Fenugreek, tomato and okra curry
To stop the okra becoming too slimy, prepare it a day in advance as below.
Serves 4
800g okra
175ml sunflower oil
1 tsp fenugreek seeds
1 tsp brown mustard seeds
¼ tsp asafoetida
400g tin of peeledplum tomatoes, finely chopped or blended
1¼ tsp salt
1¼ tsp turmeric
2–4 tsp ground coriander
½ tsp ground cumin
2 handfuls of fresh coriander, finely chopped
For the masala
3–4 fresh green chillies, seeds left in
3–4 garlic cloves
A pinch of salt
1 Wash and dry the okra. Dice into 1cm chunks, spread on a baking tray and leave uncovered to oxidize and dry for 24 hours.
2 For the masala: crush or blend the chillies and garlic together with a pinch of salt using a pestle and mortar (or blender) to make a fine paste.
3 Heat 150ml of the oil in a large lidded frying pan for about 1 minute over a high heat, then add the okra; fry for about 6 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove the okra to the baking tray a spoonful at a time, squeezing against the side of the pan to drain off the oil.
4 Gently heat the remaining oil in a pan, then add the fenugreek and mustard seeds. When the seeds start to pop, add the asafoetida and tomatoes. Reduce the heat to low, stir in the masala paste, salt, turmeric, ground coriander and cumin and half the fresh coriander. Cook uncovered for about 3 minutes.
5 Return the okra to the sauce, taking care not to break it up. Cover and simmer for about 4 minutes over a medium heat, then remove and rest for 10 mins to infuse the flavours.
6 Gently reheat, sprinkle with the remaining coriander and serve with rice.
Prashad: Indian Vegetarian Cooking by Kaushy Patel (Saltyard)
Beef rendang
You need to let this cook a long time to reach its optimum level of sticky, dark richness.
Serves 6-8
2 red onions, roughly chopped
5 garlic cloves, peeled
2 tbsp grated ginger
6 large, red chillies, 3 deseeded and roughly chopped, 3 roughly chopped
3 lemongrass stalks, white part only, roughlychopped
3 tbsp light-flavoured oil
2 tbsp ground cumin
2 tbsp ground coriander
2 tsp turmeric
2kg stewing steak, diced
400ml tin coconut milk
400ml water
2 cinnamon sticks
1 tbsp tamarind paste or lime juice
2 tsp salt
1 tbsp soft brown sugar
1 Place onion, garlic, ginger, chillies and lemongrass in a food processor and pulse to a paste. Heat the oil in a large heavy-based pan over a medium heat. Add the paste and the cumin, coriander and turmeric and cook, stirring, for 2 minutes until fragrant.
2 Add the stewing steak and cook over high heat for 4-5 minutes until the beef is just sealed. Add the coconut milk, 400ml water, cinnamon sticks, tamarind paste, salt and sugar and bring to the boil. Reduce the heat and simmer, uncovered, for 2-2 ½ hours, stirring occasionally, or until the meat starts to break up and most of the liquid evaporates. Serve with steamed rice and steamed Asian greens.
Bill's Everyday Asian by Bill Granger (Quadrille)
Prawn and pineapple curry
Macadamia nuts add a rich sweetness to this dish from Malaysia.
Serves 4–6
3 tbsp vegetable or groundnut oil
Flesh from ½ small pineapple, peeled and diced
2 tbsp palm sugar
Salt
400ml water
500g raw prawns, peeled but with tails on
3 small tomatoes, cut into quarters
300ml coconut milk
A small bunch of spring onions, chopped into 2½ cm lengths to garnish
For the paste
2 thick lemongrass stalks, thinly sliced
3 shallots, chopped
1 garlic clove, finely chopped
3 red chillies, chopped
1 green chilli, chopped
1 tsp ground turmeric
4–6 macadamia nuts
2–3 tbsp water
1 Pound or blend together all the paste ingredients until smooth.
2 Heat the oil in a wok and fry the paste over a medium heat for 5–8 minutes. Add the pineapple and fry for 2–3 minutes. Add the sugar, some salt and the water. Bring to the boil and simmer for 3–5 minutes until the pineapple softens.
3 Add the prawns and simmer for 4–5 minutes till they turn pink and opaque. Add the tomatoes and cook for 2 minutes, then add the coconut milk. Bring to the boil, stirring well. Simmer gently for a further 3–5 minutes. Serve with the spring onions.
