Penang Fish Curry Recipe

Penang Fish Curry (Serves 6)

A delight for the taste buds, with salty, sweet and spicy flavours...

Ingredients: 1 Stalk Lemongrass
                          2 Yellow Chillies
                          2 Shallots
                          1 Thumb-Sized Piece Galangal or Ginger
                          4 Cloves of Garlic (Peeled)
                          1 Teaspoon Coriander Seeds
                          1 Teaspoon Cumin Seeds
                          1 Teaspoon Turmeric
                          2 Tablespoons Fish Sauce
                          1/2 Teaspoon Shrimp Paste
                          2 Tablespoons Palm Sugar
                          1 Tablespoon Lime Juice
                          400ml Coconut Milk
                          1 Red Pepper (De-Seeded & Sliced)
                          1 Yellow Pepper (De-Seeded & Sliced)
                          1kg Mixed White Fish Fillets (Skin Removed)
                          200g Mange Tout (Sliced)
                          8 Kaffir Lime Leaves
                          Small Handful of Fresh Coriander (Roughly Chopped)
                          Small Handful of Thai Basil (Roughly Chopped)

Method:

1. For the curry paste, toast the coriander and cumin seeds in a frying pan with no oil for 1 minute before grinding the seeds into a powder with a pestle and mortar.

2. In a food processor, blitz the lemongrass, chillies, shallots, galangal, garlic, cumin, coriander, turmeric, fish sauce, shrimp paste, palm sugar and lime juice until a rough paste is formed.

3. In a large wok, add a tablespoon of vegetable oil and on a high heat fry the yellow curry paste for 2 minutes. Add the kaffir lime leaves and pour in the coconut milk and 100ml of water and allow to cook to a gentle simmer by turning down the hob to a low to medium heat.

4. Add the peppers and cook for a further 15 minutes. 

5. For the fish, season with ground black pepper, but no salt and cook in the sauce for 5-6 minutes with the mange tout until the fish begins to look opaque.

6. Serve immediately with rice noodles.

Curried Goat Recipe

Curried Goat (Serves 4)

A classic Indo-Caribbean curry dish, made even more fiery with scotch bonnet chilli- If you cannot get hold of goat, lamb or mutton are both good alternatives...

Ingredients:    600g Shoulder of Goat (Diced)
                            1 Onion (Peeled & Sliced)
                            1/2 Red Pepper (De-Seeded & Sliced)
                            1/2 Green Pepper (De-Seeded & Sliced)
                            3 Cloves of Garlic (Peeled & Sliced)
                            1 Scotch Bonnet Chilli (Finely Diced))
                            1 Lime (Juice Only)
                            Thumb-Sized Piece of Ginger (Peeled & Finely Diced)
                            2 Tablespoons Caribbean or Mild Curry Powder
                            1 Tablespoon Ground Pimento Seeds
                            1 Tablespoon Fresh or Dried Thyme
                            10 All Spice Berries
                            1 Tablespoon Ground Coriander

                            2 Tablespoons Tomato Puree

                            400ml Lamb Stock
                            A Small Handful Fresh Coriander (Roughly Chopped)

Method:

1. In a large casserole pan, fry the onion, garlic, ginger, peppers and chilli on a medium heat for 5-10 minutes.

2. Add the curry powder, pimento seeds, thyme, all spice berries and ground coriander to cook out for a further 2 minutes before adding the diced goat. Turn the hob up to a high heat to brown the meat quickly and evenly.

3. Spoon in the tomato puree, pour in the lamb stock and lime juice before turning the hob down to a low heat, putting a lid on the casserole pan. Allow to cook for 2 hours, before taking the lid off to cook for a further hour- So the braising liquor can reduce and the meat starts to flake apart.

4. Take the casserole pan off the heat, before adding the fresh coriander. Season to taste with salt and ground black pepper before serving.

5. Serve with plain basmati rice.

Chicken & Chickpea Curry Recipe

Chicken, Mushroom & Chickpea Curry (Serves 4)

An aromatic and earthy curry, with a large depth of flavour... 

Ingredients:   500g Chicken Breast (Diced)
                           1 Onion (Peeled & Finely Sliced)
                           1-2 Red Chilli(s) (Finely Sliced)
                           1 Tablespoon Garam Masala
                           1 Teaspoon Ground Turmeric
                           1 Teaspoon Ground Cumin
                           1 Teaspoon Ground Coriander
                           6 Cardamom Pods (Crushed & Tied in Muslin)
                           Thumb-Sized Piece of Ginger (Peeled & Finely Sliced)
                           4 Cloves of Garlic (Peeled & Finely Sliced)
                           100g Mushrooms (Sliced)
                           150g Passata
                           400ml Chicken Stock
                           400g Canned Chickpeas (Drained)

Method:

1. In a large casserole pan, sweat the onions, garlic, ginger, mushrooms and chilli(s) on a medium heat for 5-10 minutes until the onion has softened.

