curry

[Spymaster]

Hmmm, i don't think i'll have the time/talent/money to make 3 different dishes. If it was just the one, with onion, potatoes, cashews and aubergines in coconut milk (leaving out the 'shrooms) be better?

Much better to me. Onion is the basis for most curries so you'd be making potato and aubergine curry with cashews in coconut milk. With plenty of ginger and garlic, that sounds ace .

Keep it simple if you're not used to cooking curries. The potatos are going to take longer than the aubergines so do them first and finish with the coconut at the end.

 

[Detroit City]

haha i don't know the basics though! and oh yeah, god what spices?! other than the curry paste?

everythings in there already, innit? thats the point, although i would recommend the boxed dry spice packets instead of the bottled pastes, most of those are shite

 

[Grobelaar]

haha i don't know the basics though! and oh yeah, god what spices?! other than the curry paste?

If you're going down the spices rather than paste route, I recommend getting one of these...

http://www.spicesofindia.co.uk/acatalog/Indian-Food-Masala-Dabba.html

Fresh spices make better curries - but then you have to eat a lot of curry a lot of the time to really get the benefit from the freshness.

I've seen some supermarket do those packs - like 1.99 and you get seven little pots with the spices you need for a curry - but the quantities tend to be a bit off for my liking - you need maybe double what they provide I reckon.

 

[Maggot]

everythings in there already, innit? thats the point, although i would recommend the boxed dry spice packets instead of the bottled pastes, most of those are shite

Pastes in this country are fine. Stop posting shit.

 

[tombowler]

if you really want to impress you couldmake a flat bread to go with it, i used this one today,

CHAPATTI

4 cups whole-wheat flour
2 cups unbleached flour
1/2 pound soft butter
1 teaspoon honey (optional)
1 pint milk ground sunflower and pumpkin seeds as desired

Cut butter into flour. Add milk and work into dough. Roll as thin as you like. Cut into squares. Prick each square with a fork. Bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes.

But i halved the flour milk and guessed at the marg/butter, added cround corriander and cumin seeds, rolled em flat so the seads cracked a bit and fried in a frying pan with minimal oil, got great reports back and one lady cried!

If your looking for protien boil some moong dall or lentils with a diced tomatoe, in another pan fry a little onion with some garlic and sliced birds eye chille and some salt( i use curry powder and chillie powedr too but i like it hot like sambar!) and drop this in towards the end of the dalls cooking time finish with fresh corriander, be carefull not to burn the garlic!!,

 

[Epona]

My particular favourite home-made veg curry is potato and chickpea - be sure to parboil the spuds first as they stay hard way too long in a tomato based curry sauce because of the acidity of the tomatoes. You could also use lentils or any soaked or sprouted pulses for protein.

 

[fakeplasticgirl]

question about coconut milk: the original recipe i have revised says put the coconut milk in with the stock, bring to boil, and then simmer. but people on here are saying wait til the very end before putting the milk in. what's best? thanks

tonight is curry night....aahhhh!!!

 

[seeformiles]

question about coconut milk: the original recipe i have revised says put the coconut milk in with the stock, bring to boil, and then simmer. but people on here are saying wait til the very end before putting the milk in. what's best? thanks

tonight is curry night....aahhhh!!!

Let it simmer with the stock (btw if you're in Leeds Maumoniat should have everything you need - good pickles and puppadums! Good luck)

 

[rioted]

i really don't know. we generally don't put that much shit into one dish.

Yeah, our house rule is no more than two veg in one dish. (onions, garlic, ginger, chilis obviously don't count )

 

[fakeplasticgirl]

Let it simmer with the stock (btw if you're in Leeds Maumoniat should have everything you need - good pickles and puppadums! Good luck)

That's just where I've been - it's literally just round the corner from my house and it's the first time I've discovered it! tis ace - cheap and had everything i needed, *licks lips* - this guy had better appreciate my efforts, even if they do fail!!

 

[mr steev]

Don't forget fresh corriander

 

[Thimble Queen]

I have a technique with Patak's sauces that gets you something a bit closer to what you might get at a British Indian Restaurant. Basically you make effectively a base sauce - it's very similar to making a thin blended soup.

Take onions, garlic, carrots, sweat down in oil or ghee for until nice and soft.
Add some fresh chillis or chilli powder if you want a touch more heat.
Add the Patak's curry paste, about half the jar will make enough for curry for 3-4 people.

Fry off the paste for a few seconds. If it's a tomato based sauce add a tin of tomatoes here, if its a korma or say something with coconut milk then don't.
Add some water or some chicken stock. Not sure of the quantities - probably about 3/4 of pint (less if you have the tomatoes).

Bring to the boil and simmer for 10mins.

Let it cool and then blend in a blender or with a blending stick - you should get a thickish gravy.

You can freeze this if you want and be ready to make a quick curry.

For the curry, fry your meat and/or vegetables, add the base sauce and hey presto.

For a korma for example, fry some dessicated coconut and sugar in oil for a 30secs, add meat or veggies that you fried earlier, then the base sauce - bring to the boil and reduce until a nice thick consistency - add cream or coconut milk.

How do you get the flavour in the meat tho??

 

[FridgeMagnet]

Don't forget fresh corriander

Finely chopped coriander on the top of a curry just before serving is terrific. Also a chilli.

 

[fakeplasticgirl]

I didn't forget the coriander

And thanks for the advice urban - curry was lush, and I *think* the guest liked it too

 

[Thimble Queen]

How'd you make it in the end?

 

[subversplat]

How do you get the flavour in the meat tho??

You just rely on people eating the sauce with the meat - it's what the takeaways do all the time

Glad the dinner went well fpg

 

[fakeplasticgirl]

How'd you make it in the end?

ended up using the mushrooms after all - and then following the suggestions on here!