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Spicy Lamb Meatballs with Curry Sauce June 18, 2011

Filed under: Curries,Meat — delishuss @ 5:23 pm
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I gave myself a ready steady cook challenge. I hadn’t done the weekly food shop and the cupboards were a bit bare, so I came up with this and it really works. 

Serves 3-4

Ingredients

Meatballs

500g lamb mince

3 spring onions chopped

Salt and pepper

50g breadcrumbs

2 tablespoons of balti curry paste

Salt and pepper

Olive oil

 

Sauce

1 onion chopped

1 carrot, peeled and diced

1 clove of garlic, finely chopped

100ml chicken stock

200g chopped tomatoes

½ green pepper, chopped

2 tablespoons balti curry paste

Bunch of chopped flat leaf parsley

 

 

Method

  1. Mix all the meatball ingredients in a bowl. Make smallish meatballs and set aside.
  2. Heat a frying pan and add the olive oil. Once hot, add the meatballs (you may have to do it in batches) and fry turning to ensure that they are browned on all sides. Remove from the pan.
  3. Add some more oil to the pan if you need to. Fry off the onion, pepper and the carrot for 5 minutes. Add the garlic and fry for 2 minutes.
  4. Stir in the curry paste and add the meatballs and the curry sauce and stir.
  5. Add the chicken stock and cook on a medium heat until reduced for about 15 minutes. Sprinkle with the parsley before serving.
  6. Serve with rice.

Tip: To prevent the meatball mixture sticking to your hands, rub with olive oil before you start.

 

Malay Style Chicken April 12, 2011

Filed under: Chicken,Curries,Weight Watchers Recipes — delishuss @ 9:34 pm

This is a cracking recipe. Another Weight Watchers one. The original has quorn pieces, so I replaced that with chicken.

Serves 4

6 propoints

Ingredients

2 tablespoons soy sauce

2 tablespoons smooth peanut butter

low fat cooking spray

2 larged garlic cloves, chopped

2.5 cm fresh root ginger, chopped finely

125g mange tout

2 chicken breasts, chopped

1 teaspoon ground turmeric

100ml vegetable stock

200ml light coconut milk

1 red chilli, de-seeded and sliced thinly into rounds

2 tablespoons lime juice

60g beansprouts

2 spring onions, sliced diagonally

salt and freshly ground pepper

Method

1. Mix together the soy sauce, peanut butter and 3 tablespoons of hot water in a small bowl. Seat Aside.

2. Heat a wok or non stick frying pan until hot. Spray with the cooking spray and fry the garlic, ginger and mange tout for 3 minute then add the chicken pieces and turmeric.

3. Pour in the stock, cocunut milk and chilli, and bring to the boil then reduce the heat and simmer for 15 minutes. Stir in the soy sauce mixture and lime juice, season to taste, then add the beansprouts just before serving.

4. Serve in warm shallow bowls, sprinkled with the spring onions.

 

Quick Chicken Korma April 11, 2011

Filed under: Chicken,Curries,Weight Watchers Recipes — delishuss @ 9:13 pm

This is a great curry and it’s a Weight Watchers recipe. Tasty, healthy and quick to make what more could you ask for.

Serves 4

6 Propoints per serving

 

Ingredients

4 cm fresh root ginger, chopped

3 large garlic cloves, chopped

4 cardamon pods, lightly crushed with the flat blade of a knife

Low fat cooking spray

1 large onion, chopped finely

60g chicken korma paste

1 teaspoon turmeric

200g canned chopped tomatoes

200g vegetable stock

550g skinless boneless chicken breasts, cut into large bite sizes

12 cherry tomatoes, halved

4 tablespoons Weight Watchers reduced fat thick cream

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

4 lime wedges, to serve

Method

1. Place the ginger and garlic with 3 tablespoons of water in a food processor, or use a hand blender, and whizz to a paste. Set aside.

2. Heat a large lidded saucepan. Add the cardamon pods and stir for 30 seconds then spray with the cooking spray and add the onion. Stir fry for 6 minutes until softened then add the korma paste, ginger mixture and turmeric.

3. Pour in the chopped tomatoes and stock then bring up to the boil. Reduce the heat to medium low, add the chicken and simmer, partially covered, for 20 minutes, stirring ocassionally.

4. Add the cherry tomatoes and cream then simmer for another 5 minutes until the sauce is reduced and thickened. Remove the cardamon pods.

Season to taste and squeeze over the lime, to serve.

