate and lasts forever). Next, a small teaspoon of each of these: fenugreek seeds, ground coriander, cumin, fennel seeds (optional), tumeric and chilli. Add the seeds from 3 cardanom pods and a cinnamon stick (or 1/2 a teaspoon of powder. Add 200 mls of stock or water, 3 chopped tomatoes and 2 bay leaves, bring to boil and simmer for 20 mins. Discard cinnamon stick to taste (I don’t like it too cinnamony) and get rid of the bay leaves at the end of cooking. Blitz and that’s your Balti sauce.

Now, down to the business of your curry.

Saute 2 crushed cloves of garlic with an inch of grated ginger and another small teaspoon of each of these: turmeric, cumin, coriander, paprika. Add a pound of chicken (breast or portions depending on what’s available). Continue to fry until chicken is cooked through and onions are golden.

Add your balti sauce, chopped coriander and green chili to taste. Bring to boil and simmer for ten minutes or so. Add greek yoghurt, again to taste and finally, a little garam masala, maybe salt, if you think it needs it.

Garnish with Coriander – if you can be arsed. Eat with nan bread and cold beer.

Perfect Saturday night in dinner.

Murt10

Blub2k4 wrote:

If that's what she likes then get yourself down to the Oriental Emporium on Jervis St. and get some of it. I dont see where you are located so this may not be a viable proposition. In any case if you do make it there, at the front of the shop in the aisle on the very right against the wall there are tubs of the stuff that the chinese takeaways use, they have mild, hot, and very hot as far as I remember. My mother tends to get me to buy them for her when I go down home to Roscommon.
It is the exact stuff you get in the chinese takeaways, all you will need to do is fry up some onions add some chicken and a few veg and away you go. Instant take away curry.

There is another Oriental Emphorium in South Great Georges St. where I have been buying the same curry paste as above for years. The paste in question is sold in round tubs weiging 400 grms. and costing about e2.50 The brand is Goldfish Brand. The tub I'm looking at is in green and black. It's called Madras Curry Sauce concentrate, but there's a hotter version (they didn't have it the last time I shopped there)

Method - put whatever quantity of paste you want into a sauspan, add 3 - 4 parts water, stir and the sauce is made.

The tub advertises "no artificial flavourings or preservatives" but the ingrediets list flavour enhancer(MSG)

I often make up a bit of the sauce just to liven up a plate of chips. Add dollops of mayonaise and a few splashes of dark balsamic vinnegar to the chips and you have a very tasty (definitely unhealthy) lazy meal. Ideal comfort food.

There are usually loads of oriental people in the shop buying stuff so it's authentic.


Murt

bonkey

Murt10 wrote:

The tub advertises "no artificial flavourings or preservatives" but the ingrediets list flavour enhancer(MSG)

To be fair, MSG is neither an artificial flavour, nor a preservative (artificial or otherwise).

It can also be produced from natural products....so it could be as artificial as sugar or salt in that situation.

Having said that....I recognise a lot of people have issues with MSG for one reason or another, so it is worth noting that its in there.

jc

Blub2k4

bonkey wrote:

To be fair, MSG is neither an artificial flavour, nor a preservative (artificial or otherwise).

It can also be produced from natural products....so it could be as artificial as sugar or salt in that situation.

It occurs naturally in parmesan and is extracted from a seaweed to make the food additive as far as I know.

beans

This is an awesome cardamom curry, works really well with stewing lamb so that's what I'm going to base this recipe on. Indian in origin, forget whereabouts though.

1kg Stewing Lamb
100ml oil or ghee (seriously)
35 Green Cardamom Pods
1 tsp Black Peppercorns
1 tsp Chili Powder
1 tsp Tumeric
2 tsp Coriander Powder
100ml natural yoghurt
2-3 Tomatoes

Preparation

- Microwave the cardamom pods till they expand, before they burn, ~1 minute. Break them open, remove the seeds, grind them and put aside. Heat the pod-shells in a pot until they are dry and grindable, grind them to dust and add to the groud pods.

- Heat the peppercorns in the pot for ~2 minutes on a medium heat, grind and set aside.

- Keep the rest of the spices together ready to use.

- Chop the tomatoes, keep aside.

- Heat the oil in another big pot, low for a few minutes.

- Mix the cardamom with some water to make a paste. Add this paste + the ground pepper to the oil and fry low for ~3 minutes.

- Add the spices and the lamb to the oil.

