Britain
Chicken tikka masala
The popularity of chicken tikka masala is testament to Britain's centuries-old love affair with Indian food. Don't be shy with the garlic and ginger - this dish is big on bold flavours. For a vegetarian version, cut a block of paneer or tofu into large cubes and add the pieces, without marinating, to the tomato sauce at the end of cooking.
Serves 4
675g boned chicken thighs, skinned
juice of 2 limes
1 tsp paprika
11/2 tsp cumin seeds
1/2 tsp coriander seeds
2 shallots, roughly chopped
4 large garlic cloves, roughly chopped
4cm piece fresh root ginger, roughly chopped
2 green chillies, deseeded and roughly chopped
125g plain Greek-style yogurt
1/2 tsp ground garam masala
1 tbs vegetable oil
For the sauce
400g canned chopped tomatoes
1 rounded tsp tomato purée
handful of coriander leaves, roughly chopped
3cm piece fresh root ginger, grated
1 tsp lime juice
1/2 tsp caster sugar
50g unsalted butter
125ml single cream
Cut the chicken thighs into 3cm chunks. Combine the lime juice and paprika and mix with the chicken. Leave on one side. Heat a small heavy-based frying pan over a moderate heat. Add the cumin and coriander seeds and roast for about 1 minute, shaking the pan to prevent them scorching. As soon as they start to colour, tip them onto a plate to cool. Grind to a fine powder in a pestle and mortar, a spice mill or a coffee grinder.
Put the shallots, garlic, ginger and chillies into a food processor. Drain the lime juice and paprika mixture from the chicken and add to the onion mixture. Process until smooth. Tip into a mixing bowl and stir in the yogurt, garam masala and half the coriander and cumin powder. Pour the spiced yogurt mixture over the chicken, turning every piece so that it's evenly coated. Cover with cling film and marinate overnight in the fridge. If you can, flip the chicken over once or twice while it's marinating.
Preheat the grill, with the grill pan in place, to its hottest setting.
Take the chicken out of the yogurt marinade and arrange on the hot grill pan. Drizzle with the oil and grill for about 5 minutes on each side or until beginning to char around the edges. Pour any cooking juices into a bowl and skim off any fat. Keep the chicken warm while you make the sauce.
Combine the tomatoes, tomato purée, coriander leaves, ginger, lime juice, sugar and remaining cumin and coriander powder in a blender or food processor and process until smooth. Heat the butter in a saucepan and, when melted, add the spiced tomato mixture and cream. Bring to simmering point, then strain in the reserved cooking juices and add the cooked chicken pieces.
Reheat and serve piping hot, with Indian breads.
Thailand
Green curry of prawns with aubergines and basil
This is quite a thin curry, commonly served with spiced salted beef. Kaffir lime leaves, fresh long chillies and Thai basil are essential garnishes, to give the dish its characteristic savour.
Tradition dictates that the prawns be added to the frying curry paste, but I feel that this can lead to such quick-cooking items being overcooked, as they then continue simmering after the coconut milk is added. I think it is better - and safer - to add the prawns once the curry is made, when adding the vegetables. Almost any meat or fish can be used in place of the prawns.
Serves 4
5 tbs cracked coconut cream
21/2 tbs green curry paste
11/2-3 tbs fish sauce, to taste
250ml coconut milk and/or chicken or prawn stock
3 apple aubergines, stalk removed and each cut into sixths (if cut in advance, keep in salted water to prevent discoloration)
100g picked pea aubergines
8-12 good quality large, raw prawns, cleaned and de-veined
3-4 kaffir lime leaves, torn
3 young green chillies, deseeded and thinly sliced at an elegant angle
handful of Thai basil leaves
1 rounded tbs shredded wild ginger
To make cracked coconut cream, simmer until most of the liquid has evaporated. It will then separate into thin oil and milk solids.
Heat the cracked coconut cream, add the curry paste and fry over a high heat for about 5 minutes, stirring regularly, until fragrant. Make sure the paste is quite oily.
Season with fish sauce, then moisten with the coconut milk or stock, or a mixture of the two. Bring to the boil, then add the apple and pea aubergines. Simmer for a few minutes to cook before adding the prawns. Continue to simmer until they too are cooked.
