home made curry ideas...?

[looobylooo]

im planning on having a bash at making my own (veg) curry... !

im after some tried and tested ideas please.

now, im not a lover of the jars you can buy, sharwoods and pattaks and the rest,
but i am planning on buying a jar of the ready made paste though to start me off, as that contains the inital spices, so ive heard, is that right..? (any recommendations on which one to get?)

sooo, in my pan would go the paste, plus garlic and ginger, yes?
are there any other spices i should also use?

and then i was going to add some chopped peppers and tomatoes and add some water..
now i do like a nice saucy curry, so do you think some chopped tinned tomatoes would be best or maybe just chopped fresh ones, or even both? and then let it simmer...?

im a novice! so any tips and ideas would be great if you have any please?

thanks :o)

[pastafreak]

I make several veg curries.......one with carrots,sweet potatoes and white potatoes. A second that is cauliflower,onion and tomato,and the third is potato and spinach.
I always start by frying mustard seeds,ground cumin,coriander and turmeric,and a good pinch of dried chilli flakes. To this I add a paste of onion,garlic and ginger.
Then.....cauli,onion are fried lightly -then one chopped fresh tomato is added....heat reduced,and all allowed to simmer gently.
I do the same with the root veg,adding coconut milk,and letting it simmer.
Finally-with the potato and spinach-I use Charlotte potatoes halved lengthways,and fry them with the paste. When they are tender,I add the spinach....quite a bit as it shrinks down to nothing!
Serve with Basmati rice.

[looobylooo]

thanks pasta, hmmm, sounds nice ... i will give it a go! :o)

[gingejbee]

If you start with a ready-prepared paste ( I use Patak's) , you don't need to add much else other than onions and your choice of veg. Depending on which type of paste you go for, you can add canned tomatoes and tomato puree.

[looobylooo]

ahh riiight gingejbee, thank you for that :o)

[hammerman]

I do two basic curries based around your method loobyloo. I do use chicken though although that's not important. I use the pataks paste....i've found it doesn't make any difference which one to use as they all taste similar.

I then add garlic, ginger and chillis, onions and stir fry the chicken (veg) in the paste, garlic etc.

Then i add either half a tub of Greek yoghurt or a tin of chopped tomatoes. This is simmered until cooked and the sauce has thickened and just before the end of cooking, i chuck in a sachet of creamed coconut and a handfull of chopped, fresh corriandar. Add some sugar too if you prefer a sweeter curry.

You can also use cream of tomato soup as a sauce....it's been suggested as a "cheat" for a while and may even be used in certain Indian restaurants. Chicken (veg) is mixed with the paste and then the soup is added along with single cream and lemon juice at the end.

When you cook your rice, add a handfull of cumin seeds, 10 cloves, 10 crushed cardamon seeds and a star annisse.
When cooked....remove the star annisse, 10 cardamons and 10 cloves.

Perfik pilau rice.

[MrIncredible]

You've probibly cooked your curry by now! But we always add some butternut squash wether we're doing a meat of veggie curry...they really absorb the juices and tatse great and also bulk out the curry a bit.
Always use pataks paste.

[zzxxee]

tescos microwave curry
remove box stab plastic lid several time vigorously with fork
place in microwave for several mins ping!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! done x

[ojread2]

I always add a teaspoon of sugar to mine, what ever the curry
And a blob of peanut butter and sometimes coconut milk or creamed coconut

[gingejbee]

zzxxee: and I'm sure it's very nice (?) but hardly qualifies as "home made".

[climber_chick]

I made a great curry the other day,
it was made from:

onions
garlic
fresh ginger
madras spice mix
garam marsala spice mix
passata
aubergines
courgettes
mushrooms
sliced tomatoes
spinach
cocunut milk
salt/pepper

it tasted so good, I'm making it again tonight! I have to say I don't use any recipe, I just do it as guess work. Just remember to keep tasting it when cooking!

[looobylooo]

hey thanks you lot for your great ideas,
all have been very helpful thank you, except zzxxee and her 'stab and ping' suggestion! lol ;o)

im going to go to tesco later if i get chance and pick up me jar of pataks paste and some cillis etc, and i just miiiiight have myself a nice curry for me tea tonight!

thanks again all.
any more ideas are more than welcome! keep em coming! :o)

[gingejbee]

If you like a Balti-style veg curry, Patak's do a nice Balti paste. My choice of veg is onions, peppers, button mushrooms, green beans, cauli or broc and cooked potato. Add canned toms and tom puree and fresh coriander at the end. Don't add much extra chilli- it's already in the paste.

[jaydah]

courgettes mushrooms replace with okra (ladies fingers - whole) & cauli florets.

[looobylooo]

right oh ginge! - sounds good to me! thank youu! :o)

[Mamyalynne]

One tip from an Indian chef was at the very end just before serving add a good spoonful of Mango chutney and it really does work.

[looobylooo]

ah ive got a jar of that here already mamya, thanks alot :o)

[mccfluff]

jamie did a great one the other night on his 30 mins show, look it up n ch4

[looobylooo]

yeah i saw that mcfluff, thats what gave me the inspiration lol

[mccfluff]

http://www.channel4.c...an-josh-meal_p_1.html

[looobylooo]

thanks mcfluff for posting the recipe up, cheers!

i must say the way he does his rice always looks good doesnt it, and so easy too!