The homemade curry thread
Discussion
Anyone into making these at home? I've been making it once or twice a week for a good 10 years now, as I love super spicy food, and my recipe is actually mostly healthy (depending on how much Ghee you start with!)
Based on a vindaloo/phall, here's how mine looks. Would love to see what other people do?
(Probably making one tonight, will try to remember to take photos)
Heat up some Ghee (up to you how much, the more the better the flavour, but obviously less healthy)
Add a diced white onion and a few cloves of chopped garlic
Optional grated ginger here too
Sweat this off for 10 mins or so
2 teaspoons ground Coriander
2 teaspoons ground Cumin
2 teaspoons vindaloo curry powder (optional)
1/2 teaspoon carolina reaper chilli powder
2 teaspoons garam massala
Allow this to cook on low-medium heat to become a bit of a paste
Add diced chicken
Cook this for a few mins so the chicken has been cooked all over ever so slightly
Add half tin chopped tomatoes (I whizz them up in a blender for a smoother curry)
Add chopped chillis if desired
Salt and pepper to taste
Allow to reduce for 20-30 mins until your desire consistency
Add some fresh coriander before serving
I serve this with Garlic Naan and Pilau rice (Tesco Finest Naan is the best shop bought one I have found)
Anyone else got any nice recipes? This is pretty much the only one I ever do, so could do with broadening my horizons!
Based on a vindaloo/phall, here's how mine looks. Would love to see what other people do?
(Probably making one tonight, will try to remember to take photos)
Heat up some Ghee (up to you how much, the more the better the flavour, but obviously less healthy)
Add a diced white onion and a few cloves of chopped garlic
Optional grated ginger here too
Sweat this off for 10 mins or so
2 teaspoons ground Coriander
2 teaspoons ground Cumin
2 teaspoons vindaloo curry powder (optional)
1/2 teaspoon carolina reaper chilli powder
2 teaspoons garam massala
Allow this to cook on low-medium heat to become a bit of a paste
Add diced chicken
Cook this for a few mins so the chicken has been cooked all over ever so slightly
Add half tin chopped tomatoes (I whizz them up in a blender for a smoother curry)
Add chopped chillis if desired
Salt and pepper to taste
Allow to reduce for 20-30 mins until your desire consistency
Add some fresh coriander before serving
I serve this with Garlic Naan and Pilau rice (Tesco Finest Naan is the best shop bought one I have found)
Anyone else got any nice recipes? This is pretty much the only one I ever do, so could do with broadening my horizons!
Couple of books we use regularly...
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Vegetarian-Indian-Cooking...
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Madhur-Jaffreys-Curry-Nat...
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Rick-Steins-India-Stein/d...
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Great-Curries-India-Camel...
This biryani recipe is amazing too. I have done it 4/5 times now and always goes down well.
https://www.greatbritishchefs.com/recipes/lamb-bir...
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Vegetarian-Indian-Cooking...
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Madhur-Jaffreys-Curry-Nat...
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Rick-Steins-India-Stein/d...
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Great-Curries-India-Camel...
This biryani recipe is amazing too. I have done it 4/5 times now and always goes down well.
https://www.greatbritishchefs.com/recipes/lamb-bir...
thebraketester said:
Couple of books we use regularly...
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Vegetarian-Indian-Cooking...
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Madhur-Jaffreys-Curry-Nat...
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Rick-Steins-India-Stein/d...
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Great-Curries-India-Camel...
This biryani recipe is amazing too. I have done it 4/5 times now and always goes down well.
https://www.greatbritishchefs.com/recipes/lamb-bir...
yeh, +1 for Stein and Jaffrey books... I make a lot of the Thai Yellow Curry paste in a Jaffery book, make in bulk and put it in the freezer... then to make curry just need a can of coconut milk, tamarind and fish sauce and meat... bosh. yum. https://www.amazon.co.uk/Vegetarian-Indian-Cooking...
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Madhur-Jaffreys-Curry-Nat...
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Rick-Steins-India-Stein/d...
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Great-Curries-India-Camel...
This biryani recipe is amazing too. I have done it 4/5 times now and always goes down well.
https://www.greatbritishchefs.com/recipes/lamb-bir...
I really like Thai curry, but whenever I've cooked it I've been so unadventurous I've basically poured a tin of coconut milk in with pre-made paste from a jar and that's about it. Still tasted ok, but just felt like I'd been really boring. Whereas my Indian curry I mention above I do feel like I'm doing it justice even vs a restaurant.