Finish with the remaining ingredients, then allow to rest for a minute or so before serving. The curry should have a dappling of separated coconut cream floating on top.
Thailand
Jungle curry of chicken with vegetables and peppercorns
A jungle curry is a country curry that is simple and robust in flavour and technique. A green or a red curry paste can be its base. This version is perhaps the most common; however, there are many variations, using frog, game, freshwater fish and prawns as well as a myriad of vegetables reflecting the bounty of the local market. It can be served with pickled red shallots and dried fish or prawns.
Serves 4
200g boneless chicken thigh or breast, skinned if preferred
2 apple aubergines
11/2 tbs vegetable oil
21/2 tbs fish sauce
250-300ml light chicken stock
2 heaped tbs picked pea aubergines
2 heaped tbs snake beans cut into 2cm lengths
3 baby corn, cut into small pieces
a little sliced boiled bamboo (optional)
3 stalks wild ginger, julienned
1 long green chilli, thinly sliced at an angle
2 kaffir lime leaves, torn
handful of holy basil leaves
3 sprigs of fresh green peppercorns
For the red jungle curry paste
10 dried red chillies, deseeded, soaked and chopped
3-4 dried small red chillies, soaked and chopped
a few bird's eye chillies (optional)
good pinch of salt
2 tsp chopped galangal
21/2 tbs chopped lemongrass
1 rounded tbs chopped wild ginger
1 tsp chopped coriander root
1 tsp chopped kaffir lime zest
21/2 tbs chopped red shallots
21/2 tbs chopped garlic cloves
1 tsp Thai shrimp paste
For the garlic and chilli paste
2 garlic cloves, peeled
pinch of salt
3 stalks wild ginger
3-5 bird's eye chillies
Slice the chicken into pieces about 2cm long and 5mm thick. Remove the stalks from the apple aubergines, then cut each one into sixths; keep in salted water to prevent discoloration.
To make the garlic and chilli paste, grind all the ingredients with a pestle and mortar. Heat the oil in a wok or heavy saucepan and, when very hot, add the garlic and chilli paste. Fry over a high heat until golden and almost starting to burn. Quickly add 21/2 tbs of the curry paste and continue to fry, stirring to prevent scorching, until explosively fragrant. Season with the fish sauce, then add the stock and bring to the boil. Add the chicken and all the aubergines. Simmer for a minute or so or until cooked.
Add the remaining ingredients. Simmer for a few more moments. Check the seasoning, then serve.
Pakistan
Potato curry
When you are not sure what to cook, or you have to prepare a meal in a hurry, potato curry is always the answer. You can eat it for breakfast on toast, topped with a couple of fried eggs, lunch or dinner, alone or as part of a meal. It's great as a left-over too. All varieties of potatoes can be used, even young. This is true comfort food. It can be made in advance and reheated in the pan on a low heat or in a microwave.
Serves 3-4
2 tbs sunflower oil
1 large onion, finely chopped
2 large plum tomatoes, skinned and chopped
8 red chillies
1/2 tsp red chilli powder
1 tsp cumin seeds
salt
500g potatoes, peeled and diced, or whole new potatoes
chopped coriander leaves to garnish
Heat the oil in a saucepan, add the onion and cook until slightly browned. Add the chopped tomatoes, then stir in the chillies, chilli powder, cumin seeds and salt to taste. Add 125ml water and cook, stirring, until excess liquid has evaporated.
Add the potatoes together with another 125ml water. Stir well to coat the potatoes with the spice mixture, then put the lid on the pan. Cook for 15-20 minutes or until the potatoes are tender but not breaking up.
Remove the lid and continue cooking until the oil separates out. Garnish with chopped coriander and serve hot.
Indonesia
Hot and sour prawn curry
This is one of the wide variety of prawn curries that are popular all over Indonesia. There are hot and sour prawns and many more cooked in coconut milk and tamarind. The hotness, of course, comes from chillies, so reduce the quantity of these if you prefer your food less hot. The sourness comes from a combination of tamarind and tomatoes. There is no need to add any sugar, because the dish contains so much onion, and the tamarind itself is sweet as well as sour. For convenience, you can fry the prawns and make the sauce ahead of time. Then, before serving, reheat the sauce and, when hot, add the prawns to finish the cooking.
