This is not unlike our typical Irish mince and potatoes but it’s lightly spiced and has no carrots. Good with Indian chutney and pickles on the side.
Wine Suggestion: we thought this went delightfully with a find from a recent holiday in Spain, the Kimera Garnatxa from Navarra which was super balanced and minerally wrapped in gentle layers of warm spices.
Indian minced lamb with potatoes – serves4 to 6
3 tbsp olive oil or rapeseed oil
2 cinnamon sticks
1 onion, finely chopped
1 tsp finely grated ginger
3 cloves of garlic, finely chopped
900g lamb mince
3 tbsp natural yoghurt
3 tbsp tomato passata
1 tsp ground cumin
2 tsp ground coriander
¼ tsp cayenne pepper
¼ tsp ground turmeric
2 tsp salt
300g potatoes, peeled and cut into 2 cm cubes
Put the oil into a large frying pan and put over a medium-high heat. When hot, add the cinnamon sticks and let them sizzle for a few seconds.
Add the onion, stir and fry until it starts to brown at the edges, then add the ginger and garlic and stir for 1 minute.
Add the lamb, stirring and breaking it up with a wooden spoon. Keep going until the meat has no pink bits.
Add the yoghurt, tomato, passata, cumin, coriander, cayenne pepper and turmeric. Stir for 1 minute, then add the salt, potatoes and 475ml of water. Stir and bring to the boil, then cover and lower the heat. Cook gently for 30 minutes.
(Original recipe from Curry Easy by Madhur Jaffrey, Ebury Press, 2010.)
We were not disappointed with this on a Saturday night but it is so simple you could easily manage it on a weeknight. Serve with yoghurt, lime pickle and naan bread from the takeaway.
Wine Suggestion: Chenin Blanc for the depth of fruit and roundness on the palate, but a minerally backbone of acidity. It lifts this dish and adds and extra element. Tonight Domaine des Aubuisieres le Marigny; dry and expressive but with layers of yellow and red apples on top.
Paneer Jalfrezi – serves 3
200g block of paneer, cut into 2cm cubes
2 red peppers, cut into strips
1 red onion, peeled and cut into wedges
3 large tomatoes, chopped
2 tbsp pomegranate molasses
300g baby potatoes, halved or quartered
5cm piece of ginger
2 cloves of garlic, grated
½ tsp ground turmeric
¼ tsp cayenne
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp cumin seeds
2 tbsp olive oil
¾ tsp salt
a handful of coriander, roughly chopped, to serve
yoghurt, lime pickle and naan bread, to serve
Heat the oven to 200C.
Put all of the ingredients into a large roasting tin, then put some disposable gloves on and gently toss everything together.
Put the tin into the hot oven and bake for 30-40 minutes or until the potatoes are soft and the paneer is well browned.
Serve sprinkled with the coriander.
(Original reicpe from The Secret of Cooking by Bee Wilson, 4th Estate, 2023.)
We’ve cooked this easy Indian salmon a load of times now. The salmon is really soft and tender and the flavours are fab! Nice with potatoes and a green salad or with other Indian dishes.
Grilled masala salmon – serves 2
⅛ tsp salt
¼ tsp ground cumin
⅛ tsp ground coriander
⅛ tsp ground turmeric
¼ tsp ground cayenne pepper
340g skinned salmon fillet
2 tbsp Dijon mustard
1 tbsp olive or rapeseed oil
2 tsp lemon juice
2 tbsp finely chopped fresh coriander
Mix the salt, cumin, coriander, turmeric and cayenne pepper together, then rub all over the salmon fillet. Cover and leave in the fridge for 1-4 hours.
Heat the oven to 180C/Gas 4, and heat the grill to it’s highest setting.
Mix the mustard, oil and lemon juice together and add the chopped coriander. Rub this all over the fish and place under the grill until the top has slightly browned, about 4 minutes. Transfer the fish to the oven and bake for about 10 minute or until cooked through.
(Original recipe from Curry Easy by Madhur Jaffrey, Ebury Press, 2010.)
Paneer is the typical cheese for curry but halloumi works as well if this is what’s to hand. Plus this is the perfect weeknight dish as it’s so easy; we made it between two after-school activities! Serve with rice or naan bread.
