The Big Book of Curry Recipes (87 page)

Bring to a simmer then add the chicken and water. Bring the mixture to a boil and cook for 4 minutes, stirring occasionally. Now reduce to a simmer, cover and cook gently, for about 30 minutes, stirring occasionally, or until the chicken pieces are very tender.

Stir in the coconut cream, sugar and cream. Bring the mixture just to a boil, reduce to a simmer and cook gently for 10 minutes more, stirring occasionally (add more water if the gravy looks too thick).

Finally add the ghee and stir to combine. Reduce the heat to low, cover and allow the curry to rest for 10 minutes.

To serve, turn the curry into a warmed serving dish. Pour over a little cream, garnish with coriander leaves and bring to the table.

Beef Madras

Beef Madras is a classic simple but spicy British-style curry that is a staple of curry houses.

Ingredients:

500g (1 lb) beef steak, cubed

2 tbsp ghee or vegetable oil

6 whole dried red chillies (small ones like Bird’s eye or piri-piri)

1/2 tsp hot chilli powder

1 tsp ground cumin

1 tsp ground coriander seeds

1 tsp paprika

300ml (11/4 cup)
Restaurant curry sauce

salt, to taste

1 tsp dried methi (fenugreek leaves)

1/2 tsp
garam masala

salt, to taste

1 tbsp
basic onion paste

coriander leaves, to garnish

Method:

Heat 2 tsp of the ghee in a wok. When hot, use to fry the beef, in batches, until nicely browned. When well coloured, transfer the meat to a bowl and set aside.

Add the remaining thee to the wok over medium heat. Add the dried chillies and stir-fry until they begin to colour and swell. Reduce the heat and add 2 tbsp of the curry sauce. Stir well then add the chilli powder, cumin, coriander seeds and paprika. Stir-fry for 30 seconds then add the remaining curry sauce and return the beef pieces to the wok.

Season to taste with salt then bring to a simmer. Reduce the heat, cover the wok and cook gently for about 40 minutes, or until the beef is cooked through and tender. During this time, stir the curry occasionally and add hot water, as needed.

About 10 minutes before the end of the cooking time, stir in the garam masala and fenugreek leaves. Bring back to a simmer and cook gently for 10 minutes more, stirring frequently, until the flavours have melded and the sauce is thick. During the final minute of cooking, stir in the basic onion paste.

Turn into a warmed serving dish, garnish with coriander leaves and serve accompanied by rice and flatbreads.

Prawn Pasanda

Prawn Pasanda is a traditional British curry-restaurant style curry of king prawns in a rich, but not very highly spiced cream sauce base.

Ingredients:

600g (1 1/3 lb) king prawns (or tiger prawns), peeled

200ml (4/5 cup) water (or use the prawn shells to make stock)

2 small white onions, finely chopped

4 tsp
ginger-garlic paste

200g (1 cup) ghee

2 tsp ground turmeric

4 tsp mild curry powder

1/4 tsp chilli powder

3 tsp
Garam Masala

200ml (4/5 cup) coconut cream mixed with 200ml (4/5 cup) water

200ml (4/5 cup) single cream

100ml (2/5 cup) Greek-style yoghurt

2 tbsp
Restaurant curry sauce

slivered almonds, toasted, to garnish

Method

Heat the ghee in a wok over medium heat. When hot, reduce the heat add the onions and stir-fry gently for about 10 minutes, or until the onions start to colour.

In a bowl, combine the ginger-garlic paste with the curry powder, turmeric and chilli powder. Stir in enough water to give a smooth paste. Add this to the wok and stir-fry for 1 minute more.

Now add the prawns along with the coconut cream. Bring to a simmer and cook for 2 minutes. In a bowl, whisk together the cream, yoghurt, curry sauce and water (or stock). Pour this into the wok and bring the mixture back to a simmer. Cook, uncovered, for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Scatter over the garam masala and stir to combine. Continue cooking for 2 minutes then turn into a warmed serving dish. Garnish with the toasted almonds and bring to the table.

Restaurant-style Pork Vindaloo

Restaurant-style Pork Vindaloo is a traditional British curry-restaurant style curry of pork cooked in a hot tomato-based sauce acidified with vinegar.

