Slow Cooker Katsu Curry

A promoted ad for the BBC Good Food website’s recipe for Easy Katsu Curry Chicken has inspired me to make a slow cooker katsu curry.

Yes I know one, if not the main, feature of Katsu Chicken is the crispy breadcrumbed finish.  But as we’ve never had this before who’s to know!

It is still blipping away in the slow cooker, and whilst the carrots and onions look quite presentable in the sauce, I probably will puree the sauce and thicken it with cornflour in a small saucepan before serving to avoid all evidence of vegetables.

This has a very mild curry flavour, and in fact reminds me of the curry sauce they serve in a chip shop!

Serves a hearty 4
8 chicken thighs

Sauce ingredients (from Gizzi Erskine’s recipe for Chicken Katsu Curry in The Independent)
1 tablespoon groundnut or vegetable oil
1 onion, peeled and chopped
5 whole garlic cloves, peeled
2 carrots, peeled and chopped
1 tablespoon medium curry powder
600ml chicken stock
2 teaspoons honey
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 bay leaf
half a teaspoon garam masala

Turn on your slow cooker to heat up.  Brown the chicken thighs in a large frying pan.  Once browned, place the chicken in the slow cooker and fry the onion, carrot and garlic for a few minutes.  Add the curry powder & garam masala, stir once more to warm the spices, then scrape everything into the slow cooker and rinse the pan out with the boiling hot stock (or boiling water, adding the crumbled stock cube).  I added the honey and soy sauce here, but eating it 6 hours later I’m now thinking it would be best adding this right at the end before serving.

Cook for High for 4+ hours.  When just about ready to eat, remove the chicken thighs to a warmed bowl and transfer the liquid and stewed vegetables to a saucepan.  Remove the bay leaf and liquidise with a stick blender.  Mix the cornflour with about 1 tbsp water to a single cream consistency and add to the sauce it begins to simmer, stirring until it thickens.  Add the soy sauce and honey if you haven’t already and check for seasoning.

Curried Currant, Cashew Nut & Carrot Couscous Salad

All the C’s.  Just realised as I typed it out.

 ——-

With an hours notice, my brother-in-law who does not cook, rang yesterday to ask me to knock up a couscous salad with some cashews in.

A quick google, whilst feeding my disabled daughter breakfast, and I turned up an enticingly sounding curried cashew nut and currant salad.  I simply added carrots to give it a little more colour, and possibly would add some thinly sliced fried or raw onion next time to give it a little more kick.

As it is an American recipe, and me being me, I altered the original recipe to suit what I have at home.  The recipe was in US cup measurements.  I do have these, but I’ve just discovered making it that a mug is pretty much the same as a cup if you don’t have cup measures to hand.

Serves 4-6

1 cup couscous
1/2 cup raisins, currants, or sultanas
1/2 cup cashew nuts, roughly chopped
2 tbsp olive oil
2 tbsp curry powder or paste
2 medium carrots, grated

Place the couscous, currants, cashew nuts, curry powder, oil, and salt in a warmed serving dish with a lid. Pour over the same amount of boiling water as couscous i.e. one mug or cup.  Cover and leave to stand for 10 minutes.

After 10 minutes fluff the couscous up with a fork and add the grated carrot.  Taste to check  seasoning, adding more salt, oil, or curry powder as required. The original recipe only said one teaspoon of curry powder but I found that I could not taste it a tall in this amount of initially bland couscous!

My brother in law was very impressed and claimed some of the leftovers for a weekday lunch.

Twitter: Leesa@sunhillcurry

Indian Mango Chutney

9 year old Sprout has announced she likes Mango Chutney so I just had to try and make some.  Recipe is off the web but apparently from Madhur Jaffrey.  I didn’t have green mangoes, just overripe juicy ones.  Plus I used pickling vinegar as I forgot to get cider vinegar.  Oh well, here goes nothing…

2 large green mangoes
2 tsp salt
2-4 cloves garlic, peeled
1 inch fresh ginger, chopped
12 floz cider vinegar or distilled white vinegar
14 oz granulated sugar
4 tbsp golden sultanas
1/2 tsp ground turmeric
1 tsp cayenne pepper

Peel mangoes and dice.  Sprinkle 1tsp salt over and leave for 24 hours.   As my mangoes were very ripe I didn’t do this, but I am now wondering whether sprinkling my very soft mango with salt might help keep what little crunch it had.  If you do salt the mango, drain and pat it dry after 24 hours.

Put garlic and ginger into processor with a little vinegar and blitz into a smooth paste.  Add the rest of the vinegar, sugar, sultanas, turmeric, cayenne, 1 tsp salt, and the ginger and garlic paste and bring to the boil.  Simmer without a lid for 15 minutes or until slightly thick.  Add the chopped mango and simmer for a further 20-30 minutes until the mango looks translucent and the chutney has thickened some more.  Check seasoning and pour into sterilised jars.

Apparently this chutney can be eaten immediately, but most ‘British’ chutneys say leave for 3 months before eating.  Equally the instructions are to store this chutney in the fridge even before opening, but one will join my other varieties in the garage until it’s time comes.