Atul's Curries of the World by Atul Kochhar (Absolute Press)
Phaldari kofta ruby
Time is crucial for this dish – the koftas are delicate and might fall apart if left too long.
Serves 4
For the koftas
300g cauliflower, cut into florets
100g peas
200g carrots
200g french or green beans
1 tsp chilli powder
2 tsp garam masala
100g plain flour
150g potatoes, boiled and grated
A generous pinch of salt
For the stuffing
100g paneer
50g mild cheddar cheese, grated
20g sunflower seeds
20g cashew nuts
10g raisins
1 small green chilli, finely chopped
A handful of fresh coriander
Oil, for frying
For the 'ruby' sauce
100ml vegetable oil
300g onion, chopped very finely or minced
80g minced ginger
90g minced garlic
1 tsp red chilli powder
1 tsp cumin powder
½ tsp garam masala
150g tomato puree
60ml double cream
1 For the koftas, grate the veg and squeeze out the excess moisture. Mix in the spices, flour, potatoes and seasoning to a doughy texture.
2 For the stuffing, combine the paneer, cheddar, sunflower seeds, cashews and raisins with the chillies and coriander. Roll the kofta mixture into golf-ball-sized dumplings then stuff with a generous tsp of the paneer mix.
3 Fry the dumplings in 2cm hot oil till golden brown.
4 For the sauce, fry the onions in oil until golden brown. Add the minced ginger and garlic and cook until coloured. Add the red chilli powder, cumin and garam masala. Sprinkle in a little water and continue to fry.
5 Add the tomato puree and cook for 4-5 minutes until the sauce is smooth and a rich red colour. Finish by stirring through the cream, and serve together.
Recipe by Dishoom restaurant
Massaman lamb curry
The name of this curry means "Muslim", as the Thais used Muslim traders' spices to add depth and enrich its flavour.
Serves 4
3 tsp dried chilli flakes
1 tbsp ground ginger
2 tsp cumin seeds
1 tsp white peppercorns
Seeds from 5 cardamom pods (about ¼ tsp)
1 tsp salt
½ red onion, roughly chopped
6 garlic cloves, crushed with the flat of a knife
1 lemongrass, white part only, roughly chopped
2 tbsp chopped coriander roots
3 tbsp light-flavoured oil
4 French-trimmed lamb shanks (about 1.3kg)
400ml tin coconut milk
400ml water
1 tbsp granulated sugar
1 tbsp fish sauce
400g new potatoes, halved
1 tbsp lime juice
2 tbsp chopped roasted peanuts
A large handful of coriander leaves
1 Preheat the oven to 160C/320F/gas mark 2-3. Combine the chilli flakes, ground ginger, cumin seeds, peppercorns, cardamom and salt with the onion, garlic, lemongrass, coriander roots and 1 tbsp of oil in a blender and blend as finely as possible.
2 On a medium-high heat, brown the lamb shanks in the remaining oil in a large flameproof casserole dish. Take them out and add the curry paste mix and stir for 2 minutes or till fragrant. Return the lamb to the dish, add coconut milk, 400ml water, the sugar and fish sauce and bring to boil, then remove.
3 Add the potatoes and put in the oven for 1¾-2 hours, turning the lamb 2-3 times while cooking, until the meat is tender and falling off the bone and the sauce has reduced. Skim any fat off the surface and discard. Stir in the lime juice and scatter with peanuts. Serve with coriander leaves and steamed rice.
Bill's Everyday Asian by Bill Granger (Quadrille)
Garlicky black chickpea and potato curry
If you can't find black chickpeas, this works very well with ordinary tinned chickpeas too.
Serves 4
1 large red-skinned (or other waxy) potato
150ml sunflower oil
2 tsp cumin seeds
1 handful of fresh coriander, finely chopped
1¼ tsp salt
2–4 tsp ground coriander
½ tsp ground cumin
½ tsp garam masala
1½ tsp turmeric
3 x 400g tins of desi chana (black chickpeas), rinsed and drained
1 lemon, quartered, to serve
For the masala
3–5 fresh green chillies, seeds left in
4–6 garlic cloves
3cm root ginger, peeled and roughly chopped
A pinch of salt
1 Boil the potato in its skin until a knife tip will slide in easily, leave to cool, then peel and cut into 2cm cubes and leave to cool.