Wine Suggestion: This dish works well with white wines with a degree of plushness; dry but not too crisp. Unusually, as we find most of them a little boring, we went with a Pinot Grigio. Perusini’s version though is from Collio and not the characterless Veneto versions found most commonly. Peach and tangerine flavours with a pleasant herbal spice and medium-full body, combined with good freshness and a minerally saline undercurrent.
Creamy halloumi curry – serves 2 to 3
225g halloumi, cut into bite-sized pieces
2 tbsp vegetable oil
1 large onion, chopped
2 cloves of garlic, crushed
a thumb-sized piece of ginger, grated
2 tsp ground cumin
2 tsp ground coriander
1 tsp turmeric
400g tin chopped tomatoes
100ml double cream
80g fresh or frozen spinach
2 tsp sugar
1 tbsp garam masala
1 tsp nigella seeds
Heat 1 tbsp of the oil in a large pan over a medium heat. Add the onion and cook for 5 to 10 minutes or until softened.
Add the garlic and ginger and cook for another 2 minutes, then stir in the cumin, coriander and turmeric and cook for a couple of minutes more. Stir in the tomatoes and simmer for 5-7 minutes or until thickened.
Reduce the heat and add the cream, then simmer gently for another 3 to 4 minutes.
Meanwhile, heat another tbsp of oil in a frying pan over a medium-high heat. Fry the halloumi for a few minutes or until browned on all sides.
Add the browned halloumi to the curry sauce along with the spinach, sugar and garam masala and stir to combine. Simmer gently for 5 minutes or until the spinach and wilted or defrosted. Add a splash of water or extra cream if the sauce seems a bit thick, then serve with the nigella seeds sprinkled over.
We love dhal and this cheat’s version is delicious! It’s similar to a dhal makhani but a fraction of the effort to make. We will never be without 2 tins of lentils again! Serve with rice or naan of course.
Wine Suggestion: a regular grenache, Domaine Ventenac’s “les Dissidents” Paria because it has an effortless freshness and gentle plummy, warm spices of a juicy core of red fruit.
Cheat’s Dhal – serves 4 to 6
2-3 tbsp vegetable oil
1 large onion, finely chopped
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp ground turmeric
1 tsp ground coriander
½ tsp ground cinnamon
½ tsp chilli flakes
3 tbsp tomato purée
2 x 400g tins green lentils, drained
50g butter
150ml double cream
300ml boiling water
Heat a large heavy saucepan over a medium-high heat. Add the vegetable oil and the onion and stir-fry until softened and starting to brown at the edges.
Stir in the spices until the onions are coated, then add the tomato purée and cook for 2 minutes. Stir in the lentils, then the butter and stir until melted. Pour in the cream and season generously, then pour in the water and stir again.
Reduce the heat and simmer gently for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally, until thick and creamy. Season to taste and serve.
(Original recipe from Persiana Everyday by Sabrina Ghayour, Aster, 2022.)
Our favourite vegetarian cookbook at the moment is East by Meera Sodha. This is an Indian main course dish but it’s like a soup and works well as both a mid-week dinner, and in a flask for lunch the next day. Also vegan and gluten-free if this is useful information for you. Serve with crusty bread.
Black-eyed bean and chickpea usal – serves 4
4 tbsp rapeseed oil
2 red onions, chopped
2 long green chillies, very finely chopped
4 cloves of garlic, crushed
2 large vine tomatoes, chopped
1¾ tsp salt
1 tsp Kashmiri chilli powder
1 tsp garam masala
1 tsp ground cumin
½ tsp ground turmeric
1 x 400g tin of black-eyed beans, drained
250g frozen peas, defrosted
1 x 400g tin of chickpeas, drained
200g mangetout
1 tbsp lemon juice
a handful of coriander leaves, finely chopped
Heat the oil in a saucepan over a high heat. Add the onion and chillies and cook for about 10 minutes, then add the garlic and cook for a minute more.
Add the tomatoes and cook for about 5 minutes or until they have broken down, then add the salt and spices and stiry-fry for another minute.
Stir in the black-eyed beans, peas, chickpeas and mangetout and continue cooking for 5 minutes.
Add the lemon juice and coriander, then taste and season with more salt if needed.
(Original recipe from East by Meera Sodha, Penguin, 2019.)
