How do you make a good and tasty curry?

Hi -

Here’s one for you using chicken! I hope you enjoy it!

Chicken Curry – Simple and Easy to make
Serves 3-4

3 tbsp ghee (clarified butter), or oil
1 small onion, finely chopped
1 stick cinnamon
2 cardamom pods
4 cloves
1 tsp fennel seeds
1 inch piece root ginger, very finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 tsp turmeric powder
1 tbsp ground coriander
¾ tsp chilli powder
1 tsp tomato paste
2 skinless chicken breasts, cubed
1 chopped tomato
1 tsp. plain yogurt or sour cream
a handful of cilantro leaves, chopped

Heat the ghee in a large heavy pan, add the chopped onion and fry till onion is transclucent.

Turn the heat to medium low, add the cinammon, cardamom, cloves and fennel seeds, stir for 5 minutes. Add the ginger and garlic and cook for another 5 minutes stirring occasionally to make sure nothing sticks to the bottom of the pan. Then add the turmeric, ground coriander and chilli powder and fry gently for a minute. Add the tomato purée and stir in enough hot water to make a sauce. Bring to the boil and simmer, stirring occasionally for 20 minutes. Season with salt.

Heat a little oil in a large heavy frying pan and stir-fry the chicken pieces until they turn white.

Add the chicken and chopped tomato, sour cream/yogurt to the sauce and simmer gently until the meat is soft and succulent.

Sprinkle with the coriander and serve with plain rice and yogurt.

LIke this. The secret ingredient is the little bit of fresh ginger – it just gives it that “zing”. Also, the individual spices, instead of a packet of curry powder, allow you to “fine tune” it to your taste, each time you make it, until you attain curry “kolinahr”.

MEAT CURRY

Serves 2

INGREDIENTS

375g of beef, chicken breasts or lamb
1 clove of garlic
2cm (1 inch) piece of fresh ginger
2 onions
2 tablespoons of sunflower oil
200g (½ a 400g tin) of plum tomatoes*
1 teaspoon of chilli powder
1 tablespoon of garam masala
½ a teaspoon of ground turmeric
250ml of water

METHOD

Chop the meat into 1cm (½ inch) pieces. Peel the garlic and chop it into tiny pieces. Peel the ginger and chop it into tiny pieces. Peel the onions and chop them into tiny pieces.

Put the oil into a saucepan on a moderate heat. Put the garlic, ginger, meat and onions into the pan. Cook for 20 minutes until the meat is cooked thoroughly. Stir frequently to stop it sticking.

Open the tin of tomatoes. Pour the juice into a bowl. Chop the tomatoes while they are still in the can (it’s easier than chasing them around the bowl). Put the chopped tomatoes into the bowl. Use half and save the other half.

Put the chopped tomatoes into the pan. Continue to cook, stirring as the mixture boils. Add the chilli, garam masala and turmeric, and stir. Add the water. Bring to the boil, then turn down the heat until it is just boiling (simmering). Put the lid on the saucepan and cook for 30 minutes.

ADDITIONS & ALTERATIONS

The quantity of chilli powder above makes for a medium curry. For a hot one, increase this to 1½ teaspoons.

For a mild one, add 100ml (½ a 200ml pot) of yoghurt 5 to 10 minutes before the end of cooking. For a mild Chicken Korma, also add a 50g sachet of creamed coconut. Add ½ a teaspoon of mint sauce to the leftover yoghurt to make some mint raita.

* Plum tomatoes can be used either whole or chopped. It is difficult to stick chopped tomatoes back together again if you need to use them whole.