Roasted Red Pepper Tandoori Prawns

April 14, 2014 By Dan Toombs 2 Comments

You've got to be careful when barbecuing prawns. A high heat is necessary to get a nicely charred outer while not overcooking the sweet and succulent morsels that so many people crave. Cooked on skewers, the prawns char nicely and the meat is so tender.

I made these for my family while camping over the weekend. The recipe couldn't be easier. As long as you get your coals nice and hot and don't over cook the prawns, you will have tandoori prawns that might just be the best you've tried anywhere.

I use the two second rule when grilling tandoori fish and meat. Hold you hand about two inches over the coals. If your hand is fiery hot after two seconds, your coals are the perfect temperature for tandoori style cooking.

Seafood can be over powered very easily so I've kept the ingredients in this recipe to a minimum. The marinade only takes about 15 minutes to make and it keeps for about three days. I made my marinade at home and then kept it in an air-tight container over ice to use while camping.

The prawns are then served with a chilli and coriander butter. I have to say, I want to eat this meal all over again.

Tip: I like to roast my own tomatoes and bell peppers. You will get a very good flavour using bottled roasted peppers and tomato passata too. If you can't be bothered with all the extra work of roasting your peppers and tomatoes yourself, go to the any good Italian deli or the Italian section of your supermarket and purchase the best bottled versions you can find.

If you would like to try making your own, place the pepper and tomatoes over a charcoal fire or gas burner. Blacken all over. Then wrap tightly in plastic bags for about three minutes. The steaming in the bag will make it easy to peel away most of the skin. After you do this, blend the amounts you need until smooth.

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Roasted Red Pepper & Tomato Marinated Tandoori Prawns

Prep Time 15 minutes

Cook Time 30 minutes

Total Time 45 minutes

Ingredients

20 medium sized prawns - peeled and deveined
two roasted red bell peppers (capsicums)
2 large roasted and skinned tomatoes or 100ml passata
Juice of one lemon
1/2 teaspoon sweet smoked paprika
Salt and pepper to taste
FOR THE CHILLI AND CORIANDER BUTTER
100g unsalted butter
1 green chilli - finely chopped
2 cloves garlic - smashed into a paste
1 small bunch of coriander - finely chopped

Instructions

Heat your charcoal grill until very hot. You could cook these in a frying pan too if you don't want to barbecue.
Place the bell pepper, tomatos (passata), lemon juice, paprika and salt and pepper in a blender and blend until smooth.
Cover the prawns with the marinade and allow to marinate for 20 minutes to an hour.
When ready to grill, place the prawns on skewers and grill until just cooked through. If your coals are hot enough, the prawns should brown nicely on the outside about the time the centre is cooked. Cooking times do vary but mine took about 7 minutes.
Mix the butter with the rest of the ingredients and then spread it over the prawns as they cook for the last two minutes. The butter will melt, flavouring the prawns. You may get a little flare up but this should only add to the colour and flavour.

Tandoori Chestnut Mushrooms

April 3, 2014 By Dan Toombs 2 Comments

Tandoori Chestnut Mushrooms

Tandoori mushrooms — Tandoori Mushrooms with mildly spiced sauce

This is a nice one that's just as good for summertime barbecues as it is for cold winter nights in. I make it quite often and usually serve it as a light lunch or side dish for a curry night with friends.

The recipe is really low in calories though you'd never know it. These mushrooms are packed with flavour and definitely worth a try.

I like to cook the whole mushrooms on the skewers though my wife prefers them cooked in smaller pieces. I'll leave that up to you.

Whatever you decide, you are going to love dipping these into the spicy sauce. It's so easy to make because it's just the left over marinade that has been warmed up.

You will want to marinate the mushrooms for 30 minutes to an hour but it only takes about ten minutes to plate up after that.

Enjoy.

If you like this recipe try my other vegetarian recipes:

Large Tandoori Mushrooms with Tandoori Raita
Tandoori Large Flat Mushrooms
Quorn Balti with Mushrooms and Peas
Indian Pickled Vegetables
Spicy Mediterranean Vegetables
Vegetable Fried Rice
Vegetable Momos
Vegetarian Chilli

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Yield: 2 - 3

Tandoori Chestnut Mushroom Tikka

Prep Time 35 minutes

Cook Time 8 minutes

Total Time 43 minutes

Ingredients

250g chestnut mushrooms or similar
1 tablespoon ginger paste
1 tablespoon garlic paste
1 green chilli - finely chopped
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 tablespoon red smoked sweet paprika
1/2 teaspoon amchoor - dried mango powder or citric acid
1 teaspoon garam masala
Juice of three limes
1 teaspoon mustard oil
200ml Plain Greek Yogurt
3 tablespoons finely chopped fresh coriander
Salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

Pre-heat your oven to its highest setting.
In a large bowl, combine all of the marinade ingredients and whisk to combine.
Now place you mushrooms in the marinade.
Allow the mushrooms to marinate for about an hour, stirring to coat from time to time.
Skewer the mushrooms onto the wooden skewers and place on a rack at the top of your oven.
Place the remaining marinade in a small saucepan and heat until hot but not boiling. Set aside while the mushrooms cook.
After about eight minutes, the mushrooms should be ready. Serve with the warmed marinade.

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Mushroom Biryani

April 1, 2014 By Dan Toombs 1 Comment

Mushroom Biryani

I love making this recipe and when I do, I almost always use a pressure cooker. The rice cooks in minutes and the mushrooms have the perfect texture. You could of course use my perfect white rice recipe and add it to the rest of the ingredients at the end. That is essentially all I'm doing here but faster.

If you do this, cook the rice until it is about 3/4 done and then add it to the other ingredients, cover again to allow to finish cooking in its own steam until done.

Here, however is my pressure cooker version. This is great for a quick lunch or dinner when you don't really feel like doing much but still want to eat delicious food. I'm sure you know the feeling.

I like to serve this with my coriander raita or podina. You can find the recipe here.

Mushroom biryani makes a tasty main course but I often serve it as a side dish. As it is so quick and easy to cook, it makes the perfect side dish for those summertime tandoori BBQs.

Love Indian Vegetarian Recipes? Why not try one of these too...

All Indian Vegetarian recipes

Yield: 2 - 4

Mildly Spiced Mushroom Biryani

Prep Time 15 minutes

Cook Time 15 minutes

Total Time 30 minutes

Ingredients

1 1/2 cups (375ml) Basmati Rice soaked in water for about an hour
3 cups (750ml) water
3 tablespoons warm milk
A pinch of saffron
2 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 two inch cinnamon stick
4 green cardamom pods
5 cloves
2 bay leaves
6 black peppercorns
1 large onion - finely chopped
2 tomatoes - finely chopped
1 tablespoon garlic and ginger paste
2 green chillies - finely chopped
200g thinly sliced button mushrooms
1 tablespoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon garam masala (optional)
1 small bunch fresh coriander - finely chopped
Salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

First heat you milk and then sprinkle the saffron in it to infuse. Set aside
Pour the oil into the pressure cooker pan and heat over medium heat.
Throw in the cinnamon, cloves, black peppercorns and bay leaves and let the oil soak up their awesome flavour for about 30 seconds.
Now toss in the chopped onion and fry for about five minutes until the onion is soft and translucent.
Add the chopped tomato and cook for a further minute or so before adding the garlic and ginger paste and the chopped chillies.
Stir well to combine and then dump in your mushrooms, cumin, garam masala and chopped coriander.
Stir in the drained rice and coat with the oil and other ingredients.
Pour in the water and saffron milk and bring to a simmer and then cover with the pressure cooker lid.
Pressure cook over medium heat for four minutes and then allow to cool naturally for about five minutes.
Remove the lid and season with salt and pepper to taste.

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Dosa Batter

March 24, 2014 By Dan Toombs 13 Comments

In order to make perfect dosas, you need to get the dosa batter just right.

Getting the dosa batter for my dosas took me years to perfect. The information just wasn't out there. One time I would make perfect dosas and then next time they would go terribly wrong. There seemed to be no rhyme or reason to the process but I can assure you there is. You are going to learn here how to make the perfect dosa batter.

Then you'll learn how to use that dosa batter to make restaurant quality dosas such as masala dosas, cheese dosas and egg dosas. All is explained below.

The first step of making dosa batter

You need to get those rice, lentils and fenugreek seeds soaking. For best results, pour them all into a large mixing bowl and wash with a few changes of water or until the water runs almost clear. When you first start, the water will be milky because of the starch in the rice. Cover with clean water and let soak for 12 hours.

Soaking the lentils, dal and fenugreek seeds — Soak the dal, rice and lentils for 12 hours.

Step two of making the batter

Once your rice, lentils and fenugreek seeds have soaked for a good 12 hours, it's time to blend them. I recommend doing this in batches, adding enough water to blend until smooth.

Don't worry too much at this stage about how thick the blended batter is. It should be quite thick but pourable so don't add too much water.

If you stick your fingers in and rub the dosa batter between them, it should be really smooth or perhaps a bit sandy. Both are good.

Now for step three, fermenting the dosa batter.

Fermenting dosa batter — When you first blend the dosa batter, it will be creamy smooth. After fermenting, it will be bubbly and even a bit darker on top.

You need to cover the blended batter and place it in a warm location. Remember, the weather in southern India is quite warm. In colder climates like the UK, you often need to improvise.

You could, for example heat your oven to a medium heat and then turn it off. Place the dosa batter in the warm but not hot oven and let it sit there for a good 24 hours. You could let it ferment longer in a warm location and the flavours will intensify.

Sometimes I put the batter in my office next to an electric heater. You can keep warm in the Winter months that way and also get the batter just right. Treat that dosa batter like a baby and keep it warm.

Step four of making the dosa batter

If you keep your batter nice and warm for about 24 hours, it should double in size just like bread dough doubles in size when it sits in a warm location. The dosa batter will be bubbly and foamy and if you smell it, it should have a sour aroma from the fermentation.

Depending on where you kept it warm, it might have dried to your bowl in places or even have a thin crust on top. That's fine. Just whisk it all together until smooth.

The fifth step is to make that dosa batter, dosa ready!

