Tag Archives: National Curry Week

Celebrate National Curry Week with The Spice Tailor 

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This week is officially National Curry Week and with the colder nights drawing in, we think there’s no better way to warm yourself up then with  Britain’s favourite spicy dish. Of course there are many fantastic Indian restaurants to try around the UK but why not try your hand at making something yourself. But fear not readers, The Spice Tailor have come up with a super range of ‘cheat’ sauces which are packed full of all the authentic spices and flavours to recreate your own authentic curry at home. Perfect for the most discerning cook, modern lifestyles and if you’re wanting to whip up a quick family meal which will impress your diners in less than 15 minutes. 

Developed by Anjum Anand in 2011 she set herself a mission to re-create the authentic flavours of India in a simpler, healthier and more accessible way. There are over 8 sauces to try in the range with something for each taste from Delicate Korma to Fiery Goan Curry. We tried our hand out at the Keralan Coconut Curry and not only were the directions incredibly easy to navigate, the flavours were out of this world and miles apart from any pre-made sauce we’ve tried before. The main difference is that the packet comes with not only a sauce but you are also provided with a sachet of the all important spices for toasting, the thing that really provides the depth of Indian flavour.

You might even fool yourself into thinking for a minute that you are a top chef with the flavours and aromas which emanate from this while you are cooking and the refined and complex flavours. The Spice Tailor sauce kits are priced from RRP £2.90 and available from most large retailers. Whats more, if you wanted to create an Indian feast, The Spice Tailor also has a range of Chutni’s, Naans, Daal and Street Food Kits. 

We paired our Keralan Coconut Curry with the Villa Maria Private Bin Gewürztraminer which was simply a marriage made in heaven. If you’re a fan of the Gewürztraminer you already know that the subtle hints of lychee and rose flavours are perfect with spice and the combo of the sweetness of the wine is just the antidote to the heat kick of the curry. This particular offering from New Zealand Winery Villa Maria was excellently balanced with a unique and rounded flavour due to the fact that the grapes are crushed and soaked for a time with the skins on to extract every bit of flavour. The only trouble I had with this wine was that it was over a little too quickly. Priced at only RRP £11.75 per bottle and available from Majestic wine we’re just off to buy ourselves some more. 

For more information on The Spice Tailor visit thespicetailor.com 

Villa Maria visit villamaria.co.nz 

My Murgh Makhani – National Curry Week

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We are if you are unaware in a celebratory culinary alignment of epic proportions it is National Curry Week, Seafood Week, Chocolate Week and National Porridge Day. “Go on”, I hear you cry, “You’ve had all year have you come up with a recipe combining all of these?”

Well no. We had porridge for breakfast, big bowls made with creamy Jersey milk and I can hear all you spurtle welders screaming, yes made with milk.* Chocolate, I have two daughters so I could use Willy Wonka’s chocolate fountain, seafood I will save for the weekend so supper this rather chilly, wet evening was a suitable curry, one of my favourite curries in fact, Murgh Makhani or Butter Chicken. This week I have soaked lentils, pounded garlic, ginger and cinnamon sticks, roasted coriander, mustard and fennel seeds and even opened a jar of the now infamous, homemade chilli and lime pickle. I love cooking curries and balancing the complex flavours of the spices.

*The spurtle is used to stir proper porridge made with rolled oats, salt and water only. I worked for a two times winner of the Golden Spurtle but that as they say is another story.

In the meantime, if you don’t fancy cooking or you fancy celebrating the up and coming Diwali here is a list of some award-winning restaurants I can personally recommend if you want some amazing authentic Indian cooking.

Trishna – is the baby sister of a world-famous seafood restaurant in Mumbai and specialises in its own unique take on the coastal cuisine of south west India. It has a Michelin star and serves incredible food in a relaxed environment in London’s Marylebone village.

The Chilli Pickle – serves a menu with dishes from across the Indian sub-continent inspired by the travels of the two ex-pat owners. Having moved from the famous Lanes it is now housed in the Brighton MyHotel. A well lit modern designed restaurant is home to some astounding cooking.

The Cinnamon Club – is the original London restaurant of Chef Vivek Singh, he now has his own celebrity superstar mini-empire including The Cinnamon Kitchen and Cinnamon Soho. One of the first chefs to blend Indian recipes with classical western techniques the Cinnamon Club has won numerous awards and plaudits.

