Can anyone help me with curry?!

[EenyMeenyMinyNo]

We never ate curry as children, my husband doesn't like curry and I didn't 'think' I did either. But... when I go to a favourite restaurant I often order 'Bobotie', which I know is curried meat. So if I love Bobotie, what (type of) curry recipe might I enjoy to both cook and eat? Can anyone help please?

Most recipes for bobotie use madras curry paste or powder so I would think any simple curry recipe would work for you that isn't too spicy! But honestly you know what I would do to start off with - go to the supermarket and get a Patak's tikka masala curry kit and follow the instructions on the back. It will make you a lovely warming crowd pleasing curry that will be about the same spice level as bobotie. If you don't like it, you'll at least have an idea of what you might like instead (possibly something sweeter like a korma).

I lovingly make my own curry pastes and sometimes when I get a kit from the shop I wonder why I bother, the kits are generally excellent.

Thankyou so much Xiaoxiong, that is extremely helpful. I just needed a nudge as I have looked at several Bobotie recipes but ended up confused!! I shall follow your advice and worst comes to worse my 11yr old will like It, she thankfully eats anything

If you would like a good, easy, traditional South Africa recipe for Bobotie I can track mine down. Haven't made it for a while but it has always gone down well when I make it.

Growing up, bobotie was something we ate as children - the curry is mild and the extras are sweet. I am not sure what would be similar in terms of Indian curries. Maybe a tikka masala?

I often use Madras or jalfrezi paste, add onions and peppers for the jalfrezi and any meat you want, any extra chili if you want those but you don't have to with a paste already made and if it's too spicy, yoghurt in the side to mix in or add some coconut milk to the whole thing.

If you find you prefer a sweeter curry (my husband does) then base it on coconut milk, and use a mild curry paste. I make sure I don't burn the onions and garlic (as that makes them bitter) and I always throw in a handful of raisins to the curry whilst it is cooking. If I have a packet of ground almonds, I also pop in a tablespoon or so of that, and it sweetens it beautifully. We really enjoy fruit on the side as well and often have sliced peeled oranges alongside it. It's weird, but something my Mum did in the 70s and we both have a taste for it, despite the faces pulled by other people!

Bloom I would be very interested in having your full sweeter curry recipe please. It sounds really nice! My DS might also eat it. I tend to make chicken tikka masala, but I would like to make a sweeter curry, like a korma, with ground almonds and raisins, as you suggest.

Is it literally soften onions and garlic, add a tin of coconut milk, raisins and almonds? What spices and coriander?) do you also add and is there any more to it?

Oh wow, I don't really follow a recipe, I've been making it so long. I'll have a go though!!

Soften chopped onion, crushed garlic and fresh grated ginger in a little oil, over a warm heat. Sprinkle with a little salt to stop it going brown. To keep it sweet, I always turn the heat on AFTER the stuff is in the oil, so it warms gradually. Soften for about 3 or 4 mins, till the onion goes transluscent.

Add chunks of chicken (breast or thigh, or you could use turkey, or even pork, I guess) and turn the heat up a little to brown. Stir in a table spoon of curry paste of your choice (although I tend to use the mild curry powder) and cook on a medium heat to toast the spices and get everything covered.

Pour over a can of coconut milk (I use the light, but it's your choice) and throw in a handful of raisins and a tablespoon of the ground almonds. Simmer until the meat is cooked through. If it gets too thick, just splosh in a little water.

Just before serving, stir in as much fresh chopped coriander as you like (or leave out, if you hate the stuff) and serve with rice / naan.

I peel whole oranges and slice these, to have with it. Fresh tomato is also nice. I also usually have mango chutney for OH and lime pickle for me.

There's only two of us, so you'll need to adjust quantities to suit your family size. If I use a punnet of mushrooms as well as the chicken, one chicken breast does us both quite happily.

No curry experience but as a Saffa I think a lot of raisins are the secret.

Welcome to the wonderful world of curries OP, such a simple, healthy crowd pleasing dish if you can find a recipe you like. They can be veggie or meaty and really don't have to be full of chilli if you don't like too much spice. The advice on the thread is excellent, I would definitely start with a supermarket bought paste or kit in one of the milder spices (korma or tikka masala or madras all good options) and follow the instructions exactly as a starting point. Couple of tips I usually follow for curries (but don't worry too much for your first time!):

-I always cook the onions as the base of the curry very, very slowly and gently. Recipes for curry in the UK usually say to fry for 5 mins or so but I find giving them 20-30 on a really low heat gives a much better depth of flavour. Add some minced garlic and ginger for the last 5 mins.

-For beef or lamb curries I like to marinade the meat the night before and slow cook, makes it much more tender. Chicken, fish and veggies can just be browned in the paste and then cooked through in the liquid/sauce.

-For a milder, sweeter curry I use a tin of coconut milk as the liquid rather than water or stock as this tones down the heat and makes it creamier. I sometimes also stir through some plain yoghurt just before serving which also cools down the heat....

Lovely, thanks Bloom. I'm going to give that a try.

Jamie Oliver’s ministry of food cook book has some good curry recipes, you can either make up your own paste or use a Patsks paste in the recipe, you could cut down any amounts of chili’s used. His chicken tikka masala one is particularly good, smoky due to using smoked paprika rather than spicy.

I make a chickpea curry that uses black tea as the liquid! It works beautifully too.

Well what fabulous responses, thank you all so much! We experimented at the weekend with a masala and it was a hit. I didn't 'love' it but I ate and enjoyed it, and can see how i can adapt it better. I am really looking forward to trying more and finding lots of lovely new flavours :) So glad i posted!

Bloomcounty that sounds right up my flagpole, I shall research that one!