 

Baked Biryani Chicken March 26, 2011

Filed under: Chicken,Curries,Rice and Grains — delishuss @ 10:11 pm
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I got this recipe believe it or not from an Aviva health insurance magazine. The method states that you should cook the rice in the oven. I found that it took much longer than was suggested in the recipe, so when I try it again I will probably par-boil the rice while getting the rest underway. I also made a few additions to the recipe, so here’s my version below.

Ingredients

2 tbsp olive oil

8 chicken thighs, bone in and skin on

1 onion, finely chopped

3 garlic cloves, sliced

2 tsp garam masala powder

1 tsp turmeric

1 tsp of fresh ginger

1 chilli, finely sliced

4 cardamon pods

650ml chicken stock

1 pepper, chopped

200g frozen-mixed veg

300g basmati rice

4tbs chopped coriander (2 for cooking and 2 for serving)

Method

  1. Preheat the oven to 190/gas mark 5.
  2. Put the rice on to boil.
  3. Heat the oil in a frying pan. Add the chicken and fry until golden brown all over. Remove from the pan and set aside in a caserole dish.
  4. Add the onion and cook gently for about five minutes. Stir in the garlic, garam masala, ginger, chilli, turmeric, and cardamon pods. Drain the par-boiled rice and add to the spices. Cook for another minute.
  5. Remove from the heat and pour over the chicken.
  6. Fry off the pepper and add to the chicken and rice. Sprinkle over 2 tsp of chopped coriander.
  7. Pour over the stock, cover with foil and bake in the oven for 20 minutes, until the rice has nearly absorbed all the stock. Uncover and stir in the frozen vegetables, recover and bake for 8-10 minutes, until everything is cooked. Scatter with the remaining chopped coriander.

Fantastic!

 

Classic North Indian Chicken Curry March 12, 2011

Filed under: Chicken,Curries — delishuss @ 11:27 pm
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I wasn’t a major fan of this curry recipe,  for me it lacks intensity of flavour. I’m posting it anyway for those that it might appeal to. I got it from the Good Food Channel wesbite. Here goes!

Ingredients

4 tbsp oil

2 cloves

1 stick cinnamon

2 green cardamon pods

1 tsp cumin seeds

1 small-medium onion, chopped

1 1/2 tbsp chopped ginger

6 cloves garlic, chopped

1/2 tsp ground turmeric

1 tbsp ground coriander

1/2 tsp chilli powder

2 tomatoes, pureed

450g small chicken or poussin, bone-in, skimmed and jointed

1/2 tsp garam masala

1 handful coriander leaves

To serve:

Rice or Indian flatbreads

Cucumber raita, or any vegetable dish

Method

1. Heat the oil in a large non-stick pan. Add the cloves, cinnamon, cardamon pods and cumin seeds and fry for about 20 seconds until aromatic.

2. Add the onion and cook for about 10 minutes until golden brown, stirring often.

3. Stir in the ginger and garlic and cook stirring for 40 seconds before adding a pinch of salt and the ground spices, and stir for 15 seconds.

4. Add the chicken and brown over a medium-high heat for 3-4 minutes. Add enough water to almost cover the chicken (about 30 ml), bring to the boil and then cook over a low heat until the chicken is cooked through.

5.  The slower it cooks the better it tastes. This takes about 15 minutes for small joints and up to 25-30 minutes for larger ones. Check with a fork, once it is tender it is done.

6. Add the garam masala and coriander leaves and serve with rice or Indian flatbread and raita or any vegetable dish.

4. Pour in the tomatoes and cook over a medium heat for about 10 minutes, until the liquid in the pan has dried off,, and the oil leaves the sides of the dry masala around 10 minutes.

 

Thai Beef Massaman Curry

Filed under: Curries,Meat — delishuss @ 11:05 pm

Okay so I’m still on the pursuit of the perfect curry but this one is a contender. It takes a bit of preperation. I got the recipe from my friend Catherine who attended a Thai cookery course in the Cooks Academy. For the recipe it states that you need massaman curry paste, the recipe for this wasn’t included so I just used the Thai green curry paste instead (recipe below). This recipe serves 6-8 people.  This recipes takes over 2 hours to cook, so allow make sure you are not too hungry before starting to cook 🙂 It;s worth waiting for though.