Serves 4
12-16 raw king or tiger prawns, peeled, with last tail section left on, and de-veined
1 tsp coarse sea salt
1/2 tsp ground turmeric
1/2 tsp chilli powder
3 tbs groundnut oil
For the sauce
3 tbs groundnut oil
3 large red onions, chopped
4 garlic cloves, finely sliced
1 tbs finely chopped fresh root ginger
2-6 large green chillies, deseeded and thinly sliced diagonally
1 tsp ground coriander
6-8 large, red and ripe tomatoes, skinned and chopped
3-4 tbs tamarind water
salt
chopped spring onions and deep-fried shallots to garnish
Rub the prawns with the sea salt, turmeric and chilli powder, then set aside for 10-12 minutes. Heat the oil and, when hot, fry the prawns, in two batches, for not more than 2 minutes each batch. They will not be fully cooked at this point. Drain on kitchen paper.
To make the sauce, heat the oil in a wok or large frying pan. Add the onions and fry, stirring often, for 8-10 minutes or until they are soft and just starting to colour. Add the garlic, ginger and chillies and stir-fry for a minute or so, then add the ground coriander and stir for another minute. Put in the chopped tomatoes and the tamarind juice, stir them around and cook on a low heat for 3-4 more minutes. Adjust the seasoning.
Add the prawns to the sauce and stir them around for 2 minutes or until hot and cooked through. Slice the shallots thinly and evenly and deep fry in hot oil stirring constantly, until golden. Spread on kitchen paper to cool. Serve the curry immediately, with the spring onions and shallots scattered on top. As a main course dish, the accompaniment can be rice, noodles or bread, with salad or plain cooked vegetables.
Rajasthan
Fiery lamb curry
As the name suggests, this is a very hot dish, not for people with a weak constitution. This is one of the few Indian dishes that contains heat in every sense - both 'chilli hot' and 'spice hot'. You can decide the amount of heat you'd like. Discard most of the seeds from the chillies if you want to reduce the heat, or keep them in if you want it really hot.
Serves 4
25-35 dried red chillies, stalks removed
11/2 tsp cloves
150g ghee or vegetable oil
250g plain yogurt, whisked until smooth
2 tsp cumin seeds, roasted
20g ground coriander
1 tsp red chilli powder
2 tsp salt
3 cinnamon leaves or bay leaves
6 green cardamom pods
5 black cardamom pods
75g garlic cloves, finely chopped
250g onions, finely chopped
1kg leg of lamb or goat with bone chopped into 2.5cm cubes
750ml lamb stock or water
30g coriander leaves, finely chopped
Set aside 3 or 4 of the dried chillies to use later; put the remainder to soak in 125ml water. Also put aside 4-6 of the cloves and 1 tbs of the ghee. Mix the yogurt with the cumin seeds, ground coriander, chilli powder and salt in a bowl. Set aside.
Heat the rest of the ghee in a heavy-bottomed pan. Add the remaining cloves, the cinnamon leaves and the green and black cardamoms. When they begin to crackle and change colour, add the garlic. Sauté for 2 minutes or until the garlic begins to turn golden. Add the onions and cook for 10 minutes or until golden brown, stirring constantly. Stir in the meat and cook for 2-3 minutes. Drain the red chillies and add to the pan.
Continue cooking for 10-12 minutes or until the liquid has evaporated and the meat starts to brown. Now add the spiced yogurt and cook for another 10-12 minutes or until the liquid from the yogurt has evaporated. Add the stock or water and bring to the boil, then cover the pan, reduce the heat and simmer until the meat is tender. Check the seasoning. Remove from the heat and keep warm.
To prepare the tadka, or tempering, which boosts the flavours, heat up the reserved ghee or oil in a large ladle over a flame (or in a small pan) and add the reserved cloves and dried red chillies. Cook for 1-2 minutes or until the ghee changes colour and the spice flavours are released. Pour the contents of the ladle over the lamb curry, sprinkle with the chopped coriander and serve.
South India
Vegetables with lentils
Sambar is the most famous accompaniment for the traditional pancake-like breads called dosas, and it is the curry always served first at any feast in southern India. It is the dish of the common man.
