Help! Need your favourite curry recipe please

[wintersapproaching]

Hi

I've got 3 cook books full of curry recipes but I cannot find one I like. There are lots of gorgeous sounding ones but I either lack confidence in my ability with some of the more complex ones or else some just dont seem what I'm looking for.

Friends are coming to lunch tomorrow and suggested curry so I said I would make a couple (was a bit tiddly at the time!)

So , please share your favourite (and hopefully tried and tested!) curry recipes with me.

DH going to stop at the supermarket on way home so can pick up the ingredients then as plan to make it tonight,

Thanks!

My favourite curry recipe comes in a jar of Patak's paste

Do you mean which spices to use or which type of curry to make?

Do you like Thai type curry, made with coconut milk or more of an Indian curry with cumin etc??

I have tried everything, pastes, starting from scratch, grinding own spices etc but am ashamed to say that I rely on Lloyd Grossman now!

I think a mix of pre-made paste and extra bits works well. I do a lamb rogan with Lots of onion, roughly chopped, fried then fry appropriate stewing lamb in chunks. Add a tablespoon or two of Patak Rogon Josh Paste and fry lightly. Then add tinned tomatoe and extras: cinnamon stick, cardomon pods, cloves (if you have any), additional fresh chilli chopped. Cook for 30 minutes - 3 hours depending on meat (I had gorgeous lamb shoulder a few weeks ago that I cooked for about 3 hours and it was phenomenal).

Easy, and by adding extra bits you remove some of the obviously from a jar element.

thanks for replies.

Looking for any recipes at all - the ones in the books looked very hard work, I just use jar of sauce and cook meat and onions and peppers but thought I would try and make a more authentic curry.

Probably Indian as well as DH doesnt like Thai curries.

Ohbling that sounds fantastic

dead easy:
gently fry finely chopped onion - do not brown; add 2 tsps each of garam masala, cumin, coriander, tumeric and hot chili powder (add a sprinkle of chili flakes if you want a bit of an extra kick); cook off for about 5 minutes; add diced chicken and cook 'til sealed; add a tin of coconut milk (I use the light variety) and a tin of chopped tomatoes. Cook on a low light for about 30-40 minutes. Lovely!

I've never mixed coconut milk and tomatoes. I'll have to try that 12Stone.

I do slightly similar ohbling.

I always cook onions and garlic first, add curry paste, tinned toms, maybe a few extra bits and some water/coconut milk/cream/creme fraiche.

Or I do a paneer and peas from scratch

it's absolutely gorgeous - there's never any left when I cook this - and I always do extra with the intention of freezing some

Definitely, sounds brilliant. I must buy some Garam masala though as I don't have any.

Can you tell me your peas and paneer from scratch, bearing in mind I am an idiot. I always have it in restaurants and love it even tho Dh says "cheesy peas" from The Fast Show all the time.

Sorry - that last request was for Mercy.

Would you also like a veggie one-for side dish perhaps?

Fry onion and garlic, add the spices (see 12stone recipe), then add aubergine and sweet potato cut in pieces, and tin of tomatoes.
If it is main dish or want it more filling, add some protein. A tin of drained chicpeas or some cashew nuts

Ok, it's a bit of a faff but worth it - my tip is to get the freshest paneer, if it's nearing its sell-by date it can be a bit 'squeaky' and slighty tough. To save time you can use tinned or creamed toms.

INGREDIENTS

1 block of paneer
1 small onion finely sliced
1-2 cloves of garlic crushed
Small knob of ginger, peeled and finely sliced
1 dried chilli
2 teaspoons ground coriander seeds or
powder
Half a teaspoon turmeric
Pinch garam masala
2/3 fresh tomatoes (largish)
2 handfuls of cooked or semi frozen peas peas
Small tub of double cream or creme fraiche
Vegetable oil

METHOD

Pour boiling water over tomatoes. Wait until skin cracks, and carefully peel skin off and chop finely.

Cut paneer into cubes, heat oil and fry in batches until golden brown. Drain cubes on kitchen roll.

In the same frying pan, add dried chilli to the remaining, onion, garlic and ginger (these 3 can be put in a blender first). Cook for a 3 mins or so on a low heat.

Add coriander and turmeric, cook for another 2 mins. Add chopped toms and cook for several mins. Add paneer and peas plus a tiny bit of water, simmer until peas cooked.

Add cream/creme fraiche, serve when piping hot and not too liquidy.

You can subsitute fresh spinach for peas to make saag paneer.

wow , fantastic!! Great ideas and recipes, I'll do the veggie side thing as well to break up the curries.

Made some samosas so should all be lovely together.

Thanks!

I must admit I make them from scratch and from pastes and find they are both nice.

Pataks Tikka Massala paste is really nice. Also, if you want tenderise the chicken before then mix with some paste with some plain yogurt and leave for a couple of hours, then cook. The meat is nice and tender and it adds a lovely colour to the meat.

This is fantastic - honestly..... and really easy once the paste bit is sorted

chicken dhansak

Pakoras are easy to make too. Also dhal to serve alongside veg curries - don't forget raita or a cucumber/tomato/onion salad with wine vinegar

Or fish or chicken tandoori.

Got this recipe years ago and often double or treble the basic sauce and put it in freezer for a quick fix whenever in curry mood.

Basic Curry Sauce

2 Ib onions
2 oz garlic
2 oz ginger
2 1/3rd pints (in total) of tinned tomatoes and water (I usually put around 2 tins toms and top rest up with water)
tsp salt
8 tbsp oil
1 tsp turmeric
1 tsp paprika

Peel garlic and ginger, blend to a paste.
Peel and slice onions and fry in oil until soft.
Add paste mix along with tomatoes and water.

Cook on hob for 45 mins.

Allow to cool and blend.

The above makes basic curry sauce and can be used for any further curry.

Chicken Curry

3rd of the above sauce.
1 tsp paprika
1 tsp salt
1 tsp chilli powder
1 tsp garam masala
½ tsp ground cumin
1 tbsp oil
Cream or creamed coconut(optional)
Fresh coriander
Chicken (or any meat, fish etc)

Fry spices in oil and add to basic curry sauce mix
Bring to boil
Lightly boil for a while (who knows how long?? Possibly hour or more?)
Skim scum off top

Seal chicken, add to sauce and cook.
Add coriander and cream.

If it tastes gorgeous remind everyone it?s my recipe ? if crap it?s all yours! xxxx

if you like thai curry you can buy a paste, I buy mine in a shop that sells chinese and thai food not sure if you would have one nearby.

But if you do all you need to do is fry the meat a little add the paste. then add coconut milk then the veg.

I add peppers, courgettes and onion at the end, maybe some baby corn to.

Mercy - thanks for paneer recipe. Will definitely try, but, bearing in mind I am an idiot, may substitute curry paste for spices and tinned toms for fresh. Hoping I don't ruin it too much. Thanks a lot.