Bhindi Masala Shyams's favourite Curry

A typical meal for our family is mainly cooked rice, roti (bread), dal (cereals) and vegetables. Vegetable curry made out of Okra is my favourite Shyam

Shyam

Ingredients

• Bhindi ( Okra) - 250 Grams
• Onion - 1 Finely chopped
• Tomato - 1 chopped
• Turmeric powder 1/2 tablespoon
• Red chilli powder 1/2 tablespoon
• Mustard oil 3 tablespoon
• Salt 1/2 tablespoon

Method

1. Wash the bhindi, pat dry with a cloth or paper towel and cut into medium pieces.
2. Heat 2 tablespoon oil in a pan and add the bhindi.
3. Fry the bhindi on medium heat till the sides turn brown. Take out and keep aside.
4. Add the remaining oil and put chopped onion. Sauté for 2 minutes, add turmeric powder, red chilli powder, tomato, salt and mix well. Let the masala cook covered on low-medium heat for good 3 minutes.
5. Add in the Bhindi. Put a lid on and cook the vegetables on low heat for more 2 to 3 minutes.
6. Serve as a side dish with chapatti or rice and dal.

Punjabi kadhi compliments from Babu Ji

Ingredients

• Mustard Oil -100 ml
• Mustard seeds-50gms
• Coriander seeds-20gms
• Cumin seeds-2 tb spoon
• Red chilly whole-8 nos.
• Ginger garlic paste-4 tb spoon
• Curry leaf-20 gms
• Gram flour-200gms
• Yoghurt-500gms
• Cumin powder -4 tb spoon
• Coriander Powder-4 tb spoon
• Turmeric Powder, 1 tb spoon
• Curry powder-4 tb spoon
• Salt, to taste
• Sugar-1 tb spoon
• Fenugreek leaf powder-20gms

Method

Heat mustard oil in a pan add mustard seeds, coriander seeds, cumin seeds, red chilly whole, curry leaf let them crackle.

Now add ginger garlic paste let it cook for 2 minutes. In a separate bowl mix yoghurt, gram flour, cumin powder, coriander powder, turmeric powder and curry powder with 1 litre of water add salt and sugar also. Mix it well.

Pour this mix in first container and stir it then cover with a lid to cook on medium heat for 20 minutes. Let the oil come on the surface means the gravy is cooked nicely. Switch off the flame and add fried fritters in gravy, sprinkle fresh chop coriander on top. Serve it with steamed rice.

For fritters - 10 cauliflower florets + 1 zucchini sliced in roundels mix with 100gms of gram flour, 1 tea spoon turmeric powder, 1tea spoon curry powder and some water to get a coating on cauliflower and zucchini. Put these coated vegetables in heated oil (150c) for few minute to get crisp and nice brown colour. Take out from oil and keep aside.

Fragrant Thai green curry

Ingredients

• 700g chicken breast fillet, cut into 2cm pieces
• 6 tablespoons Thai green curry paste
• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
• 1 teaspoon sesame oil
• 1 red onion, finely chopped
• 2cm piece ginger, grated
• 1 tablespoon tamarind puree
• 270ml can light coconut milk
• 3 kaffir lime leaves
• 2 lemongrass stems, white part only
• 100g frozen peas
• 1/4 cup (60ml) fish sauce
• 1 tablespoon light soy sauce
• 1 tablespoon chilli sauce
• 200g snow peas, sliced on the diagonal
• 2 tablespoons lime juice
• Leaves of 1 bunch coriander, chopped, plus extra leaves to garnish
• Steamed jasmine rice, to serve
• Lime wedges, to serve
• 4 spring onions, sliced on the diagonal

Method

1. Mix chicken in a bowl with half the curry paste, and mix to combine. Cover and set aside in fridge for 15 minutes.
2. Heat oils in a large, deep frypan over medium heat. Add onion and cook, stirring, until softened. Add ginger and cook for 1 minute.
3. Add remaining curry paste and stir for a few seconds. Add chicken and stir for a further 5 minutes. Place tamarind puree in a jug with 150ml boiling water. Stir to dissolve, then add to pan with coconut milk, lime leaves and lemongrass.
4. Bring to a low simmer (don't boil as chicken will toughen). Simmer for 10 minutes, then add peas, fish sauce, soy and chilli sauce.
5. Cook for 5 minutes, then add snow peas and cook for 1 minute. Taste and adjust seasoning if required.
6. Stir through lime juice and chopped coriander.
7. Serve on rice with lime wedges, and garnish with spring onion and coriander leaves.