A lovely light curry from Made in India by Meera Sodha. It’s quick to make and perfect for a friday night. We served with rice.
Wine Suggestion: As this dish is quite light we think grenache based rosé is the way to go here with Chateau Pesquié Terrasses Rosé being our choice tonight. The delicate red fruits complementing the salmon really well and the open, softer nature of the grape taking on the spiciness and rounding it out.
Salmon and Spinach Curry – serves 4
2 tbsp rapeseed oil
1 cinnamon stick
6 whole peppercorns
2 cloves
1 large onion, chopped
½ tsp brown sugar
250g ripe tomatoes, roughly chopped
4cm piece of ginger, peelend and finely grated
4 clove of garlic, crushed
1 fresh green chilli, finely chopped
¼ tsp garam masala
1 tsp ground cumin
1½ ground coriander
¼ tsp ground turmeric
½ tsp chilli powder
1¼ tsp salt
500g spinach leaves
400g skinless salmon fillets
Heat the oil in a large deep pan with a lid. Add the cinnamon stick, peppercorns and cloves and fry for a minute or two until fragrant.
Stir in onion and brown sugar, then cook for 10-12 minutes until golden and caramelized. Stir in the tomatoes, then cover with a lid and leave to cook for about 5 minutes, or until the tomatoes start to soften.
Add the ginger, garlic, and green chilli, then stir in the garam masala, cumin, coriander, turmeric, chilli powder and salt. Cook the mixture, stirring so it doesn’t stick, for about 8 minutes. It will start to look like a paste. Add the spinach, turn the heat down and cover with the lid until wilted.
Cut the salmon into very big chunks (about 6cm x 6cm) and add them to the pan. Coat in the tomato and spinach sauce but be careful not to break them up. Cover with the lid for 5-7 minutes, or until the fish is cooked through.
Remove the cinnamon stick, check the seasoning and serve with rice.
(Original recipe from Made in India by Meera Sodha, Penguin:Fig Tree, 2014.)
This is Dishoom’s Chicken Ruby and it’s by far the best recipe for butter chicken that we’ve made. There’s definitely quite a bit to do but you can marinate the chicken and make the sauce in advance, so the last bit is very easy. Serve with rice.
Butter chicken – serves 4
700g skinless, boneless chicken thighs
20g unsalted butter, melted
50ml double cream
FOR THE MARINADE:
10g fresh ginger, chopped
20g garlic, chopped
5g fine sea salt
1 tsp deggi mirch chilli powder
1½ tsp ground cumin
½ tsp garam masala
2 tsp lime juice
2 tsp veg oil
75g full-fat Greek yoghurt
FOR THE MAKHANI SAUCE:
35g garlic
175ml vegetable oil
20g fresh ginger
2 x tins chopped tomatoes
2 bay leaves
6 green cardamom pods
2 black cardamom pods
2 cinnamon sticks
2 tsp fine sea salt
1½ tsp deggi mirch chilli powder
30g butter
1 tsp garam masala
20g granulated sugar
1 tbsp runny honey
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp dried fenugreek leaves, crumbled
½ tsp dill fronds
80ml double cream
TO GARNISH:
coriander leaves, chopped
1 tbsp pomegranate seeds
You need to marinate the chicken for 6-24 hours. To make the marinade, whizz the ingredients together in a blender to a smooth paste, then transfer to a bowl.
Cut the chicken into 4cm pieces, add to the marinade and stir to coat. Cover and marinate in the fridge.
Next make the makhani sauce.
Finely chop 15g of the garlic. Warm a large saucepan over a medium-high heat and add the oil. Add the chopped garlic and fry until light golden brown and slightly crispy, about 7-8 minutes. Remove with a slotted spoon and drain on kitchen paper.
Finely grate the rest of the garlic and the ginger.
Blitz the tomatoes in a blender until smooth.
Put the saucepan with the garlicky oil back over a medium-high heat and add the bay leaves, all of the cardamom pods and the cinnamon sticks. Let them crackle for a minute, stirring.
Turn down the heat and add the garlic and ginger paste. Cook for 5 minutes, allowing it to brown, but not burn.
Add the tomatoes, salt and chilli powder and bring to a fast simmer, then cook until reduced by half, stirring regularly – about 30 minutes.