Ingredients:

2 tbsp vegetable oil

3 tsp hot chilli powder

2 tbsp malt vinegar

400ml (1 2/3 cups)
Restaurant curry sauce

500g (1 lb) pork, cubed

2 tsp
Garam Masala

1 1/2 tbsp
basic onion paste

coriander leaves, to garnish

Method

Heat the oil in a wok. When hot, add the pork in batches and fry until well browned all over then remove with a slotted spoon and set aside as you cook the next batch.

Pour the curry sauce into the wok and bring to a simmer then stir in the chilli powder and return the meat to the pan. Cook, stirring frequently, for about 20 minutes, or until the pork is cooked thorough then add the malt vinegar. Continue coking for 5 minutes more.

Now add the basic onion paste along with the garam masala. Stir to combine and cook for 2 minutes more. Turn into a warmed dish, garnish with the coriander and serve.

Sweet and Hot Vegetable Curry

Sweet and Hot Vegetable Curry is a classic British restaurant-style curry for a vegetarian curry of courgettes, cauliflower, chickpeas and spinach in a tomato and and lemon juice base flavoured with vindaloo curry paste.

Ingredients:

1 tbsp vegetable oil

3 tbsp
vindaloo curry paste

1 tbsp soft brown sugar

juice of 1/2 lemon

2 courgettes, ends removed and sliced thickly

300g (2/3 lb) cauliflower florets

400g (14 oz) passata (sieved tomatoes)

400g (14 oz) tin of chickpeas, drained and rinsed

250g (9 oz) spinach leaves, well washed and drained

salt and freshly-ground black pepper, to taste

Method

Heat the oil in a large pan, add the curry paste and fry the mixture for 1 minute. Scatter over and stir in the sugar and lemon juice and cook for 1 minute more then stir in the courgettes and cauliflower.

Cook this mixture for 2 minutes then add in the passata, along with 100ml (2/5 cup) water and the chickpeas. Adjust the seasonings to taste then bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer, cover with a lid and cook for 15 minutes.

Just before serving, add the spinach. Stir to combine and allow to just wilt. As soon as the spinach leaves wilt take off the heat and serve immediately, accompanied by basmati rice.

Lamb Rogan Josh

Lamb Rogan Josh is a traditional British for what is probably the most popular of all curry-restaurant dishes. This is a curry of lamb cooked in a spiced curry sauce base that’s finished with yoghurt, onion paste and spices.

Ingredients

500g (1 lb) lamb, cut into bite-sized chunks

4 tbsp ghee (or vegetable oil)

750ml (3 cups) Restaurant curry sauce

2 tbsp paprika

1 tbsp hot chilli powder

2 tbsp cashew nut paste (pound cashew nuts in a mortar with a little water until you have a smooth paste)

1 tbsp ground cumin

3 tbsp natural yoghurt (any thick or set yoghurt)

1 tbsp garam masala

2 tbsp basic onion paste

salt and freshly-ground black pepper, to taste

finely-shredded coriander leaves, to garnish

Method:

Heat the ghee or oil in a wok and use to fry the lamb, in batches, until nicely browned all over. When the lamb has been cooked, return to the wok along with 250ml (1 cup) of the curry sauce. Bring to a simmer, cover with a lid and cook gently for about 60 minutes, or until the lamb is tender. Stir occasionally during the cooking time and add hot water if the sauce becomes too thick and looks like it might burn.

Now add the remaining curry sauce, along with the paprika, cumin, chilli powder and cashew paste. Bring the mixture to a boil then reduce to a gentle simmer and slowly stir in the yoghurt, a little at a time. Adjust the seasonings to taste then stir in the onion paste and garam masala. Cook for 2 minutes more (make sure it does not boil).

Turn the resultant rogan josh into a warmed serving dish, garnish with the coriander and serve accompanied by white rice and/or naan bread.

Other British Curries

Though the majority of the curries given above are what might be considered ‘British’ curries, here are a few other classic British curries or curry dishes. Here you will find classic recipe like Coronation Chicken that have a curry powder base, or versions of curries that use unusual ingredients, such as rhubarb. Other recipes have been adapted to be cooked quickly in a pressure cooker, or are British Fusion recipes, such as Java Chicken.

Coronation Chicken

Coronation Chicken is a traditional British recipe for a classic sandwich filling or salad topping of chicken boiled with vegetables and herbs where the chicken meat is chopped and served in a mayonnaise sauce with cream, curry paste, tomato puree, red wine, onion and apricot jam.

This is a classic cold chicken sandwich filling but also makes an excellent topping for salads or even a main meal with pitta bread or served on a bed of rice.

