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Curry recipe
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Anybody care to post a good easy curry recipe, Chicken/Lamb Madras or Jalfreizi
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How easy do you want this to be? For decades I did everything curry-related myself...ground spices with a mortar and pestle, marinaded just so and for just so long and a host of similar activities. To be honest, I have an excellent reputation as a curry-cook. However, I only recently discovered something which may well prevent me from going on with the search for the Holy Grail of curry-making. They are Patak Curry Pastes. Until I actually made one, such an approach was the pits as far as I was concerned, but they are wonderful! I don't care what any so-called purist may think of the matter.
Buy their Jalfrezi and a couple of pounds of diced chicken, then do "exactly what it says on the jar". Believe me, you won't regret it. (Get their Madras paste and some beef while you're at it!)
May I just add a couple of tips on curry-making generally? Both involve using a strainer.
a. If the recipe calls for you to seal/brown the meat in hot oil, always strain the meat afterwards and throw away the used oil together with the other fatty liquids that have accumulated. Wipe the pan with paper towels and then restart with fresh oil for cooking the onions, spices etc before returning the meat to the pot. This'll improve the final taste enormously.
b. If the recipe calls for the addition of a tin of peeled tomatoes - and most seem to - first pour the tomatoes into a bowl and mush them up with a fork or potato-masher. Quickly transfer the mush to a strainer and put it on top of the bowl to catch the tomato-juice. When it's time to add them, put only the contents of the strainer into the curry-pot. You can then gradually add only the amount of juice necessary to obtain the right consistency.
The point of both these processes is to improve the taste and to ensure your final curry is not too sloppy. Good luck!
Quizmonster - I actually thought I was reading an answer I had posted but forgotten about!!! Just like you, I went through the mortar and pestle stage but discovered Pataks pastes many years ago - always make an excellent curry. However, as FVTS points out, it must be the pastes and not the sauces which are disappointing. I still like to make a curry "from scratch" now and then and my favourites are "Chicken in a fried onion sauce" and "Delhi-style lamb with potatoes" both from Madhur Jaffrey's Indian Cookery. And when I can't be bothered Glasgow has the best choice of Indian restaurants and take-aways in the world.
Alan, I'm glad you enjoyed your Patak. I can tell you ...the discovery has transformed my currying life out of all recognition.
Having said that, I had a wonderful Prawn Vindaloo in an Indian restaurant in Glasgow in early August, whilst there for a 25-year anniversary weekend do with some ex-military colleagues. It was the frst time I'd set foot in the city since 1956, so I've no idea what it was called or where exactly it was. I've a notion the restaurant's name was a sort of Indianised form of the name of the narrow lane it was in. There were pubs nearby with lots of people drinking on the street ouside them and a police car constantly driving by to keep them inside the double yellow lines which were directly outside the pub doors, there being no pavement.
Any idea where I'm talking about? What about you, Gef?
Yes, Gef!!! The Ashoka in Ashton Lane! That's the one. You can see where I got the idea that the names of restaurant and street were somehow very similar. Their prawn vindaloo is superb...and so is Jinty McGinty's beer! I'll ensure I visit both again on my next visit to Glasgow. On current trends, that won't be until 2050, at which point I'll be 113 years old! But what the heck? Cheers
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