If you want to make a proper vindaloo rather than British Indian restaurant style hot gravy this is the best authentic recipe i've ever used
800g pork leg cut into bit sized pieces
2 - 3 tablespoons ghee, coconut or rapeseed (canola) oil
1 head (yes the whole head) of garlic – cloves cut into slivers
1 teaspoon brown or black mustard seeds
10 fresh curry leaves
2 onions – finely chopped
3 tomatoes – finely chopped (about 400g)
1 teaspoon hot chilli powder (more or less to taste)
2 Indian bay leaves (optional)
Juice of one lime or more vinegar to taste
FOR THE VINDAlOO MARINADE
6 dried red chillies
1 tablespoon cumin seeds
1 tablespoon coriander seeds
1 teaspoon black cardamom seeds
1 teaspoon fenugreek seeds
5 cloves
1 inch cassia bark stick
10 black peppercorns
1/2 teaspoon turmeric
8 green chillies – finely chopped
125ml red wine vinegar
2 tablespoons soft brown sugar / palm sugar
1 tablespoon tamarind paste
2 tbsp garlic and ginger paste
INSTRUCTIONS
Start with the marinade. Place all the spices except the turmeric in a dry frying pan over medium heat and roast until they become fragrant and warm to the touch but are not yet smoking.
Transfer to a plate to cool slightly and then pour the spices in a food processor with the turmeric and blend to a fine powder.
Add the chillies, vinegar, tamarind paste, brown sugar, garlic and ginger and blend to a smooth vindaloo paste.
Put the pork in a large bowl with the marinade and stir well to combine.
Leave the pork to marinate for eight to 48 hours. The longer the better.
When ready to cook, heat the ghee or oil in a saucepan, large frying pan or wok over low heat.
Add the garlic slivers and allow to cook gently for about 10 minutes. It is important not to burn the garlic so watch carefully. The garlic should be soft and only lightly browned
Remove the garlic from the saucepan and set aside.
Using the same ghee/oil, heat you pan over medium high heat until the oil is beginning to shimmer.
Add the mustard seeds and when they begin to crackle, stir in the curry leaves. Fry for about 15 seconds until the curry leaves are very fragrant and then toss in the chopped onions.
Fry for about 5 minutes over medium high heat until the onions are soft and translucent. Sprinkle a little salt over the onions. This will help release moisture from them.
Add the chopped tomatoes, chilli powder, bay leaves and the pork with its marinade to the pan and then pour in just enough water to cover.
Leave to simmer for about an hour until the pork is very tender. You may need to add a drop more water while simmering.
When the meat is tender, the sauce should taste amazing. Adjust spicing adding more salt if needed and more chilli powder if you want.
Stir in the cooked garlic.
Serve
800g pork leg cut into bit sized pieces
2 - 3 tablespoons ghee, coconut or rapeseed (canola) oil
1 head (yes the whole head) of garlic – cloves cut into slivers
1 teaspoon brown or black mustard seeds
10 fresh curry leaves
2 onions – finely chopped
3 tomatoes – finely chopped (about 400g)
1 teaspoon hot chilli powder (more or less to taste)
2 Indian bay leaves (optional)
Juice of one lime or more vinegar to taste
FOR THE VINDAlOO MARINADE
6 dried red chillies
1 tablespoon cumin seeds
1 tablespoon coriander seeds
1 teaspoon black cardamom seeds
1 teaspoon fenugreek seeds
5 cloves
1 inch cassia bark stick
10 black peppercorns
1/2 teaspoon turmeric
8 green chillies – finely chopped
125ml red wine vinegar
2 tablespoons soft brown sugar / palm sugar
1 tablespoon tamarind paste
2 tbsp garlic and ginger paste
INSTRUCTIONS
Start with the marinade. Place all the spices except the turmeric in a dry frying pan over medium heat and roast until they become fragrant and warm to the touch but are not yet smoking.
Transfer to a plate to cool slightly and then pour the spices in a food processor with the turmeric and blend to a fine powder.
Add the chillies, vinegar, tamarind paste, brown sugar, garlic and ginger and blend to a smooth vindaloo paste.
Put the pork in a large bowl with the marinade and stir well to combine.
Leave the pork to marinate for eight to 48 hours. The longer the better.
When ready to cook, heat the ghee or oil in a saucepan, large frying pan or wok over low heat.
Add the garlic slivers and allow to cook gently for about 10 minutes. It is important not to burn the garlic so watch carefully. The garlic should be soft and only lightly browned
Remove the garlic from the saucepan and set aside.
Using the same ghee/oil, heat you pan over medium high heat until the oil is beginning to shimmer.
Add the mustard seeds and when they begin to crackle, stir in the curry leaves. Fry for about 15 seconds until the curry leaves are very fragrant and then toss in the chopped onions.
Fry for about 5 minutes over medium high heat until the onions are soft and translucent. Sprinkle a little salt over the onions. This will help release moisture from them.
Add the chopped tomatoes, chilli powder, bay leaves and the pork with its marinade to the pan and then pour in just enough water to cover.
Leave to simmer for about an hour until the pork is very tender. You may need to add a drop more water while simmering.