Add the butter and simmer for another 5 minutes.
Add the garam masala, sugar, honey, cumin, crispy garlic, dried fenugreek and fresh dill and cook for another 15 minutes.
If you are using the sauce straight away, add the cream and simmer gently for 5 minutes. If not, allow to cool and chill in the fridge until needed. Add the cream when you reheat the sauce.
To assemble / finish:
When you’re ready for the curry, heat the grill to medium-high. Place the marinated chicken on a rack in the grill pan, then brush with the melted butter and grill for 8-10 minutes or until cooked and nicely charred.
Warm a large saucepan over a medium-low heat. Add the makhani sauce, cream and grilled chicken and simmer gently for 10 minutes.
Serve the curry garnished with the chopped coriander and pomegranate seeds with steamed rice on the side.
(Original recipe from Dishoom by Shamil Thakrar, Kavi Thakrar & Naved Nasir, Bloomsbury, 2019.)
Wine Suggestion: We think this dish goes really well with a good Pinot Gris, like the Neudorf Moutere we were tempted to open. Dry, but full of fruit, and dusty, warm spices.
Shahi gobi saalan – serves 6
7 tbsp vegetable oil
1 large bay leaf
2.5cm piece of cassia bark
2 green cardamom pods
1 clove
5 onions, thinly sliced
2 tbsp garlic paste
2 tbsp ginger paste
2 tsp ground coriander,
1 tsp chilli powder
2 tsp salt
½ tsp sugar
250ml water
750g cauliflower florets, cut into 5 cm pieces
1-2 x 400ml tins coconut milk
6 tbsp ground almonds
a handful of toasted flaked almonds to garnish
Heat the oil in a large heavy saucepan over a medium-high heat. Add the bay leaf, cassia bark, cardamom pods and clove. As soon as the clove starts to puff up, add the onions and cook, stirring, until starting to caramelise.
Add the garlic and ginger and cook for 1 minute, then add the coriander and chilli powder and cook, stirring, for another minute to cook out the spices. Add a splash of water if it starts to stick. Add the salt and sugar, then pour in the water. Bring to the boil, then reduce to a slow boil, then cover and simmer until the oil comes to the side of the pan.
Add the cauliflower and stir to coat in the onion mixture. Bring to the boil, then reduce the heat slightly, cover and cook for about 5 minutes or until the cauliflower is just cooked. Taste and add more salt or sugar to taste.
Add 1.5 tins of coconut milk and the ground almonds and cook, uncovered, for a few minutes. You want a thick and creamy gravy so only add the rest of the coconut milk if needed. Sprinkle the flaked almonds over to serve.
(Original recipe from Ammu by Asma Khan, Ebury Press, 2022.)
We love dal on a friday night with some naan breads from the takeaway.
Chana dal – serves 4
400g yellow split peas or chana dal
4 tbsp rapeseed oil
1 tbsp cumin seeds
1 large onion, thinly sliced
6 cloves of garlic, thinly sliced
1 tsp garam masala
½ tsp chilli powder
1 tsp salt
½ tsp mustard seeds
2 fresh red chillies, pricked with a knife in a few places
Rinse the dal in a few changes of cold water, until the water runs clear, then put into a saucepan. Cover with 1.25 litres of cold water and bring to the boil, then simmer for about 40 minutes, or until cooked. The texture should be soft with no bite or chalky texture.
Meanwhile, heat 2 tbsp of the oil in a frying pan. Add the onion and cumin seeds and cook for gently for about 15 minutes or until caramelized. Add half the garlic and fry for another few minutes, then remove from the heat.
Add the onion mixture to the dal, along with the garam masala, chilli powder and salt. Taste and add more salt if needed.
Wipe out the frying pan, then heat the remaining oil. Add the mustard seeds and fry until they pop, then add the rest of the garlic and the red chillies. As soon as the garlic starts to turn golden, take the pan off the heat and drizzle everything over the dal, garnishing with the chillies. Stir everything together before serving with rice, chapattis or naan and pickles.
(Original recipe from Made in India by Meera Sodha, Fig Tree, 2014.)
A great combination and nice to cook something meat-free on the barbecue. Serve with naan breads – we get ours from the local takeaway. You need to get started a few hours ahead.
