Indian Curry Recipes (11 page)
TIP
Tamarind paste is easy to buy in Asian grocery stores or major supermarkets.
King Prawn and Spinach Balti
This easy curry with large juicy prawns has a spicy kick. The sauce is slowly simmered for several hours, then the prawns are added for the last few minutes so they are cooked but not toughened. The term 'balti' refers to the steel or iron pot in which the food is usually cooked, but a slow cooker works just as well!
Serves 4
100 g/4 oz creamed coconut, chopped
450 ml/¾ pint/2 cups hot (not boiling) vegetable stock
45 ml/3 tbsp balti curry paste
2 garlic cloves, crushed, or 10 ml/2 tsp garlic purée (paste)
1 red chilli, seeded and finely chopped, or 5 ml/1 tsp red chilli purée (paste) (optional)
1 onion, finely chopped, or 45 ml/3 tbsp frozen diced onion
100 g/4 oz roughly chopped fresh or frozen cooked spinach
400 g/14 oz peeled raw tiger prawns (jumbo shrimp)
60 ml/4 tbsp chopped fresh or thawed frozen coriander (cilantro)
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
- Put the creamed coconut in the ceramic cooking pot. Add the stock and stir until the coconut has dissolved.
- Stir in the curry paste, garlic and chilli (if using) until blended. Add the onion, cover with the lid and switch on the slow cooker to Low. Cook for 2-3 hours or until the onion is very tender.
- Meanwhile, if you are using frozen spinach, put it in a sieve (strainer) over a bowl and leave to defrost and drain at room temperature. Stir the thawed or fresh spinach into the curry mixture along with the prawns and most of the chopped coriander. Cook for a further 15 minutes or until the prawns are tender and completely pink.
- Taste and season with salt and pepper. Serve with the remaining coriander sprinkled over and warm naan bread.
TIP
Balti is traditionally served without a knife and fork; torn pieces of warmed naan bread are used to scoop up the curry.
Indian vegetarian cuisine is incredibly varied and you'll find a great choice of mouth-watering curries in this chapter. Many are based on vegetables, others on beans and pulses and a few on eggs or paneer - a delicious fresh Indian cheese.
You don't have to be a vegetarian to enjoy these meat- and fish-free dishes.
Because food gently simmers rather than boils in the slow cooker, vegetables retain their shape and texture and are complemented by the use of spices. Slow cooking also ensures that you retain most of their nutrients as the cooking juices become part of the curry sauce.
Vegetable Kashmiri
Vegetables are cooked in an aromatic yoghurt sauce and topped with a generous amount of toasted flaked almonds to add protein to this vegetarian main course. You can, of course, vary the vegetables according to your personal taste and seasonal availability. This is delicious served with parathas or deep-fried pooris.
Serves 4
Seeds of 2 green cardamom pods
10 ml/2 tsp cumin seeds
4 black peppercorns
2.5 ml/½ tsp ground cinnamon
2.5 ml/½ tsp freshly ground nutmeg
2.5 ml/½ tsp chilli powder
2.5 ml/½ tsp salt
45 ml/3 tbsp groundnut (peanut) or sunflower oil
1 green chilli, seeded and finely chopped, or 10 ml/2 tsp green chilli purée (paste)
15 ml/1 tbsp grated fresh or bottled ginger
2 large potatoes, peeled and cut into 2.5 cm/1 in chunks
½ cauliflower, broken into smaller florets
450 ml/¾ pint/2 cups hot (not boiling) vegetable stock
150 ml/1¼ pint/2/3 cup Greek-style yoghurt
225 g/8 oz okra, thickly sliced
50 g/2 oz/½ cup flaked (slivered) almonds, toasted
- Put the cardamom seeds, cumin seeds and peppercorns in a mortar or spice grinder and grind until fairly fine. Mix together with the cinnamon, nutmeg, chilli powder and salt.
- Heat the oil in a frying pan, add the green chilli and ginger and fry for a minute, stirring continuously. Add the ground spice mixture and continue frying for a further 2 minutes, stirring to prevent the spices sticking. Turn off the heat.
- Put the potatoes and cauliflower in the ceramic cooking pot. Stir a little of the stock into the spice mixture, then tip over the vegetables. Stir to coat them evenly in the mixture. Pour in the rest of the stock, cover the slow cooker with a lid and switch on to Low. Cook for 3 hours.
- Stir a few spoonfuls of the stock from the slow cooker into the yoghurt in a bowl. Add the okra and the yoghurt to the pot and stir until combined.
- Cook for a further 2-3 hours or until all the vegetables are very tender. Sprinkle with toasted flaked almonds and serve with Indian breads.