When the meat is tender, the sauce should taste amazing. Adjust spicing adding more salt if needed and more chilli powder if you want.
Stir in the cooked garlic.
Serve
UTH said:
I really like Thai curry, but whenever I've cooked it I've been so unadventurous I've basically poured a tin of coconut milk in with pre-made paste from a jar and that's about it. Still tasted ok, but just felt like I'd been really boring. Whereas my Indian curry I mention above I do feel like I'm doing it justice even vs a restaurant.
The blue dragon green curry paste in the plastic pot is a good one. I like to add a little extra fish sauce and palm sugar. Like you I love Thai food but it is more difficult to find whole fresh ingredients for it. If you want tamarind you need to go to an asian supermarket. I couldn't find kaffir lime fruit.
Can anybody share a good massuman or penang recipe?
UTH said:
I serve this with Garlic Naan and Pilau rice (Tesco Finest Naan is the best shop bought one I have found)
Not sure if you've tried them already, but if you have a local asian supermarket not only will you likely find a much wider range of spices at a fraction of the price of Tesco et al, the naan breads will far surpass the regular supermarket offerings.The Exotic Superstore in Slough is the only thing I miss about the place - huge range of asian foods and spices, veg prices at a serious discount to the Tesco over the road, and really, really good naan bread.
The Reading Exotic Superstore is now my nearest branch, but given that one is 138 miles away (vs 159 for the Slough one), sadly I haven't been near either of them for quite a while now.
Look for Pat Chapman cookbooks. Big fan of this one: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Pat-Chapmans-Curry-Bible-...
Mirchwangan korma is lush.
Mirchwangan korma is lush.
HustleRussell said:
The blue dragon green curry paste in the plastic pot is a good one. I like to add a little extra fish sauce and palm sugar.
Like you I love Thai food but it is more difficult to find whole fresh ingredients for it. If you want tamarind you need to go to an asian supermarket. I couldn't find kaffir lime fruit.
Can anybody share a good massuman or penang recipe?
My Penang Recipe -Like you I love Thai food but it is more difficult to find whole fresh ingredients for it. If you want tamarind you need to go to an asian supermarket. I couldn't find kaffir lime fruit.
Can anybody share a good massuman or penang recipe?
INGREDIENTS
1 lb beef, chicken or pork sliced into about 1/4-inch thick
5 tablespoons oil
3 kaffir lime leaves, thinly shredded
400ml coconut milk
1 tablespoon palm sugar
1 tablespoon fish sauce
salt and sugar to taste
PANANG CURRY SPICE PASTE:
1 tablespoon oil
1 tablespoon water
2 1/2 tablespoons chili powder
1 teaspoon coriander powder
1 teaspoon cumin powder
1 teaspoon salt
1/2- inch galangal, chopped
1 lemongrass, use white part only, cut into 2-inch length
1 tablespoon coriander stems
2 shallots
2 clove garlic
2 1/2 tablespoons roasted peanuts
1 teaspoon shrimp paste/ Belacan
Blend all the Spice ingredients into a smooth paste.
Heat up oil in a wok, stir-fry kaffir lime leaves for 30 seconds. Mix in the Spice paste and continue to stir-fry for 1-2 minutes, or until fragrant. Turn the heat to medium and continue stir-frying until the oil slightly separates.
Add the meat in and cook for 2 minutes.
Mix in the coconut milk and give it a quick fry for 1-2 minutes. Add in the palm sugar, fish sauce, stir well and cover the wok.
Turn the heat down to medium-low and simmer for 45 minutes to 1 hour, or until the meat is thoroughly cooked, tender enough to your liking. Add salt or fish sauce, and sugar to taste. Add some water if you prefer it saucier than a gravy-soup-like texture, or when it appears bit dry.
RobbieTheTruth said:
Is Previns nice?
Previns is indeed very good in my opinion - we use it a lot and it makes a very authentic curry, quickly.Our local Deli sells it for around £5 a pot which I think is extortion but I can get two curries out of a pot with a bit of my own 'tweaking'. It's a great 'base'
craigjm said:
If you want to make a proper vindaloo rather than British Indian restaurant style hot gravy this is the best authentic recipe i've ever used
<recipe and instructions snipped to save space>
Ooh I might have to try that - only had a 'Portuguese sailor influenced Indian dish from Goa' a few times, never see the point in the British 'how hot and tasteless can it go' vindaloos and phals.<recipe and instructions snipped to save space>
thebraketester said:
I swear by that book as well - have made 27 of the 50 and made notes on them I circulate to each of the friends I bought the book for.And now - care of a former colleague - his family's traditional keema recipe (note I can;t remember what part of India his family came from originally and he has Sikh origins, not Hindu/Muslim/Parsee, though I'm not sure how that might affect ingredients).