Twitter: Leesa@sunhillcurry

Tarka Dhal or Lentil Curry

The best tarka dal (or dhal) I ever had was in a tiny Tibetan cafe in the backstreets of Kathmandu in Nepal. I have googled various recipes but nothing seems to conjure up the flavours I have in my mouth of this gorgeously fresh soupy lentil dish.

Today, however, as Dad is cooking tandoori chicken on the bbq, I have been challenged to turn out a tarka dal to go with. So, based on the recipe from the BBC series Indian Food Made Easy with Anjum Anand, this is what I have just prepared to eat later tonight.

Serves 2

125g red lentils
1/2 pint water
2 tbsp cooking oil
1 tsp cumin seeds
1 small onion, chopped finely
3 garlic cloves
1/2 thumb sized piece of ginger, peeled and finely chopped or grated
1/2 can tinned tomatoes or 2 large fresh tomatoes
1/2 tsp hot chilli flakes
1/2 tsp ground turmeric
1/2 tsp garam masala
1 tsp ground coriander
Small bunch chopped coriander (optional)

Rinse the lentils throughly, drain and bring to the boil with the water. Skim off the scum and simmer with a lid for 20 minutes until soft and mushy. Turn off the heat and leave covered to cool and thicken.

Fry the cumin seeds in a saucepan in the oil for a couple of minutes until they start to sizzle and pop. Add the onion, ginger, & chilli and fry for about 5 minutes until starting to brown. Puree the tomatoes and garlic, or finely chop if you don’t have a processor and add to the frying onion. Add the other dried spices and simmer for about 20 minutes until the oil rises to a simmering film on the top. Stir in the cooled lentils and heat carefully, stirring so it doesn’t catch on the bottom. Stir through chopped coriander and serve with plain boiled rice or naan breads.

Twitter: Leesa@sunhillcurry

Veg Rich Toddler Curry

 

My kids are slowly venturing onto ‘normal’ curries, but this was one of my starter curries when they were younger and that I return to every now and then as comfort food for them.

It’s high calorie (kids need calories!), high protein, and sweetened with pureed veg and my secret ingredient, apricot jam!Makes 6 kid sized portions

500g mince (lamb, chicken, or turkey I think are best). You could make this with leftovers ie roast.
1 medium carrot
1 onion
1/4 jar Curry Paste – I use Pataks Rogon Josh, Jalfrezi, Korma.  If you can’t get these use 1-2tsp garam masala spice mix instead
1 tin chopped tomatoes, liquidised
oil for frying
1 tbsp apricot jam (optional)
50ml cream (for extra calories – optional)

Peel and roughly chop the carrot (you are going to liquidise them later) and boil in small pan for 5-10 minutes.  Drain and keep the cooking liquid.

Whilst the carrots are cooking, peel and finely chop the onion.  You can do this in a mini food processor if you are worried your kids might identify it in the curry. As the onion starts to soften add the curry paste.  If you are starting your kids off on curry try a heaped dessertspoonful to start.  If you’re using garam masala instead, add this to the onions and stir around for a minute or two making sure it doesn’t burn.

Add the liquidised tomatoes.  Puree the carrots with a can of tap water and add these, together with the lamb to the pan. Bring the sauce to the boil whilst breaking up the mince.  By adding it with the liquid I find it breaks up better than if I fry it first.  Simmer for 20 minutes to reduce and thicken to a suitable curry sauce consistency.  Add the jam right at the end, and cream if using.

Serve with half a mug of basmati rice (serve 3 kids) boiled for 10 minutes in fast boiling salted water which makes it melt in the mouth for my fussier diners.

Twitter: Leesa@sunhillcurry

Lamb Dhansak (Lamb, Lentil & Squash Curry) – Updated

I first made a dhansak in January 2013.  It was one of my menu choices for my first curry night of that year, but the worst snow in 20 years put pay to that.

I have made it once or twice since, but as we were carving pumpkins last week for Halloween I thought I’d try another one with pumpkin instead of butternut squash.  I also decided to make this as a one-pot curry, rather than the two stage process set out in my source recipe.  So the recipe below is my new improved recipe.  It only takes one large pan, plus all the flavours of the meat, onion, garlic and spices get to mingle with the squash and lentils as they cook.

Dhansak is also a great budget meal, making a little meat go a long way.  I’ve been battling with a bad head cold (and the kids over October half term) for just over a week.  And with 500g of cubed lamb in the freezer, this meant I don’t need to venture out to the shops with my little darlings in tow.  You could also put leftover roast lamb in it.