Serves 4
100g split yellow lentils (toor dal)
1 tsp ground turmeric
1 tsp chilli powder
2 onions, cut into small pieces
100g carrots, peeled and cut into 2.5cm (1in) pieces
100g green beans (frozen or fresh), cut into 2.5cm pieces
3 tomatoes, quartered
100g potatoes, peeled and cut into cubes
3-4 tbs tamarind water
salt
For the sauce
100g freshly grated coconut or desiccated coconut
2 tsp coriander seeds
1 dried red chilli
For tempering
1 tbs vegetable oil
1 tsp mustard seeds
10 curry leaves
3 dried red chillies
For the spice paste, roast the coconut and spices until brown. Leave to cool, then grind in a food processor, gradually adding about 250ml water to make a fine paste.
Bring 300ml of water to the boil and add the lentils, turmeric, chilli powder and onions. Simmer until the lentils are well cooked.
Add the carrots, beans, tomatoes and potatoes and stir well. Cover and cook for 10 minutes or until the vegetables are tender. Add the tamarind water and salt to taste. Cover and cook for 5 minutes.
Stir in the spice paste. Bring to the boil, then reduce the heat to moderate and cook, uncovered, for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
For tempering, heat the oil in a frying pan and add the mustard seeds. As they begin to pop, add the curry leaves and dried red chillies. Pour this over the curry and gently stir through. Serve hot.
North India
Stir-fry of paneer cheese with peppers
A kadhai, or karahi, is the Indian wok, and this is the Indian answer to a stir-fry. This style of cooking is very versatile and quick if you prepare a basic sauce in advance, then it's simply a question of choosing your meat, fish or vegetables and degree of spiciness. You may want to keep a jar of this basic kadhai sauce in your fridge.
The kadhai method is becoming particularly popular with youngsters and people who are learning to cook and want to try out different things without spending a lot of time in the kitchen.
Serves 4-6
1 tbs ghee or corn oil
1/2 tsp crushed dried chillies
2 red or yellow peppers, deseeded and cut into strips 1 x 3cm
1 red onion, sliced 1cm thick
600g paneer, cut into 3cm batons
20g coriander leaves, finely chopped
1/2 tsp dried fenugreek leaves, crumbled
juice of 1 lemon
5cm piece fresh root ginger, cut into julienne
For the basic kadhai sauce
80g ghee or corn oil
30g garlic cloves, finely chopped
15g coriander seeds, coarsely pounded
8 red chillies, coarsely pounded in a mortar
2 onions, finely chopped
5cm piece fresh root ginger, finely chopped
3 green chillies, finely chopped
750g fresh ripe tomatoes, finely chopped
2 tsp salt
1 tsp ground garam masala
11/2 tsp dried fenugreek leaves, crumbled
1 tsp sugar (optional)
To make the sauce, heat the ghee in a pan, add the garlic and let it colour. Stir, then add the coriander seeds and red chillies. When they release their aromas, add the onions and cook until they start changing to light golden. Stir in the ginger, green chillies and tomatoes. Reduce the heat to low and cook until all excess moisture has evaporated and the fat starts to separate out. Add the salt, garam masala and fenugreek leaves and stir. Add some sugar, if needed.
For the stir-fry, heat the ghee in a kadhai, wok or large frying pan. Add the crushed chillies, pepper strips and red onion. Stir and sauté on a high heat for under a minute, then add the paneer and stir for another minute. Add the sauce and mix well. Once everything is heated through, check the seasoning. Finish with the fresh coriander, fenugreek leaves and lemon juice. Garnish with the ginger and serve with naan bread.
Thailand
Coconut and turmeric curry of red snapper
Most southern curries are rich with coconut cream. This curry should be hot, salty and a little tart. Almost any seafood can be used in place of the snapper, especially crab. Serve with cucumber, mint and coriander, and rice.
Serves 4
500ml coconut milk
250ml light chicken stock or water
2 stalks lemongrass, bruised
white sugar
4 tbs tamarind water
4 tbs fish sauce, or to taste
200g red snapper fillet or a 400g whole red snapper, gutted and scaled
handful of torn 'betel' leaves (optional)
120ml coconut cream
5 kaffir lime leaves, finely shredded
For the curry paste
6 dried long red chillies, soaked and chopped
3-4 dried small red chillies
pinch of salt
a few bird's eye chillies
50g chopped lemongrass
4 tbs chopped red shallots
21/2 tbs chopped garlic
1 rounded tbs chopped red turmeric
1 rounded tbs Thai shrimp paste
To make the curry paste, put all the ingredients in a blender and blend for 3-4 minutes, stopping to scrape down the insides of the jug every so often.