TIP
Use ¼ tsp of ground cardamom if you don't have the pods.
Aubergine Biryani
Biryani is one of India's most famous rice dishes. Often served at festivities, it traditionally takes centre stage. This all-in-one dish is usually baked in the oven with the rice piled on top or alongside a meat or vegetable curry; here it is all mixed together. Biryanis should never be very hot and are flavoured instead with a subtle mixture of fragrant spices.
Serves 4
1 aubergine (eggplant), sliced
2 onions, chopped, or 90 ml/6 tbsp frozen diced onions
2 garlic cloves, crushed, or 10 ml/2 tsp garlic purée (paste)
15 ml/2 tbsp grated fresh or bottled ginger
750 ml/1¼ pints/3 cups very hot (not boiling) vegetable stock
45 ml/3 tbsp sunflower oil
5 ml/1 tsp ground coriander
5 ml/1 tsp ground cumin
5 ml/1 tsp chilli powder
1 yellow (bell) pepper, seeded and sliced
250 g/9 oz/1½ cups easy-cook (converted) basmati rice
40 g/1½ oz/¼ cup sultanas (golden raisins)
Pinch of salt
100 g/4 oz/1 cup unsalted cashew nuts, toasted
- Layer the aubergine slices in a colander, lightly sprinkling with salt between the layers. Leave to drain while preparing the rest of the ingredients.
- Put one of the chopped onions (or half of the frozen diced onions) in a food processor with the garlic and ginger. Add 60 ml/4 tbsp of the stock and blend to a smooth paste.
- Heat 30 ml/2 tbsp of the oil in a large frying pan and add the remaining chopped onion. Gently fry for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until soft and just beginning to colour.
- Thoroughly rinse the aubergine slices under cold running water to remove the excess salt, then cut into small chunks of about 1 cm/½ in. Add the aubergine to the onion and cook for 2-3 minutes or until it starts to soften. Tip the mixture into the ceramic cooking pot.
- Add the remaining 15 ml/1 tbsp oil to the pan, add the onion paste and cook for 2 minutes, stirring. Mix in the ground coriander, cumin and chilli and cook for another minute.
- Turn off the heat, stir in a little of the stock and tip the mixture into the ceramic cooking pot. Add the yellow pepper and stir in the rest of the stock, then cover with the lid and cook on High for 2 hours or Low for 4 or until the vegetables are tender.
- Sprinkle the rice and sultanas into the vegetable mixture and stir. Replace the cover and cook on High for a further 45 minutes to 1 hour or until the rice is tender and most of the stock has been absorbed.
- Turn off the slow cooker and leave for 5 minutes, then taste and season with a little extra salt, if needed. Scatter with the cashew nuts and serve with plain yoghurt.
TIP
Bottled ginger is useful to keep in the fridge.
Potato and Chick Pea Curry
Aloo chana comes from the Punjab, a northern state in India, and is typically eaten with Indian bread such as roti or naan. High in protein and a good source of iron, chick peas are used extensively in Indian vegetarian food. The slow cooker is brilliant for cooking pulses (it was first invented commercially for cooking baked beans).
Serves 4
225 g/8 oz/1½ cups dried chick peas (garbanzos)
1 bay leaf
30 ml/2 tbsp groundnut (peanut) or sunflower oil
1 large onion, chopped, or 60 ml/ 4 tbsp frozen diced onions
1 garlic clove, crushed, or 5 ml/1 tsp garlic purée (paste)
15 ml/1 tbsp grated fresh or bottled ginger
5 ml/1 tsp ground cumin
5 ml/1 tsp ground coriander
2 green cardamom pods, split
1 green chilli, seeded and finely chopped, or 5 ml/1 tsp green chilli purée (paste)
150 ml/¼ pint/2/3 cups vegetable stock or water
2 large potatoes, peeled and cut into 2.5 cm/1 in chunks
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
- Put the chick peas in a large bowl and cover with plenty of cold water. Leave to soak for at least 6 hours, or overnight, if preferred.
- Drain the soaked chick peas and tip into a saucepan. Pour over just enough boiling water to cover and add the bay leaf. Bring to the boil and boil rapidly for 10 minutes. Turn off the heat and leave to cool for 3-5 minutes, then tip the chick peas with the cooking water into the ceramic cooking pot. Cover with the lid and cook on High for 3-4 hours or Low for 6-8 hours, until tender and most of the liquid has been absorbed.
- Meanwhile, heat the oil in a frying pan and cook the onion for 10 minutes until beginning to turn golden, stirring frequently. Stir in the garlic, ginger, cumin, ground coriander, cardamom pods and chilli. Cook for 1 more minute. Turn off the heat and stir in the stock or water.