The recipe was developed for Elizabeth II’s coronation in 1953 by Constance Spry and Rosemary Hume who were seeking a new recipe for the coronation banquet. Spry proposed the recipe of cold chicken, curry cream sauce and dressing that would later become known as coronation chicken. The recipe itself was probably inspired by Jubilee Chicken, a dish prepared for the silver jubilee of George V in 1935 that mixed chicken with mayonnaise and curry.

Ingredients:

2.5kg (5 lb) chicken

2 onions

1 carrot

1 bouquet garni

1 bay leaf

1 tbsp butter

1/2 lemon

For the sauce:

1 tsp curry paste

1 tbsp tomato purée

120ml (1/2 cup) red wine

1/2 lemon

1 onion, quartered

300g (2/3 lb) mayonnaise

120ml (1/2 cup) cream

1 tbsp apricot jam

1 bay leaf

salt and freshly-ground black pepper, to taste

2 sprigs of watercress

butter for frying

Method:

Stuff the lemon half into the chicken’s cavity then place this in a pot large enough to hold it comfortably. Add in the vegetables, bouquet garni and bay leaf, season with salt and pepper then add enough water so that it comes 2/3 the way up the side of the chicken. Bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer then cover the pan and cook the chicken for about 100 minutes, or until the juices run clear when the thickest part of the breast or thigh is pierced with a skewer.

Once the chicken has cooked transfer to a large bowl, cover with the liquid from the saucepan and allow to cool to room temperature. Once cold remove the chicken from the liquid, remove the skin and take the flesh off the bones. Cut the meat into cubes and set aside.

Take the quartered onion and fry in a little butter until softened. Add the tomato purée, wine, bay leaf, curry paste and lemon juice to the pan and cook for 10 minutes. Stir-in the jam at this point and cook until melted and incorporated. Strain the sauce into a clean bowl then beat-in the mayonnaise. When fully incorporate fold-in the cream and then the juice from the remaining lemon half then stir-in the chicken.

Spoon onto a serving dish and garnish with the watercress.

Curried Red Cabbage Slaw

Curried Red Cabbage Slaw is a modern British recipe, based on Coronation chicken for an accompaniment of red cabbage, bell pepper and onion in a lightly-curried yoghurt and mayonnaise base.

Ingredients:

1/2 red cabbage, very thinly sliced

1 red bell pepper, very thinly sliced

1/2 red onion, chopped

4 tbsp red wine vinegar

4 tbsp sugar

1/5 tsp curry powder

120ml (1/2 cup) Greek yoghurt

120ml (1/2 cup) mayonnaise

3 handfuls of raisins

salt and freshly-ground black pepper, to taste

Method:

Combine the cabbage, bell pepper and red onion in a large bowl then toss to combine.

In a small pan, heat together the vinegar and sugar until the sugar has dissolved. Pour this dressing over the vegetables, toss gently then set aside to cool slightly.

In the meantime, beat together the mayonnaise and yoghurt until smooth. Mix this into the cabbage mixture then season with the curry powder and add salt and freshly-ground black pepper, to taste.

Mix in the raisins then cover and set aside in the refrigerator to chill for at least 2 hours before serving. Just before serving drain off any excess liquid and toss the ingredients to ensure that they are evenly combined.

Lamb Curry with Winter Vegetables and Spinach

Lamb Curry with Winter Vegetables and Spinach is a modern British Fusion recipe for a classic Indian-style curry of lamb cooked with curry, spices, herbs, tomatoes, winter root vegetables and spinach in a chicken stock base.

Ingredients:

80ml (1/3 cup) ghee (or oil)

2 tsp cumin seeds

2 tsp whole cloves

1kg (2 lb) boned leg of lamb, cut into 3cm cubes

2 green chillies, split lengthways

3 green cardamom leaves

175g (5 1/2 oz) parsnips, peeled and cut into 1cm cubes

175g (5 1/2 oz) turnips, peeled and cut into 1cm cubes

175g (5 1/2 oz) carrots, peeled and cut into 1cm cubes

2 large onions, finely chopped

360ml (1 1/2 cups) chicken stock

2 garlic cloves, finely chopped

250g (9 oz) fresh tomatoes, blanched, peeled and chopped

45g (1 1/2 oz) fresh ginger, grated

420g (1 lb, scant) spinach leaves, finely chopped

2 tsp hot chilli powder

1/2 tsp ground cloves

1/2 tsp freshly-grated nutmeg

1/2 tsp ground mace