Wine Suggestion: Nothing complex or too heavy with this so focus on pleasurable fruit and balance. For us tonight Umani Ronchi’s organic Serrano. A Montepulciano – Sangiovese blend from Rosso Conero, in the Marches. Youthful and vibrant which suited us perfectly for a summer barbecued dinner.
Barbecued tikka paneer with fresh mango chutney – serves 4
150g natural yoghurt
3 tbsp tikka curry paste, we use Patak’s
2 cloves of garlic, crushed
3 cm piece of ginger, finely grated
300g paneer, cut into 18 cubes
1 green pepper, cut into 18 pieces
1 red pepper, cut into 18 pieces
1 red onion, cut into 6 wedges
vegetable oil, for brushing the grill
a small handful of coriander leaves, roughly chopped
naan breads, to serve
FOR THE FRESH MANGO CHUTNEY:
left over red onion from the kebabs (see below)
1 large mango, finely diced
150g cherry tomatoes, finely diced
1-2 red chillies, finely chopped
a few sprigs of mint, leaves finely chopped
1 tsp caster sugar
juice of half a lemon
Put the yoghurt, curry paste, garlic, and ginger into a large bowl, season with salt and pepper and mix together. Add the paneer and peppers. Peel off the outer 2-3 layers of each onion wedge and add these too (keep the rest for the chutney), then fold everything together gently. Cover and put into the fridge for a few hours, or if short of time leave at room temperature for an hour.
To make the mango chutney, finely chop the leftover onion and put into a bowl with the mango, tomatoes, chillies and mint and stir to mix. Stir in the sugar and lemon juice to taste, then set aside.
Get your barbecue on and hot, then brush the grill with vegetable oil to prevent the kebabs from sticking.
Thread the paneer, peppers and onions onto kebab skewers and cook for 12-15 minutes or until lightly charred.
Sprinkle coriander over the skewers and serve with the mango chutney and naan breads.
(Original recipe from Charred by Genevieve Taylor, Hardie Grant: Quadrille, 2019.)
This is Meera Sodha’s fresh take on Matar Paneer, which is usually a richer dish. Delicious with warm naan breads and plain yoghurt, this version could easily become a regular favourite.
Fresh Matar Paneer – serves 4 as a mainor more as a side with other dishes
rapeseed oil
550g hard paneer, cut into 1.5cm cubes
6 cloves of garlic, crushed
400g tin chopped tomatoes
1¼ tsp salt
½ tsp ground black pepper
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp chilli powder
½ tsp ground turmeric
200g green beans
200g mangetout
200g frozen peas (defrosted), or you can use fresh of course if you have them
1 red chilli, finely sliced to serve
Heat a couple of tbsp of the oil in a large frying pan. Fry the panner over a medium heat until browned and crisp all over, then remove to a plate with a slotted spoon and set aside.
Heat another tbsp of oil in the pan, then add the garlic and stir-fry for a couple of minutes (make sure the frying pan isn’t too hot when you add the garlic or it will burn). Add the tomatoes and cook for about 6 minutes or until just turning jammy. Add the salt, pepper, cumin, chilli powder and turmeric, then stir for another minute before taking off the heat.
Bring a large pan of water to the boil and add salt. Add the green beans and cook for 2 minutes, then add the mangetout and cook for another 2 minutes. Add the peas and cook for 1 more minute, then drain and leave to steam dry.
Heat the sauce, then stir in the paneer. When both are hot, stir in the veg. Sprinkle over the sliced red chilli and serve.
(Original recipe from Fresh India by Meera Sodha, Fig Tree, 2016.)
We recently bought Ammu by Asma Khan, a book full of Indian home-cooking recipes interlaced with lovely stories about Asma’s family life. Today was its first outing and we cooked these kebabs on the barbecue because the sun was shining, and our friend Michael keeps gifting us huge jars of pickled onions that he got for a bargain price in M&S (true). Asma recommends serving with a black-eyed bean salad called Lobia – and we agree.
Wine Suggestion: Find an easy, juicy barbecue red that isn’t too heavy and you’ll be happy here.