You will now have a rather thick and creamy batter. It will probably be too thick to use as dosa batter but the bubbly thick batter would be perfect for idlis or uttapams.

Think of the dosa batter the same way you would crepe batter. When thick, it could be added to a hot pan and you could fry it into an uttapam just like you would an American style pancake. It would not spread out easily on its own but rather just sit there in the pan.

To make dosa batter, you need to add a little more water so that it is thin and creamy like a crepe batter. When you pour it into a pan, it should start spreading out on its own, not like milk would but slowly. This is where you might want to experiment some. Add a little water and see if you have it right. You'll know when you do. You can always add more water so only add the water a bit at a time until you get the consistency just right.

Now it's time to make your first dosa with this dosa batter.

To get to the stage where you are making perfect dosas every time, you are going to need to experiment with that batter. It's really quite an easy process when your batter is right. Following are a few troubleshooting points to consider or perhaps refer to when you start.

Ensure your dosa batter is the right consistency: You are aiming for a thin but not too thin batter. It should not be thick like American pancake batter but rather a little thinner than crepe batter.
Batter clumping: When you spread your batter over the hot surface it might clump up. There are two reasons this could happen. First, your cooking surface is too hot (the right temperature is explained below.) Second, your batter might be too thick. Keep both of these in mind if your dosa batter is clumping.
Bubbly dosa surface: If your cooked dosa look bubbly on the exterior instead of smooth, then your batter is too thick. That said, many restaurants serve bubbly dosas so that is not a bad thing. It's down to your personal preference.
Uneven colouring on the dosa: Other than presentation, this is not a bad thing and your dosa will still taste good. Uneven colouring as in the photo below is usually due to using too much oil in the pan. The oil bubbles as it sizzles and creates a pattern of browner and lighter parts of the dosa surface.

Choosing the right dosa pan

This is an important part of making the perfect dosas with your dosa batter. When I first started making dosas, I used a le Creuset non stick crepe pan. That worked and it's perfect for beginners but then I moved up to the cast iron version.

You might want to consider cooking on cast iron as non stick pans are exactly that, non-stick. To get a really smooth dosa surface, you want that dosa to stick to the pan some. That said, I did get good results cooking on a non-stick surface.

The size of you pan does limit how large you can make your dosas. So as I continued making dosas, I started using a cast iron crepe maker which is great because the surface is larger and there are no sides.

You could use a normal frying pan but the sides of the pan will limited how large you can swirl that dosa batter. You will find them limiting and even a bit difficult to use.

Getting the heat in your pan just right.

Heat your pan over a medium high heat. With a crepe maker, I set the heat to 190c (375f) which is the perfect temperature for cooking dosas. If cooking in a pan on the stove, sprinkle a few drops of water on the surface as it is coming up to heat. They should evaporate on contact. That is when the heat is right.

Be careful though. You don't want the pan any hotter or it will be too hot too swirl the dosa batter.

How do you keep the temperature right in a pan?

Dosas can cook on a higher heat than 190c (375f) once swirled flat. It's the swirling part that needs to be done at the lower heat. So each time you make a dosa, dab half an onion in some cold water and rub it all over the surface. This will cool the surface for your next dosa but of course you need to regulate the temperature by reducing the cooking heat if necessary.

Greasing the pan or crepe maker

You need very little oil if any to make dosas. Originally I used a drop of oil that I spread thinly over the surface. Nowadays, I don't use any oil on my cast iron crepe maker. If you do use oil, you really only need a drop. Use half an onion to spread it out evenly over the surface.

The onion not only adds flavour but helps the dosa not stick to the pan.

How do you swirl the dosa batter over the surface?

Once your pan is up to heat, it's time to get cooking that first dosa. Take a ladle of batter and pour it in the centre of your pan. It should slowly begin to expand across the pan but by slowly, I meat slowly. It should not be so runny that it just fills the pan!

Once you add that dosa batter, it should spread out a tiny bit but look like it needs some help. Allow the dosa batter to sit in the hot pan for about 3 - 5 seconds to start cooking the underside and then take your ladle and place it down right in the centre of the batter.

Begin swirling in a continuous circular motion, making small circles in the middle and gradually making larger circles to push the dosa batter out and increase the size of the dosa. This should all be done in one motion without lifting your ladle.

Attempt to make your dosas as thin as you can in this way with the thinnest part of the dosa being the edges which will crisp up nicely.

Cooking the dosa

Now things get a bit easier! Let the dosa cook on the hot surface. If you spread the dosa batter out thin enough, you will see it beginning to brown on the underside.

As you cook the dosa, the edges might start to come up in places. That is normal but I usually press them back down some to get extra crispy edges.

In the photo below, I am making a butter dosa so I added a little butter to the top. You should also drizzle a little butter or oil around the edges to make them really crispy.

Spreading dosa batter — Dosa batter spread in a circular motion outward. notice the round design made with my ladle.

Finished dosa using homemade dosa batter — As the dosa cooks, you will see it browning on the underside.

Finished crispy dosa — Use your spatula to pry the dosa off and roll it. Ready to eat!

How long does that dosa batter keep?

Once your batter has fermented, you can keep it covered in the fridge for about 3 days. Perhaps longer. As it sits, it will ferment more which adds even more to the flavour.

What do you serve with dosas?

There are many different popular chutneys you can serve with your homemade dosas. Why not try some of these...

Garlic chutney

Green chilli chutney

Mint and coriander chutney

Ginger chutney

Tomato Chutney

Coconut Chutney

Yield: 8

How To Make Perfect Dosas

Prep Time 1 day 8 hours

Cook Time 25 minutes

Total Time 1 day 8 hours 25 minutes

Ingredients

300g broken Basmati rice*
75g urad dhal lentils
1 teaspoon fenugreek seeds
1 teaspoon Maldon sea salt
1 teaspoon sugar
3 tablespoons sunflower oil

Instructions

Combine the rice, lentils and fenugreek seeds in a large bowl and rinse three times with water.
Pour enough warm water into the bowl to cover and soak for 12 hours or overnight.
When ready to make your batter, drain the water.
Place half of the rice mixture into a food processor with about 100ml of water and blend for at least five minutes until very smooth. You do not want to rush this. It is an essential part of making the batter.
Repeat with the rest of the rice mixture adding another 100ml of water.
Combine the two batters and add the salt and sugar. Whisk thoroughly.
Now place the batter in a air-tight container and leave in warm location to ferment for 24 hours.
When ready to cook, place a non-stick - or normal frying pan over a medium-high heat.
The pan is ready when a drop of water sizzles away almost immediately.
Using a ladle, pour about 150ml of batter into the centre of the pan.
Then working very quickly and working from the centre, take the bottom of your ladle and move the batter in circular motions outward so that it is flat and not thick.
Turn the heat up a little. The sides of the dosa will begin to brown and move away from the pan after a few minutes.
When this happens, trickle about ½ tablespoon of the oil around the edges of the dosa.
When the dosa is browned on the under side roll it up or fold it in half to serve
Repeat until all of the batter is used.

Notes

Blending: I now use a Vitamix to blend the batter which only takes about a minute. With my earlier blenders it took about 5 minutes to blend. With some blenders it is important that you do this slowly. Blend for two minutes at a time until you have a smooth batter. Try blending for 5 minutes in one go and you could overheat your blender so be careful.

*Broken rice: You can use normal Basmati rice but broken rice is less expensive and does the same job.

Lamb Keema

March 23, 2014 By Dan Toombs 4 Comments

This lamb keema is delicious served with toasted buns!

This is a lamb keema recipe that brings back great memories.

While travelling in Mumbai, I was introduced by a friend to a famous little coffee house called Kayani & Co. She ordered several of the specialities and this lamb keema was one of them.

I loved the place and I was determined to get the recipe. Luckily, she was able to help with that too.

What makes this lamb keema recipe so special?

I have tried my fair share of lamb keema recipes but this one was different.

The difference was in the authentic preparation of the meat.

It might sound weird but the minced lamb is mixed with water until it is the consistency of oatmeal. It does look strange.

By doing this, you get all the lumps out.

I used this method for most minced meat dishes, from lamb to beef, turkey and veal. It really does make a delicious difference.

Another thing I found different was that you fry the same weight of onions as meat!

Forward preparation...

This lamb keema curry can be made one or two days in advance. The flavour actually matures and gets even better.

Then all you have to do when you want to serve it is heat it up and serve!

How can the lamb keema be served?

However you like. At Kayani & Co it is actually a very popular breakfast dish.

It's served with buttered and toasted buns and some of their amazing coffee or chai to wash it all down.

If you don't want to serve this famous lamb keema curry for breakfast, serve it as lunch or dinner.

It is delicious stirred into hot Basmati rice or scooped up with fresh naans or chapattis.

When served with toasted buns, the dish is called keeam pav or keema pau depending on who you are talking too. Pav or pau means bun.

If you like cooking with photographs, I have photographed the cooking process step by step for you.

Frying onions — Infuse the cinnamon and cardamom pods in the oil and then add the chopped onions.

Prepared minced meat — While the onions are frying, mix the meat with the water and break up any lumps with your hand.

Stirring the meat into the lamb keema curry — Stir in the meat.

Stirring the meat — Stir continuously while the meat cooks.

Stirring in the spices — Stir in the ground spices.

adding the coriander and chillies — Add the blended coriander (cilantro) and chillies.

Simmering the lamb keema curry — Simmer for about five minutes until the meat is cooked through.

Adding the peas. — Add the peas and continue cooking until you are happy with the consistency.

Adding methi to finish — Add the kasoori methi (dried fenugreek leaves) to finish.

If you like this lamb keema recipe, you might also like to try some of these.