This is the most important part of the recipe, make or break time etc. You have to fry the lamb in the oil and spices for at least ten minutes, on a low heat so as not to burn the spices. As the lamb fries, it releases juices and these mix with the spices and oil. Ten minutes, no less, and don't burn the spices. That's where all that oil comes in handy.

- Add the chopped tomatoes at this stage, and the yoghurt, stir it all up and leave to simmer for ~3 minutes. Add water, forget how much but i'm guessing around 800ml (I'll check this at home later)

- Cook the lot for around 20 mins, serve with rice, or naans or whatever you fancy. You want the gravy to be runny really, havent tried reducing it all down, might give it a shot at the weekend!

Have tried this recipe with both Spinach (good) and Fish (not great) in place of lamb. You can't beat the lamb really.

(edit - this is my pi post, hurray!)

Donie75

My favourite curry is a Masman Thai Curry. It's like a cross between a Thai Green Curry and a satay type dish.
I use Mae Ploy Masman curry paste, chicken, baby potatoes, coconut milk, cashew nuts, various veg like peppers, onion & mushrooms.

Fry the meatin the wok in some oil and masman paste. Then add the veg. Then add the nuts and the coconut milk and a little more paste to taste. Then simmer for 20 minutes.

It's a really good curry and it tastes as good as the restaurants.

Deediddums

I grew up using a West-Indian curry recipe that my mother got from my trinidadian aunt. I've alway LOVED it.

4-6 Chicken Breast/ 1 Chicken (pre-cooked, this breaks down into the sauce REALLY nicely)
1 Onion
2 Cloves of garlic
2 Apples
2 Bananas (small
Mango Chutney
Chicken stock
Coriander
Chilli
Curry powder

Preparation:
Very simple: fry your onion and garlic and add the chicken which should be diced into smallish pieces. Add the apples (also diced). Meanwhile heat your stock and add to the mixture...it will look very watery at this stage but not to worry. From here on in you simply add the chutney, curry and chilli which can be varied to taste - I usually use about half an average sized jar of mango chutney and alot of curry powder and chilli (if you're using fresh red chilli, which I often do, you should add this before the stock), allow to simmer until the sauce is nice and thick. Then add your sliced banana and chopped coriander.

Serve with fluffy rice and poppadums if you have them to hand and enjoy this sweet, spicy carribean cuisine. Yum!

brianthebard

Blub2k4 wrote:

It occurs naturally in parmesan and is extracted from a seaweed to make the food additive as far as I know.

I know its OT but afaik what occurs in parmesan is sodium glutamate and the food additive, monosodium glutamate is man made.

olaola

When I'm feeling lazy I use Pataks paste - they are quite nice.
Use it with a can of tomatoes and whatever else - chicken, veg, prawns etc.

SouloftheCity

The best curry recipes I have tried are available here: www.mamtaskitchen.com

I know a thing or two about curry, and these are by far and away the most authentic and flavoursome versions of the classics that I have tried.

adonis

id have to recommend getting the pataks curry pastes - basically a concoction of all the spices / oils one needs for a curry...
onions etc can be fried prior to adding the paste..
then add the water
then add the tomatoes

curries really are easy enough to cook and to master

bonkey

adonis wrote:

id have to recommend getting the pataks curry pastes
...
curries really are easy enough to cook and to master

I wouldn't call using someone else's paste "mastering" a curry, no more than I'd call using a jar of dolmio "mastering" spag bol.

adonis

meh its a different thing...
pataks is only a set of herbs crushed etc...where is dolmio has a multitude of ingredients

The Hill Billy

adonis wrote:

meh its a different thing...
pataks is only a set of herbs crushed etc...where is dolmio has a multitude of ingredients

Oh dear, oh dear...
While the Patak's pastes are good for lashing out a quick & tasty curry - I agree with bonkey that opening a jar does not lead to the mastery of any dish.

An extra 15 minutes & a few fairly standard curry/store cupboard ingredients will give you the same, if not a better, result. Then you'll be on your way to "mastering" a curry.

For example, I'm think of:
Fresh chillis, garlic, ginger, lemons, chilli powder, garam masala, coriander, cumin, cinnamon, cloves, cardamom, turmeric, red wine vinegar, vegetable/ground nut oil.

That lot there should cost no more than €25 & by experimenting with varying the quantities of each you will be able to make your own ideal curry paste.

Give it a shot & see how you get on.

adonis

Hill Billy wrote:

Oh dear, oh dear...
While the Patak's pastes are good for lashing out a quick & tasty curry - I agree with bonkey that opening a jar does not lead to the mastery of any dish.