Murgh Seekh Kabab – serves 6
900g boneless, skinless chicken thighs, cut into 2.5cm pieces
5cm piece of ginger, thinly sliced
300g well-drained pickled onions or shallots
6 tbsp ghee or vegetable oil
FOR THE MARINADE:
juice of 2 lemons
¾ tsp sugar
2 cloves of garlic, crushed
3cm piece of ginger, grated
1 tsp chilli powder
Ideally you should marinade the chicken and leave in the fridge for about 4 hours. Mix all of the marinade ingredients together, then add the chicken and toss to coat, then cover and put into the fridge.
Get your barbecue going, we prefer charcoal but whatever you’ve got will do.
Thread the chicken pieces, thinly sliced ginger and pickled onions onto metal kebab sticks (you can use the wooden ones but you need to soak them in cold water for about 20 minutes first to stop them burning). Grill the kebabs for about 5 minutes on each side, basting with the ghee or vegetable oil.
(Original recipe from Ammu by Asma Khan, Ebury Press, 2022.)
This is an Indian side dish and a great salad that we plan to serve with many Indian meals. This time we had it with Murgh Seekh Kababs cooked on the barbecue. Asma prefers dried beans (and we’re sure she is right) but we cheated this time and used a tin of black-eyed beans instead.
Lobia – serves 4
200g dried black-eyed beans (we used a 400g tin)
2 cloves of garlic, chopped
½ a small red onion, chopped
1 green chilli, chopped
1 red tomato, diced
2 tbsp olive oil
2 tbsp fresh lime juice
1 tsp brown sugar
If using dried beans you need to soak them in cold water overnight.
The next day, drain the beans and put into a large pan, cover with cold water and bring to the boil. Cover and simmer for about an hour, or until soft. Drain and leave to cool.
If you are using a tin of beans, you can skip all of the above and just drain and rinse them in cold water.
Put the beans into a bowl, add the garlic, onion, chilli and tomato and mix together gently. Whisk the olive oil, lime juice, sugar, salt and pepper together, pour into the bowl with the beans and mix together.
(Original recipe from Ammu by Asma Khan, Ebury Press, 2022).
This will improve your veg intake for the day and puts frozen prawns to good use. A perfect curry for mid-week. Serve with naan breads or rice and lime wedges.
Prawn, spinach & coconut curry – serves 2-3
2 tbsp olive oil
200g raw prawns, defrosted if frozen
1 onion, diced
3 large cloves of garlic, finely chopped
1-2 chillies, deseeded
1 red pepper, sliced
2 tbsp curry paste, we like Patak’s Madras
400ml tin of coconut milk
80g Tenderstem broccoli, cooked until tender
100g baby spinach
lime wedges, to serve
Heat the oil in a frying pan over a medium heat and fry the onion for 5 minutes until softened. Add the garlic and chillies and fry for another 2 minutes, then addd the sliced pepper and cook for 3 minutes until softened.
Push the veg to one side and fry the curry paste for a couple of minutes to heat through, then add the coconut milk and mix well to combine. Simmer for about 10 minutes, or until thickened, then add the prawns, broccoli and spinach. Stir well and simmer until the prawns are just cooked and the spinach wilted.
Serve with rice or naan breads and lime wedges for squeezing over.
Delicious Indian comfort food. Serve with warm naan bread for mopping up the sauce.
Wine Suggestion: an oaked white of your choice we think. For us it was the Les Dissidents Préjugés by Domaine Ventenac in Carbadès in Southern France, a delightfully off-beat and thoughtful wine with a style that reflects great vineyards and an inventive winemaker.
Mattar Paneer – serves 4
sunflower oil
400g paneer, cut into bite-sized pieces
2 tsp cumin seeds
2 tbsp finely grated ginger
4 cloves of garlic, peeled and finely chopped
½ – 1 tsp medium-hot chilli powder
2 tsp turmeric
2 tsp ground coriander
300g tomatoes, finely chopped
200g frozen peas, defrosted
100ml double cream or natural yoghurt
a handful of coriander, finely chopped
lemon wedges
Coat the base of a large non-stick frying pan with the oil and place over a medium-high heat. Add the paneer and fry for a couple of minutes on each side until starting to turn golden brown. Remove with a slotted spoon and drain on kitchen paper.
Add a bit more oil to the pan and cook the cumin seeds until they start to pop, then add the ginger and garlic and cook for 30 seconds or until fragrant.