Railway lamb curry
7 ingredient lamb curry
Lamb meatballs in spicy sauce

Yield: 6

Lamb Keema

Prep Time 10 minutes

Cook Time 25 minutes

Total Time 35 minutes

Ingredients

500g (1lb 2oz) minced (ground) lamb
5 tbsp rapeseed (canola) oil
2.5cm (1in) piece of cinnamon stick
3 green cardamom pods, bruised
500g (1lb 2oz) onion, finely chopped
2 tbsp garlic and ginger paste
1⁄2 tsp ground turmeric
1 generous tbsp garam masala
Generous handful of coriander
(cilantro) leaves
4 green bird’s eye chillies
70g (1⁄4 cup) fresh or frozen peas
1 tbsp dried fenugreek leaves (kasoori methi)
Salt to taste
2 quartered limes
Hamburger buns (optional)

Instructions

Mix the minced lamb with 500ml (2 cups) of water and break it up with your hands until the mixture is about the same consistency as porridge. This will help achieve a smooth keema without any lumps. Set aside.
In a large pan or wok, heat the rapeseed (canola) oil over a medium– high heat. When visibly hot, stir in the
cinnamon and cardamom pods and let the flavour of these spices infuse into the oil for about 30 seconds.
Add the onion and fry, stirring occasionally for
about 10 minutes, or until the onion turns light brown.
Stir in the garlic and ginger paste and fry for an additional 30 seconds, then tip in the meat/water
mixture.
Cook on high for about 5 minutes to cook the meat through, stirring regularly to prevent any meat lumps.
Add the turmeric and garam masala and
stir well to combine and simmer while you prepare the coriander (cilantro) and chillies.
Blend the coriander and chillies with about 70ml (1/4 cup) of water into a smooth paste, then pour it over the keema.
Stir well and cover the pan. Continue cooking for a further 5 minutes.
Add the peas, cover and continue cooking for another 5 minutes. This is a dry curry, so there is no need to add more water unless it is looking a little too dry.
To finish, add the dried fenugreek leaves (kasoori methi) by rubbing it between your fingers and continue cooking until the oil separates from the meat mixture.
Season with salt.
Pour onto a warm serving plate and
serve with the lime wedges and hamburger buns, which can be broken up to scoop up the keema.

I hope you enjoy this lamb keema recipe. If you do try it, please leave a comment. I'd love to hear from you.

Fresh Coconut Chutney

March 23, 2014 By Dan Toombs Leave a Comment

Try fresh coconut chutney with dosas or your favourite curry.

If you like coconut, you're going to love this one. Fresh coconut chutney is popular in Southern India. It's often served with idlis and dosas along with a hot sambar soup. It's usually eaten by hand with the idlis or dosas being dipped into the chutney or the sambar.

This is an easy recipe once you get your coconut open. I hate messing about with fresh coconuts but believe me, the work is worth the effort. If you can’t get your hands on a fresh coconut all Asian shops sell frozen grated coconut which works really well.

Fresh coconut chutney served with dosas.

Fresh coconut chutney is very light and works as well served with your favourite curries as it does served the traditional way with dosas and idlis.

You will love the flavour of the curry leaves and the tamarind sauce adds just enough tartness to set all the flavours off nicely.

Step 1

Lay out your ingredients so you see what you’re working with!

Step 2

Blend the coconut with the chillies, salt and tamarind.

Step 3

The finished blended coconut should look like this when blended with the chillies and tamarind.

Step 4

Fry the mustard seeds until they pop and then add the curry leaves.

Step 5

Serve the fresh coconut chutney with dosas.

Yield: 6

Fresh Coconut Chutney

Prep Time 15 minutes

Total Time 15 minutes

Ingredients

1 fresh coconut - grated or finely chopped
2 green chillies - finely chopped
1 tablespoon sunflower oil
1 teaspoon mustard seeds - yellow or black will do here
10 fresh curry leaves
1 teaspoon tamarind puree

Instructions

Place the coconut in a food processor and blend until the coconut pieces are very fine - almost a paste.
Add the chopped green chillies and blend for a further 30 seconds.
Spoon in the tamarind puree and salt to taste and blend for 30 seconds more.
Now heat the oil in a pan.
When hot, toss in the mustard seeds. When they begin to pop, add the curry leaves and fry for about 30 seconds. The room will become quite fragrant from the curry leaves.
Pout this oil mixture into the coconut and stir well.
Serve with dosas or idlis.

Perfect Idlis

March 23, 2014 By Dan Toombs Leave a Comment

Idlis with sambar and fresh coconut chutney — Idlis served with sambar and fresh coconut chutney

Last night I had my first go at making idlis. I've always wanted to try but never got around to purchasing the essential idli moulds and steamer. Thanks to my new sponsor Spices of India, I've finally got around to doing it. They sent me a fantastic multi cooker which I am sure I'll be using many more times in future.

These spongy snacks were gobbled up by the family. They're go good dipped into sambar or fresh coconut chutney which is exactly what we did.

As recipes go, this one isn't exactly for beginners nor is it for people who don't enjoy being in the kitchen. It's not exactly difficult but it is quite time consuming and some forward planning is a must. Once you make the batter, you need to let it ferment in a warm place for at least eight hours.

I put my batter in a bowl which I covered with a towel in the oven at 47c. After fermenting for eight hours, the batter had doubled in volume and was nice and bubbly.

You need to be sure to oil your idli trays lightly. I did this and though they didn't stick, they were difficult to get out.

The end result, however was amazing. I hope you get a chance to try this one. If you do, be sure to let me know how it went.

Idli tray and pot — The multi cooker from Spices of India. The idli trays were so easy to fit into place. They steamed to perfection.

Idli tray — Batter in one of the trays ready for steaming.

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Yield: 6

Idlis

Prep Time 12 hours

Cook Time 20 minutes

Total Time 12 hours 20 minutes

Ingredients

220g white urad dhal lentils
110g white rice flour
1 teaspoon fenugreek seeds
1 teaspoon salt

Instructions

Put the uran dhal lentils in a bowl and cover with water. Soak for eight hours or over night.
Drain and place the lentils in a food processor with about 50ml of water and grind to a smooth paste. Don't rush this. I blend the lentils until very smooth - about five minutes.
Place the rice flour, fenugreek seeds and salt in another bowl and add just enough water to make a think paste.
Add this paste to the lentils and whisk to combine.
Store this batter, covered in a warm place for eight hours or over night. The batter should become quite foamy and double in volume.
When ready to cook, pour water into the bottom of your idli pan and bring to a boil.
Oil your idli trays lightly and then pour the batter into the moulds.
Carefully lower the trays into the idli pan, cover and steam for 20 minutes.
After 20 minutes, your idlis should be ready. Remove the trays from the steamer and remove the idlis from the trays. You may need a knife or small spoon to assist you with this.

I would like to thank Spices of India for supplying me with the idli multi cooker free of charge to use in my recipes. I highly recommend it.

Sambar

March 23, 2014 By Dan Toombs 8 Comments

I have been working on this recipe ever since visiting my local dosa restaurant and having it as a starter with dosas and coconut chutney about a year ago. There are many recipes for Sambar but after playing with the recipes - adding this and omitting that, I think I've finally come up with the version I like best.

Sambar is a very popular southern Indian soup that is usually served with dosas or idlis. It's quite nice on its own too but I do like dipping the idlis and dosas into it. The combined flavour is to die for.

Most Indian restaurant here in the UK don't have these on the menu so you are in for a real treat. Sambar is mildly spiced with just a little sugar and salt to give you a taste sensation that is truly unique and delicious. The pigeon peas bring it all together. I'm sure you are going to love this one.

Yield: 6

Sambar

Prep Time 20 minutes

Cook Time 1 hour

Total Time 1 hour 20 minutes

Ingredients

225g toor dhal (split pigeon pea lentils)
1 teaspoon sunflower oil
4 large chopped tomatoes
1 medium sized aubergine - cut into 1cm chunks
1 tablespoon ginger puree
1 green chilli pepper - chopped
50g fresh or frozen peas
1 teaspoon turmeric powder
1 teaspoon red chilli powder
1 tablespoon sugar
1 teaspoon garam masala
1 small bunch fresh coriander
1 teaspoon salt - or to taste
FOR THE TARKA
60ml sunflower oil
1 teaspoon brown mustard seeds
1 teaspoon cumin seeds
A pinch of asafoetida
20 fresh curry leaves

Instructions

Soak the split pigeon peas in hot water for 20 minutes.
Drain and rinse and then pour into a large saucepan.
Add 1 1/2 litres water and heat over high heat.
As you do this, a foam will raise to the top. Skim this off until no foam remains and reduce the heat to a simmer.
Simmer for about 30 minutes until the lentils are soft.
Add the chopped tomatoes and the ginger and green chilli and bring to a boil for about 3 minutes.
Now, using a hand held blender (or any blender) blend until creamy smooth. I do this for about five minutes.
Add the rest of the ingredients up to the tarka ingredients and simmer for a further 15 minutes.
Remove the sambar from the heat while you make your tarka.
In a small saucepan, heat the oil until hot but not yet boiling.
Toss in the mustard seeds and cumin seeds. When the mustard seeds begin to pop, throw in the curry leaves and sprinkle in the asafoetida.
Very carefully, add this seasoned oil to the sambar. The oil may spit some so I do suggest standing back a little when you do this.
Stir in into the sambar and bring back up to heat.
Serve hot with dosas, idlis or even with crusty French bread.

Gram Flour Breakfast Pancakes

March 15, 2014 By Dan Toombs Leave a Comment

When it comes to anything approaching a dosa, I still need a lot of work. The flavour is there but making it all look really pretty is a real art form. That's fine as I'll keep practicing and will master it someday.

That said, the flavour is all there! Whether you use my dosa recipes or this gram flour pancake, you won't be let down!

We love this spicy breakfast pancake. Sometime we serve it topped with fried egg or cheese but today I decided to serve it with the coriander raita I used in this recipe. This recipe works great as a lunch wrap by the way. Simply use the gram flour pancakes instead of tortillas and fill it with your favourite lunchtime filling.

Note: You may need to adjust the heat of your pan when making. If it is too hot, the batter becomes clumpy. Just reduce the heat a little and start again.

Gram flour pancakes — The batter shouldn't be too think or too watery. This recipe should get it just right but you may need to adjust.

International & UK Orders

Yield: 4

Gram Flour Breakfast Pancakes

Prep Time 5 minutes

Cook Time 10 minutes

Total Time 15 minutes

Ingredients

250ml sifted gram flour
250ml water
1/2 teaspoon ajwain (carom seeds)
1 small bunch of fresh coriander - finely chopped
1 teaspoon paprika powder
1 teaspoon turmeric powder
1 tablespoon fresh garlic and ginger paste
Salt and pepper to taste
1 teaspoon vegetable oil.