1 kg minced lamb (spring)
1 tin of plum tomatoes
4 flat teaspoons of salt
4 teaspoons garam masala
4 teaspoons turmuric
chopped corriander
4 crushed cloves of garlic
4x2 inch piece of ginger chopped
oil at the start
1.5-2 large onions finely chopped
fresh chillis (6 birds eye)
Heat oil
Fry onions until clear
Add chillis
cover and cook for a few minutes until onions start going brown
add ginger and garlic stir for about 30-60 seconds
add tomatoes
cover and cook for 5-10 minutes stirring occasionally
Add all remaining spices and salt. stir then add mince. stir to break up the mince and then cook covered for an hour?
Add coriander at end
dapprman said:
I swear by that book as well - have made 27 of the 50 and made notes on them I circulate to each of the friends I bought the book for.
And now - care of a former colleague - his family's traditional keema recipe (note I can;t remember what part of India his family came from originally and he has Sikh origins, not Hindu/Muslim/Parsee, though I'm not sure how that might affect ingredients).
1 kg minced lamb (spring)
1 tin of plum tomatoes
4 flat teaspoons of salt
4 teaspoons garam masala
4 teaspoons turmuric
chopped corriander
4 crushed cloves of garlic
4x2 inch piece of ginger chopped
oil at the start
1.5-2 large onions finely chopped
fresh chillis (6 birds eye)
Heat oil
Fry onions until clear
Add chillis
cover and cook for a few minutes until onions start going brown
add ginger and garlic stir for about 30-60 seconds
add tomatoes
cover and cook for 5-10 minutes stirring occasionally
Add all remaining spices and salt. stir then add mince. stir to break up the mince and then cook covered for an hour?
Add coriander at end
Interesting! That's very close to the spec I have written up for a Lamb Keema at work except mine has of also contain a myriad of veg to help meet school food standards. I just made mine up on the fly, good to know its not a complete approximation.And now - care of a former colleague - his family's traditional keema recipe (note I can;t remember what part of India his family came from originally and he has Sikh origins, not Hindu/Muslim/Parsee, though I'm not sure how that might affect ingredients).
1 kg minced lamb (spring)
1 tin of plum tomatoes
4 flat teaspoons of salt
4 teaspoons garam masala
4 teaspoons turmuric
chopped corriander
4 crushed cloves of garlic
4x2 inch piece of ginger chopped
oil at the start
1.5-2 large onions finely chopped
fresh chillis (6 birds eye)
Heat oil
Fry onions until clear
Add chillis
cover and cook for a few minutes until onions start going brown
add ginger and garlic stir for about 30-60 seconds
add tomatoes
cover and cook for 5-10 minutes stirring occasionally
Add all remaining spices and salt. stir then add mince. stir to break up the mince and then cook covered for an hour?
Add coriander at end
My top tips are:
- make up batches of base sauce, there's load of recipes out there, I use the slow cooker for it, it's basically lots of onions and other 'stock' type veg and some non-hot spices - boil it up and smooth out with a hand blender. Portion it up in the freezer and then you can then save a load of time when you want to cook something after work.
- find a local corner shop that sells spices, ghee, garlic and ginger paste, uncooked poppadoms etc in larger packets that are way cheaper than the small supermarket ones.
- Mustard oil is illegal but tasty (the Rick Stein indian cookbook seems to use it a lot)
- a sprinkle of fresh coriander as a garnish adds a load of flavour/smell for little effort.
- make up batches of base sauce, there's load of recipes out there, I use the slow cooker for it, it's basically lots of onions and other 'stock' type veg and some non-hot spices - boil it up and smooth out with a hand blender. Portion it up in the freezer and then you can then save a load of time when you want to cook something after work.
- find a local corner shop that sells spices, ghee, garlic and ginger paste, uncooked poppadoms etc in larger packets that are way cheaper than the small supermarket ones.
- Mustard oil is illegal but tasty (the Rick Stein indian cookbook seems to use it a lot)
- a sprinkle of fresh coriander as a garnish adds a load of flavour/smell for little effort.
I’m not a big fan of the base sauce thing because you basically end up with British Indian take away every curry tastes the same output.
Also, with spices my advice would be to avoid the supermarket brand stuff and to avoid stuff that is pre ground. It takes no time at all to toast some whole spices and blitz in a coffee grinder and the results are far better than the bland powder rubbish generally available
Rice is also worth considering. Again most supermarket stuff is bland rubbish. For Indian curry look for aged basmati and cook it properly
Also, with spices my advice would be to avoid the supermarket brand stuff and to avoid stuff that is pre ground. It takes no time at all to toast some whole spices and blitz in a coffee grinder and the results are far better than the bland powder rubbish generally available
Rice is also worth considering. Again most supermarket stuff is bland rubbish. For Indian curry look for aged basmati and cook it properly
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