Curry making Virgin here. A v v simple first recipe please ladies?

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Preferrably with chicken or just a veg one please. I have always wanted to cook a curry so I need something simple to start me off.

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Are you open to using a pre made paste?

In which case, a very easy quick chicken curry is:

Fry a large sliced onion in a little oil then once it softens, add about 300 - 400g chicken breasts, cut into large bite sized chunks and fry until browned. Add about two tablespoons of Pataks Rogan Josh curry paste and continue to stir in for about a minute. Then add a 2 tins of chopped tomato (you can add one and a tin of hot water too if you like instead). Cover and simmer for about 20 minutes. To serve stir through some chopped coriander and if you want, a little plain yoghurt.

Also a nice chickpea curry can e:

Fry sliced onion and red/yellow peppers (try one of each) in some oil and butter with some garlic, then when softening add about a teaspoon each of curry powder, cumin and coriander and a dash of cinnamon. Add a tin of chickpeas and a tin of tomatoes , about half a butternut cut into chunks and about 100 ml stock (you want everything covered, but not too wet so if it's looking quite moist already, leave out the stock). Simmer for about 20 - 30 minutes until it's all nice and soft. Delicious with a yoghurt raita and some chutney.

Thai curry is mega-easy. Just a bought Thai paste and some coconut milk.

Otherwise, Nigella's mattar paneer (cheesy peas!) is v easy and delicious.

Or there's a decent Jamie Oliver curry recipe, that you can make with meat, fish or vege. Will try and find it.

yummy curry recipe really easy to make and so much nicer than shop bought (promise )

I use a hand held blender/food processor to make the paste as follows:

5 x clove garlic
1 x onion
1 x fresh chili (red or green)
1 tbs cumin powder
2x teaspoon (tsp) ground coriander
1 x tsp turmeric
1 x tsp chili powder
piece of fresh ginger (thumbnail sized piece)bunch of fresh coriander

Mince all the above together in the blender with some vegetable oil til you get a paste
Put this paste into a pan on the hob and heat slightly, then add 2 packs of chicken thighs (chopped) and coat the chicken inthe paste.
I often choose to add muchrooms/peppers/leeks to this mix but you don;t have to.
Add 200 ml chicken stock (oxo is fine)
Then add 2 x tins tomatoes
Add 150g red lentils and let thicken

Can add cream if you like at the end (I don't)
Tis delicious, honest (i'm not a great cook and I love this curry)

Chiken & coconut one - v. easy

Slice 2 onions fry in vege oil - fry until going golden brown

add a teaspoon of Tumerick fry for a minute - add 5 green Cardomons (cracked open with a rolling pin / back of a knife but still in their pods), 5 whole cloves and a teaspoon each of ground corriander and Cumin (tastes better if you grind them yourself). And a couple of green chillis or powder or flakes

Add a large bunch of corriander and cook - stiring constantly over a low heat - until you get a really unatractive sludge - about 10 minutes.

Add the chicken peices and coat.

Add a tin of coconut milk and 400ml of water and a stock cube.

put a lid on and cook until the chicken is done - about 20 minutes.

to serve add a squeeze of lemon and a bit of chopped corriander.

Maduhr Jaffreys curry bible is really good as well.

Jamie O one

wow! Thanks all for the recipes, I shall give them a go and let you know how I get on!

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