Combine the coconut milk with the stock in a saucepan, add the lemongrass and bring to the boil.
Season with a little sugar, the tamarind water and fish sauce and add 4 tbs curry paste. Simmer for a minute before adding the fish and 'betel' leaves. Continue to simmer until the fish is cooked.
Check the seasoning, then finish by stirring in the coconut cream. Serve sprinkled with the shredded kaffir lime leaves.
Laos
Green prawn curry with fresh dill
Fresh dill, sometimes referred to as Laotian coriander, is widely used in Laos for fish or other seafood dishes. The dill fronds are added at the last minute as a garnish. Eat this with steamed sticky rice.
Serves 4
3 tbs vegetable oil
5 tbs Thai curry paste
1 tbs shrimp paste
1 tbs palm or granulated sugar
500ml thick coconut milk
500ml chicken or vegetable stock
4-6 kaffir lime leaves, bruised
fish sauce to taste
2 large waxy potatoes, peeled and cut into 2.5cm pieces
675g raw tiger prawns, peeled and de-veined
1 bunch of dill
Heat the oil in a pot over a moderately high heat and stir-fry the curry paste for about 2 minutes or until just golden and fragrant. Add the shrimp paste (breaking it up) and palm sugar, and stir-fry for 1 minute or until fragrant. Reduce the heat and add the coconut milk, stock, kaffir lime leaves and fish sauce to taste. Add the potatoes, cover and cook for 20 minutes.
Add the prawns and stir well, then cover again and cook for about 5 minutes or until they turn pink. Serve hot, garnished with dill fronds.
South India
Shallow-fried masala sardines
For a feast, this dry curried fish makes a fantastic combination with wetter chicken and meat dishes. It's crunchy and has a delicious spicy flavour. Serve it as a dry side dish or with plain rice or a green salad as a main dish. Pomfret or any flat fish can be used instead of sardines.
Serves 2-4
4 sardines, about 300g in total
5 tbs vegetable oil
1 small onion, finely sliced
small handful of chopped coriander leaves
wedges of lemon
For the spice paste
1 onion, chopped
2 green chillies, chopped
1cm piece fresh root ginger, finely chopped
10 curry leaves
10 black peppercorns
1/2tsp chilli powder
1/2 tsp ground turmeric
2 tbs wine or cider vinegar
1 tsp lemon juice
salt
Place all the ingredients for the spice paste in a food processor or blender. Process for 2-3 minutes to make a fine paste. Set aside.
Wash the fish under cold running water, then pat dry with kitchen paper. With a very sharp knife, make some slashes about 2.5cm apart along the whole length of the fish, on both sides. Don't cut too deeply, just enough to break the skin and cut slightly into the flesh.
Place the fish on a baking tray and spread the spice paste all over the fish, ensuring that it penetrates well into the cuts. Leave to marinate for 15-20 minutes.
Heat 2 tbs of the oil in a large frying pan. Add the onion and cook for 5-6 minutes over a very high heat until the onion is well browned and crisp. Remove the onion from the pan and drain on kitchen paper.
Heat the remaining oil in the same pan over a low heat. Carefully place the fish in the pan, cover and cook for about 6 minutes on each side. Turn the fish once only during cooking to avoid breaking it up. Cook until the skin is brown and the flesh is cooked thoroughly.
Carefully remove the fish and place on a large serving dish. Sprinkle the crisp onions over the fish and garnish with coriander and lemon wedges.
Recipes by Roopa Gulati, David Thompson, Mahmood Akbar, Sri Owen, Vivek Singh, Das Sreedharan and Corinne Trang.
· Extracted from Curry, published by Dorling Kindersley on 5 October 2006, price £16.99. ©Dorling Kindersley 2006. For a special advance publication offer for OFM readers of only £14.99, call the DK Bookshop now on 08700 707717 quoting reference CURRY and ISBN 1405315725. Allow up to 14 days for delivery. Offer open to UK residents only, subject to availability. Includes free P&P