Stir in the ground spices, then add the chopped tomatoes and cook for about 5 minutes, or until thick. Add the paneer, peas and 200ml water. Season with salt and pepper.
Bring to the boil, then reduce the heat and simmer, partially covered, for 10 minutes, stirring now and then. Add the cream or yoghurt, then remove from the heat and rest, covered, for 10 minutes.
Serve sprinkled with the coriander and with a lemon wedge for squeezing over.
(Original recipe from New Kitchen Basics, by Claire Thompson, Hardie Grant: Quadrille, 2019.)
A healthy version of chicken tikka masala with salad and saffron rice. You will be eating the rainbow for dinner with this one.
Wine Suggestion: A new find matched this well: Umani Ronchi’s Centovie, a rosé made from Montepulciano in Abruzzo. The cherry fruit flavours and savoury, dry finish were a good compliment to the food. If you can’t find a rosé made from this grape find a nice red and chill it a little instead.
Chicken tikka masala – serves 4
1 large skinless chicken crown (about 1kg), get your butcher to do this for you
FOR THE MARINADE:
juice of half a lemon
5cm piece of ginger, finely grated
4 large cloves of garlic, grated
2 tbsp medium Madras curry powder
2 heaped tsp smoked paprika
a large pinch of salt
100g Greek yoghurt (you can use 0% if you wish)
FOR THE CURRY SAUCE:
1 tbsp sunflower oil
2 large onions, finely chopped
2 large garlic cloves, grated
2.5cm piece of ginger, finely grated
1 tsp ground turmeric
2 tsp paprika
2 tsp ground coriander
1 tbsp tomato purée
400g tin chopped tomatoes
300ml water
1 large red pepper, chopped
1 large green pepper, chopped
150g natural yoghurt
2 tbsp finely chopped coriander
FOR THE SALAD:
1 small red onion, finely diced
2 large tomatoes, diced
half a cucumber, diced
juice of half a lime
1 tsp chaat masala
TO SERVE:
coriander leaves, roughly torn
basmati rice, cooked with salt and a pinch of saffron strands (only if you have them)
Put the chicken into a large dish and slash the breasts with a sharp knife. Mix all of the ingredients together for the marinade, then spread over the chicken. Cover with cling film and refrigerate overnight, or for at least 4 hours.
Preheat the oven to 120C fan.
Put the chicken into a roasting dish and spoon over any remaining marinade. Cook for 2 hours (this won’t cook it through).
Meanwhile, make the curry sauce. Heat the oil in a deep frying or sauté pan. Add the onions and cook for 10 minutes or until golden brown, add a splash of water if they stick. Add the garlic and ginger with a splash of water, stir well and cook for 1 minute. Add the spices with some salt and pepper and cook for another minute.
Stir in the tomato purée and cook for a minute, then add the tinned tomatoes and the 300ml of water. Bring to the boil, then reduced the heat to a gentle simmer and cook for 5-10 minutes. Add the chopped peppers and cook for 5 minutes, then remove from the heat.
Remove the chicken from the oven and use a blowtorch over the surface to slightly blacken the marinade in places. If you don’t have a blowtorch just pop it under a hot grill. Set aside to rest for 10 minutes.
Mix the salad ingredients together in a bowl and set aside.
Remove the chicken breasts from the bone and cut into bite-size chunks. Reheat the curry sauce, then add the chicken and simmer for 5 minutes or until the chicken is cooked through. Stir in the yoghurt and chopped coriander, then season to taste.
Serve with some coriander leaves, saffron rice and the salad on the side.
(Original recipe from Lose Weight for Good by Tom Kerridge, ABSOLUTE PRESS, 2017.)
This is a mildly spiced curry and quick to prepare. We had it on Friday with some naan breads from the take-away, but it’s easy enough for a weeknight too. An easy, tasty treat.
Wine Suggestion: This dish needs a lighter red wine with lower tannins and little to no oak. We enjoyed Domaine de Boede’s Pavillon rouge with this. An easy, Cinsault-Syrah blend which has such purity and precision of fruit that we love; a good accompaniment for the food.
