Mild Madras Curry with Fresh Spices Serves 8
Ingredients
- 900g (2lbs) boneless lamb (leg or shoulder is perfect)
Nut milk
- 110g (4oz) almonds
- 450ml (16fl oz) cream
- 1 tablespoon pounded fresh green ginger
- salt
- 50g (2oz) ghee or clarified butter
- 4 medium onions - sliced in rings (about 450g/1lb)
- 4 cloves of garlic
- 2 teaspoons coriander seed
- 2 teaspoons black peppercorns
- 1 teaspoon green cardamon seeds, start with whole green cardamon pods if possible
- 8 whole cloves (if large, use 4)
- 1 tablespoon turmeric powder
- 2 teaspoons sugar
- some freshly squeezed lime juice
- segments of lime
Method
Trim the meat of the majority of the fat. Blanch, peel and chop up the almonds (they should be the texture of nibbed almonds). Put into a small saucepan with the cream and simmer for 4-5 minutes. Turn off the heat and leave to infuse for 15 minutes.
Meanwhile peel the ginger thinly with a vegetable peeler, pound into a paste in a pestle and mortar, or chop finely with a knife, or grate finely on a slivery grater.
Cut the meat into 4cm (1 1/2 inch) cubes and mix it with the ginger and a sprinkling of salt.
Melt the butter and cook the onion rings and crushed garlic over a gentle for 5 minutes.
Remove the seeds from the cardamom pods and measure 1 teaspoon. Discard the pods.
Grind the fresh spices, coriander, pepper, cardamom and cloves in a clean spice or coffee grinder. Add the spices to the onions and cook over a medium heat for 2-3 minutes. Remove the onions and then add the meat to the saucepan. Stir over a high heat until the meat browns. Return the onion and spices to the pot. Add the nut milk, turmeric and sugar. Stir well. Cover and simmer gently on top of the stove or better still in a low oven 160ºC/325ºF/Gas Mark 3, until the meat is cooked (1 hour approx.)
Finish by adding a few drops of lemon or lime juice to taste.
Serve with plain boiled rice, lime segments and other curry accompaniments which might include - bowls of chopped mango, tomato chutney, mint chutney, raita, sliced bananas, chopped apples.
A hot chilli sauce is also good and of course some Indian breads, poppadums, Naan, Paratha…
Note: 1 biggish leg of lamb or mutton will yield approx. 1.35kg (3lbs) of meat.
Yoghurt and Cardamom Cream with Pomegranate Seeds perfumed with Rose Blossom Water
Serves 8-10
Ingredients
- 425ml (15fl oz) natural yoghurt
- 225ml (8fl oz) milk
- 200ml (7fl oz) cream
- 125g (4 1/2oz) castor sugar
- 1/4 teaspoon cardamom seeds, freshly ground - you'll need about 8-10 green cardamom pods depending on size
- 3 rounded teaspoons powdered gelatine
Pomegranates Seed with Rose Blossom Water
- 1 pomegranate or more if small
- a little lemon juice
- 1-2 tablespoons castor sugar
- rose blossom water to taste (careful the flavour can be very intense – just a few drops)
Garnish
sweet geranium or mint leaves
OR fresh or candied rose petals if available
Method
Remove the seeds from the green cardamom pods and crush in a pestle and mortar.
Put the milk, sugar and cream into a stainless steel saucepan with the ground cardamom. Stir until the sugar has dissolved and the mixture is warm to the touch. Remove from the heat and leave to infuse while you dissolve the gelatine.
Put 3 tablespoons of cold water into a small bowl, sprinkle the gelatine over the water, allow to 'sponge’ for a few minutes. Put the bowl into a saucepan of simmering water until the gelatine has melted and is completely clear. Add a little of the cardamom infused milk mixture, stir well and then mix this into the rest. Whisk the yoghurt lightly until smooth and creamy, stir into the cardamom mixture.
Meanwhile, cut the pomegranates in half around the Equator! Carefully separate the seeds from the membrane. Put the seeds into a bowl, sprinkle with just a little freshly squeezed lemon juice, add castor sugar and rose blossom water to taste. Chill.
