Meat and yoghurt curry

This meat and yoghurt curry can be made with nearly any type and cut of meat.  I use chicken a lot, and also lamb.  You can use a packet of tenderloin chicken for a curry ready in 20 minutes, or bone-in chicken, lamb forequarter chops or another cut that takes to hours of slow cooking, time permitted.  Using bone-in pieces of meat and cooking your curry slowly for a couple of hours will definitely give you the best result but it's not practical for weeknight meals.

Whatever your choice, this basic recipe will work beautifully.

For four people, you will need:

500-750 grams chicken or red meat (more for bone-in pieces)

2 heaped tablespoons full fat greek yoghurt

1 heaped tablespoon tomato paste

1 heaped tablespoon bottle masala

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon sugar

3 tablespoons of oil or ghee

1 red onion, finely sliced (optional)

1 green chilli, sliced vertically down the middle 

2 cloves of garlic, crushed (optional)

1 tablespoon of ginger, crushed 

1-1.5 cups of water or stock

Start by cleaning, cutting to size and marinading your meat.  Mix the yoghurt, tomato paste, bottle masala, salt and sugar into the meat and leave for at least 30 minutes, at best overnight.

When you are ready to cook, heat the oil in a large, heavy bottomed pan, fry the onion, ginger, garlic and chilli (or whatever combination of aromatics you are using) for at least 20 minutes if you're using onions, only a few minutes if not.  

Add the meat, scraping in all the marinade, and fry on medium-high heat for another few minutes.  Then turn the heat down, add a little water, cover and cook until meat is done, according to the approximate times below.  Stir occasionally and add a bit of water here and there, up to a cup and a half by the end.  Once your curry is done, taste for salt and sugar, and finish by squeezing in a bit of lemon juice and adding some fresh, finely chopped coriander. 

Approximate cooking times:

Chicken, boneless - 20 minutes (if you are using very small bits of tenderloin or breast, reduce this to 10-15 minutes)

Chicken, bone-in thighs or legs - 45 minutes

Red meat, bone-in - 2 hours, cook on low, in oven is a good option

Cooling cucumber raita

There are few things as refreshing as a cooling yoghurt raita.  The perfect accompaniment to all Indian food, especially if its spicy, as yoghurt works perfectly to counteract the heat of chillies.  Add cucumber and mint, two more foods with cooling properties, and you're good to go.  

To make this easy recipe, you will need:

1 cup of full fat yoghurt

1 cucumber, peeled and finely chopped

1 teaspoon of dried mint

1 green chilli, finely chopped

½ teaspoon salt

½ teaspoon sugar

½ teaspoon red chilli flakes

½ teaspoon roasted cumin seeds, crushed

Handful of chopped mint leaves, plus extra to garnish

To roast the cumin seeds, heat a small frying pan, tip in the cumin seeds and shake gently for a few minutes until they smell aromatic.  Lightly crush in mortar and pestle, mix with the chilli flakes and set aside.

Combine all the ingredients in a bowl, top with cumin seed and chilli mix and a few mint leaves for garnish.  Refrigerate before serving.  

Weeknight coconut chicken (or fish!) curry

There's nothing like a quick curry to give you that taste hit to get through the week.  I love nothing more than taking time to slow fry my onions and simmering my curry for hours on a weekend, but on a busy school night it's all about the flavour without the hard work.  And this is pretty easy using my bottle masala, a healthy, pre-roasted mix of more than 20 different spices - so good for you.  The list of ingredients looks long but don't be daunted, it's easy to put together and I often leave a few out. 

I have left all the ingredients for a traditional curry in this recipe, but I most often omit the onions, and sometimes the garlic, depending on what I have in the kitchen.  Frying onions is a labour of love, your curry will always taste raw if you only fry them for a few minutes - you really need at least 15-20 minutes of cooking, so it's much easier to leave them out when you're short of time.  Using only ginger can also give your curry a different flavour which is nice from time to time.  I actually really love the ginger only version.  

You can also substitute a nice fish in this curry... the fish version with no onion and garlic is one of my favourites.  If you're using fish, choose a firm, thick steak that won't disintegrate.  Cook your whole gravy first, then gently place the fish in the curry, and simmer for a few minutes until done.

To serve four, you will need:

500 grams of boneless chicken (thigh or tenderloin) or 750 grams to a kilo if using bone-in legs or thighs 

3 tablespoons of coconut oil 

1 red onion, finely chopped (optional)

2 large cloves of garlic, crushed (optional)

1 tablespoon of ginger, finely grated

1 stalk of curry leaves (if you have them)

1 green chilli, sliced vertically down the middle

1 heaped tablespoon of bottle masala (or very good, natural curry powder)

1 tin of good quality coconut milk (I use Ayam brand)

1 coconut tin full of water or stock (equal amount)

1-2 teaspoons of tamarind paste (can substitute with freshly squeezed lemon juice)

1 teaspoon of salt

1/2 teaspoon of sugar

Finely chopped fresh coriander to garnish (optional)

To make the curry, heat the coconut oil, and slowly fry the onions if using.  If not, add the curry leaf (also optional), green chilli, and both ginger and garlic or ginger only to the pan.  After a couple of minutes, add the bottle masala, then quickly add the chicken - you don't want the curry powder to burn, followed by the coconut milk.