Serves 4-6 (generous)
500g diced lamb
500g squash (pumpkin, butternut squash), cubed
100g red lentils
1 400g tin tomatoes
1 large onion, peeled and chopped
1 tbsp coriander seeds
2 tsp cumin seeds
1 tsp turmeric
6 black peppercorns
1 tsp fenugreek seeds
6 green cardamons
4 cloves of garlic, peeled and chopped
2.5cm root ginger, finely chopped
2 tbsp sunflower oil
1 tsp hot chilli flakes
Juice of 1 lemon
1 tsp salt
Handful of chopped fresh coriander or 2 tbsp dried mint

Dry roast the coriander, fenugreek, cardamon, peppercorns, and cumin seeds in the saucepan for a minute or so, then add the sunflower oil and fry the onion, garlic, and ginger.  When the onion and garlic start to brown at the edges add the lamb and brown as much of it as you can.  Then add the squash, tomatoes, lentils, turmeric, chilli, lemon juice, salt, dried mint (if using fresh coriander, add this just before serving) and 1 can full of hot water.  Stir and bring to the boil.  Cover with a lid and simmer for 25 minutes, stirring from time to time, until the vegetables and lentils are quite soft.

The flavour of curries develop the longer they are left.  I try to make curries mid afternoon and leave them standing on the hob for an hour or so to mature.  Reheat gently, particulary if using fresh coriander.

At home we serve this with basmati rice which has been cooked with a large pinch of cumin seeds and a handful of frozen peas.

Twitter: Leesa@sunhillcurry

Mulligatawny or Curried Sweet Vegetable & Meat Soup

 

Mulligatawny soup popped onto my radar at some point last year when I watched the Hairy Biker’s make it.  As my children like curry, and curried vegetable soup, I thought I would give it a try but never got round to it until my local greengrocer suggested it as a possible soup for this week’s Country Market.

I looked at various recipes, but as ever, ended up taking ideas from several.  And this is what I came up with, with links to my inspiration below.

The kids pulled faces when it was put in front of them, but wolfed it down for lunch on Saturday.

Mulligatawny or Curried Sweet Vegetable Soup with Meat
Serves 3-4

100g lamb mince or chicken or leftover roast
1 large onion, peeled & roughly chopped
4 cloves of garlic, peeled and roughly chopped
1cm piece of root ginger, roughly chopped
1 large carrot, washed & roughly chopped
1 stick of celery, roughly chopped
1 small sweet potato, parsnip or apple, washed & roughly chopped
1 tbsp sunflower oil
2-3 tbsp medium curry powder
1 litre boiled water
1 handful red lentils
1 chicken stock cube

Fry the  onion and garlic in a sauce pan with the sunflower oil over a medium heat until just starting to brown.  Add the lamb mince and ginger and fry for a few minutes whilst you chop the rest of the vegetables.  Don’t worry about peeling the vegetables and apples, unless the skin is tough, as it is all going to be liquidised. Stir in the curry powder, then the rest of the vegetables.  Add the water, lentils, and crumbled stock cube and simmer for 30 minutes with the lid on.

Liquidise in a blender or with a stick blender.  Great on yet another snowy day!

With thanks to:
Hairy Bikers
Madhur Jaffrey
Hugh Fearnley Whittingstall

Lamb Dhansak or Lamb, Lentil, & Butternut Squash Curry

Last Friday was supposed to be my first Curry Night of 2013, selling a choice of two chilled curries at my local school at afternoon pick-up. But the snow put pay to that.

I did, however, work on a recipe during the week that I was quite pleased with. So I will post it so I can find it next time!

Serves 4-6 (generous)
630 Calories per serving (excluding rice)450g diced lamb
450g butternut squash
100g red lentils
1 400g tin tomatoes
1 large onion
1 tbsp coriander seeds
2 tsp cumin seeds
1 tsp turmeric
6 black peppercorns
1 tsp fenugreek seeds
4 green cardamons, seeds only
4 cloves of garlic
2.5cm root ginger
2 tbsp sunflower oil
1 tsp hot chilli flakes
Juice of 1 lemon
1/2 tsp salt
Handful of chopped fresh coriander or 2 tbsp dried mint

Peel and cut the butternut squash to the same size as the diced lamb.  Peel and roughly chop the onion.  Put the onion, butternut squash, lentils and tomatoes into a saucepan and cover with water.  Bring to the boil, add the turmeric, cover with a lid and simmer for 25 minutes until the vegetables are quite soft.

Whilst the vegetables are simmering, finely chop the garlic and ginger.  In a dry frying pan, dry roast the coriander, cumin, peppercorns, and fenugreek seeds for a couple of minutes until the spices smell quite hot.  Grind or pound the spices together with the cardamon seeds into a powdered spice mix.

In a heavy bottomed pan, heat the sunflower oil and fry the garlic and ginger over a medium high heat until they just start to brown.  Add the ground spices and stir round for a minute or so then add the diced lamb.  Fry the lamb until just browned.

Whilst the lamb is browning roughly mash or puree the vegetables and lentils and stir in the lemon juice, chilli flakes, and salt.  When the lamb is browned stir in the mashed/pureed vegetables and the coriander or mint.  Simmer with the lid on for another 20 minutes until the meat is tender.  Stir from time to time to prevent the curry sticking on the bottom of the pan, and add a little water if it does.

The flavour of curries develop the longer they are left.  I try to make curries mid afternoon and leave them standing on the hob for an hour or so to mature.  Reheat gently, particulary if using fresh coriander.

At home we serve this with basmati rice which has been cooked with a large pinch of cumin seeds and a handful of frozen peas.

Twitter: Leesa@sunhillcurry