Vicky's Improvised Morrocan Lamb Curry

I fuck around a lot in class. Everyone thought this turned out phenomenal... it was supposed to be a generic lamb curry but I took it to the next step!

NOTE: for vegetarians, or lamb haters, this would also be great with chickpeas, or cauliflower, chicken, seafood, whatever. enjoy!

YOU NEED:

1 pound chunks of lamb, shoulder is fine

6 cloves garlic, minced

2 tablespoons grated ginger

3 tablespoons curry powder

4 chopped tomatoes

tomato juice and water just to cover

cardamon pods

2 tablespoons cumin

2 tablespoons tomato paste

some cinnamon, allspice, turmeric,  salt, and pepper to taste

1 or 2 large onions, chopped finely

fat rendered from lamb or ghee

red pepper flakes or hot sauce, to taste

1. start by browning the lamb in a pan in a bit of ghee [butter]

2. remove, keep fat if you want, add in chopped onion, garlic, and ginger, then lamb back in.

3 toss in mix of spices. add more as you need. add tomato paste.

4. add in some tomato juice, stock, or water until lamb is almost covered.

5. let cook for an hour until reduced, tasting and adjusting as you go.

serve on rice with chopped mint!

Curried Lamb Meatballs

These are great meatballs.

YOU NEED
500 grams ground lamb

1/4 cup breadcrumbs

2 egg yolks

1 tbs curry paste [tandoori, masala, vindaloo, etc]

chopped mint and or cilantro

MAKE BALLS. 

in the meantime, you can either make raita, or a simple curry sauce to serve on the meatballs.

pick your favourite curry, mix in 2 tbs with 1 cup fat-free plain yogurt and some indian spices. feel free to fry up some onion and veg too. 

1. fry meatballs until done. add curry sauce over and heat until done. garnish with some fresh herbs, serve on rice, with raita.

Indian Fish Curry

 

 An easy dish. Healthy for a curry as well.

YOU NEED

2 fillets fish: tilapia works well, as does haddock, cod, snapper, or catfish
2 tablespoons garlic paste or 4 cloves minced garlic
2 inches ginger, grated

3 teaspoons mustard seeds
4 bay leaves
1/2 tablespoon coriander powder
5 medium shallots or 2 medium onions
7 red chilies
1 tablespoon cumin seed
3 teaspoons turmeric powder
3 tablespoons salt
2 big tomatoes
oil, to deep fry fish
3 cups water

TO MAKE:

1 In a grinder grind the onions, ginger, 2 bay leaves, red chili, mustard seeds, cumin seed all together. [make a paste]
2 keep about a cup of onion unprocessed.
3 Cut small pieces of tomatoes.
4 Make small pieces of fish fillets, about 3 inches in length.
5 Take a big plate, put the fish in it and sprinkle 2 teaspoon of salt, two teaspoon of turmeric powder and the garlic paste.
6Mix all of them properly.
7Allow to marinate for 1/2 hour.
8Take a pan or a wok (preferable), heat it and put oil to fry the fish.
Once the oil is much hotter, fry the fish, 3-4 pieces at a time, 3-4 minutes on each side.
9Keep all of them in a separate plate.
10When all the pieces are fried, clean all the black residues from the oil in the wok with the spatula and put 2 tablespoon of fresh oil in the it. 

11 Then put a pinch of cumin seed, a pinch of mustard seed, 2 red chili, 2 bay leaves, a pinch of aniseed (all together is called panch-phoran) and allow them to splutter.
12Then put the cut onion pieces and allow it to just a little brown.
13Then put all the ground paste,tomatoes,left over turmeric powder and salt to taste.
14Keep stirring it until the paste becomes a little brown (it takes around 10 minutes).
15You can also identify it by looking at the wok, that the paste will start leaving the oil and paste will now no more stick on the wok.
16The paste is now perfectly fried.
17Now pour 3 cups of water to it, or as much thick gravy you want.
18Once the gravy comes to boil, start dropping the fried fish pieces and allow to boil for 15 minutes.
19 serve with fresh cilantro!