Also look at Veeraswamy, the UK’s oldest Indian restaurant, Tamarind, Benares, and Gymkhana, all Michelin starred brilliant restaurants, they do some wonderful, good value, set menus but best not call them curry houses.

 

And so to Butter Chicken does not have a pedigree stretching into the dawn of history, it is believed to have been created in Peshawar and after the British partition, the chef moved to a New Delhi restaurant. A customer wanted a meal late in the evening and marinated chicken, ready for the Tandoor oven, was tossed with tomatoes, butter and spices and the Murgh Makhani ( butter chicken ) was born. While the dish looks similar to a Chicken Tikka Masala, it is more flavoursome with more depth of spicing in the rich tomato-based sauce. The Tikka Masala is Britain’s most popular curry and is believed to have been made originally with Campbell’s Condensed Tomato Soup and to have originated in the hallowed curry houses of either Birmingham or Glasgow.

The chicken, either on or off the bone, is marinated in yogurt and spices but the secret of a true Murgh Makhani is Qasuri Methi or dried fenugreek leaves. The chicken is best cooked in an extremely hot oven, a Tandoor ( if you have one ) or over coals or on a char grill to add an authentic smoky flavour before finishing in the sauce and serving. So, you can fire up the BBQ.  Garnish with green chillies, sliced hard boiled eggs, coriander leaves, raisins and toasted almonds.

 

Murgh Makhani ( Spiced – Butter Chicken ) serves 4 – 6

for marinated chicken

1.5 kg of Chicken pieces, skin removed or 1 kg chunky diced Chicken

Juice of 2 Limes

150 gr fresh natural Yoghurt

1 medium sized red Chilli, very finely chopped

2 tablespoons Coriander Seeds

2 tablespoons Fennel Seeds

1 tablespoon Cumin Seeds

1 tablespoon Fenugreek Seeds

6 Cloves

8 White Peppercorns

¼ Stick of Cinnamon

2 Bay Leaves

8 Cardamom Pods, crushed and seeds removed

½ teaspoon Cayenne Pepper

Sea Salt

Vegetable Oil

 

for butter sauce

75 gr Butter in small pieces

3 tablespoons Clarified Butter or Ghee

2 medium Onions, peeled and finely chopped

8 Cloves of Garlic, peeled and crushed

3 centimeter piece of Ginger, peeled and crushed to paste

4 tablespoons Tomato Puree

8 fresh Tomatoes, de-seeded and roughly chopped

200 ml Pouring Cream

2 tablespoons Kasuri methi (dried fenugreek leaves)

¼ teaspoon Turmeric Powder

Juice of 1 fresh Lemon

Sea Salt and freshly ground Black Pepper

Coriander leaves to garnish

 

 

Toast the spices, excluding the chilli, cardamom and cayenne pepper by heating them in a medium sized, heavy bottomed frying pan, stirring occasionally, until they colour slightly. Place in a small food processor or coffee grinder with the cayenne and cardamom seeds and reduce to a powder. Mix half of your spice mix with the chilli, lime juice, and yogurt and in a large glass or ceramic bowl stir in the chicken. Cover, refrigerate and allow to marinate for at least two hours. Larger chicken pieces benefit from marinating an extra couple of hours.

 

Preheat your oven to 425 F / 220 C / Gas mark 7. Drain off any excess yogurt mix from the chicken and set aside. Place the marinated chicken pieces on an oiled baking tray and cook for fifteen minutes for diced chicken or twenty-five minutes for the large chicken pieces. The chicken can brown well, almost char in the oven as this improves the flavour of the finished dish. At the same time as the chicken is cooking heat the clarified butter and a little more oil in a large casserole, add the onions. Sauté the onions for 15 minutes until golden brown in and then add the ginger, garlic, remaining spice mix and the turmeric. Cook for two more minutes, stirring to prevent sticking and burning.

 

Add the tomato paste, tomatoes, kasuri methi, cream and any remaining yoghurt marinade to the pan and mix together. Place in the chicken and simmer for ten to fifteen more minutes till the chicken is tender and the sauce has reduced and thickened. Do not boil as the sauce will split. Finish the sauce by correcting the seasoning and immediately before serving stirring in the lemon juice and butter pieces. Garnish with coriander leaves and serve with Naan bread and rice.

New Recipes For National Curry Week

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To celebrate National Curry Week this October (8th – 14th), British Onions have partnered with Indian street food entrepreneur, Vinod Patel of Chula Fused Foods, to devise some mouth-watering Indian recipes using the best homegrown ingredients, ensuring the highest quality.

