I'd like to make a curry but I'm a virgin

[skyebluepink]

obv I mean a curry virgin. I'd like to get into curry making but I feel overwhelmed by all the spices and stuff - there always seems to be a great long list of them that then stay in my cupboard unused for ten years til I chuck them.

I'm thinking aubergine? Though am open to suggestion.

I quite like this chicken curry (not sure if you are a vegetarian from your post)

Serves 2-3

2 chicken breasts cut into small pieces
2 onions diced
3 carrots cut in half and then into pieces diagonally iyswim
Runner beans, sliced through a bean slicer and then into inch pieces
2 tbsps red thai curry paste (we use Barts)
1 tin coconut milk
1/2 pint chicken stock.

Fry the onions for a few minutes and then add the carrots and fry for a further five minutes or so. Chuch in the chicken and cook until sealed then add the curry paste. Cook for another minute or so and then add both the coconut milk and chicken stock. Simmer for 15 mins. Then add the beans and simmer for a further 10 mins. Sometimes it needs a bit of thickening with a tbsp of cornflour mixed with a bit of cold water at the end.

DH likes it with rice, I like naan and poppadoms

It's quite a mild curry so if you like it spicy just add more curry paste.

:)

I love this recipe although it does have big list of spices, maybe they are not all so unusual
Baigan Burta
4 whole aubergines
4fl oz plain yoghurt
8 oz onions sliced lenthways
3 cloves garlic finely chopped
1oz fresh ginger finely chopped
3/4 cup veg oil
12 oz fresh small tomatoes halved
8 oz peas
3 green cardamons
3 cloves
1 tsp paprka
1/2 tsp turmeric
1/2 tsp chili powder
1/2tsp ground coriander
1/2 tsp ground black pepper
1 desrt spoon garam masala
Make a small slit in each aubergine and grill lightly for 30 mins(i just fling them in oven)Till they look wrinkled and dark
Soak then in cold water then scoop out the flesh discarding the skin. Mash flesh with yoghurt(this can be done in advance)

Fry onion, garlic and ginger in 1/2 cup oil, add half toms and keep frying
Add all spices but garam masala Add peas and fry 10 mins Stir often
Add aubergine/ yog mix salt to taste
Add garam masala Cook 5 more mins Serve garnished with remaining tomato( i think i usually put all toms in it)

Zimbos recipe sounds great. Barts yellow curry paste is lovely if you prefer something a little milder (chillies disagree with my DP but we love the flavours of the yellow one!)

We make one using onions, prawns and cherry tomatoes with coconut milk and yellow curry paste (follow Zimbos order of putting things in the pan!). This is a Thai curry rather than Indian though.

Madhur Jaffrey does a good (not-to-scary) cookbook, as does Anjum Anand, if you want to start experimenting (the spice lists tend to look intimidating to begin with, but once you've bought them for one recipe, they're pretty similar across the rest!).

I can second the recommendation for Anjum Anands books. I got one for xmas and haven't looked back.

If you don't want to go out and buy the individual spices then you could buy the Pataks curry pastes (not the sauce jars). All you need to do then is put the meat and/or veg and some chilli, garlic, coriander, ginger or whatever in with them. Good luck!

Yeah I was going to say Pataks curry paste too, it's a good way to start, tastes quite authenticish - not like the gloopy cook in sauces.

My top tip for curry is start with a big onion, cut it really fine then fry it for much longer than you normally would - 15 minutes, while you chop other stuff. Let it go see thru, then golden, then brown. Then chuck in your garlic and grated Ginger, then spices (or curry paste) then meat/veggies. Fry up 5 minutes. Then liquid - tomatoes, coconut milk. Water or stock and cook till done.

But the important thing is cooking the onions long - they break down and that is what thickens the sauce and makes it taste good.

Jamie Oliver has a good curry recipe that starts with all the whole spices. The book Cooking Like Mumaji is good.

We use this website, as it's full of ways to copy restaurant quality curries...it really is worth it!

curryonline

Thank you all very much. Some useful recipes and tips. I did a recipe from another curry thread I posted in chat ( as I got a faster response!) but I'm definitely going to work my way through these ones.

go to an asian grocers and buy some shaan curry packets, they have all the spices mixed up for you and full instructions. Much nicer than curry paste cos u use real spices but you save on having to buy indivual spices u wont use much

Thanks muslimah. Is that what you do or is it just for lazys like me?!

never used to do it as i saw it as lazy lol but now i only cook a curry once a week and now the shaan packets come in handy when i need to get it on with minimum hassle! So mostly i still cook from scratch and theyre for emergencies. But i defo recommend them for an authentic taste.

You could try one of the Hares Moors kits: www.ocado.com/webshop/product/Hares-Moor-DIY-Curry-Kit-Korma-Masala/56400011?from=search&tags=%7C20000&param=hares&parentContainer=SEARCHhares_SHELFVIEW

The kis include all the spices, coconut, etc you need in theright quantities. You still have to debark, grate, chop, etc. But you don't end up with lots of wasted ingredients, esp in the first instances of trying the curries. After that you can always decide which you like an dbuy in what you need as approproate.

I recommend Hugh Furnleys chicken curry - perfect!

www.channel4.com/4food/recipes/chefs/hugh-fearnley-whittingstall/baked-chicken-curry-recipe

Also rick stein does a prawn caladine.

I buy lots of my herbs and spices from the local indoor market - a hell of a lot cheaper that any supermarket. Alo stock up a food festivals etc.