2 lge white onions, chopped finely
4 cloves garlic
3tbs vegetable oil
Pinch of cumin
Pinch of cinnamon
Place raw onion and garlic into blender. Add enough water to come about halfway up the side of the blender and blend until WELL smoothed.
Heat the oil in a pan on a high heat, adding the mixture (it will spit!!!)
Reduce this down until it gets dryer then add the spices and continue frying until it turns into what looks a bit like bread dough. This may take some time but is worth it for the final taste! Be careful not to burn this as it will be ruined. Taste the finished product - tastes almost "soapy" - remind you of anything familiar?
Special Spice Mix (not that special)
Equal amounts of cumin powder, coriander powder, garam masala and dried fenugreek. If unsure which brand to buy, try NATCO - especially their garam masala which is superb. I mix up a few tablespoons of each at a time and keep in a Tupperware tub, etc!
The above are a MUST for all recipes and corners cannot be cut in any way.
The above recipes could be doubled up for ease and stored in the freezer in pre-measured amounts.
How to make a basic 'Medium Curry'
800ml of basic curry sauce (should be around half the basic sauce recipe!? - this is enough for 4 people's main meal)
5tbs Vegetable Oil
1 level tsp of salt
1tsp of ground coriander )
1tsp of ground cumin ) (This is the special spice mix but listed individually!!!)
1tsp of garam masala )
1tsp dried fenugreek leaves )
¼ tsp of chilli powder
fresh coriander leaves
Add oil and heat. Add basic sauce (along with fresh chicken/other meats if using them) and simmer on high heat for 2-3 mins.
Add all of the spices and salt and continue for 5 mins or sauce separates from the oil. Add the prawns (if your cooking a prawn curry!) and simmer for a further 7 minutes - add any water if you feel it's getting too dry.
Although the curry is now cooked, further frying is now required and this must be done in individual portions.
At this stage (if you've doubled up the quantities) you can measure out lots of bags of 200ml/400ml at a time and freeze them for a quick curry whenever you need.
You can now take out a bag from your freezer along with a couple of frozen chicken breasts in the morning and be eating within 20 mins when you get home.
400ml of this basic curry sauce will be enough for 2 main dishes, therefore one entire recipe should be enough for 8 main dishes and so on.
1. Add some oil to your 'individual curry' pan.
2. ***NOW REFER TO THE STYLE REQUIRED AND OBEY INSTRUCTIONS***
3. Then add the required amount of sauce and meat/cooked vegetables for one portion (only 200ml of sauce as it's got to be an individual portion for authenticity)
4. Heat everything up and then add 1 tbs of the onion paste in the final minute
5. Taste, if necessary add more of the 'special spice mix' - more fresh coriander for garnish
Voila ! your individual curry!!!
From this method, you can have people round for a curry and given them all differing ones according to their personal tastes.
THE CURRY STYLES
For all of the types below, I recommend having the ingredients to hand as you'll have to work quickly - no time to start raking around your cupboards for stuff once you've started!!!!
Dupiaza
Whilst you are preparing the basic curry recipe, prepare the following
1tbs of vegetable oil
1tsp of Cumin seeds
2 large onions, sliced into rings
4 green or red chillies, halved lengthways
Heat the oil and add cumin seeds. 5 seconds later add onions and chillies and reduce heat. Fry until onions are soft and slightly charred.
Add to basic sauce, check seasoning, serve
Bhuna
Same as dupiaza but replace 1 of the onions with a chopped green pepper! (easy innit?)
Jalfrezi
1 tbs of vegetable oil
1 tsp of cumin seeds
1 large green pepper, chopped into chunks
4 green or red chillies
Korma
5 mins from end, add 1 tbs of ground almonds and 3 tbs of single cream. (It's that easy!)
Pasanda
Cook the basic korma and add 1" of a standard coconut block, ½ tsp sugar and ½ tsp turmeric 5 minutes before the end.
Madras
Replace ¼ tsp chilli with 1 tsp of chilli. Add some lemon juice if you want. (how easy was that!?)
Masala
Add 4 tbs of Heinz tomato soup (& red food colouring) 5 minutes before end. Serve with single cream on top. (I guess the tomato soup fully justifies the £7.50 price in a restaurant!)
Vindaloo
Replace ¼ tsp chilli with 2 tsp chilli and add 1 tsp of malt vinegar 5 minutes before end.
Pilau Rice
Fill and switch on your kettle
Whilst this is happening heat up a little oil in a pan that comes with a tight fitting lid
Allow 3oz of BASMATI rice per person (weigh it!!! And it must be basmati - nothing else works! You can also be boring and soak the rice in water first but I never bother)
Salt to taste
2 green cardamom pods (split open slightly) per rice serving
1 whole clove per serving
When the oil is warm, add the raw rice and spices together
Mix well, ensuring the rice gets coated in the oil - don't worry if it starts to turn white
Turn down the heat to minimum
Quickly pour the boiled water into a measuring jug
(allow double the fl oz of water to the rice weight) ie for 4 portions: 12 oz of rice and 24 fl oz of boiled water.
Stir everything around to stop any sticking and place the lid on securely
Cook for 12 minutes on the lowest heat setting
After 12 minutes take from heat and leave for another 12 minutes (do not remove the lid - the steam will continue to cook the rice!!!)
Later take the lid off and you can add a drop or two of food colouring for that restaurant effect ( I use a drop of red at one end of the pot and a drop of green at the other - leave for a while and then mix through the white rice for a realistic effect)
I would normally make the rice first and, while it is resting, knock up the curry sauce. The rice stays hot like this for a couple of hours if you don't keep removing the lid and let the steam escape!)
This recipe will give impressive results if you measure/time things accurately.
A piece of cake….
(For plain boiled rice, omit the spices and food colouring).
