Spinach and potato curry
This is easy and healthy vegetable side dish or on its own with rice and flat bread.
Ingredients:
1 onion, sliced
2 cloves of garlic, chopped finely
3 cm of fresh ginger, chopped finely
1-2 fresh chillies, deseeded and chopped finely (to taste)
1/2 kilo potatoes, peeled and chopped in bitesize pieces
1 bag spinach
Salt and pepper
2 tablespoons ground coriander
1 tablespoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon ground tumeric
1 teaspoon ground chilli powder (optional)
1 teaspoon mustard seeds
Handful of fresh coriander, chopped
2 tablespoons cooking oil / ghee
Method:
1. Boil some water and add the potato and some salt. Boil until cooked and soft.
2. Meanwhile fry the onions on a medium-low heat until just turning golden. Add the garlic, ginger and chilli until the aroma is released.
3. Add the spices and stir and fry until a paste-like substance forms. This may need addition of cooking oil, butter or ghee.
4. Add the potatoes and toss in the spice mixture. Season to taste.
5. Finally add the washed spinach, cover for 3-5 minutes until the spinach is cooked. Stir well to allow the flavours to diffuse and its ready!
Dhal
This is a classic, served with almost every meal. There are so many different versions, but mine is pretty simple and extraordinarily cheap to make!
Ingredients
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 onion - chopped
1 clove of garlic - chopped finely
1/2 packet of lentils
1 chicken / vegetable stock cube
3-4 teaspoons cumin powder
1 dried chili, deseeded
2 teaspoons ground coriander
1 teaspoon mixed spice
Salt and pepper
Cube of butter (optional)
Method
1. Fry the onions gently so that they become translucent.
2. Add the garlic and fry until the mixture is just turning crispy
3. Add the spices. If you like it spicy chop the chili, but if not leave it whole so that it is easier to remove.
4. After 1-2 minutes of frying the spice mixture, add the lentils. Allow these to be fully coated in the spices. You can now add a bit more oil if the mixture is too dry and sticking.
5. Add the stock and enough water to just cover the mixture.
6. Keep simmering and adding water until the lentils are cooked. This should take about 45 minutes. If you soak the lentils overnight beforehand cooking the lentils will be much quicker!
7. Season to taste and add a little butter to bind together. As I previously discussed, Indian food uses ghee, and butter is a possible alternative. Although quite unhealthy it does make the dhal that much more tasty!
8. Serve with rice for a warming and filling mid-week meal.
Chickpea Curry / Channa Masala
Ingredients
2 tablespoons cooking oil (sunflower)
1 onion – chopped
1-2 cloves of garlic – chopped finely
2 cm fresh ginger – chopped finely
Ground coriander (powder) – 3-4 teaspoons
Ground cumin (powder) – 3-4 teaspoons
Chilli powder or chilli sauce - 1 – 4 spoons (depends on spicy you would like it!)
1 can of chickpeas
½ can of tinned tomatoes (whole are cheaper, you can cut them yourself)
1 cup of vegetable stock (equivalent to ½ a stock cube)
½ juice of a lemon
1 cube of butter (optional)
Salt
Method
1. Gently fry the onions until almost turning brown
2. Add the garlic and ginger and fry for 1 minute
3. Add the spices, ensuring that they are fried but not burnt. You may need to add a little bit more oil at this point
4. Pour in the chickpeas, and stir allowing them be coated in the spices. Season to taste.
5. Add the tomatoes and stock. Allow to boil for 2 minutes then lower heat and bring to simmer. The heat should be low so that the flavours dissipate and do not lose their potency.
6. Add lemon juice bit by bit, while stirring. This is a good time to taste and see if you would like to add any more spice or salt. The curry should be spicy with a zing from the lemon. Once again, you can add more or less according to your taste.
7. Keep simmering for about 15 minutes
8. Near the end you can add a piece of butter. Indian food normally has ghee in it, which binds the spices together. However, this can be difficult to find. If you are not watching your calories, then adding this at the end stops the butter from burning and gives the curry a more velvety texture. You can use the butter with the oil to fry the spices, but you must be careful not to overdo it!
9. Serve with boiled rice and a cucumber, tomato and onion salad!
