Seeing I am a lazy git, I use the same paste for several different dishes. Good news is it freezes well so great to make in a big batch and then portion into freezer bags and freeze. If you are organised enough, take it out of the freezer the night before you want to use it else just plop it in hot'ish water and it should defrost in 20 minutes.
Basic onion base curry paste.
½ cup sunflower oil
1 tablespoon Cumin
1 teaspoon Fenugreek seeds
1 tablespoon black mustard seeds
3lb onions, finely chopped
4 cloves garlic, crushed or finely diced
1 inch cube of ginger finely grated or diced
1 tablespoon tumeric
2 tablespoon ground coriander seeds
2 tablespoon ground cumin
4 tablespoon garam masala
2 tablespoon salt
1 tablespoon sugar
Boiling water
Juice of two lemons or limes
Note, you should be able to get the ground coriander seeds and cumin ready mixed.
Crushed garlic and ginger should be available frozen in Indian grocers.
The first couple of items happen very quickly so have everything ready before you start.
In a heavy base pan heat oil until shimmering (just below smoking point).
Add cumin and fry for a few seconds
Add fenugreek seed and fry for a further few seconds
Add mustard seeds and fry for further few seconds
Add onions, and fry until starting to soften
Add garlic and ginger, reduce heat to medium and fry until onion are starting to brown, about 5 to 10 minutes or so.
Add ground coriander seeds and cumin mixture, tumeric, garam masala, salt and suger. The mixture should come together and become crumbly.
Add enough boiling water to form a paste.
Cook for a further 2 minutes, add lemon or lime juice and remove from heat.
Give it a couple of stirs while it cools and it should be done.
Split into batches and freeze. I normally split into 1/2 lb batches as that will be enough for 4 generous person curry on average. Note there is no chillies in the paste as that will be added at cooking time if required.
Chicken Korma
Very mild, good for the kids.
1 1/2 lb of chicken cut into bite sized pieces. I use boneless thigh which has good flavour.
Small amount of oil
1 batch (1/2 lb) of curry paste
1 teaspoon chilli powder (optional, I don’t use this for the kids)
1 large pot of natural set or Greek yogurt
2 tablespoon tomato puree
2 tablespoon of ground cashew nuts
Fresh coriander to garnish (optional)
Brown chicken in the oil in a oven proof dish. Add the rest of the ingredients and pop into the oven for 20 minutes at around 160C. Garnish with coriander before serving with rice, nan or chapattis.
Spinach Chicken
1 1/2 lb of chicken cut into bite sized pieces. I use boneless thigh which has good flavour.
Small amount of oil
1 batch (1/2 lb) of curry paste
2 teaspoon chilli powder (change to taste)
1 large can of tomatoes, chopped or blitzed
Large handful of chopped spinach leaves or methi if you can get it
Fresh coriander to garnish (optional)
Brown chicken in the oil in a oven proof dish. Add the rest of the ingredients and pop into the oven for 20 minutes at around 160C. Garnish with coriander before serving with rice, nan or chapattis.
Coconut Lamb or Beef curry
1 1/2 lb of lamb or beef cut into bite sized pieces and coated in plain flour.
Small amount of oil
1 batch (1/2 lb) of curry paste
1 teaspoon chilli powder (change to taste)
1 can of coconut milk
1 can of meat stock
4 tablespoons of desiccated coconut
Fresh coriander to garnish (optional)
Brown meat in the oil in a oven proof dish. Add the rest of the ingredients and pop into the oven for 40 minutes at around 150C. Garnish with coriander before serving with rice, nan or chapattis.
Basic onion base curry paste.
½ cup sunflower oil
1 tablespoon Cumin
1 teaspoon Fenugreek seeds
1 tablespoon black mustard seeds
3lb onions, finely chopped
4 cloves garlic, crushed or finely diced
1 inch cube of ginger finely grated or diced
1 tablespoon tumeric
2 tablespoon ground coriander seeds
2 tablespoon ground cumin
4 tablespoon garam masala
2 tablespoon salt
1 tablespoon sugar
Boiling water
Juice of two lemons or limes
Note, you should be able to get the ground coriander seeds and cumin ready mixed.
Crushed garlic and ginger should be available frozen in Indian grocers.
The first couple of items happen very quickly so have everything ready before you start.
In a heavy base pan heat oil until shimmering (just below smoking point).
Add cumin and fry for a few seconds
Add fenugreek seed and fry for a further few seconds
Add mustard seeds and fry for further few seconds
Add onions, and fry until starting to soften
Add garlic and ginger, reduce heat to medium and fry until onion are starting to brown, about 5 to 10 minutes or so.
Add ground coriander seeds and cumin mixture, tumeric, garam masala, salt and suger. The mixture should come together and become crumbly.
Add enough boiling water to form a paste.
Cook for a further 2 minutes, add lemon or lime juice and remove from heat.
Give it a couple of stirs while it cools and it should be done.
Split into batches and freeze. I normally split into 1/2 lb batches as that will be enough for 4 generous person curry on average. Note there is no chillies in the paste as that will be added at cooking time if required.
Chicken Korma
Very mild, good for the kids.
1 1/2 lb of chicken cut into bite sized pieces. I use boneless thigh which has good flavour.
Small amount of oil
1 batch (1/2 lb) of curry paste
1 teaspoon chilli powder (optional, I don’t use this for the kids)
1 large pot of natural set or Greek yogurt
2 tablespoon tomato puree
2 tablespoon of ground cashew nuts
Fresh coriander to garnish (optional)
Brown chicken in the oil in a oven proof dish. Add the rest of the ingredients and pop into the oven for 20 minutes at around 160C. Garnish with coriander before serving with rice, nan or chapattis.
Spinach Chicken
1 1/2 lb of chicken cut into bite sized pieces. I use boneless thigh which has good flavour.
Small amount of oil
1 batch (1/2 lb) of curry paste
2 teaspoon chilli powder (change to taste)
1 large can of tomatoes, chopped or blitzed
Large handful of chopped spinach leaves or methi if you can get it
Fresh coriander to garnish (optional)
Brown chicken in the oil in a oven proof dish. Add the rest of the ingredients and pop into the oven for 20 minutes at around 160C. Garnish with coriander before serving with rice, nan or chapattis.
Coconut Lamb or Beef curry
1 1/2 lb of lamb or beef cut into bite sized pieces and coated in plain flour.
Small amount of oil
1 batch (1/2 lb) of curry paste
1 teaspoon chilli powder (change to taste)
1 can of coconut milk
1 can of meat stock
4 tablespoons of desiccated coconut
Fresh coriander to garnish (optional)
Brown meat in the oil in a oven proof dish. Add the rest of the ingredients and pop into the oven for 40 minutes at around 150C. Garnish with coriander before serving with rice, nan or chapattis.
. I prefer to use deseeded green chillies.
