Coconut and potato curry

• 1 tbsp Essential Vegetable Oil
• 1 onion, finely sliced
• 2 clove/s garlic, finely chopped
• 700g Waitrose British Maris Piper Potaoes, peeled and cut into 2-3 chunks
• 1 medium cauliflower (about 800g), in small florets
• 1 tablespoon garam masala, 1 teaspoon coriander, 1 teaspoon turmeric, 1 tablespoon cumin seed
• ½ tsp fine salt
• 200g frozen Essential Garden Peas
• 160ml can Essential Coconut Cream
• Coriander leaves, sliced green chilli and lime wedges, to serve (optional)

 

• Heat the oil in a large saucepan over a medium-high heat. Add the onion and garlic then fry for 2-3 minutes until starting to soften. Meanwhile, rinse the cut potatoes well, shuffling them in a bowl of cold water to release as much starch as possible; set aside.
• Add the spices and salt to the onions and fry for 1 minute more, then add the potatoes, turning to coat in the spices. Add 250ml cold water, bring to the boil then lower to a brisk simmer for 20 minutes, stirring regularly to make sure the potatoes cook evenly.
• Stir in the peas and coconut cream then simmer for 3-4 minutes more. Serve with the coriander, green chilli and lime wedges, if using. Some flatbreads or steamed rice would go nicely, too.

 

 

Vegetable Curry

Soften 1 chopped onion for a couple of minutes. Add 2 tspns curry powder, 2 tspns mixed spices, 1 teaspoon each cumin and cardamom, a few cardamom pods, split open and 2 tspns turmeric with 4 chopped potatoes, 1 large chopped carrot, 2 cups butternut squash, a large handful of cooked beans. Add ground chillies to taste - perhaps 1/4 of a teaspoon.

Stir together, soften for a couple of minutes and then add enough vegetable stock to cover comfortably and cook until veges are soft and sauce has thickened.

Pumpkin curry

• about 600 g pumpkin or butternut squash, cut into equal size cubes, roasted or microwaved until quite soft

• 1 tsp black mustard or cumin seeds - dry fry for 1 minute
• Fry 1 small red onion, finely chopped in2 tbsp  oil

Add:

• 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
• 4 tsp finely grated ginger OR 1 small piece, grated, plus 2 tsps ground giner
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• 1 tsp hot chilli powder
• 2 tsp garam masala
• 1 tsp ground coriander
• 1 tsp turmeric
• 1 tsp cinnamon

Cook together for a couple of minutes

Add 1 cup coconut milk or cream, or 1 sachet creamed coconut dissolved in 1 cup hot water, adjust liquid as necessary.

Add cooked pumpkin, stir well until combined/coated, season with salt and pepper to taste,

Serve with:

• a handful of coriander chopped
• lime wedges, to serve
• handful of cashews, lightly toasted (to serve)

Simply the best lentil dahl ever...

So simple, I am still taken by surprise every time I check that I have remembered the recipe correctly. It is very quick and easy in the microwave but can be done in a pan just as well.

Melt 2 chopped onions in 25g butter until as well cooked as you like them – any stage between transparent to brown and crispy on the edges.

Stir in 2 crushed garlic cloves, 1 large tablespoon curry powder and 2 teaspoons turmeric. Add 225 g rinsed red lentils, stir well to coat, then 450 ml of stock – vegetable if you want to stay vegetarian but chicken or even ham adds good flavour.

Bring to the boil, simmer until lentils are cooked – at least 20 minutes in the microwave or 30 minutes on the hob. The lentils should be soft and collapsed and the whole dahl porridgey in texture. If in doubt, keep cooking – can’t really go wrong. A stir once or twice is a good idea, especially in the microwave. (Use a large bowl or dish as it all swells up into the liquid.)

Add 4 tablespoons roughly chopped coriander – mix in or just throw on the top of the dish.

Best with naan bread, but rice will do.