Instructions

Pour the flour and the garlic, coriander and spices into a large bowl.
Add the water and whisk into a batter.
Heat a tawa or frying pan over high heat and then reduce to medium heat.
Add the oil to the pan and spread it out evening with a spatula.
Pour in a ladle full of the batter and then quickly swirl the batter into a thin circle using the bottom of your ladle.
Fry for one to two minutes per side until cooked through and both sides are lightly browned.
Remove and keep warm while you make the other pancakes.

Pan Seared Lemon Sole

March 14, 2014 By Dan Toombs 1 Comment

This pan fried lemon sole is out of this world delicious and simple to make too.

You can make this pan fried lemon sole with other fish too. Any meaty white fish will do. As I live near the coast and can get lemon sole very easily, that's what I chose to make this recipe.

The pan fried lemon sole is delicious with turmeric tomatoes and you could also just serve it with white Basmati rice and a green salad.

About this pan seared lemon sole recipe.

Lemon sole is a fish I can easily pick up at my local fishmonger. I really like it so I have been busy developing new recipes for it.

This recipe could not be easier. Why not start with the easiest option? All you need to do is dust the fish with the flour and tandoori masala dry rub and you've got a delicious fish dish in minutes.

Can you bake/grill the fish instead?

Baking and grilling (broiling) lemon sole are both simple, delicious methods that highlight the fish’s delicate flavour and flaky texture. Here’s how to do both:

Baking Lemon Sole

1. Preheat Oven: Set the oven to 350°F (175°C).

2. Prepare the Fish: Lightly grease a baking dish with butter. Place the lemon sole fillets in the dish, light skin-side down.

3. Season: Season the fish with salt, pepper, and a squeeze of lemon juice. You can also dot a few small pieces of butter over the fish for added flavour.

4. Bake: Bake for about 10-15 minutes, depending on the size of the fish, until the fish flakes easily with a fork. Be careful not to overcook; lemon sole cooks quickly.

5. The Sauce: Melt 1 to 2 tbsp butter in a pan over a medium heat. Add 1 tsp tandoori masala and two tablespoon chopped garlic and fry for a couple of minutes until the garlic is soft. The drizzle the fish with the tandoori garlic butter to serve.

Grilling (Broiling) the Lemon Sole

1. Preheat your Grill (Broiler): Set your oven broiler to high and adjust the rack to be about 4-6 inches from the heat source.

2. Prepare the Fish: Line a baking sheet with foil and lightly butter it. Place the fillets on the sheet with the dark skin facing up.

3. Season: Season with salt, pepper, and lemon juice.

4. Grill (Broil): Broil the fish for 5-7 minutes, depending on the thickness, until the edges begin to brown and the flesh flakes easily.

5. The Sauce: Melt 1 to 2 tbsp butter in a pan over a medium heat. Add 1 tsp tandoori masala and two tablespoon chopped garlic and fry for a couple of minutes until the garlic is soft. The drizzle the fish with the tandoori garlic butter to serve.

What are the best substitutes for lemon sole?

I know that not everyone can get fresh lemon sole locally. You just need to use another mild, flaky fish that is similar in texture and flavour. Here are a few substitutes should you need them:

1. Flounder: Flounder is probably the closest match to lemon sole in texture and flavour. It’s a mild, slightly sweet white fish with a tender, delicate texture. It's what I use for recipes like this pan seared lemon sole when I'm in the US.

2. Dover Sole: True Dover sole is harder to find and pricier but makes an excellent substitute due to its firm yet delicate texture and subtle, slightly sweet flavour.

3. Tilapia: Widely available, tilapia is mild and works well as a substitute for lemon sole in most recipes, especially if you need an affordable option.

4. Haddock: Another mild white fish, haddock has a slightly firmer texture but works well in recipes calling for lemon sole.

5. Cod: Though cod is thicker and has a slightly firmer texture than lemon sole, it’s versatile and has a similarly mild flavour.

step by step photographs.

The ingredients for the recipe, laid out and ready. — Get all your ingredients ready before you start cooking.

Two lemon sole with heads chopped off and the tail and fins trimmed. — Cut off the heat, if you want and also trim the tails and side fins. The score the fish in a few places on top.

Dredging the fish in the flour and tandoori masala mixture. — Mix the flour with the tandoori masala and add the fish to cover with the flour mixture. Be sure to shake off any excess flour.

Frying the fish in butter with the dark skin facing down. — Heat the pan and melt half the butter. Place the fish dark skin side down and let it fry until crispy brown and beginning to cook through.

Flipping the fish over to cook the other side. — Flip the fish over to cook the other side. Watch it closely. The fish is cooked when the meat is flaky and no longer translucent.

Lemon sole fried until crispy in a pan with garlic and butter. — Add the remaining butter and chopped garlic when the fish is about 90% cooked through. Add the lemon juice and spoon this sauce over the fish to serve.

Pan fried lemon sole on a serving plate with turmeric tomatoes. — Plate it up and serve with your side dishes of choice.

Pan fried lemon sole close up to show the crispiness of the skin. — Enjoy!

Yield: 2

Pan Seared Lemon Sole

This pan seared lemon sole recipe is so easy. You will probably have all the ingredients you need for the recipe but if not, they can be purchased at most supermarkets. Give this a try soon!

Prep Time 10 minutes

Cook Time 15 minutes

Total Time 25 minutes

Ingredients

2 lemon sole
Salt and pepper to taste
2 tbsp tandoori powder
120g (1 cup) plain (all purpose) flour
1 tsp Kashmiri chilli powder (optional)
3 tbsp unsalted butter, soft
2 tbsp garlic, finely chopped
Juice of one lemon

Instructions

If needed, cut the heads, fins and tails off the lemon sole. You could leave everything intact but the fish will fit better into most pans if you remove.
Pour the flour, tandoori masala and chilli powder on a plate and mix well. Dredge the fish in the flour mixture until completely coated. Shake off any excess flour.
Heat have the butter over a medium-high heat in a frying pan. I recommend using a non-stick frying pan if you have one.
When the butter has melted and the pan is hot, add the fish, dark skin side down and fry for about 5 minutes or until the skin is a golden brown and the meat is flaky.
Carefully flip the fish over to cook the other side. When the fish is about 90% cooked through, add the remain butter and chopped garlic and fry for a few minutes or until the garlic is soft.
Squeeze in the lemon juice and spoon this sauce over the fish. Season with salt and pepper to taste and serve with your side dishes of choice.

Tandoori Large Flat Mushrooms

March 12, 2014 By Dan Toombs Leave a Comment

Grilled Mushrooms

My wife is not a big fan of mushrooms so when I made this for lunch today, I didn't expect much to be eaten. I'm happy to say I was wrong. This recipe was a success even with Caroline!

As it's not quite outdoor tandoori weather yet, I decided to make these in the oven. I can assure you I'll definitely be demonstrating this tandoori recipe on the barbecue or in the tandoor oven when weather permits. Watch this space.

I would normally make such recipes with fresh homemade paneer but my work schedule today didn't permit such luxuries so I used buffalo mozzarella. To be honest, there isn't a big difference in flavour. Unless you feel like making a batch of paneer, go for the mozzarella.

These mushrooms are stuffed with figs among other things which gives them a slightly sweet flavour that goes really well with my homemade curry leaf vinaigrette. That's the green bit on the top.

This is a lite vegetarian dish which works well as a main or side dish.

Try my other delicious mushroom and vegetarian recipes:

Filling for tandoori mushrooms — A nice blend of roughly chopped figs, cheese, spring onions, garlic and ginger

Stuffed tandoori mushrooms — All stuffed and ready for the oven.

Yield: 2 - 4

Tandoori Large Flat Mushrooms

Prep Time 15 minutes

Cook Time 20 minutes

Total Time 35 minutes

Ingredients

4 large flat mushrooms - with the stem cut out and chopped for the stuffing
150g fresh paneer or mozzarella - roughly chopped
3 spring onions - roughy chopped
3 soft dried figs - finely chopped
1 green chilli pepper - finely chopped
A pinch of garam masala
A pinch of cumin powder
Salt and pepper to taste
1 1/2 tablespoons garlic and ginger paste
1 tablespoon olive oil

Instructions

Place a baking tray with a wire rack in the oven and pre-heat to 200c/400f
Spoon the olive oil and one tablespoon of the ginger and garlic paste into a bowl along with the cumin and garam masala.
Mix it all up nicely and then place the mushrooms in the marinade.
Coat them equally all over with the marinade and allow to marinate while you make the filling.
Working on the countertop or in a large bowl, mix all of the other ingredients together.
Now remove the mushrooms from the marinade and fill them equally with the stuffing ingredients.
Remove the hot baking tray and rack from the oven and place the mushrooms on it, stuffing side up.
Place in the oven and bake for about 20 minutes until cooked through and browned on the top.

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Stuffed tandoori large flat mushrooms — All finished!

Curry Leaf Vinaigrette Dressing

March 12, 2014 By Dan Toombs 4 Comments

I once tried a curry leaf vinaigrette dressing that was served with tandoori fish at a local Indian restaurant. The recipe was a family secret so I wasn't able to talk them into letting me have it. Oh well, at least the idea was there. I set out to figure out how to make it.

You'll be happy to know this one is just as good and also quite easy to make. You can serve it with almost any tandoori dish or grilled vegetables. I also served it with a green salad the other night. It was a simple rocket and tomato salad with shavings of Parmesan topped with this curry leaf dressing. The flavours went so well together.

Curry leaf vinaigrette can be made in minutes and then set aside until needed. It keeps well in the fridge for a day or so.

The key to success is to find fresh - not dried - curry leaves which are available at most good Asian grocers. You also want a good quality extra virgin olive oil.

I'd love to hear what you think of this one. I'll be making it a lot in future and will link other recipes that go well with it to this page. No, this is not really a vinaigrette as they name implies but you could use white wine vinegar instead of the lime which works nicely too.