Fish & Shrimp Tomato Curry

 

NOTE: omit fish, use extra veggies for a VEGAN curry!

YOU NEED

3 tablespoons curry powder

1 large clove garlic , minced

dry hot peppers, to taste

1 head broccoli chopped into florets

1 medium onion, finely diced

a red bell pepper, finely diced

1 small zucchini, finely diced

shrimp

fish [firm, like tilapia or something]

200 ml coconut milk

1 can tomatoes

cilantro, optional, for garnish

salt and pepper to taste

1. start with a bit of olive oil. bring to a sizzle, add in garlic broccoli, onion, red peppers, zucchini, and hot peppers. stir-fry, add in curry powder.

2. add in fish. once looking a little done, add in canned tomatoes, mash up, and then coconut milk. taste and adjust. add shrimp last, they don't take long to cook.salt and pepper to taste.

3. garnish and serve!

Jalfrezi

My favourite Indian dish!!!!

Lamb & Tomato Jalfrezi

Ingredients For  Sauce:
3 tablespoons butter
1/2 a large onion, roughly chopped
2 garlic cloves, chopped
1 green chilli, chopped
2 roma tomatoes, chopped
1/2 pint of water
1 tbsp ground coriander
1 tbsp ground cumin
1 tsp turmeric

Steak & Bell Pepp[er Jalfrezi

Meat & Veg: You can choose lamb [my fave] chicken, seafood, etc.

meat, cut into chunks
1 red pepper, chopped
1/2 a large onion, sliced
2 red chillis (optional) if you like spice, as i do
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp ground coriander
1 tsp turmeric
2 tsp garam masala (spice mix)
a handful of fresh, chopped cilantro

HOW TO MAKE:


Take the chopped meat and coat it in the cumin, ground coriander and turmeric then leave it to marinade in the fridge while you make the sauce.

To make the sauce, fry the roughly chopped onions with the garlic and green chilli in a large pan until browned. Add the water to the onion mixture and simmer this for around 20 minutes.

While that is simmering, put the plum tomatoes in a food processor. aim for a smooth consistency. Heat another large pan and gently fry the ground coriander, cumin and turmeric in a splash of oil for about a minute. Add the tomato 'sauce' to this pan and simmer for around 10 minutes.

Next puree onion the food processor and add it to the spiced tomato sauce. Give it a stir and simmer for 20 minutes.

Seafood Jalfrezi [replace tomato sauce with greek yogurt]

Fry the marinaded meat in the butter and stir continuously. After a few minutes, turn down the heat and add the other half of the chopped onion, the red pepper and chillis. Stir this until the onions and pepper soften (and the meat is cooked, of course).

Add the earlier prepared sauce to the cooked chicken and simmer for around 10-20 minutes. Just before you dish it up, stir in the garam masala and chopped cilantro. serve with raita, rice, and naan.

Chicken Jalfrezi with Turmeric Rice & Peas

Pastries on a Stick

YOU CAN PUT ANYTHING ON A STICK. this is sinful looking, but baked and not fried, so healthy!

YOU NEED:

pie dough, bought or made, cut into squares.

filling.

egg to seal. 

butter to brush.

sticks.

METHOD:

Lay out pie dough square, fill, top with another square and seal edges shut with egg, brush with butter

stick in a stick. . 

bake for 15-20 minutes, flipping once halfway through. 

FILLINGS?

MEXICAN: taco seasoned beef, chicken, sausage or vegetables with monterey jack or manchego cheese, chopped Jalapeno

BUFFALO: Barbeque chicken or pork, with blue cheese and green onion

DESSERT: Fruit with mascarpone or brie.

FRANCAIS: Merguez or turkey with gruyere or swiss

BREAKFAST: sausage & scrambled eggs

HAM & CHEESE: exactly that

VEGETARIAN: roasted peppers, mushrooms, zucchini and onion

ITALIAN: Tomato, Onion, Basil, Mozzarella

PARMESAN: Parmesan & Bruschetta mix

etc etc etc. 

