Curries!

[Annie456]

Hello! I'm trying to expand my repertoire as I'm bored of the same dinners over and over. I love food with complex flavours and I'm keen to cook more curry. I've exhausted my cook books and not been inspired by anything so would appreciate some recommendations. Is it cheating to use a curry paste as a base? This would be my preference. I'm also especially keen to get links to veggie curries. (Though not exclusively!) thanks folks....

It's not cheating to use a curry paste, but I'd you cook a lot of curries and have a good range of spices it becomes second nature to cook from scratch. Are you in a city? Get yourself to an ethnic supermarket and stock up on

Cumin (ground and seeds)
Coriander (ground and seeds)
Fenugreek (ground)
Tumeric (ground)
Mustard seeds
Nigella seeds
Chillie powder or dried chillies.
Garam masala

It sounds like a lot - if you bought the Schwartz jars in Tesco it would prob be around £20 - but if you go to cheap place it will be much, much less. That lot, plus salt, lemon, garlic, ginger and fresh chillies and coriander will give you everything you need.

For books, the only curry book I use regularly is Cooking like Mummyji by Vicky Bhogal. She is a British Sikh and the book is basically how Sikhs cook at home. I made a few recipes from there, then just went off in my own way and very rarely use a recipe to make curry now. And I make curry practically every week. Good luck!

Thanks, yes I live in a city so ethnic food shops are no problem. Will have a look for that book too.
Anyone have any links to specific (recommended) recipes?

The Hairy Bikers Great Curries book is also great.
I second the spice shopping list, once you've got them in curries become incredibly cheap to keep knocking out. The ones you will go through masses of are cumin & coriander so get big packs of those!!