International & UK Orders

Yield: 4

Curry Leaf Vinaigrette Dressing

Prep Time 10 minutes

Total Time 10 minutes

Ingredients

1 large bunch of fresh curry leaves - about 50.
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons lime juice
A pinch of salt
1 clove garlic - smashed
1cm ginger - grated
A pinch of red chilli powder
1/2 teaspoon cumin powder

Instructions

Place the curry leaves in a pestle and mortar and pound until the leaves are broken and in small pieces but not a paste. This helps release their flavour.
Now add the garlic and ginger and pound some more to incorporate.
Pour in the rest of the ingredients and whisk them all together until you have a nice think leafy dressing.
Check for seasoning and set aside until ready to use.

Grilled Chicken Legs

March 11, 2014 By Dan Toombs 14 Comments

You can cook these grilled chicken legs in a way convenient for you.

These grilled chicken legs are out of this world delicious. You can cook them however you like and I give options below. I prefer to skewer them up and cook over hot coals which gives the grilled chicken legs an amazing charred flavour.

This is actually a simplified version of my hariyali chicken tikka. That marinade could be used to grill up these chicken legs but sometimes the simple recipes are equally as good.

About this recipe.

I have been making this grilled chicken recipe for many years. You might recognise it if you have been following my blog for a while as I first posted it back in 2014. This is the updated version.

Which chicken should you use for this recipe.

You could really use any chicken pieces for this grilled chicken recipe. As the title of the recipe implies, I recommend using chicken legs with the thigh attached, so the whole leg.

The chicken legs and thighs are the juiciest part of the chicken. They are also cheaper than chicken breasts.

Why do you removed the chicken skin?

This is standard when making grilled chicken legs the Indian way. There is so much flavour in the marinade, the skin just won't be missed. That said, if you are a big fan of crispy charred chicken skin, go ahead and leave it on.

Removing the chicken skin will help prevent flareups and of course it's healthier.

Do you have to cook these grilled chicken legs over charcoal?

Not at all! That's the way I prefer them so if you like to get outside and cook, this could be the perfect recipe for you.

If you would prefer, you could air fry the chicken legs or place them in your oven at 200°C/400°F for about 30 minutes or until the internal temperature reaches 74°C/165°F. I recently made tandoori chicken legs in my air fryer if you'd like to check them out.

If you don't have skewers, you could also lightly grease a cooking grate and cook them on the grate on your barbecue.

How do you skewer the chicken legs?

Many people don't know how to skewer meat properly. There is a skill to it but it's an easy skill.

Whether you are skewering these grilled chicken legs or tikka, you want to weave the skewer through the chicken, not just push the skewers through. This will help secure the chicken on the skewers.

If you don't weave it through, then the chicken will not be attached to the skewer tightly enough. So when you go to turn the skewers, the meat won't turn but instead stay facing down.

How long can you store leftovers in the fridge?

You can easily store your grilled chicken legs in the fridge for up to three days. Then just reheat them in your microwave, air fryer or oven until hot.

Personally, I feel these grilled chicken legs are best on the day you cook them though. If storing in the fridge, you might like to tear the meat off the bones and make one of these delicious tandoori chicken burgers.

Can you freeze these grilled chicken legs?

You can and they will freeze well for up to 3 months. Be sure to cook them first. Marinated chicken doesn't freeze well and should be done up to a day before cooking.

Shred the chicken off of the bone and fill up a fresh naan...

Naan

See more Indian bread recipes →

Step by step photographs.

The ingredients for the recipe. — Get all your ingredients prepared and ready before you start cooking.

The chicken legs skinned and scored. — You could actually leave the skin on but I find it better to remove the skin and score the chicken for this recipe. It's healthier and is less likely to flare up when cooking.

Blending the corander with lime juice to make a paste. — Blend the coriander with the juice of one or two limes to make a paste.

Stirring the yoghurt into the coriander paste. — Add the yoghurt and whisk until smooth.

The chicken in a bowl covered with the marinade. — Rub the lime juice, salt, ground spices and garlic and ginger paste into the chicken. Let this sit for 10 minutes and then stir in the yoghurt to marinate for up to 24 hours.

The marinated chicken legs on skewers. — When ready to cook, rub off any excess marinade from the chicken and skewer them.

The skewered chicken cooking over the hot coals. — Build a direct heat fire and when hot, place the chicken leg skewers over the coal to cook for about 25 minutes.

Basting the grilled chicken legs with melted ghee. — As the chicken legs cook, be sure to baste them with the melted ghee to keep the meat moist.

The grilled chicken legs cooked and ready to serve. — When the grilled chicken legs reach an internal temperature of 74°C/165°F, they're ready to take off the heat. Allow to rest for 5 minutes before serving.

The grilled chicken legs served with lime wedges, sliced red onion and cucumber slices. — Transfer the grilled chicken legs to a serving platter. You can garnish them with red onion, cucumber and lime wedges.

Love This Grilled Chicken? You might also like to try...

See more Chicken Tikka Recipes →

Grilled chicken leg with salad vegetables served on a plate at the table. — Serve it all up and enjoy!

More Indian Tandoori Recipes...

See more Indian Tandoori Recipes →

Have you tried this grilled chicken recipe?

If yes, please give it a star rating in the recipe card below and leave a comment. I love receiving your feedback and I’m sure other readers of my blog do too. Thank you.

If you are not already doing so, please follow The Curry Guy on Instagram and Facebook for all our latest recipes.

Yield: 4 to 6

Grilled Chicken Legs

These grilled chicken legs are so good. The meat from the leg and thigh is the tastiest on the bird. For best results, let the chicken marinate for 24 hours but you could go straight to cooking if in a rush for deliciousness.

Prep Time 20 minutes

Cook Time 20 minutes

Total Time 40 minutes

Ingredients

6 whole chicken legs with thighs attached
70ml (1/4 cup) Greek yoghurt, whisked until smooth
1 large bunch of fresh coriander
2 tbsp garlic and ginger paste
2 green chilli peppers (more or less to taste)
Juice of 2 to 3 limes
1 tsp cumin powder
1 tsp garam masala
3 tbsp melted ghee or butter for basting
salt and pepper to taste
Lime wedges for serving.
Sliced red onion and cucumber to garnish ()optional)

Instructions

Skin the chicken legs and score with a sharp knife on both sides.
Rub the garlic and ginger paste, cumin, garam masala, the juice of one lime and salt into the flesh of the chicken legs and leave for 10 to 20 minutes
Meanwhile, blend the coriander, the juice of one or two limes and the chillies into a smooth paste. You can add a drop of water if needed to assist blending.
Mix this paste with the yoghurt and whisk until smooth. Pour it all over the chicken legs and rub it in. Allow to marinate for 30 minutes while you light up your barbecue or up to 24 hours. You could just go straight to cooking if you're in a rush but the additional marination time does have its flavour benefits.
Build a direct heat fire with sufficient charcoal to cook the chicken for about 25 minutes. I recommend using lump wood charcoal that has not been treated with lighter fluid. If using lumpwood char coal, you do not need to wait for all of the coals to turn white.
When it is uncomfortably hot to hold your hand at cooking height for longer that 2 seconds, your good to start cooking.
Wipe off any excess marinade from the chicken and skewer the chicken legs by weaving the skewers through the meat.
Place the skewers over the hot coals and cook for about 20 to 25 minutes, turning often for an even cook.
When the chicken is almost cooked, baste often with the melted ghee. The chicken legs are cooked when they reach an internal temperature of 74°C/165F.
Season with salt to taste and allow to rest for 5 minutes before serving.

You will find many spicy and delicious recipes on my blog. Here are some you've got to try!

Curry house style base sauce - Make a curry just like those at the best curry houses using this sauce.
Lamb Bhuna from Scratch - This one is from my book 'The Curry Guy One Pot'
One Pot Chicken Dhansak - from my book 'The Curry Guy One Pot
Asian Honey Glazed Baked Salmon
Sri Lankan Black Chicken Curry
Peruvian Chicken - Pollo a la Brasa
Korean Braised Beef Stew
Dal Makhani - An Indian restaurant favourite!
Tonkotsu Broth - When only the best will do. This one takes some time but it is just like you find at the best ramen restaurants!
Tonkotsu Ramen - Use that homemade tonkotsu broth in this ramen!
The Best Butter Chicken - Try it and you'll agree.
Authentic Saag Recipe - This is so good
Thai Beef Green Curry - Authentic recipe with homemade curry paste
Air Fryer Chicken Biryani
Cajun Mac and Cheese - The creamiest mac on the planet!
One Pot Chicken Vindaloo
Chicken 65 - One of my favourites. You might also like to try this air fryer chicken 65.
One Pot Chicken Chilli Garlic Curry
Homemade Sriracha Sauce - So much better than any sriracha you can purchase!
Tandoori Chicken Tikka - Homemade is alway best and this recipe gets restaurant quality results.

Roasted Broccoli

March 10, 2014 By Dan Toombs 2 Comments

This oven roasted garam masala broccoli is so good. It's really quick and easy to make too.

I usually make it as a side dish but it is also a very heathy light main dish. I love the garam masala on the broccoli.

I made this for my family last night and they all loved it. I'm sure we'll be enjoying oven roasted garam masala broccoli for many years to come. If you make your own garam masala, the dish will be even better. Here is my recipe.

I also added plenty of garlic which I love.

I hope you get a chance to try this healthy roasted garam masala broccoli recipe. If you do, please let me know what you think in the comments.

Garam masala roast broccoli — All finished!

Amazon.co.uk Widgets

Yield: 4

Oven Roasted Garam Masala Broccoli

Prep Time 5 minutes

Cook Time 15 minutes

Total Time 20 minutes

Ingredients

1 head of broccoli - Florets sliced thinly
1 tablespoon garlic and ginger paste
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 1/2 teaspoons garam masala
Salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

Preheat your oven to 200c (400f)
In a large bowl, coat the broccoli florets evenly with the olive oil, garlic and ginger paste and the garam masala.
Place the floret slices on a baking tray and sprinkle with salt and pepper to taste.
Place in the over for 10 to 15 minutes. Baking times may vary but the broccoli is ready with the floret ends blacken slightly and become crispy.

Lamb & Sweet Potato Curry

March 3, 2014 By Dan Toombs 4 Comments

This delicious lamb and sweet potato curry is so easy to prepare.