Curried Shrimp Sandwich

Easy, cook shrimp in any way with this marinade!

1. marinate shrimp in 1 tablespoon mustard, olive oil. add 2 cloves minced garlic, 1 teaspoon curry paste, a pinch of turmeric and fry with onions.

2. toast bread with cardamom or sumac, top with shrimp, tomato, lettuce, and olives. 

3. serve!

PAIR WITH: a heavy, rich red wine. Malbec or Montepulciano. 

Tikka Masala

A versatile dish, you can use chicken, lamb, or any seafood [but no beef, that's sacred in India] but then again, this is Britain's national dish....

YOU NEED:

1 cup yogurt 

1 tablespoon lemon juice 

2 teaspoons ground cumin 

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon 

2 teaspoons cayenne pepper

 2 teaspoons black pepper 

1 tablespoon fresh ginger, minced 

chicken, shrimp, lamb, fish, etc

1 tablespoon butter 

2 cloves garlic, minced

 1 chili  pepper, finely chopped 

2 teaspoons ground cumin 

2 teaspoons paprika 

1 can tomato sauce or crushed tomatoes

 1 cup heavy cream or milk thickened with flour 

salt 

1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro 

Directions: 1 Combine yogurt, lemon juice, 2 t cumin, cinnamon, cayenne, black pepper, ginger, and meat in a bowl. 

2 Refrigerate for 1 hour. 

3 Cook meat, set aside. 

 4. In a large heavy skillet, melt butter and saute garlic and jalepeno for 1 minute over medium heat. 

5 Season with 2 t cumin and paprika. 

6. Stir in tomato sauce and cream, simmer on low for 20 minutes. 

7. Add meqat,  simmer for 10 additional minutes. 

8. Salt to taste, and garnish with chopped cilantro.

serve on rice, with naan and raita.

Coconut Rice

1. Place 1 cups basmati rice, 1 cup coconut milk, 3/4 cups water, in a pot. heat on medium high, covered, stirring occasionally. add 1 tablespoon oil. 

2. Once it has begun to gently bubble, stop stirring and reduce heat to low heat.

3.  Cover tightly with a lid and let simmer 15-20 minutes, or until most of the liquid has been absorbed by the rice. 

4. optional: mix in green onion or vegetables. 

Serve with toasted coconut, thai food, indian food, or anything!  

Rogan Josh

1 inch fresh ginger,  peeled and minced
 8 garlic cloves, coarsely chopped
water
1/2 cup vegetable oil
2 tablespoons chili powder or paste
500 grams boneless lamb chunks, steak, or chicken
1 teaspoon cardamom
2 bay leaves
 6 whole cloves
 10 whole peppercorns
1 cinnamon stick or 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
2 small chopped onions
1 teaspoon ground coriander
 2 teaspoons cumin
 4 teaspoons paprika
 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
 1 teaspoon salt
6 tablespoons plain yogurt
1/4 teaspoon garam masala
fresh ground pepper to taste
cilantro for garnish

TO MAKE:

1 Put the ginger, garlic, and 4 tablespoons of water into the blender. Blend well until you have a smooth paste. Add chili paste.
2 Heat oil in a wide heavy pot over a medium heat, brown the meat cubes.
 3 Put the cardamom, bay leaves, cloves, peppercorns and cinnamon into the same hot oil. stir once and wait until the cloves swell and the bay leaves begin to take on colour.
4 Put in the onions. Stir and fry for 5 minutes until they turn a medium brown colour.
5 Put in the ginger garlic paste and stir for 30 seconds.
6 Add the coriander, cumin, paprika-cayenne, and salt. Stir and fry for 30 seconds.
7 Add the fried meat cubes and juices. 8 Stir for 30 seconds, add 1 tablespoon of yoghurt, stir until well blended .
9 Add the remaining yogurt, a tablespoon at a time. Stir and fry for another 3 minutes. add 200 mls of water. Bring to the boil, then turn to low and cook for an hour, stirring every 10 mins.
10. When the meat is tender take off the lid, turn the heat up to medium, and boil away some of the liquid. 12 sprinkle with garam masala and pepper before serving. and cilantro!