Ingredients

Green curry paste

1 tbsp coriander seeds

2 tsp cumin seeds

1 tsp black peppercorns

2 tsp of dried shrimp paste

8 large fresh green chillies, roughly chopped

4 shallots, chopped

5 cm fresh galangal, pounded or chopped

12 small cloves of garlic chopped

60g  chopped coriander, leaves and stalks

6 kaffir lime leaves, chopped

3 stems lemongrass, white part only, finely chopped

2 tsp lime zest

2 tsp salt

2 tbsp sunflower oil

Massaman curry

1.5 kg chuck steak, cut into 5cm chunks

600 ml coconut milk

6 cardamon pods (black if possible)

2 cinnamon sticks

300g potatoes, peeled and cubed

8 shallots, peeled and cut in half lengthways

1-2 tbp curry paste (from above recipe)

2 tbsp fish sauce

2 tbsp tamarind pulp, mixed with 150ml hot water

1 tbsp palm sugar

75g roasted peanuts

Handful basil leaves (Thai sweet basil if available)

Method

Curry Paste

1. Dry fry the coriander and cumin seeds in a wok for 2-3 minutes, then finely grind in a pestle and mortar or spice grinder with the peppercorns.

2. Wrap the shrimp paste in foil and cook under a hot grill for 3 minutes, turning twice.

3.  Process the ground spices and roasted shrimp paste for 5 seconds.

4.  Add the remaining ingredients and process for 20 seconds at a time until you have a smooth taste.

Massaman Curry

1. Put the beef  into a heavy based pan with 350 ml coconut milk, an equal amount of water and the cardamon pods, cinnamon stick and 1 tsp salt.

2. Bring slowly to simmering point, part cover leaving just a small 1 cm gap for steam to escape, and leave to cook gently for 2 hours, until the beef is almost tender.

3. Meanwhile peel the potatoes and cut into 2cm cubes.

4. Uncover the curry and remove and discard the cardamon pods and cinnamon stick.

5. Stir in the rest of the coconut milk, the potatoes, shallots, curry paste, fish sauce, tamarind water, and sugar and simmer gently, uncovered for a further 25-30 minutes or until the potatoes, shallots and beef are tender.

6. Stir in the peanuts, scatter over the basil and serve.

 

Avoca Thai Chicken Curry January 17, 2011

Filed under: Chicken,Curries,Favourites — delishuss @ 10:56 pm
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My friend Pooja recommended this recipe. She advised adding coconut milk, I would definitely agree. I didn’t have coconut milk so I used 2 sachets of creamed coconut instead. I also added the juice of 1 lime. The recipe for the curry paste makes more than is needed, you can cover and save in the fridge for a week or so covered with a little vegetable oil.

This is a cracking recipe, worth trying.

Ingredients

For the spice paste

1 lemongrass stalk, dry outer layers removed, inner core chopped

2.5 cm/1 inch piece of galangal or fresh ginger, coarsely chopped

2 lime leaves, chopped

3 shallots, peeled and chopped

A bunch of coriander stalks, finely chopped ( reserve the leaves for garnishing the curry)

2 garlic cloves, peeled and chopped

3 red chillies, deseeded and finely chopped

1 teaspoon of fish sauce

1 teaspoon of ground turmeric

For the curry

3 tablespoons vegetable oil

3 garlic cloves, peeled and chopped

12 boned chicken thighs, roughly chopped

2 tablespoons fish sauce

250 ml/ 8 fl oz chicken stock

1 teaspoon sugar

2 lemongrass stalks, dry outer layers removed, inner core finely chopped

Method

1. To make the spice paste, puree all the ingredients together in a blender or food processor.

2. Heat the oil in a wok, then add the garlic and saute until golden.

3. Add 1 tablespoon of the curry paste along with the chicken and stir well.

4. Add the fish sauce, chicken stock, sugar and lemongrass.

5. Stir wll and simmer for 15 minutes. Garnish with the coriander leaves and serve with rice.

 

Rogan Josh November 2, 2010

Filed under: Curries,Vegetarian — delishuss @ 9:55 pm
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This is another Jamie Oliver’s 30 minute meals. It’s pretty good but I think I would add lamb nex time.

CURRY
2 onions
1 medium butternut squash
1 small cauliflower
optional: 1 fresh red chilli
4 cloves of garlic
a bunch of fresh coriander
½ a 283g jar of Patak’s rogan joshpaste
1 x 400g tin of chickpeas
100g prewashed baby spinach
1 x 500g tub of natural yoghurt