Lamb and sweet potato curry is the perfect weeknight meal as it can be prepared in one pot and only takes about an hour to cook. You can use diced leg of lamb or go more traditional and ask you butcher for small pieces of lamb shoulder cut small on the bone. If you don't mind the small bones, this really adds a lot of flavour but diced lamb leg is a lot easier to eat.

This recipe, or very close to it, will be in my next cookbook 'The Curry Guy One Pot' which is available for pre-order on amazon now!

About this lamb and sweet potato curry recipe

I have been preparing lamb and sweet potato curry for many years and it has long been a family favourite. When eaten in India, it is often quite spicy but I have opted for a rather mild version here. You should, however taste it and adjust the spicing to taste. With a dish like this lamb and sweet potato curry, you can add more chilli powder any time during the stewing process.

Just be sure to let the chilli powder simmer for a few minutes to cook out the raw flavour.

How easy is this recipe?

You will love just how straightforward and simple this lamb and sweet potato curry recipe is. It's all cooked in one pot and most of the work is done in about 10 minutes.

You can literally sit back, watch a bit of telly and let your stove do most of the work.

Can you work ahead?

Yes! As with most curries, you can prepare and cook this lamb and sweet potato curry 2 or 3 days before serving. In fact, as it sits in the fridge, the flavours will develop and your curry will be even better.

So if cooking ahead is more convenient, you can do that. Most curries improve by sitting in the fridge for day or so.

This makes serving curries the perfect choice if you are serving a crowd as all of the cooking can be done long before taking them to the table. Just take your prepared curries out of the fridge and heat them up to serve.

Can lamb and sweet potato curry be frozen?

Short answer yes and it freezes very well for up to 6 months. That said, yoghurt and other dairy don't freeze as well so when I freeze my lamb and sweet potato curry, I tend to leave the yoghurt out and add it to the hot curry just before serving.

That's really not necessary though as there isn't much yoghurt in this lamb and sweet potato curry anyway so feel free to freeze the whole curry or your leftovers.

What do you serve with lamb and sweet potato curry?

This tasty curry goes well with so many things. Rice is an obvious answer and this dish is awesome served with plain Basmati rice, mushroom fried rice, jeera rice and rice pilau.

You might prefer to serve it with naans or chapatis and I have plenty of recipes for you for those here.

If you would like to make your curry meal into a curry feast, why not prepare some homemade poppadoms and chutney and/or samosas which always get the meal off to a great start.

Step by step photos

Ingredients for lamb and sweet potato curry — Get your ingredients together before you start cooking. It's easier that way.

Infusing spices in ghee in a pot. — Heat the ghee or oil in a pot and add the whole spices to infuse and flavour the oil for about a minute.

Frying onions and adding garlic and ginger paste. — Add the chopped onion and fry for about 5 minutes to soften. Then stir in the garlic and ginger paste.

Frying the onions, garlic and ginger. — Continue frying for a couple of minute to cook out the rawness of the garlic and ginger paste.

Adding ground spices and tomatoes to the curry. — Stir in the ground spices and tomatoes and bring to a simmer.

Adding lamb and water to the pan. — Add the lamb and brown it for a couple of minutes in the hot pot. Then add just enough water to cover.

Simmering the lamb in the broth. — Simmer the lamb for 20 minutes, uncovered.

Adding sweet potato chunks. — Now add the sweet potato chunks and stir them into the sauce.

Simmering the lamb and sweet potatoes, covered in the pot. — Cover and simmer for about 30 minutes or until the meat and potatoes are tender to your liking.

Adding yoghurt to the curry. — When your meat and potatoes are tender, stir in the yoghurt one tablespoon at a time. Then continue simmering to thicken the sauce.

Finished lamb and sweet potato curry — Season with salt to taste and serve with the lime wedges. Garnish with coriander (cilantro).

Lamb and sweet potato curry served with rice and lime wedges. — Enjoy!

Yield: 6

Lamb & Sweet Potato Curry

Prep Time 20 minutes

Cook Time 1 hour

Total Time 1 hour 20 minutes

Ingredients

2 tbsp rapeseed (canola) oil or ghee
1 x 5cm (2in) cinnamon stick
3 black cardamom pods or 6 green cardamom pods, lightly crushed
10 black peppercorns
1 star anise
2 Indian bay leaves
3 onions, finely chopped
1 tsp salt
2 tbsp garlic and ginger paste
200g chopped tomatoes
1 leg of lamb, cut into 5cm (2in) chunks (retain the bone if you have it) or small lamb shoulder chunks on the bone
1 tbsp ground cumin
1 tbsp ground coriander
1–2 tbsp Kashmiri chilli powder
2 medium sweet potatoes, peeled and
cut into 21⁄2cm (1in) dice
3 tbsp plain natural yoghurt
1 tsp garam masala
Salt, to taste
3 tbsp fresh coriander (cilantro), finely chopped
Lime wedges, to serve

Instructions

Heat the oil or ghee in a large saucepan over a medium-high heat. When visibly hot, stir in the cinnamon, cardamom pods, black peppercorns, star anise and bay leaves and temper them in the hot oil, stirring regularly for about a minute.
Stir in the chopped onion and sprinkle in the salt and fry for about 8 minutes or until lightly browned and soft.
Stir in the garlic and ginger paste and let it sizzle into the onion mixture for about a minute.
Now add the diced tomatoes, followed by the lamb chunks. If using leg of lamb and you have the bone, go ahead and throw that in, too.
Let the meat sizzle for a couple of minutes, moving it around often to brown it all over. Add the ground cumin, ground coriander and chilli powder and then pour in just enough water to cover.
Bring this to a simmer and cook for 20 minutes and then add the cubed sweet potato. Cover the pan and simmer over a medium heat for about 30 minutes, or until the meat and sweet potato are tender.
When ready, stir in the yoghurt one tablespoon at a time. Then sprinkle the garam masala over the top and stir it in too.
Season with salt to taste and garnish with the fresh coriander (cilantro). Serve over rice with the lime wedges, which can be squeezed over the curry to taste.

Sundal Recipe

March 3, 2014 By Dan Toombs Leave a Comment

One of the reasons I visit India so often, other than the fact I absolutely love the place, is all the new recipes I get introduced to. This sundal recipe is one I learned while travelling through Kerala and I could not wait to get back and show it to you.

When it comes to Indian festival food, few dishes capture the essence of tradition, health, and flavour quite like Sundal. A humble preparation made with legumes, coconut, and a simple tempering of spices, sundal is as nourishing as it is comforting. In this post, I’ll show you just how easy it is to make at home!

What Is Sundal?

Sundal is a South Indian snack or chaat made by boiling legumes, such as chickpeas, black chickpeas (kala chana) or green gram (moong dal and then sautéing them with a tempering of mustard seeds, curry leaves, dried red chilies, and grated coconut.

Unlike curries or stir-fries, sundal doesn’t have a gravy or a heavy base. Its deliciousness lies in its simplicity. The legumes are lightly seasoned, allowing their natural nutty flavour to shine while being enhanced by the fragrance of curry leaves and the sweetness of coconut.

Sundal is not just food! As I learned in Kerala, it’s part of their cultural and spiritual practices. Guests are offered small bowls of sundal as prasadam (sacred food). But beyond festivals, sundal is also enjoyed as a healthy snack or side dish. That’s how my wife and I enjoyed it as we don’t really do the religious festival thing.

Where in India Is Sundal From?

Sundal is most strongly associated with Tamil Nadu and the broader region of South India. In Tamil households, it’s a festival staple, though you’ll also find variations in Kerala, Karnataka, and Andhra Pradesh.

Tamil Nadu: The most iconic version is chickpea sundal (kondakadalai sundal), offered during Navaratri.
Kerala: Known for incorporating fresh coconut into almost every dish, Kerala-style sundal leans heavily on grated coconut.
Karnataka: Sundal here sometimes includes a hint of jaggery for sweetness.
Andhra Pradesh/Telangana: Versions may be spicier, with green chilies used in the tempering.

How Sundal Is Enjoyed?

Festival Offering: Served as prasadam during Navaratri, Ganesh Chaturthi, or temple visits.
Healthy Snack: A protein-packed, oil-light dish for mid-mornings or evenings.
Tiffin Side Dish: Paired with idli, dosa, or pongal as a wholesome side.
Travel Food: Since it’s dry and portable, sundal is often packed for journeys.

Children grow up eating sundal during festivals, while adults appreciate it as a guilt-free snack that satisfies hunger without being heavy.

Variations of Sundal

There are of course many variations of sundal but here are a few of the more popular versions.

Moong Dal Sundal: Made with soaked split moong dal, lighter and quicker to prepare.
Green Gram Sundal: Whole green gram for a slightly earthy taste.
Black Chickpea Sundal: A Navaratri favourite with kala chana (black chickpeas).
Sweet Sundal: Some households add jaggery and grated coconut, making a mildly sweet version.
Mixed Sundal: Combining multiple legumes like cowpeas, chickpeas, and moong for variety.

Ingredients

Fresh ingredients are key to getting the best flavour from this sundal recipe. You’ll find the ingredients listed below, while the precise amounts are provided in the recipe card at the end of the page. For smooth cooking and the best outcome, it’s a good idea to have everything measured and prepared before you begin.

See recipe card for quantities.

Coconut oil
Black mustard seeds
Cumin seeds
White split urad dal lentils
Fresh or frozen curry leaves
Dried Kashmiri chillies
Cooked chickpeas
Ground turmeric
Asafoetida
Grated ginger
Fresh grated coconut
Salt and freshly ground black
Juice of one lemon or lime
Red sprur chilli

Step by step photos

Below, you’ll see step-by-step photographs to guide you through the recipe. At the bottom of the page, you’ll also find the full recipe card, which includes the complete list of ingredients and written instructions in an easy, printable format.

Heating the coconut oil over a high heat in a wok.

Step 1: Heat the coconut oil over a high heat until it begins to glisten.

Adding the mustard seeds, urad dal and cumin to the pan.

Step 2: Add the mustard seeds and when they begin to crackle, stir in the urad dal. Brown it some and then reduce the heat to medium and add the cumin seeds.