Pour into a bowl or 8 individual moulds. Cool, allow to set for several hours in a refrigerator or preferably overnight.
Spoon some pomegranates and a little of the juice on top of the individual cardamom creams, garnish each with a sprig of sweet geranium or mint leaves or fresh or candied rose petals if available.
Black-Eyed Bean Curry Serves 6
Beans are an almost perfect food, they are high in protein and fibre, and they don’t contain a scrap of fat or dreaded cholesterol. They are also cheap and highly versatile; they can however be deadly dull but livened up with fresh herbs and spices the possibilities are endless.
This is high on my list of favourite vegetarian recipes, basically it is another gem from Madhur Jaffrey’s ‘A Taste of India’ but I have adapted the recipe slightly. Fresh coriander makes a tremendous difference to the flavour. If you have any space buy a packet of seeds, it is really easy to grow, and you’ll soon become addicted.
Ingredients
- 225g (8oz) dried black-eyed beans
- 225g (8oz) fresh mushrooms
- 6 tablespoons sunflower oil
- 1 teaspoon whole cumin seeds
- 2.5cm (1 inch) piece of cinnamon stick
- 150g (5oz) onion, peeled and chopped
- 4 cloves garlic, peeled and very finely chopped
- 400g (14oz) fresh or tinned tomatoes, peeled and chopped
- 2 teaspoons ground coriander seeds
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin seeds
- 1/2 teaspoon ground turmeric
- pinch of sugar
- 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 1 good teaspoon salt, (it needs it so don’t cut down)
- freshly ground black pepper
- 3 tablespoons chopped fresh coriander (fresh parsley may be substituted though the flavour is not at all the same)
Method
Soak the beans in plenty of cold water overnight. Next day cover with fresh water, bring to the boil and simmer for 30 minutes approx. or until just cooked.
Cut the mushrooms into 3mm (1/8 inch) thick slices. Heat the oil in a sauté pan over a medium-high flame. When hot, put in the whole cumin seeds and the cinnamon stick. Let them sizzle for 5-6 seconds. Now put in the onions and garlic. Stir and fry until the onion is just beginning to colour at the edges. Put in the mushrooms. Stir and fry until the mushrooms wilt. Now put in the tomatoes, ground coriander, ground cumin, turmeric, pinch of sugar and cayenne. Stir and cook for a minute. Cover and let this mixture cook on a gentle heat in its own juices for 10 minutes. Turn off the heat under the sauté pan. Drain the beans, reserving the cooking liquid, and add to the mushroom base mixture, add salt and freshly ground pepper, 2 tablespoons of fresh coriander and 150ml (5fl oz) of bean cooking liquid.
Bring the beans to the boil again. Cover, reduce the heat and simmer for 20-30 minutes or until the beans are tender. Stir occasionally. Remove the cinnamon stick before serving. Sprinkle with 1 tablespoon of fresh coriander.
Sri Lankan Beetroot Curry Serves 4
We love Sri Lankan vegetable curries and their clever use of spices and delicious flavours. Serve as an accompaniment as part of a curry feast or as a dish alone with a salad.
Ingredients
- 2–3 tablespoons sunflower oil
- 3 garlic cloves, chopped
- 50g (2oz) red onion, chopped
- 5 curry leaves
- 1 1/2 teaspoons curry powder
- 8cm (3 1/4 inch) piece of cinnamon stick
- 500g (18oz) beetroot, peeled and cut into 2.5cm (1 inch) pieces
- 10 fenugreek seeds
- 5 green chillies
- 225ml (8fl oz) coconut milk, whisked
- sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
Heat oil in a deep frying pan over a medium heat, add the garlic, onion, curry leaves, curry powder and cinnamon to the pan, stir and cook for 2 minutes. Then add the beetroot, stir and add the fenugreek seeds, chillies and some salt. Add the coconut milk, bring to the boil and continue to cook for about 20 minutes OR until the beetroot is tender*. Season to taste.
*Beetroot takes longer to cook in the Winter than in Summer.