Method

  1. Peel and slice the onions and add to the large pan with a splash of water and a few good lugs of olive oil.
  2. Carefully cut the butternut squash in half across the middle (for speed I’m only using the seedless neck), wrap up the base and put in the fridge for another day. Quarter the neck lengthways, then slice it into 1cm chunks – no need to peel them .Add to the pan.Trim the cauliflower and remove the outer leaves. Cut it into bite-sized chunks, and throw them into the pan.
  3. If you want some extra heat, slice up the chilli and add it now. Crush in the unpeeled garlic.
  4. Finely chop the coriander (stalks and all). Reserve a few leaves for garnish and add the rest to the pan with a couple of generous splashes of boiled water.
  5. Add the rogan josh paste and the tin of chickpeas, with their juices. Season and stir well, then put a lid on. Cook hard and fast, stirring occasionally.
  6. Check and add a splash of water if it looks a bitdry. Stir, then replace the lid.
    Take the lid off. Do you need to adjust the consistency at this point? If so, you can add a generous splash of boiled water, depending on whether you want it drier or wetter. Or mash up some of the veg for different textures.
  7. Taste and add a pinch of salt, if needed, then add the spinach and stir through.
  8. Transfer the rice and curry into large serving bowls. Spoon the remaining yoghurt over the curry, sprinkle with the rest of the coriander leaves and take both bowls to the table.
 

Thai Red Prawn Curry October 21, 2010

Filed under: Curries,Fish — delishuss @ 7:09 pm
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I tried this last night. It’s one of dinner’s in Jamie Oliver’s 30 minute meals. It’s pretty good but I still think this version is the best I’ve tried: https://delishuss.wordpress.com/2010/08/29/green-bean-and-coconut-soup/. I know the title says soup but it’s more of a curry. I followed Jamie’s recipe to the tee but take my advice, you need to finely chopped the lemon grass before putting it in the blender. Otherwise you have the equivalent to lumps of straw in your dinner 🙂

Ingredients

• 2 stalks of lemongrass
• 1 fresh red chilli
• 2 cloves of garlic
• optional: 4 kaffir lime leaves, fresh,
dried or frozen
• a bunch of fresh coriander
• 2 jarred red peppers in oil
• 1 heaped teaspoon tomato purée
• 1 tablespoon fish sauce
• 2 tablespoons soy sauce
• 1 teaspoon sesame oil
• a 2cm piece of fresh ginger
• • 200g sugar snap peas
220g small cooked prawns
• 1 x 400g tin of coconut milk
• 2 limes, to serve
• 1 bag of prawn crackers, to serve

Method

  • Put a large frying pan on a medium heat.
  • Trim the ends and tough outer leaves of the lemongrass stalks, bash up the stalks with the side of a knife, finely chop and then put into a food processor with 1 fresh red chilli (stalk removed), 2 peeled cloves of garlic, 4 lime leaves, a bunch of coriander, 2 jarred red peppers, 1 heaped teaspoon of tomato purée, 1 tablespoon of fish sauce, 2 tablespoons of soy sauce and 1 teaspoon of sesame oil. Peel and add 2cm of fresh ginger.
  • Blitz to a paste – you might need to stop and use a spatula to scrape down the sides so it all gets whizzed up. 
  • Heat a pan and drizzle in a little olive oil, then add the sugar snap peas followed by the prawns. Spoon in the curry paste, and stir and fry for a minute or two before adding the coconut milk.
  • Stir as it melts down, then leave to simmer on a medium to low heat.
  • Serve with Basmati rice.

You could also make this recipe with chicken instead or both. Chop the chicken and fry until brown. Then add the spice blend and follow the remainder of the recipe.

 

Red Prawns and Mango Curry August 29, 2010

Filed under: Curries,Fish — delishuss @ 8:55 pm
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This is a nice change from the regular curry. I got it from a Nigella Lawson cookbook. It’s a good way to get some fish if you are not a major fan.

Ingredients

1 x 15 ml wok oil

1 spring onion, finely sliced

1 ½ tablespoons red Thai curry paste (or according to taste)

½ x 400ml coconut milk

250 ml chicken stock made from concentrate

2 teaspoons of fish sauce

1 x 350g packet of butternut and sweet potato cubes

1 x 200g packet frozen prawns

1 teaspoon of lime

150g mango cubes, diced

3-4 tablespoons chopped fresh coriander

 

Instructions

  1. Heat the wok oil in a large, heavy-based frying pan, and fry the sliced spring onion for a minute, then add the curry paste.
  2. Whisk in the coconut milk, chicken stock and fish sauce and bring to the boil.
  3. Tip in the butternut squash and sweet potato cubes and simmer, partially covered for about 15 minutes, or until tender.
  4. Drain the prawns under running water to remove excess ice and tumble them in to the pan, letting the sauce come back to the boil. When it does, add the lime juice and diced mango and cook for another minute or so until the prawns are cooked through.
  5. Sprinkle with the chopped coriander as you serve over plain rice or wide rice noodles, or even both.