Adding the curry leaves and dry chillies to the pan along with the grated ginger, grated coconut and asafoetida and turmeric.

Step 3: Add the curry leaves and chillies and stir them around in the hot oil for about 30 seconds. Then stir in the ground turmeric and asafoetida followed by the grated ginger and coconut. Stir well to combine.

Step 4: Add the chickpeas to the pan and stir them into the base ingredients to coat.

The chickpeas coated in the base ingredients.

Step 5: Once stirred, the chickpeas should be coated with the other ingredients.

To finish, stirring in the salt, lime juice and spur chillies.

Step 6: Season with salt to taste and add the lime juice. Stir in the sliced red chilli.

Homemade sundal in wooden serving bowls.

Step 7: This chaat is so easy and delicious. Serve hot from the wok or at room temperature.

Equipment

What do you serve with Sundal?

Curries: This is snack food so feel free to enjoy it with your favourite curry. Butter Chicken, Chicken Lababdar, Laal Maas and Lamb Dhansak

Rice Dishes: All of these side dishes will go great with sundal - Steamed Basmati Rice, Boiled Basmati Rice, Pilau Rice, Mushroom Fried Rice

Breads: Tandoori Naans, Tandoori Roti, Chapatis, Spiced Chapatis, Stovetop Naans

Dals: Chana Dal, Tarka Dal, Spinach Dal, Dal Makhani

Storage Instructions

Sundal is best enjoyed fresh, but it can be stored safely.

At Room Temperature: If served during festivals or while traveling, it can sit out for 6–8 hours.
In the Fridge: Store in an airtight container for 2–3 days.
Freezing: Not recommended, as the coconut loses freshness and the legumes can turn mealy.

Reheating

Avoid overcooking: Reheating too long can make legumes hard.

Stovetop: Warm gently in a pan with a few drops of oil.

Microwave: Heat for 20–30 seconds. Add a splash of water if it looks dry.

Top Tip

Play with seasoning: Add lemon juice, a pinch of sugar, more chillies or even black pepper to tweak the flavour. Taste as you go. This sundal recipe will get you started but you can and should experiment.

FAQ

Can Sundal be made without oil?

Yes, you can skip oil and dry-roast the tempering ingredients, though some fat helps carry the flavours.

Which legumes are best for sundal?

Chickpeas, black chickpeas, green gram, or moong dal are most common. Each offers a slightly different taste and texture.

Is sundal spicy?

No, sundal is mildly spiced. Chillies add aroma rather than heat. You can adjust the spice level to taste though. Like it spicy? Go for it.

Do you have to use tinned (canned) chickpeas?

Not at all! I use them for ease sometimes as in this recipe. If you would rather cook dried chickpeas, that would be even better. Just be sure to soak the chickpeas overnight and don't overcook them. The chickpeas should not be at all mushy.

Do you have to use fresh, grated coconut?

Fresh coconut is ideal for authentic flavour. If unavailable, use frozen grated coconut (thawed). Desiccated coconut is less traditional and not as good but you could use that too.

My Keralan style sundal will go nicely with any of these Keralan classics

Pairing

Sundal is snack food. Although it might not be traditionally eaten with the following snacks, I can confirm it is delicious with them!

Have you tried this sundal recipe?

If yes, please give it a star rating in the recipe card below and leave a comment. I love receiving your feedback and I’m sure other readers of my blog do too. Thank you.

If you are not already doing so, please follow The Curry Guy on Instagram and Facebook for all our latest recipes.

Yield: 6

A Quick and Easy Sundal Recipe

Ready in minutes! This easy sundal recipe is one you need to try soon. It's a delicious and healthy snack that also happens to taste out of this world amazing!

Prep Time 5 minutes

Cook Time 10 minutes

Total Time 15 minutes

Ingredients

1 1/2 tbsp coconut oil
1 tsp black mustard seeds
1/2 tsp cumin seeds
1 tsp white split urad dal lentils
20 fresh or frozen curry leaves
3 dried Kashmiri chillies, torn into three pieces each
400g (1 1/2 cups) cooked chickpeas
1/2 tsp ground turmeric
1/2 tsp asafoetida
1 tbsp grated ginger
4 tbsp fresh grated coconut
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
Juice of one lemon or lime
1 red sprur chilli, thinly sliced

Instructions

Heat the coconut oil over a high heat until it begins to glisten.
Add the mustard seeds and when they begin to crackle, stir in the urad dal. Brown it some and then reduce the heat to medium and add the cumin seeds.
Add the curry leaves and chillies and stir them around in the hot oil for about 30 seconds.
Then stir in the ground turmeric and asafoetida followed by the grated ginger and coconut.
Stir well to combine. Add the chickpeas to the pan and stir them into the base ingredients to coat. The chickpeas should be coated with the other ingredients.
Season with salt and pepper to taste and add the lime juice. Stir in the sliced red chilli.

Coconut Crab Curry

February 28, 2014 By Dan Toombs 2 Comments

Coconut Crab Curry

That hit the spot!

Today I've been up since 5am working on my business websites and forgot about breakfast all together. Suddenly and without warning I found myself feeling quite peckish so I decided to take a break and go to Yarm to see what the fishmonger had for me. I bought some awesome looking Dover Sole for tonight that were just caught this morning and two dressed crabs for lunch. He never let's me down.

Realising I only had about an hour to cook, eat and write this blog post I went to work. I didn't have time to grind spice blends or anything fancy like that. Of course I do have some pre-made homemade blends ready but I wanted to work from scratch.

This recipe literally only took 20 minutes - if that - to make. The ingredient are all easy to come by. If you don't have an Asian grocer nearby, just use about 1/2 teaspoon of fenugreek powder which is available these days at most supermarkets. The curry leaves are also available at Asian grocers or online. If you can't find them where you live, just leave them out.

If you enjoy this coconut crab curry recipe, try my other crab recipes:

Stuffed Masala Crab
Jafna Crab Curry
Crab Samosas
Crab Tostadas

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Yield: 2

Coconut Masala Crab Curry

Prep Time 5 minutes

Cook Time 15 minutes

Total Time 20 minutes

Ingredients

2 cooked dressed crabs - quartered
2 tablespoon olive oil
1 tablespoon fennel seeds
1 teaspoon fenugreek seeds
1 tablespoon garlic and ginger paste
1 onions - finely chopped
4 shallots - finely chopped
2 green chillies - finely chopped
20 curry leaves
1 teaspoon turmeric
1 teaspoon cumin
4 tennis ball sized tomatoes - finely chopped
1 x 400ml tin of thick coconut milk
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
1 teaspoon jaggery or brown sugar
3 tablespoons fresh chopped coriander
Salt and pepper to taste
Sliced limes to serve

Instructions

Heat a large high sided frying pan or wok over medium heat.
Add the oil. When it begins to bubble, add the curry leaves and fennel and fenugreek seeds and let the oil take on their flavour for about 30 seconds while stirring.
Now add the chopped onion and shallots and fry until lightly browned. About five minutes.
Spoon in the garlic and ginger paste along with the chopped chillies and fry for a further 30 seconds.
Add the turmeric and cumin and stir it all up to combine.
In go the chopped tomatoes. Fry these until you have a thick sauce. About two minutes.
Pour in the coconut milk followed by the crabs.
Bring to a simmer and then sprinkle in the jaggery.
When the crab meat is warm, add the vinegar and season with salt and pepper to taste.
Then stir in the chopped coriander.
Check for seasoning and serve.

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Indian crab curry — One last look! Now go make this one for yourself.

Roasted Chickpeas

February 27, 2014 By Dan Toombs 3 Comments

These Roasted Chickpeas make a delicious and healthy snack.

Roasted chickpeas are a very popular Indian and Middle Eastern snack food. For that matter, they are loved all around the world.

This recipe gets fantastic results. You really can't go wrong as no fuss recipe for roasted chickpeas could not be easier.

About this roasted chickpeas recipe.

This is a delicious and crispy snack that you can prepare in about 30 minutes. You will find a selection of spices that I added to these roasted chickpeas but you really can make these as you want them.

If you have a dry rub you really like or perhaps a special curry powder, try that instead.

These roasted chickpeas can also be really spicy, use more chilli powder, or mild. I do add a little salt to the spice mix and you can adjust the saltiness by adding more after the chickpeas are roasted.

How long can you store the roasted crispy chickpeas?

Homemade roasted chickpeas can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to one week.

It's important to ensure they are completely cooled before storing to prevent any moisture buildup, which can lead to them becoming less crunchy.

Can you upscale/downscale this recipe?

Yes, halve the recipe or double it. Do what you like with the spicing. I recommend that you not double the chilli powder though. Add that to taste or you might find your roasted chickpeas a bit on the spicy side or worse, too spicy!

Can you store the crispy chickpeas in the fridge?

If you live in a particularly humid environment, you may want to store the chickpeas in the refrigerator to prolong their crispiness.

However, refrigeration can cause the chickpeas to lose some of their crunch over time. So you should check them regularly.

If you notice any signs of spoilage, such as an off smell or appearance, discard the chickpeas and make some more.

It's always best to use your judgment and discretion when consuming homemade snacks, especially those with natural ingredients and no preservatives.

Can you freeze roasted chickpeas?

Good question. I didn't think you could but from my tests, they freeze really well up to three months, perhaps longer.

I only froze mine for three months and they were fine. Just let them defrost completely to room temperature and enjoy.

How do you freeze crispy chickpeas?

1. Allow the roasted chickpeas to cool completely to room temperature before freezing. This helps prevent them from developing ice crystals, which can affect their texture.

2. Once cooled, transfer the roasted chickpeas to a freezer-safe container or resealable plastic bag. Try to remove as much air as possible from the container or bag before sealing it shut. Alternatively, you can vacuum seal them for optimal freshness.

3. Label the container or bag with the date of freezing to keep track of their freshness.

4. Place the container or bag of roasted chickpeas in the freezer. Make sure to store them in a single layer if possible to prevent them from sticking together.

5. Roasted chickpeas can be stored in the freezer for up to 2-3 months without significant loss of quality. However, for the best texture and flavour, you should eat them the first month of freezing.