 

Onions are a vital ingredient to adding distinctive flavour to any curry, sauce or Indian side dish, and these quick and easy recipes show off this essential vegetable at its best.  Whether you’re an experienced chef or a beginner in the kitchen you’ll be able to impress your family and friends with these delicious recipes and celebrate an Indian summer!

 

Chula Fused Foods is Vinod Patel’s reinvention of the Burrito, through which he has taken the beloved Mexican concept and added an Indian fusion twist. Travelling from San Francisco to London, via Bangalore, Vinod immersed himself in all types of food, from dining at high end restaurants to trying out pop-up cafes on the roadside and was drawn to the creative side of creating high quality food for those on the go. His menu is a combination of slow-cooked meats and bean curries, roasted tomato chutneys, Gujarati yoghurt dips and crunchy salads, or as he says, a balanced lunch that will give you energy using less fat and salt than the norm.  His first street food stall launched in June 2011 and he hasn’t looked back since. To discover more about Chula Fused Foods and to find your nearest market visit www.chulafusedfoods.com

 

Lamb Curry
Serves 4
Ingredients
Prep: 20 min
Cooking 50 min
3 tbsp sunflower oil
1 tsp ginger paste
1 tsp garlic paste
1/2 tsp ground cloves
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp green cardamom powder
1/2 tsp ground turmeric
1 tsp salt
1 tsp chilli powder
1 tsp ground cumin
1 kg lean lamb, diced
2 British onions, peeled and sliced into thin wedges
2 bay leaves
400ml boiling water
2 tomatoes, halved and thinly sliced
Juice of half a lime
1 tsp garam masala
Method
1. Heat the oil in a large non stick pan and add the ginger paste, garlic paste, cloves, cinnamon,
cardamom, turmeric, salt, chilli powder and cumin.
2. Cook for one minute then add the cubed lamb and onions, tossing well to coat evenly in the
spices.
Cook over a high heat for 5 minutes to seal the meat then add the boiling water. Bring to the boil,
then reduce the heat, cover the pan loosely and simmer for 40 minutes.
3. Add the sliced tomatoes, lime juice and garam masala, then stir well and cook for a further 5
minutes.

Onion Bhajis with Roasted Tomato Chutney
Serves 7
Bhaji Ingredients
3 large British onions cut into medium half rings
1 cup chickpea flour, also know as gram flour
1 tblsp coriander powder
½ tsp caraway seeds (ajwain)
1 tsp turmeric powder
1-4 Green chillies, depending on how spicy you want it
1 tblsp coriander leaves, chopped
1 tblsp cumin seeds
1 inch of ginger, chopped finely
Salt to taste
1 tsp red chilli powder
Method
1) In a large bowl mix together the onions, chickpea flour, coriander powder, caraway seeds,
turmeric powder, green chillies, chopped coriander, cumin seeds, ginger, salt, red chilli
powder
2) Add sufficient water to form a moldable paste, and mix well.
3) Heat some oil in a non-stick wok, then make small dumplings of the mixture and deep fry
until golden brown.
Chutney Ingredients
2 medium tomatoes, roasted evenly until slightly black
3/4 tsp of salt or to taste
1 green chili
1/4 of a red British onion, diced
3 strands of coriander, finely chopped
1/4 lime squeezed
Method
1) Wash the tomatoes and place on a baking tray lined with foil. Grill the tomatoes on a high
setting, so that all the outside edges are slightly black.
2) Pulse all the other ingredients except the coriander and onion together in a blender.
3) Add the coriander and red onion and mix well. Serve alongside onion bhajis.
Onion & Potato Curry
Serves 5
Ingredients
4 medium potatoes, diced into small to medium cubes
2 medium British onions diced into medium cubes
3 tblsps sunflower oil
1 tsp mustard seeds
1/2 tsp turmeric
1 tsp red chili powder
1 tsp salt, add more to taste
1 tblsp heaped coriander powder
Method
1) Heat the oil in a wok or deep pan, then add the mustard seeds, cooking until warm
2) Add the potatoes and onions, then cover with a lid and cook for 2 minutes.
3) Add the turmeric, red chili powder, salt, and coriander powder then cook for 5 – 10 minutes
on a low to medium heat with the lid on.
4) Remove the lid and stir, then put the lid back on and repeat the process for up to 30 minutes
or till potatoes are cooked through.