- Add the potatoes to the chick peas and season with salt and pepper. Pour the onion and spice mixture on top and stir well. Replace the lid and cook on High for a further 2 hours or on Low for 4 hours, until tender. Taste and adjust the seasoning if necessary before serving with warmed Indian breads.
TIP
If you haven't time to soak and pre-cook dried chick peas, use two large cans of chick peas, drained and rinsed, instead with 60 ml/4 tbsp extra stock or water and start from step 3.
Aubergine Balti
Good food does not have to be complicated or time consuming. A winning combination of vegetables, this balti is easy to make and so delicious, it is destined to become a firm family favourite. Serve with basmati rice and naan bread or chapattis to make a substantial meal.
Serves 4
15 ml/1 tbsp sunflower oil
1 onion, chopped, or 45 ml/3 tbsp frozen diced onion
1 aubergine (eggplant), trimmed and cut into 2.5 cm/1 in chunks
30-45 ml/2-3 tbsp balti curry paste
150 ml/¼ pint/2/3 cup hot (not boiling) vegetable stock
1 large potato, peeled and cut into 2.5 cm/1 in chunks
225 g/8 oz button mushrooms
400 ml/14 oz/large can coconut milk
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Chopped fresh or thawed frozen coriander (cilantro) (optional)
- Heat the oil in a large frying pan and fry the onion for 5 minutes. Add the aubergine and curry paste and cook for a couple of minutes, stirring all the time. Turn off the heat and stir in about half of the stock.
- Tip the onion and aubergine mixture into the ceramic cooking pot. Add the potato, mushrooms, coconut milk and the rest of the stock. Season with salt and pepper and stir well.
- Cover with the lid and switch the slow cooker on to Low. Cook for 4-5 hours, or until the vegetables are very tender.
- Serve the curry with boiled or steamed basmati rice and naan bread or chapattis. If you like, you can scatter with some chopped fresh coriander before serving.
TIP
It's not essential to peel or salt aubergines before use. Older varieties used to be bitter, but this is no longer the case.
Vegetable and Lentil Curry
This is a low-fat curry, packed with vegetables and combined with lentils which cook to a delicious sauce. Sultanas add a sweetness and fruity flavour to the dish. Choose your favourite vegetables or make the most of seasonal produce.
Serves 4
15 ml/1 tbsp groundnut (peanut) or sunflower oil
2 red onions, chopped
45 ml/3 tbsp curry paste
750 ml/1¼ pints/3 cups very hot (not boiling) vegetable stock
700 g/1½ lb mixed vegetables, such as carrots, parsnips, turnips (rutabaga) or sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into 2 cm/¾ in chunks
100 g/4 oz/¾ cup red lentils
40 g/1½ oz sultanas (golden raisins)
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
- Heat the oil in a frying pan and cook the onions for 7-8 minutes until almost soft. Stir in the curry paste and cook for a further minute. Turn off the heat and stir in a little of the stock. Tip the mixture into the ceramic cooking pot.
- Add the vegetables, lentils and sultanas and pour in the rest of the stock. Season with a little salt and pepper and stir well.
- Cover with the lid and cook on Low for 4-5 hours or until the vegetables are tender and the lentils have cooked to a sauce. Taste and adjust the seasoning if necessary. Serve with white or brown basmati rice.
TIP
You can substitute ready-to-eat dried apricots for the sultanas if you prefer.
Vegetable Curry
This is a satisfying main course with loads of flavour and also ensures that you get your '5-a-day'. Cut the vegetables into even-sized pieces of about 2.5 cm/1 in, so that they cook evenly.
Serves 4
30 ml/2 tbsp ghee or unsalted butter
1 large onion, chopped, or 60 ml/4 tbsp frozen diced onion
1 garlic clove, crushed, or 5 ml/1 tsp garlic purée (paste)
10 ml/2 tsp cumin seeds
10 ml/2 tsp garam masala
5 ml/1 tsp ground turmeric
150 g/5 oz creamed coconut, roughly chopped
15 ml/1 tbsp tomato purée (paste)
600 ml/1 pint/2½ cups very hot (not boiling) vegetable stock or water
15 ml/1 tbsp fresh lime or lemon juice
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 aubergine (eggplant), trimmed and diced
1 red (bell) pepper, seeded and cut into 2.5 cm/1 in pieces
1 carrot, sliced
1 large potato, peeled and diced
200 g/7 oz broccoli, cut into florets
100 g/4 oz/2/3 cup frozen peas
1 bay leaf