Lehsuni palak paneer compliments from Babu Ji

Ingredients

• 100ml refined oil
• 100g butter
• 2 tablespoons cumin seeds
• 200g garlic, finely chopped
• 200g gram flour
• 4 tablespoons cumin
• 4 tablespoons coriander
• 4 tablespoons curry powder
• 1kg spinach
• 100g cream
• 50g dried fenugreek leaf
• 500g cottage cheese
• Salt to taste

Method

1. Add spinach to boiling water for 5 minutes then strain and leave to cool.
2. Chop half the spinach, puree the other half.
3. Heat oil in a pan, melt butter then add cumin seeds and let them crackle.
4. Add garlic and cook for 2 minutes.
5. Add gram flour and sauté until golden brown.
6. Now add the cumin, coriander, curry powder and salt to taste.
7. Add spinach puree and chopped spinach and cook for 5 minutes.
8. Sprinkle in the fenugreek leaf and mix everything well.
9. Add cream and water for consistency.
10. Add the cottage cheese.
11. Serve with rice or bread.

Bengali curry of king prawns, spinach, coconut & turmeric

Ingredients

• 10g ginger and garlic paste (pounded)
• 3 whole cardamom, bashed until the pods open
• 2 whole green chilli scuds, split lengthwise in the middle
• 200g onions, chopped
• 1 bay leaf
• 100g diced tomatoes
• 5g turmeric powder
• 5g garam masala
• 2 tbsp mango powder
• 100ml coconut cream
• 300ml fish stock or chicken stock
• 5-6 curry leaves
• 1 small red chilli, julienne (to garnish)
• 100g spinach
• 20ml Grape seed oil
• black salt to taste

Method

1. Heat a skillet, add oil and heat. Fry the curry leaves, be careful as the oil may spit.
2. Strain the curry leaves, and save the oil for the rest of the cooking process.
3. Sit the fried curry leaf on a paper towel until required.
4. Add the bay leaf and cardamom.
5. Add the ginger and garlic paste and cook till it's lightly brown.
6. Add chopped onions cook until it's translucent.
7. Add tomatoes and green chilli and cook until the tomatoes starts to disintegrate.
8. Add the garam masala, mango powder, turmeric and salt.
9. Add the coconut cream and then the stock.
10. Pour all the ingredients into the blender and blend to a smooth sauce.
11. In the same skillet, add 1 tablespoon of oil.
12. Cook prawns on heavy based saucepan until half cooked
13. Add salt to the prawns and then throw in the spinach and wilt the spinach with the prawns.
14. Add the curry sauce to the saucepan and cook until prawns are cooked through
15. Place prawn curry in a serving bowl
16. Garnish with fried curry leaves and red chilli julienne (seeds removed).

Indonesian lamb curry

Ingredients

• 1.2kg diced lamb
• 1/3 cup Valcom yellow curry paste
• 12 cardamom pods, bruised
• 8 whole cloves
• 1 tablespoon coriander seeds
• 2 dried bay leaves
• 4 cups chicken stock
• 1 tablespoon rice wine vinegar
• 400ml can coconut cream
• 1 medium lemon, sliced
• 1/2 cup fresh coriander sprigs
• Select all ingredients

Method

1. Place lamb in a large, heavy-based saucepan. Season with salt. Add curry paste, cardamom, cloves, coriander seeds and bay leaves (see tip). Heat over medium heat. Cook, tossing, stirring, for 1 to 2 minutes or until fragrant. Add stock and vinegar. Bring to a simmer. Simmer, uncovered, for 30 minutes.
2. Add coconut cream. Cook, uncovered, for 20 to 30 minutes or until cream mixture has thickened and lamb is tender.
3. Spoon into bowls. Serve with lemon and coriander.