Samosas!

The wonderful snack.

YOU NEED:

Phyllo, thin pie dough, puff pastry, wonton wrappers, or any other thin dough

Egg to brush and seal

Filling

Yogurt Dip

1. MAKE FILLING!

1. In a saucepan, heat a bit of oil. Add 4 tablespoons Ghee, 2 cloves minced garlic, a small piece of grated ginger.

2. add what you want in your filling into the pan....

POTATO SAMOSAS: mashed potato & onion

VEGETABLE SAMOSAS: either chickpeas or lentils with cauliflower, carrot, zuchini, or peas and onions

CHICKEN SAMOSAS: Ground chicken, Cilantro

BEEF SAMOSAS: Ground beef, cilantro

LAMB SAMOSAS: Ground Lamb, fresh mint

Add spices: garam masala, coriander seeds, turmeric, chili powder, salt, pepper, any indian spice or sauce. 

Simmer, taste, yum.

Lay out wrappers, fill with filling, about a tablespoon. Brush edges with milk or egg, seal firmly by hand.

Bake for 30-45 minutes, flip once. 

Yogurt Sauce: 1/2 cup greek yogurt, 2 cloves minced garlic, 1/4 cup lemon juice, a handful fresh cilantro OR mint, coriander seeds, sumac, salt and pepper.

Dip, bite, enjoy. 

Raita & Naan Bread!

 ESSENTIAL FOR ALL INDIAN FOOD. Great with Naan, on top of curry, and great with an assortment of middle-eastern food.

CUCUMBER RAITA:

1 cup greek yogurt

2 cloves minced garlic

a handful of chopped mint

2 tablespoons lemon juice

half a chopped, peeled cucumber

a bit of dill weed.

NAAN. You can make...or just buy for convenience's sake.

TOP WITH: 

toasted sesame seeds

UM GARLIC NAAN, ANYONE?

herbs, such as parsley, cilantro

simple olive oil

curry paste

sumac

all dressed naan with meat and veggies

you can put ANYTHING on naan. it's like indian pizza.

seriously though, make garlic naan... it's to die for. 

Butter Chicken

Butter Chicken... the dish that turns everyone from an Indian Food hater into a lover.

Hey, you can buy butter chicken sauce and just add chicken and cauliflower. But here's how to make it yourself:

YOU NEED:

(1/2 cup) greek yogurt [low fat]

1 tbs lemon juice

1 tsp turmeric

2 tsp garam masala

1 tsp chilli powder

1 tsp ground cumin

2 tsp grated fresh ginger

2 garlic cloves, crushed

chopped chicken

cashews are optional

3 tablespoons butter

1 tbs oil

1 onion, finely chopped

1 tsp ground cardamom

1 inch piece of ginger, grated

1 cinnamon stick

2 tsp paprika

a small can of tomato paste

1/2 cup chicken stock

1 tablespoon corn starch to thicken. cream is optional

 cilantro to top. 

Method

Combine yoghurt, lemon juice, turmeric, garam masala, chilli, cumin, ginger and garlic in a bowl. Add chicken and stir well. add ginger. 

Heat the butter and oil in a pan over medium heat. Add the onion, cardamom, and cinnamon and cook for 2 minutes until the onion starts to soften. Reduce heat to low, then add chicken, vegetables of your choice, paprika, tomato puree, cashew powder and stock.

 Simmer for 15 minutes. 

Stir in cream or corn starch and cook for a further 10 minutes.

NOTES:

cauliflower too, is yummy.

top with cilantro, and cashews.

serve over basmati rice.