If you're using fish, just add the coconut milk directly to the aromatics.  Fry for another minute or two, then lower heat and simmer until cooked for chicken (around 20 minutes for boneless, 45 for bone-in), around 10-15 minutes if you're going to use fish.

After this, top up the gravy with the extra stock or water, then add the tamarind paste, salt and sugar to taste - you want the gravy to be a bit tangy.  Your chicken curry is now done (for the fish version, add the fish now and simmer for another 5-10 minutes depending on the thickness of the fish).

Add some finely chopped coriander and serve, leave out if coriander is not your thing. 

Easy no-yeast naan bread

This naan bread is so quick and easy to whip up to accompany any Indian meal, or use as a pizza base.  It's a no-yeast version, so the dough is a bit delicate to work with, but once you've made it a few times you'll know the texture you're aiming for.

To make four naan breads you will need:

1 cup of self-raising flour

4 tablespoons of full fat greek yoghurt

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon sugar

2 tablespoons of olive oil

Put the flour in a bowl and add the other ingredients.  Mix with a wooden spoon until gluggy and then take over with your hands and gently knead it.  You may need to adjust the quantities of flour and yoghurt slightly: it shouldn't be too wet and sticky, nor too dry as it will fall apart.  Once you get the dough into a smooth homogenous ball, cover the bowl with a damp cloth and leave aside for 20 minutes.

Flour your hands and divide the dough into four balls that you can roll into individual naan breads.  I always roll my pieces of dough into the size of a hand, brush with olive oil, fold in on itself and then roll out again, to create an extra layer in my bread.

Once you have your naans shaped, place in a hot oven (about 200 degrees celsius) on baking paper for a few minutes on either side until it starts to colour.  You can also cook it in a heavy based dry frying pan for a couple of minutes on either side.  You don't want it to brown too much, just be fully cooked on the inside.  Brush with olive oil or ghee, and serve immediately.

Chicken tikka and Bombay potato wedges

This meal is on high rotation in our household, easy, healthy Indian food that the kids love and is quick to prepare on any night of a busy week.  It's full of flavour and healthy spices, without any of the additives or colourings you might expect in a processed or commercial version.  

To serve 4-6 you will need:

Chicken tikka 

1 kilo of chicken thigh or tenderloin; wings and legs also works well if you increase the cooking time

2 heaped tablespoons of bottle masala (or vindaloo masala if you like it spicier)

2 tablespoons of olive or coconut oil

3 cloves of crushed garlic

2 heaped tablespoons of full fat greek yoghurt

1 teaspoon of salt

1 teaspoon of sugar

1/2 a teaspoon of beetroot powder (optional, to give the chicken a lovely colour)

2 lemons, sliced

A large handful of fresh coriander

Trim any fat from chicken, and either leave whole or cut into pieces around an inch square if you want to skewer it and place in a large bowl.

Mix all ingredients apart from the chicken into a paste, add to the chicken and mix well so it is all rubbed in.  Marinate for as long as you have, half an hour or overnight if you are organised. 

When you are ready to cook the chicken, you can either barbecue or grill it - whole pieces or skewers, basting with marinade juices as you go.   

Serve with a generous squeeze of lemon, lemon wedges and fresh coriander.

Bombay potato wedges

4-6 large potatoes, I like Royal Blue or a potato that will roast well

1/2 teaspoon of black mustard seeds

3/4 teaspoon of cumin seeds

3/4 teaspoon of turmeric

1/2 teaspoon of salt

1/4 teaspoon of pepper

1/4 teaspoon of paprika or kashmiri chilli powder

1/4 teaspoon of amchur (dried mango powder) (optional if you don't have any)

2 tablespoons of ghee, coconut or olive oil

Mix all of the spices into the oil to form a paste.

Cut the potatoes into wedges, either with or without skin, and mix the spice paste into them.

Arrange in a single layer on an oven tray and bake for around 30 minutes in a hot oven, around 220 degrees celsius, until brown, shaking halfway to turn them. 

Serve with lemon or lime squeezed over them. 

Fresh and spicy kachumber

Kachumber is such a lovely, fresh and spicy Indian salad, perfect for a hot day like today.  It relies on the perfect balance of flavours: lemon, salt, sugar and chilli.  To make a kachumber, you will need:

To serve 4 people:

1/2 large red onion

2 large cucumbers

3-4 large tomatoes

3 green chillies, deseeded if you like

Half a bunch of fresh coriander

Juice of one-two lemons

Salt and sugar to taste

Slice the onions, cucumber, tomatoes, chillies and coriander extremely finely and mix together in a large bowl.  