4 cloves garlic
3tbs vegetable oil
Pinch of cumin
Pinch of cinnamon
Place raw onion and garlic into blender. Add enough water to come about halfway up the side of the blender and blend until WELL smoothed.
Heat the oil in a pan on a high heat, adding the mixture (it will spit!!!)
Reduce this down until it gets dryer then add the spices and continue frying until it turns into what looks a bit like bread dough. This may take some time but is worth it for the final taste! Be careful not to burn this as it will be ruined. Taste the finished product - tastes almost "soapy" - remind you of anything familiar?
Special Spice Mix (not that special)
Equal amounts of cumin powder, coriander powder, garam masala and dried fenugreek. If unsure which brand to buy, try NATCO - especially their garam masala which is superb. I mix up a few tablespoons of each at a time and keep in a Tupperware tub, etc!
The above are a MUST for all recipes and corners cannot be cut in any way.
The above recipes could be doubled up for ease and stored in the freezer in pre-measured amounts.
How to make a basic 'Medium Curry'
800ml of basic curry sauce (should be around half the basic sauce recipe!? - this is enough for 4 people's main meal)
5tbs Vegetable Oil
1 level tsp of salt
1tsp of ground coriander )
1tsp of ground cumin ) (This is the special spice mix but listed individually!!!)
1tsp of garam masala )
1tsp dried fenugreek leaves )
¼ tsp of chilli powder
fresh coriander leaves
Add oil and heat. Add basic sauce (along with fresh chicken/other meats if using them) and simmer on high heat for 2-3 mins.
Add all of the spices and salt and continue for 5 mins or sauce separates from the oil. Add the prawns (if your cooking a prawn curry!) and simmer for a further 7 minutes - add any water if you feel it's getting too dry.
Although the curry is now cooked, further frying is now required and this must be done in individual portions.
At this stage (if you've doubled up the quantities) you can measure out lots of bags of 200ml/400ml at a time and freeze them for a quick curry whenever you need.
You can now take out a bag from your freezer along with a couple of frozen chicken breasts in the morning and be eating within 20 mins when you get home.
400ml of this basic curry sauce will be enough for 2 main dishes, therefore one entire recipe should be enough for 8 main dishes and so on.
1. Add some oil to your 'individual curry' pan.
2. ***NOW REFER TO THE STYLE REQUIRED AND OBEY INSTRUCTIONS***
3. Then add the required amount of sauce and meat/cooked vegetables for one portion (only 200ml of sauce as it's got to be an individual portion for authenticity)
4. Heat everything up and then add 1 tbs of the onion paste in the final minute
5. Taste, if necessary add more of the 'special spice mix' - more fresh coriander for garnish
Voila ! your individual curry!!!
From this method, you can have people round for a curry and given them all differing ones according to their personal tastes.
THE CURRY STYLES
For all of the types below, I recommend having the ingredients to hand as you'll have to work quickly - no time to start raking around your cupboards for stuff once you've started!!!!
Dupiaza
Whilst you are preparing the basic curry recipe, prepare the following
1tbs of vegetable oil
1tsp of Cumin seeds
2 large onions, sliced into rings
4 green or red chillies, halved lengthways
Heat the oil and add cumin seeds. 5 seconds later add onions and chillies and reduce heat. Fry until onions are soft and slightly charred.
Add to basic sauce, check seasoning, serve
Bhuna
Same as dupiaza but replace 1 of the onions with a chopped green pepper! (easy innit?)
Jalfrezi
1 tbs of vegetable oil
1 tsp of cumin seeds
1 large green pepper, chopped into chunks
4 green or red chillies
Korma
5 mins from end, add 1 tbs of ground almonds and 3 tbs of single cream. (It's that easy!)
Pasanda
Cook the basic korma and add 1" of a standard coconut block, ½ tsp sugar and ½ tsp turmeric 5 minutes before the end.
Madras
Replace ¼ tsp chilli with 1 tsp of chilli. Add some lemon juice if you want. (how easy was that!?)
Masala
Add 4 tbs of Heinz tomato soup (& red food colouring) 5 minutes before end. Serve with single cream on top. (I guess the tomato soup fully justifies the £7.50 price in a restaurant!)
Vindaloo
Replace ¼ tsp chilli with 2 tsp chilli and add 1 tsp of malt vinegar 5 minutes before end.
Pilau Rice
Fill and switch on your kettle
Whilst this is happening heat up a little oil in a pan that comes with a tight fitting lid
Allow 3oz of BASMATI rice per person (weigh it!!! And it must be basmati - nothing else works! You can also be boring and soak the rice in water first but I never bother)
Salt to taste
2 green cardamom pods (split open slightly) per rice serving
1 whole clove per serving
When the oil is warm, add the raw rice and spices together
Mix well, ensuring the rice gets coated in the oil - don't worry if it starts to turn white
Turn down the heat to minimum
Quickly pour the boiled water into a measuring jug
(allow double the fl oz of water to the rice weight) ie for 4 portions: 12 oz of rice and 24 fl oz of boiled water.
Stir everything around to stop any sticking and place the lid on securely
Cook for 12 minutes on the lowest heat setting
After 12 minutes take from heat and leave for another 12 minutes (do not remove the lid - the steam will continue to cook the rice!!!)
Later take the lid off and you can add a drop or two of food colouring for that restaurant effect ( I use a drop of red at one end of the pot and a drop of green at the other - leave for a while and then mix through the white rice for a realistic effect)
I would normally make the rice first and, while it is resting, knock up the curry sauce. The rice stays hot like this for a couple of hours if you don't keep removing the lid and let the steam escape!)
This recipe will give impressive results if you measure/time things accurately.
A piece of cake….
(For plain boiled rice, omit the spices and food colouring).
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