Chicken curry
Ingredients
4-6 medium tomatoes
1 medium onion
4 tbsp vegetable oil
3cm/1in piece root ginger
2 garlic cloves
1-2 mild green chillies
1 tsp ground coriander
1 tsp ground cumin
¼ tsp ground turmeric
salt and freshly ground black pepper
100ml/3½fl oz water
1 free-range chicken, jointed into 8 pieces, or 8 thighs and/or drumsticks
2 tbsp yoghurt
1 lime (or lemon)
a small bunch of coriander leaves
cooked rice, to serve
Method
1. To skin the tomatoes, nick the skin of each tomato with the point of a sharp knife, then put the tomatoes in a bowl next to the sink and pour over some very hot water from the kettle to cover. Count to 20, then carefully pour away the water. When the tomatoes are cool enough to handle, peel away the skin, halve the tomatoes, squeeze out most of the pips and juice into an empty bowl, and discard. Chop the flesh roughly and put it down on a plate to one side.
2. Peel and finely chop the onion. Fry the onion in the vegetable oil in a large heavy-based saucepan over low to medium heat for about ten minutes, stirring from time to time so that it turns an even golden brown. Watch carefully to make sure it doesn't burn.
3. Meanwhile, peel and finely chop the ginger and the garlic.
4. Slit the chilli using a sharp knife. Slice the flesh away from the cluster of seeds in the middle. Avoid touching any part of the chilli with your fingers if you can, as it is very easy to get chilli in your eyes, and that will sting. You can use a fork to hold the chilli down or wear rubber gloves. Chop the chilli finely.
5. Measure the ground spices into a teacup. Add the ginger, garlic and chilli to the pan, stir them around and fry for another minute or so. If you want your curry to be hot as well as spicy, include some or all of the chilli seeds. Then add the spices in the cup into the onions. Fry the spices for a minute or two, stirring all the time so that they do not stick. Add some salt and freshly ground black pepper.
6. Pour in the water and the tomatoes, bring to the boil, turn down the heat a little and let the sauce simmer for 5-10 minutes.
7. Add the chicken pieces to the pan and stir them around so they are covered with the sauce. Put the lid on the pan, turn the heat down and let the chicken cook for 30-40 minutes, stirring occasionally. Chicken thighs will take longer to cook than breast pieces.
8. Now add the yoghurt to the chicken and stir it in. When the sauce is gently bubbling again, scoop up a little in a teaspoon, blow it cool and taste it. The sauce will probably taste quite sweet because of the tomatoes. Cut the lime in half and squeeze its juice into the sauce. Stir and taste again, and decide whether you want to add the second half.
9. Finally, chop the fresh coriander leaves and sprinkle them on to the curry just before you serve it with the rice.
Ingredients
2 Lbs Diced braising steak
4 Green Cardamom pods
2 Bay leaves
1 Onion sliced
Water
1 Cup of Curry Massalla Gravy-click for recipe
Half of an onion finely chopped
2 Teaspoons Curry Powder
1 Teaspoon Chilli Powder
1 Teaspoon Mustard Powder
1 Finely Chopped Green Finger Chilli
4 Teaspoons Garlic Puree
1 Whole Clove Garlic
2 Teaspoons Ginger Puree
5 Tablespoons Vegetable Oil
4 Tablespoons roughly chopped coriander leaves
1 Tablespoon whole coriander leaves
1 teaspoon Garam Massalla
Seasoned flour
Method
Dip the meat in a little seasoned flower and brown on all sides a small batch at a time. Put the meat, sliced onion, cardamoms, bay leaves and whole garlic in a casserole dish, cover with water and casserole at 200 degrees for 2 hours. Make a paste of the curry powder, mustard powder and chilli powder with a little water. Fry the onion until translucent in the veg oil then add the garlic, ginger and chilli and stir fry on medium for a further 5 minutes. Add the curry, mustard and chilli powder paste and stir in and fry for a further 30 secs. Add the cooked Meat pieces. Add the Massalla Gravy and simmer for 5 minutes or until the Meat is piping hot again, stirring occasionally. If needed add more massalla gravy and some juice from the casserole to prevent the curry becoming too thick or dry. Now add the finely chopped coriander leaves and cook for a further minute. Serve with the whole coriander leaves sprinkled over the top.
Potato curry
Ingredients
drizzle of olive oil
½ potato, peeled and chopped
handful of mushrooms, chopped
½ chilli, chopped
1 tsp medium curry powder
2-3tbsp Greek-style yoghurt
Method
1. Heat the oil in a pan and sauté the potato for 5-6 minutes. Add the mushrooms, seasoning, chilli and curry powder and heat for a further few minutes.
2. Stir through the yoghurt and cook for 1-2 minutes.
3. Remove from the heat and serve.
Seychelles fish curry
Ingredients
For massalé:
2 tbsp coriander seeds
2 tsp cumin seeds
2 tsp black peppercorns
1 tsp cardamom pods
1 tsp cloves
small piece of cinnamon
1 tsp ground chilli
1 tsp grated nutmeg
For curry:
900g/2lb snapper or monkfish
salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 tbsp sunflower oil
2 onions, chopped
2 tbsp massalé
½ tsp ground turmeric
2 cloves garlic, chopped
small piece ginger, chopped
3 tbsp tamarind water
leaves from 2 sprigs thyme
½ tsp anise
450ml/¾ pint fish stock or water
Method
1. Dry roast the whole spices until lightly coloured and set aside to cool. Grind finely and stir in the chilli and nutmeg. It can be stored for up to 2-3 months in an airtight jar.
2. Cut the fish into bite-sized pieces, season with salt and pepper, and set aside.
3. Heat the oil in a heavy pan and fry the onion until golden. Stir in the massalé and turmeric and lightly fry. Add the pieces of fish, and all the other ingredients. Bring to a simmer and cook for about 10 minutes until the fish is ready.
4. Serve with rice.