Add lemon juice to taste, you want the taste to be nice and zingy.... no subtle flavours here.  Add a teaspoon of sugar, and salt to taste. 

Leave aside for 30 minutes or so in the fridge for the flavours to mingle.

Serve with any Indian meal, and it's also a delicious side for any barbecued or grilled meat. 

Yummy beetroot chutney

I am a bit of a chutney addict, I definitely couldn't live without a jar or two of my favourites in the fridge... namely my green chutney and my red chilli and ginger chutney. I make them fresh weekly and while it would be more traditional to temper them with oil and whole spices I prefer leaving them oil free.  That way I can add them to everything I eat fairly guiltlessly!

Any fans of my green chutney out there will love this new chutney variation... easy to whip up as I have cheated by using tinned beetroot, but delicious as anything.

To make a big bowl of it, which will last you for ages, you will need:

200-220 grams of tinned whole baby beets (drained weight), rinsed  - but save an inch or so of the liquid in a separate bowl - you can use it to thin the chutney 

1/2 cup of dessicated coconut  

5 red chillies, 2-3 of them deseeded depending on the heat level you like 

1 tablespoon sized bit of ginger

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon sugar  

Whiz all ingredients together in a good blender, I use my NutriBullet. If the chutney is too thick, loosen with a splash or two of the liquid you have reserved from the tinned beetroot.

Use as a dip, topping or filling in rolls and wraps. I love the spicy, sweet and vinegary flavour. It's delicious! Enjoy! 

Perfect rice

Pilau rice with turmeric and peas  

Cooking perfect rice is one of the essential skills in Indian home cooking. And the secret to this art? Buy the right rice and you're halfway there.

I would never recommend buying rice from the supermarket, you need to get yourself to an Indian grocery shop and find the best Basmati you can. Look for aged Basmati rice, beautiful long fragrant grains which will cook separately (Indian rice should never be soft and mushy).

You can even buy Sela Basmati, which is parboiled before milling to preserve its nutrients, and cooks even faster. Most Pakistani Basmati is good, a couple of the brands I buy include Dawaat, Lal Qila and Kohinoor. The rice comes in big five kilo bags, but it will last for ages.

The next trick is soaking the rice before you cook it. Always wash it well, and then leave it to rest in the water you are going to cook it in for at least 15 minutes, though half an hour is better.  In terms of the ratio of rice to water, I use 1:2 - a cup of rice (usually enough for four people) and 2 cups of water. You want the water level to be about an inch higher than the level of the rice in the pan.

To cook the rice, turn your heat to high and bring it to a boil. As soon as it boils, turn the heat down to very low, partially cover with a lid and cook for 10-12 minutes until all the water has evaporated, then turn the heat off. Put the lid on fully and leave the rice to keep cooking in its own steam for another 10 minutes, if you have an electric stove just keep it on the warm hob.

Always fluff the rice up before serving, you can drizzle in some olive oil or a spoon of butter or ghee.

There are infinite variations for flavouring rice as you cook it, and I have included a few below.  All quantities are based on a one cup serve of rice. If you are cooking more than a cup, you probably want to increase the amounts by one and a half.

Basic rice

Add a teaspoon of salt and a teaspoon of olive oil to the cooking water.... include this in all variations below.

 Jeera rice

Add a teaspoon of cumin seeds along with the salt and oil.

 Turmeric rice

Add half a teaspoon of turmeric along with the salt and oil, with or without cumin seeds as well.

Pilau rice

Whole garam masala adds a beautiful fragrance to your rice. Add a bay leaf, 3-4 cloves, 2-3 cardamom, a few peppercorns and a stick of cinnamon.  You can also fry these in a bit of oil first, then add the raw rice and water, but simply adding them to the water is fine.

You can also include half a teaspoon of cumin seeds, and half a teaspoon of turmeric.

Cooking liquid

Another easy variation is to change the cooking liquid. Instead of water, you can use stock (homemade chicken stock is amazing with all the whole spices), or even coconut milk.

Another option is to add a quartered tomato, or include some tomato passata in the liquid. Throwing in some frozen peas as the rice cooks is also nice.

Garnish

All sorts of garnishes work well on rice, especially if you have made a lovely yellow pea pilau, or a fragrant rice with stock.

Chopped herbs, coriander, spring onions or mint, or a bit of red chilli for colour are perfect.

Deep fried shallots or onions give a lovely crunchy texture, and this also pairs well with sliced hard boiled eggs.

There are so many more delicious ways to cook rice, lovely pilaus with lots of veggies, khichri, which is rice cooked with lentils, and lots of rice variaties to use, like brown and red rice.

I'll be posting some of these more complex recipes separately this year, so stay tuned.