Chicken & spinach curry – serves 4
2 tbsp vegetable oil
1 large onion, chopped
2 tsp ground cumin
2 tsp ground coriander
½ tsp turmeric
a pinch of cayenne pepper
2 cloves of garlic, crushed
1 tbsp grated ginger
750g chicken thigh fillets, cubed
400g tin chopped tomatoes
1 tsp sea salt
2 tsp soft brown sugar
1 tbsp lime juice
90g baby spinach, chopped
a large handful of coriander leaves, chopped
Heat the vegetable oil in a heavy-based pan, then gently cook the onions for about 5 minutes or until softened.
Stir in the spices, garlic and ginger, and cook for another 2 minutes, stirring.
Turn the heat up to medium-high, then add the chicken and cook for about 5 minute until browned all over.
Add the tomatoes and salt, bring to a simmer, then cover and simmer on a low heat for 15 minutes.
Stir in the sugar and lime juice, then add the spinach and stir until wilted. Take the pan off the heat, scatter the coriander over the top and serve.
(Original recipe from Every Day by Bill Granger, Murdoch Books, 2006.)
There has been a packet of mung dal in our cupboard for quite some time now which is really the only reason why we made this lovely dish from Meera Sodha’s East. We’re definitley tempted to buy another packet so we can make it again. Serve with steamed rice.
300g mung dal
250g vine tomatoes, chopped
3 big garlic cloves, crushed
2.5 cm piece of ginger, grated
½ tsp ground turmeric
1 tsp chilli flakes
3 tbsp rapeseed oil
10 fresh curry leaves
1½ tsp salt
1½ tsp black mustard seeds
1 tsp cumin seeds
1 long green chilli, very finely chopped
a handful of fresh coriander, chopped
Put the mung dal, tomatoes, garlic, ginger, tumeric, chilli flakes, 1 tbsp of oil, 4 curry leaves and 1.25 litres of water into a large saucepan. Put the pan over a medium heat, with the lid ajar, and bring to the boil, then turn down and simmer for 30-40 minutes. Give it a stir now now and again. It’s ready when soft and quite thick, then stir in the salt.
Heat 2 tbsp of the oil in a small frying pan over a medium heat until smoking hot, then add the mustard and cumin seeds, the chilli and the rest of the curry leaves. The leaves should crisp and the seeds start to pop after about a minute, then remove from the heat and pour over the dal. Stir to mix, then sprinkle over the coriander and serve.
(Original recipe from East by Meera Sodha, Fig Tree, 2019.)
This is a side dish really, but we had it mid-week as a main with some takeaway naan breads. Highly recommended! A halloumi version of the traditional paneer dish.
Wine Suggestion: An unoaked, dry Chardonnay like Domaine Ventenac’s Carole from Cabardès in southern France, which is light and fruit forward would be an ideal choice. Easy going but with layers of flavour and textures just like the dish itself.
Saag halloumi – serves 4 to 6 as a side (half to serve 2 as a main)
500g spinach
½ an onion, chopped
2 cloves of garlic, chopped
a thumb-sized piece of ginger, chopped
2 tsp ground turmeric
1 tsp cumin seeds
½ tsp garam masala, plus extra to serve
2 blocks of halloumi, cut into bite-sized pieces
2 tbsp vegetable oil
200ml double cream
½ lemon juiced
Bring a large pan of water to the boil and cook the spinach for 1 minute or until wilted. Drain well, leave to cool, squeeze out the liquid with your hands, then finely chop.
Put the onion, garlic and ginger into a blender with 1-2 tbsp of water and whizz until smooth.
Put the turmeric, cumin seeds, garam masala and lots of seasoning onto a plate. Roll the pieces of halloumi in the spices to coat all over.
Heat the oil in a non-stick frying pan over a medium-high heat, then fry the halloumi until crispy. Don’t be tempted to turn it until a nice crust has been formed, this will help prevent sticking. Remove to a plate.
Add the onion purée to the same pan, plus any spices remaining on the plate and some seasoning. Cook for 15 minutes until the raw smell has gone and they have started to colour. Add the spinach, halloumi and double cream, and cook for another 5 minutes to thicken and warm through. Season with the lemon juice and sprinkle with garam masala before serving.
(Original recipe by Adam Bush in Olive Magazine, May 2020.)
Jono & Jules do food & wine 