can you help me devise a curry recipe acceptable to my children please?

[elliott]

OK, am trying to extend our range a bit and would like to devise a homemade curry sauce that can be used with veggies, pulses (probably chickpeas), and/or fish.
It must be mild (no or miniscule chilli) and probably creamy (maybe coconut milk?).
Ds1 does not like cooked onion (could get away with food processing it) or visible 'bits' and is generally wary of new things. However he does like lentil dal which is quite well flavoured with garlic, cumin, coriander etc.
Anyone any ideas how I can make a nice curry sauce? What would I use as the main bit of the liquid?
Indian and thai versions welcome!

Not very authentic but I make a prawn curry that my kids will eat. Take some curry paste (Pataks) sizzle for a bit then add a tin of tomatoes and some coconut milk (I stick to half a tin, you can freeze the rest). When it is bubbling nicely add some cooked prawns and heat through. Obviously you can add whatever veg they tolerate. My kids particularly like the bits that go with it, popadums, naan a bit of yoghurt etc.

I was kind of trying to avoid using a shop bought base
but coudl give it a whirl. Are there any that are v v v mild?

In one of my children cook books there is a recipe for curry. Do you want it?

yes please!

www.mumsnet.com/Recipes?call=RecipePage&pid=2647

Child-friendly chicken korma recipe on the MN recipes section!

Do you have my email? I've got a really easy recipe that my kids love. I reckon even my nephews would eat it . It's my mum's.

I puree (as in one of those hand held blade thingies) an onion or two, garlic, maybe some ginger, tablespooon of cumin and one of coriander, bit of turmeric, teaspoon of sugar, some garam masala (if I have it), and about half a green chili, deseeded, with about 2 tablespoons oil. Then fry the paste and lob in chicken pieces (or vegetables/whatever). Sometimes I put in cardamom pods if I have them at this stage. Then stir in a tin of coconut milk and the same volume of stock. Simmer for a bit. This is one of he few things I make that everyone will eat - known as "Yellow Curry".

Yes, that looks good, thanks. Blitzing the onion should make it acceptable to ds1!

hmm, I wonder if I could turn it into thai style with some different spices...

ah, found it: it's the sauce for the keralan chicken 'stew' my mother learned from her ayah, so the flour is actually authentic, suppose she used atta (chappati flour):

2 whole cardamom pods
piece of cinnamon
3-4 cloves
bayleaf
3-4 whole pepper

1 onion sliced really fine
3 garlic cloves chopped fine
small piece of ginger cut in fine julienne strips
[2 green chillies, slit - leave these out obviously if you don't want it hot!]

coconut milk, or ½ coconut milk and chicken stock
1 tablespoon butter, or butter and oil mixed
scant tablespoon of flour

pinch of turmeric, salt
squeeze of lemon to finish

Melt the butter, or butter and oil over gentle heat, and throw in whole spices. After a bit, throw in all the chopped ingredients, and stir until softened. Don?t brown anything. When everything is softened, toss in the flour and stir until smooth. Then pour in the coconut milk (or milk and stock). There should be enough to cover all the chicken pieces, when the time comes. Add the pinch of turmeric and the salt. Allow to come slowly to a simmer, and lower in the chicken pieces. Bring to a simmer again, and place in a slow oven until done. Finish with a squeeze of lime. You can add potatoes, carrots and peas as well, for a complete dish.

Vegetable Curry.

Makes 4 adult size portions.

15ml/1 tablespoon veg oil.
1 onion, peeled & finely chopped.
1 clove garlic, chopped.
15ml/1 tablespoon mild curry powder
1kg/2lb carrots, potatoes, cauliflower & green beans.
300ml/1/2 pint canned coconut milk
salt and black pepper to taste
100g/4oz frozen peas
150ml/5fl oz natural yogurt

Heat the oil, add the onion and garlic and fry until soft. Stir in the curry powder and cook for 1-2 minutes. Add the prepared vegetables and fry for a few minutes, stirring to coat them with the spices. Pour on the cocounut milk, add a little extra water if needed, cover and simmer gently until the vegetables are almost tender (Takes about 20 minutes) Season, add the peas and cook for another 15 minutes. Stir in the yogurt, heat through and serve with boiled rice.

Thanks to Carol Timperley.

I have more if you want.

This can be as mild as you like and you can put any other veg in it

Chickpea Curry

1 large onion, chopped
1 1/2 tbsp vegetable oil
2 garlic cloves,crushed
1/2 tsp chilli powder
1 tsp ground cumin
1/2 tsp ground coriander
1/2 tsp ground ginger
1 x 400g can chopped tomatoes
1 tbsp tomato puree
2 x 400g can chickpeas
450ml vegetable stock

Fry onion in oil until soft. Add garlic and spices and cook for 4-5 mins over medium heat.
Add remaining ingredients and bring to boil, then cover and simmer for 1hr.

I used to do it for DS2 when he was a baby and do half the quantities except tomatoes - left that as on tin. Leave out the chilli and add a bit of paprika instead

I do one where I stir fry veg (usually onion, carrot, pepper, maybe cabbage) and possibly chicken. All v thinly sliced. Then I stir in a teaspoon or so of curry paste (Balti or whatever is open) - if you don't use much it will be mild, then cook for a little while, then chuck in coconut milk. I usually serve it mixed with noodles. It's a bit of a cultural mish-mash but the dcs (1 and nearly 4) love it and it's getting them used to new flavours. It's not hugely sauce-y by the time it's cooked down - the mess would be unbearable.

wow, great - enough ideas there for me to play around with!
MI that one uses very similar spices to our dal recipe, so should be acceptable, even if I have to pick out the cloves and cardamom! (probably won't manage to source authentic chappati flour though )

Strangely enough I use whatever flour I can find . It is really lovely, and my two actually ask for it. Although I am going to experiment with more stock and a quite small amount of coconut milk next time, on account of DP's cholesterol count (high) and the absolutely whacking great amount of saturated fat in coconut milk. (Which, combined with the predisposition of the Asian Bloke to high cholesterol, accounts for the number of middle aged Asian Blokes handing in their dinner-pails rather too early in life.)

I always had to resort to jarred sauces for curry, because I just can't make a mild curry .

Thankfully DCs now they're teens are happier to eat something hotter!

We had this tonight:

1 x medium onion, chopped
4 large cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 small red chilli, chopped
3 medium carrots, sliced
1 large potato, peeled and chopped
3 large cauliflower florets, halved
2 medium courgettes, sliced
1 large yellow pepper, diced
1 tin tomatoes
2 dessert spoons Pataks madras curry paste
1 vegetable stock cube
salt, black pepper and mixed herbs
1 tbsp olive oil
dessert spoon mango chutney

heat the oil, and then fry the onion, chilli and garlic, then add all the veg and stir; season with salt, pepper and herbs

add the curry paste and stir in

pour roughly 3/4 pint boiling water onto the stock cube, and dissolve

when the veg is softened, add the stock and the tin of tomatoes

bring to the boil, add the mango chutney, turn the heat down, cover the pan and simmer for 1 hour.

take the lid off, and simmer for another 30 mins/till thickened to the texture that you like