2. Add all your spices and cook for a further 1 minute before adding your diced chicken breast.

3. Once the chicken is evenly cooked (after 3-4 minutes), add the passata and chicken stock. Bring to a simmer and turn down the hob to a low heat.

4. Cook for a further 20 minutes before adding the drained chickpeas. 

5. After another 25 minutes of cooking, season to taste with salt and ground black pepper. Discard the cardamom pods and serve immediately.

Lamb Rogan Josh Recipe

Lamb Rogan Josh (Serves 4)

An aromatic, medium spiced curry. Perfect with plain basmati rice and naan bread...

Ingredients: 500g Lamb Leg or Shoulder (Cubed)
                           1 Tablespoon Vegetable Oil
                           1-2 Red Chilli(s) (Sliced)
                           150g Roasted Red Peppers (Sliced)
                           2 Onions (Peeled & Diced)
                           Thumb-Sized Piece of Ginger (Peeled & Finely Chopped)
                           4 Cloves of Garlic (Peeled & Crushed)
                           1 Bay Leaf
                           1 Tablespoon Garam Masala
                           1 Teaspoon Paprika
                           1 Teaspoon Ground Coriander
                           1/2 Teaspoon Ground Cumin
                           1 Teaspoon Ground Turmeric
                           200ml Passata
                           500ml Lamb or Chicken Stock
                           Small Handful of Fresh Coriander (Roughly Chopped)

Method:

1. In a large casserole pan, sweat the onions, garlic, chilli(s), roasted pepper and ginger on a medium heat, for 10-15 minutes until soft.

2. Add all the spices and cook for a further 1-2 minutes. Than add the lamb and brown the meat evenly.

3. After the lamb has been fried for 3-4 minutes, add the passata and stock and bring the curry to the boil.

4. Once at this stage, turn the hob down to a low heat, put a lid on and cook for 2-3 hours.

5. Add the fresh coriander and season to taste with salt and ground black pepper.

6. Serve immediately.

2 Sweet Potato Soup Recipes... for the price of 1.

Sweet Potato & Chorizo Soup (Serves 4)

Completely unsuitable for vegetarians,  but a soup that any carnivore would crave...

Ingredients: 4 Sweet Potatoes (Peeled and Diced)
                        1 Onion (Peeled and Diced)
                        2 Cloves of Garlic (Peeled and Crushed)
                        1 Litre of Chicken Stock
                        100g Chorizo (Diced)
                        1 Tablespoon of Paprika
                        1 Teaspoon of Chilli Flakes

                       
Method:

1. In a medium based saucepan sweat off the sweet potato, onion, garlic and chorizo at a medium/high heat for 5 minutes.

2. Once softened, add the chilli flakes and paprika and continue cooking until the spices have been rendered out.

3. Add the chicken stock and turn the hob down to a medium heat.

4. After 15-20 minutes or once the vegetables are soft transfer the contents to a food stand blender or blend by hand until smooth. If needed pass the contents through a fine sieve or shinois for the desired consistency and smoothness.
 
5. Season to taste and serve.


Curried Sweet Potato Soup (Serves 4)

A lot more suitable for vegetarians, with a spicy curry kick...

Ingredients: 4 Sweet Potatoes (Peeled and Diced)
                            1 Onion (Peeled and Diced)
                            4 Cloves of Garlic (Peeled and Crushed)
                            1 Thumb-Sized Piece of Ginger (Peeled and Sliced Finely)
                            1 Teaspoon of Chilli Flakes
                            1 Teaspoon of Turmeric
                            1 Teaspoon of Cumin
                            1 Teaspoon of Coriander
                            1 Teaspoon of Garam Masala
                            1 Litre of Vegetable Stock

Method:
 
1. In a medium based saucepan sweat off the onion, garlic, ginger and spices at a medium/high heat for 5 minutes to soften the onion and cook out the spices.
 
2. Add the sweet potato and cook for a further 5 minutes.

3. Once the sweet potato has softened add the vegetable stock and turn down the hob to a medium heat.

4. After 15-20 minutes or once the vegetables are soft transfer the contents to a food stand blender or blend by hand until smooth. If needed pass the contents through a fine sieve or shinois for the desired consistency and smoothness.

5. Season to taste and serve.