2 For the masala, crush or blend the chillies, garlic and ginger with salt to a paste.
3 Fry the cumin seeds in medium-hot oil till they start to brown – less than a minute – then reduce the heat to low.
4 Add the masala paste, fresh and ground coriander, salt, ground cumin, garam masala and turmeric; cook for 2 minutes. Add the desi chana and cook covered for 5 minutes so the spices infuse the chickpeas.
5 Fold in the potato without breaking it up. Cover, cook for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Serve with lemon and rice.
Prashad: Indian Vegetarian Cooking by Kaushy Patel (Saltyard)
Creamy pistachio curry
This is a lovely delicate, pale curry where you can taste all the vegetables.
Serves 4
100g butternut squash or sweet potato, cubed
100g cauliflower, cut into 3-4cm florets
100g broccoli, cut into 3-4cm florets
50g mangetout, trimmed (or other beans or peas)
For the curry sauce
60g pistachios
4 tbsp vegetable oil
6 cloves
6 green cardamom pods
5cm cassia bark or cinnamon stick
1 tsp caraway seeds
1 smallish onion, finely chopped
1-2 green chillies, whole but pierced
20g root ginger, peeled weight, grated
4 garlic cloves, peeled and grated
1¼ tsp ground cumin
2 tsp ground coriander
5 tbsp yoghurt
A large pinch of freshly ground black pepper
5 tbsp single cream
1 tbsp dried mint, crumbled
1 Bring a pot of salted water to the boil and salt lightly. Add the vegetables in order of cooking time: starchier vegetables first (here squash), then the cauliflower 5 minutes later then the broccoli and mangetout 2 minutes later. Cook until they are tender. Drain, saving the cooking water.
2 Soak the pistachios for 5 minutes in boiling water. Rub in a clean tea towel to remove the skins. Roughly chop a third of the nuts. Blend the rest until smooth, adding a little water.
3 In a large nonstick saucepan heat the oil and add the cloves, cardamom, cassia and caraway seeds, then the onion and green chillies. Cook until the edges of the onion are golden. Add the ginger and garlic and fry till golden.
4 Add the cumin, coriander and yoghurt, bring to the boil, then cook and stir until the masala thickens and releases oil back into the pan – around 5-8 minutes. Taste; if it does not seem harmonious cook for another minute.
5 Add the veg, some of the cooking water, the black pepper, cream and bothblended and chopped pistachios. Cook for another 2 minutesuntil everything comes together. The sauce should be creamy but not too thick. Check the seasoning, crumble the mint on top, and serve.
Anjum's Indian Vegetarian Feast by Anjum Anand (Quadrille)
Bengal tiger lentil curry
A classic north Indian dish, great with rice or Indian breads.
Serves 4–5
20g root ginger, peeled weight, half of it sliced into fine julienne
4 garlic cloves, peeled
4 small-ish tomatoes, quartered
175g Bengal gram (chana dhal)
75g split black gram (dhuli hui ma dhal)
½ tsp turmeric
Salt, to taste
4 tbsp vegetable oil (or half oil, half ghee)
2 tsp cumin seeds
1 large onion, finely chopped
2 tsp ground coriander
1 tsp ground cumin
¾ tsp garam masala
¼–½ tsp chilli powder
A handful of chopped coriander leaves
10–20g unsalted butter, to serve (optional)
1 Blend the ginger and garlic with a little water until smooth. Separately blend the tomatoes until smooth. Wash the lentils in several changes of water till the water runs clear and tip them into a large pot with enough water to cover by 7cm. Bring to the boil, skimming the surface froth. Add turmeric and some salt. Cook partially covered till the lentils start to break down a little. Stir more often as they become tender.
2 After about 40 minutes start the tarka (keep stirring the lentils) heat the oil or ghee in a small non-stick saucepan. Add the cumin seeds till they sizzle and darken. Add the onion and cook till it colours at the edges. Add the ginger and garlic paste and cook till extra moisture evaporates and the garlic colours. Add the tomatoes and remaining spices and cook downfor 10–15 minutes until it releases oil.