Indonesian Rendang curry

Ingredients

• 1 lb. chicken pieces

Sauce:

• 1/2 can good-quality coconut milk
• 2 Tbsp. fresh finely chopped lemongrass (can also be purchased frozen at Asian food stores)
• 1 onion, peeled and quartered
• 4 cloves garlic
• 1 thumb-size piece galangal (or ginger)
• 1-3 red chilies, depending on how hot you like your curry (de-seeded if less heat is desired) OR 1/3 to 3/4 tsp dry chili flakes
• 3/4 Tbsp. tamarind paste
• 1 Tbsp. brown sugar
• 2 tsp. dark soy sauce
• 4 Tbsp. fish sauce
• 1/2 tsp. turmeric
• 1 heaping Tbsp. ground coriander
• 1 Tbsp. ground cumin
• 1 1/2 tsp. cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp. nutmeg
• 1/4 tsp. cloves
• 1 tsp. shrimp paste (available by the jar at Asian food stores) OR substitute 1 Tbsp. more fish sauce
• optional: 2 whole star anise (available at Asian food stores)
• GARNISH (optional):
• fresh coriander leaves

Method

1. Place all sauce ingredients - except whole star anise - in a food processor. Process well to form a thick curry paste. If you don't have a food processor, simply chop onion and herbs finely and combine with the coconut milk, spices, and other ingredients. These herbs and spices can also be ground together with a pestle & mortar.
2. Do a taste test for salt and spice, adding more fish sauce if not salty enough. If not spicy enough, add more fresh chili, or chili sauce. If too sour, add a little more brown sugar.
3. Place sauce in a wok or pot over medium-high heat. Add chicken pieces plus the whole star anise and stir well. Continue stirring occasionally as you bring to a boil. Then reduce heat to a simmer. Do not cover, as you want the sauce to reduce and become thicker.
4. Allow the curry to simmer, stirring occasionally, for up to one hour, or until meat is cooked and tender. The sauce will reduce, so that it is almost like a coating on the meat (plus there will be a little sauce leftover in the wok/pan).
5. Serve directly from the wok/pan with any extra sauce poured over. Garnish with a sprinkling of fresh coriander. Serve with Thai jasmine-scented rice or Easy Thai Coconut Rice. This dish can also be served with flat bread. Enjoy!

Madras beef curry

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons ground coriander
• 1 tablespoon ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon turmeric
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1 teaspoon chilli powder (optional)
• 2 garlic cloves, crushed
• 2 teaspoons grated ginger
• 2 1/2 tablespoons lemon juice
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1kg chuck steak, cut into 2.5cm cubes
• 2 tablespoons tomato paste
• 1 cup Campbell's Real Stock Beef
• Steamed SunRice Basmati Rice, to serve
• Raita (see notes), to serve
• Coriander, mint and sliced red chilli, (optional) to serve

Method

1. Combine coriander, cumin, turmeric, pepper, chilli, garlic, ginger and lemon juice in a bowl to form a paste. Set aside.
2. Heat 1 tablespoon of oil in a large saucepan over high heat. Add half the beef. Cook, stirring, for 2 to 3 minutes, or until browned. Transfer to a bowl. Repeat with remaining oil and beef.
3. Reduce heat to medium. Add spice paste. Cook for 1 minute. Return beef to saucepan. Cook, stirring, for 1 minute, or until meat is coated with paste. Add tomato paste and stock. Bring to the boil. Reduce heat to low. Cover. Cook for 1 hour 45 minutes, or until beef is tender.
4. Remove lid. Cook, uncovered, for a further 15 minutes, or until sauce has reduced and thickened slightly. Serve with rice and raita. Top with mint , coriander and fresh chilli (optional).

Traditional Indian raita cool the palate

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup plain yogurt
• 1/2 cup chopped seeded English hothouse cucumber
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
• 2 teaspoons chopped green onions
• 1/4 teaspoon ground coriander
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cumin

Method

Mix all ingredients in medium bowl. Season to taste with salt. Chill raita, covered, until ready to serve.

Papadum

Ingredients

• 4 cups lentils flour, ground into flour using a grain grinder
• 1 teaspoon black pepper cracked
• 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
• 1/2 ground, 1/2 whole
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 cup water
• 1 x vegetable oil for frying

Method

1. In a large bowl mix the flour, black pepper, cumin and salt.
2. Add the water and knead the dough by hand until it is smooth.
3. Depending on the flour you may need to add more or less water to reach the desired consistency. It should be wet enough to hold together but not too sticky.
4. Divide the dough into 12 to 15 balls and roll out one ball at a time to a very thin round layer about 1/8 inch thick on a slightly oiled surface.
5. Place on lightly oiled cookie sheets.
6. Place the papadums in the oven preheated to about 200 degrees F.
7. Store in an airtight container until ready to serve.
8. Fry in a non-stick skillet in a small amount of oil (or you could dry fry them) until they are crispy but do not let them brown.
9. Serve warm. They can also be made ahead and then be crisped up in a warm oven before serving.