An extra 15 minutes & a few fairly standard curry/store cupboard ingredients will give you the same, if not a better, result. Then you'll be on your way to "mastering" a curry.

For example, I'm think of:
Fresh chillis, garlic, ginger, lemons, chilli powder, garam masala, coriander, cumin, cinnamon, cloves, cardamom, turmeric, red wine vinegar, vegetable/ground nut oil.

That lot there should cost no more than €25 & by experimenting with varying the quantities of each you will be able to make your own ideal curry paste.

Give it a shot & see how you get on.

is garam masala not a blend of spices?

The Hill Billy

No, it is a blend of spices (some of which are included in the list above too).
See here for more info.

adonis

its actually a mix of herbs and spices!

one can cook a curry as good as a restaurant from a pataks...

beans

Patak's Tikka Masala for example

"Ingredients : water, onions, vegetable oil, tomato puree, whey powder, onion powder, modified maize starch, wheat flour, salt, sugar, mixed spices, coriander, skimmed milk powder, garlic pulp, lemon juice, turmeric, acetic acid, milk protein, colour - paprika extract, parsley"

Nothing you could call muck, no monosodium whatevers or E999s, all fine and dandy. They do take the pain out of pulping onion, frying off coriander seeds and grinding etc, but personally I enjoy the preparation. I don't use prepared pastes because I enjoy cooking curries from scratch, but I wouldn't have any problem doing so.

Curries are easy enough to cook once the paste is prepared. The correct preparation of the spices, adding them at the right time and in the right amounts, using the correct amount of oils for what you need, applying the right amount of heat at different stages of cooking... this is where the skill and experience comes into it, and with a prepared pasted you don't have to know any of this. Still tastes pretty good though :cool:

one can cook a curry as good as a restaurant from a pataks...

True, but could you cook a curry as good as homestyle? Me thinks not

CJhaughey

I have another Channa Masala recipe I got this off recipezaar.com
This one has Tamarind in it which I like, it sounds very involved to make but it is actually quite simple.
It is quite thick and has a good range of flavours.

2 cups chickpeas, soaked overnight in plenty of water
4 small onions, peeled, washed and finely chopped
5-6 garlic cloves, peeled, washed and finely chopped
2 inches fresh ginger, peeled, washed and finely chopped
1-2 medium green chilies, washed, ends trimmed and slit
1 tablespoon cumin seeds
4 tablespoons pure wesson canola oil
1 1/2 teaspoons turmeric powder
3 teaspoons coriander powder
2 bay leaves
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 cup water, to cook tomatoes
2 medium tomatoes, washed, peeled and finely chopped
3/4 teaspoon red chili powder
3 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon garam masala powder
1/2 cup tamarind juice



1. Soak the chickpeas overnight in a large pot in lots of water.
2. The next day, throw out the water in which the chickpeas were soaked, wash them well, and then add fresh water to the pot.
3. Bring to a boil.
4. If the chickpeas were not soaked overnight in water, then it will be hard to bring them to a boil and to cook them soon. In that case, add the baking powder to the pot of chickpeas and water, and, then bring to a boil. The chickpeas will boil quickly with the addition of baking powder.
5. Boil until the chickpeas are tender.
6. Remove from heat and keep aside.
7. Heat oil in a large pot on high flame.
8. Once its hot, toss in the cumin seeds.
9. Allow to crackle.
10. Tear the bay leaves into 2 parts, add to the pot and saute for 10 seconds. {Chef's Tip: If the bay leaves are torn and then added to the pot, it brings out the aroma better}.
11. Once they stop crackling, toss in the ginger, garlic, onions and green chilli.
12. Stir-fry on medium flame until the raw smell of the ginger and garlic is gone and the onions are browned.
13. Add turmeric, red chilli and corriander powders.
14. Mix well and stir-fry for 5 minutes on medium flame.
15. Then add the tomatoes, mix well and cook on medium flame for 5 minutes.
16. Add 1/4 cup water, stir well and cook on high flame until the tomatoes are extremely softened.
17. The consistency of the tomato mixture should be mushy and in simpler words, really soft.
18. Add 3 tsps.
19. of salt.
20. Mix well.
21. Add a little shy of 1/2 cup tamarind juice.
22. Stir in garam masala powder.
23. Mix well, then add the cooked chickpeas, 1 1/2 cups of water and about 1 1/4 cups of water in which the chickpeas were cooking.
24. Mix well and boil on high flame for 10 minutes.
25. Remove from heat, garnish with corriander leaves and serve hot with parathas/rice/rotis/white bead with yogurt on the side.