3 Add the tarka to the lentils, adding water from the kettle if too thick; it should be a lovely unctuous mass (if not, cook a little longer, adding water if necessary). Taste; adjust the seasoning. Stir in coriander and butter, if using, and serve.
Anjum's Indian Vegetarian Feast by Anjum Anand (Quadrille)
Black pepper chicken curry
This curry demonstrates the different levels of flavour that pepper can bring to a dish.
Serves 4
4 tsp freshly cracked Kampot peppercorns
1 tsp turmeric
Juice of ½ a lemon
1 tsp salt
1.5kg chicken, skinned and jointed, or 8 skinned chicken thighs
3 onions, half thinly sliced, half roughly chopped
3 garlic cloves, crushed
3cm piece root ginger, peeled and grated
Olive oil
Steamed rice and chapatis, to serve
1 Combine ¼ of the black pepper, turmeric, lemon juice and a pinch of salt, and rub over the chicken. Marinate, covered in a large dish, for a few hours.
2 Blend the roughly chopped onions with the garlic and ginger to make a paste.
3 Toast the remaining pepper in a hot, dry pan till there's a delicious, nutty scent andit begins to smoke. Shake the pan to avoid burning.
4 Heat the oil in a heavy-based lidded frying pan. Fry the sliced onions till soft and golden. Add the onion paste and fry till the liquid evaporates and it starts to brown. Add the pepper (save a pinch for later) and marinated chicken with its juices, the water and ½ tsp salt. Bring to the boil, cover and simmer for 30 minutes, until the chicken is cooked through – add water if the curry is too thick.
5 Serve the curry sprinkled with the reserved toasted pepper, with rice and chapatis.
Spice Trip by Stevie Parle and Emma Grazette (Square Peg)
Rogan josh shepherd's pie
This dish combines two of Britain's dearest culinary loves: curry and shepherd's pies!
Serves 6
2 tbsp vegetable oil
4 cloves
2 bay leaves
2 green cardamom pods, 1 black cardamom pod
2 dried red chillies
1 tsp cumin seeds
2 garlic cloves, chopped
3 onions, 2 finely chopped and 1 sliced
1 tsp salt
500g boned leg of lamb, diced
1½ tbsp ginger and garlic paste
200ml stock or water
2 tsp red chilli powder
2 tsp ground coriander
2 tsp ground cumin
700g lean lamb mince
2 tbsp tomato purée
25g plain yoghurt
½ sweet potato, finely diced
100g celeriac, finely diced
100g turnip, finely diced
2 tsp chopped fresh coriander leaves and stalks
For the potato topping
200g floury potatoes, peeled and quartered
½ tsp ground turmeric
A pinch of salt
25g butter
15g cheddar, grated
For the spice mix
3 green cardamom pods
2 star anise
2cm piece of cinnamon stick
1 tsp fennel seeds
1 For the potato topping, add the potatoes to a pan of boiling water with the turmeric and salt. Cook until tender. Drain, then mash them with the butter and cheddar cheese.
2 Heat the oil in a large, heavy-bottomed pan and add the cloves, bay leaves, the three cardamom pods, chillies and cumin seeds. When the seeds crackle, add the garlic. Cook till golden, then add the onion and 1 tsp salt. Cook, stirring, on a medium heat for 4–6 minutes, until translucent. Add the dicedlamb, ginger and garlic paste and cook, stirring, on a medium-high heat for 4–5 minutes, until lightly browned. Reduce the heat, add 200ml stock and simmer, uncovered, for 30 minutes.
3 For the spice mix, toast the whole spices and fennel seeds in a dry frying pan on medium heat for 1-2 minutes till the aromas are released. Remove from the pan and grind or pound them to a fine powder. Set aside.
4 After the lamb has cooked for 30 minutes, add the chilli powder and ground coriander and cumin and stir for 5 minutes on a medium-low heat. Add the minced lamb and tomato purée and stir in the yoghurt.
5 Cook for another 20 minutes till the meat is tender. Add sweet potato, celeriac, turnip, sliced onion and the spice mix and cook for a further 5–8 minutes until the veg is tender. Check seasoning and add fresh coriander.
6 Transfer to a pie dish and top with potato. Transfer to an oven preheated to 200C/400F/gas mark 6 and bake for 10–12 minutes until golden on top. Serve with a green salad.
Cinnamon Kitchen: The Cookbook by Vivek Singh (Absolute)