6. When you're ready to enjoy the frozen roasted chickpeas, you can thaw them overnight in the refrigerator or at room temperature for a few hours. Alternatively, you can reheat them in a low oven (around 150C/300F ) for a few minutes until they are warmed through and crispy again.

Step by step photographs.

Ingredients for the recipe. — Get all your ingredients together and measured out before starting.

Mixing the chickpeas with the olive oil and ground spices in a mixing bowl. — Pour the chickpeas into a mixing bowl and add the oil and ground spices. Stir well to combine.

The spiced chickpeas on a roasting tray. — Preheat your oven to 200C/400F. Spread the chickpeas in one layer on a baking tray and season generously with salt.

Roasting the chickpeas in the oven. — Place in your preheated oven to roast for 25 to 30 minutes or until golden brown and crispy all over.

The roasted chickpeas on a baking tray. — Don't rush the cooking. You are cooking to crispiness, not time. Ensure all of the chickpeas are crispy and move them around during cooking if needed.

Roasted chickpeas — The roasted chickpeas should feel lighter than when you put them in the oven as they dry out and become crispy.

If you like this recipe for chickpeas try my others:

Pickle with chickpeas, garlic and carrots
Chicken balti with chicpeas
Lamb Kofta Curry with Chickpeas
Chicken curry with mushrooms & chickpeas
Chickpea Curry

Yield: 6

Roasted Chickpeas In Spices & Olive Oil

Prep Time 5 minutes

Cook Time 30 minutes

Total Time 35 minutes

Ingredients

2 x 400g (15oz) tins of chickpeas
1 tbsp tandoori masala
1 tsp flaky salt plus more to taste before serving
1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
1/2 tsp chilli powder
1 tsp cumin powder
2 tbsp olive oil

Instructions

Preheat your oven to 200c/400f.
Drain the chickpeas as much as possible and then pour them onto paper towels to dry. You will need a couple of sheets as you want to thoroughly dry them so that they become crispy when you roast them.
Once dry, pour into a bowl with the other ingredients.
Stir well to combine so that the chickpeas are equally coated with the spices and oil.
Pour the chickpeas on a baking tray in one layer and then place in the centre rack of the oven.
Bake for 25 minutes but be sure to check from time to time while they cook as ovens do vary.
When finished, the roasted chickpeas should be crunchy and toasted brown.
Take them out of the oven and let them cool slightly. Enjoy.

Indian Coleslaw

February 26, 2014 By Dan Toombs 1 Comment

Indian style coleslaw — This makes a great side dish for those Summer barbecues. It's lighter than most coleslaw recipes but equally as good.

So today I decided to do something good for myself. Not too good mind, as this Indian recipe does have some mayonnaise in it but there isn't enough for me to count it as bad.

Some might but me... I've always got to have just a little bit of the bad stuff.

Still, this is quite a health coleslaw as coleslaw's go. It's quite spicy so you may wish to tone it down some but you spice fans will like the bite.

I made this today for my wife and me for lunch. There's still plenty left over for tomorrow and the next day too. That's one thing I like about coleslaw's, they do tend to stay fresh and crisp in the fridge and make a great side dish for so many different recipes.

We had it on its own and I actually feel quite satisfied. But then I did have a large portion of my Indian scrambled eggs this morning.

Yield: 6

Indian Style Lime & Chilli Coleslaw

Prep Time 15 minutes

Total Time 15 minutes

Ingredients

1/2 small head of green cabbage - roughly chopped
1/2 small head of red cabbage - roughy chopped
1 carrot - skinned and grated
5 spring onions - roughly chopped
2 tablespoons mayonnaise
2 tablespoons low fat plain yogurt
Juice of two limes
2 green chillies - finely chopped
1 clove garlic - minced
1 teaspoon brown sugar
A pinch of cumin powder
Salt and pepper to taste
3 tablespoons finely chopped fresh coriander

Instructions

Place the chopped cabbage, carrot and spring onions in a large salad bowl.
Spoon the plain yogurt into a separate bowl and whisk until creamy smooth.
Add the mayonnaise and do the same.
Now add the lime juice, brown sugar, chopped green chillies, coriander, garlic and cumin and whisk it all up until you have a nice dressing that is the same consistency to single cream.
Check for seasoning and then add your salt and pepper to taste. I used my own brand of spicy salt but any flaky salt will do.
Allow to stand for about 20 minutes in the fridge and then serve.

Chicken Chettinad

February 24, 2014 By Dan Toombs 23 Comments

Spicy and delicious… chicken Chettinad is a famous curry from southern India.

There are many recipes for chicken Chettinad and I have worked my way through a lot of them. Chicken Chettinad is a curry full of south Indian flavours and can be made really spicy or mild. This recipe is medium heat but you can always adjust to taste.

You will also find links to some hugely popular side dishes to serve with your chicken Chettinad.

What is Chicken Chettinad?

Chicken Chettinad is one of the most popular chicken curries from Tamil Nadu in southern India. Recipes vary greatly but the spicing is usually quite similar. Some contain a lot of tomatoes, giving the curry a rich flavour and bright red colour. Others call for less tomato and at times, a little yoghurt, giving the curry a creamier appearance.

I like the tomato version which is what you are going to get here. The spices used are usually quite similar as these are the spices needed for that chicken Chettinad flavour. There are so many delicious flavours in this simple curry you can enjoy it with nothing else but basmati white rice.

What do you serve chicken Chettinad with?

If you'd like to make this curry into a feast, you've come to the right place. You could just go for a side of Basmati rice or mushroom fried rice.

If you'd like to make naans, why not try one of these? Instant naans, Peshwari naans, stove top naans, keema naans, garlic naans, tandoor naans (if you have a tandoor oven), or if you're cooking outdoors, karahi naans.

Want to start your chicken Chettinad meal off with a bang? How about fried shop bought poppadoms or if you're feeling ambitious, make your own poppadoms from scratch and serve them with coriander chutney, red onion chutney, and/or tamarind chutney.

Working ahead…

You can definitely work ahead if it is more convenient. Although I recommend preparing the spice blend on the day you are cooking the curry, you could make it in advance with little loss of flavour.

As with most curries, chicken Chettinad benefits from cooking early. You can prepare this curry a day or two in advance and then just heat it up to serve. The flavours will develop and the curry will be even better.

Which cut of chicken?

You could use bone in thighs just as I have recommended in the recipe. Thigh meat has the best flavour and it is also cheaper than chicken breast meat.

If you prefer, you could dice your chicken instead of cooking it on the bone. Cooking the curry with bone-in chicken thighs will produce a richer flavour though.

Do I have to use fresh grated coconut in the spice blend?

Using fresh coconut is how it’s done at the best restaurants in Chettinad. You could, however cheat and use desiccated coconut. The flavour will still be amazing.

How spicy is chicken Chettinad?

It's as spicy as you want to make it. Chicken Chettinad is usually quite spicy. They do love their chillies there!

In the following recipe, you add dried chillies to the spice blend and also add Kashmiri chilli powder to the sauce. You can and should reduce the amount of chilli if you are at all concerned it will be too spicy.

You can always add more chilli powder to taste at the end of cooking should you decide you want more spice. Just be sure to cook it for a few minutes in the sauce before serving.

Can I use dried curry leaves in this curry?

No! One of the things that makes Chicken Chettinad so good is the variety of fresh flavour. Dried curry leaves have very little flavour and should be avoided.

You can purchase fresh curry leaves and freeze them though with little loss of flavour. Therefore, I recommend purchase a lot and freezing for when you want to next make a delicious chicken Chettinad curry.

Pro Tips...

If using fresh coconut, be sure to toast it until golden brown. This will reduce the amount of moisture and also give it a deeper flavour
Be sure to cook the curry covered as stated in the recipe. This too will build the flavours of the sauce.
Watch for the oil to rise to the top at the end of cooking. When oil appears on top, the curry is ready and the oil has done it's job of breaking down the sauce. This can be skimmed off if you wish.

Step by step photos of Chicken Chettinad.

Ingredients for chicken Chettinad — Gather all the ingredients together before you start cooking. It's a lot easier.

Toasting spices for the spice blend. — Toast the spices for the spice blend over a medium heat until warm to the touch and fragrant. Be sure to stir often and take off the heat before they begin to smoke.

Toasting the coconut. — You want to toast the fresh, grated coconut until fragrant and turning a light brown.

Grinding the spices and coconut. — Grind the toasted spices first and then add the toasted coconut. Grind to a fine powder.

Infusing spices and curry leaves into the oil. — Coat the bottom of a pan with the oil and add the star anise. Then add the curry leaves. I though a bit more cinnamon in too because I like it.

Frying onions and garlic and ginger paste. — Fry the onions until golden brown. Then stir in the garlic and ginger paste.

Adding chopped tomatoes to the pan. — Stir in the chopped tomatoes and bring to a simmer over a medium-high heat.

Adding the ground spices and coconut to the sauce. — Stir in the ground spices and coconut. Your sauce will become quite dry so add a little water. I usually add about 250ml (1 cup).

About that chicken Chettinad spice blend...

You might thing it looks like a lot of spices being added. Remember that a lot of that is coconut.

This is what makes a delicious chicken Chettinad so good!

Adding the chicken to the sauce. — Stir the spice blend into the sauce and add a little water. Then add the chicken. You want enough liquid to just cover the chicken. Cover and simmer over low heat for 20 minutes.

Finished chicken Chettinad — After 20 minutes, remove the lid and your curry will look something like this. Squeeze in the lime juice and season with salt. Cook down to preference.

The finished Chicken Chettinad curry. — Dig in! A little white rice is all you need. Garnish with fresh coriander (cilantro).

If you like this simple chicken curry recipe, you might like to try some of these too.

Why not turn your dish into a feast by serving it alongside another chicken curry or Indian Chicken recipe. Here are a few you might like to try.

See more Indian Chicken Curry Recipes →

See more Chicken Tikka Recipes →

Rice

See more Indian Rice Recipes →

Naan

See more Indian bread recipes →

Dahls

See more Dal Recipes →

Yield: 4

Chicken Chettinad

Prep Time 15 minutes

Cook Time 35 minutes

Total Time 50 minutes

Ingredients

FOR THE SPICE BLEND
1 tbsp cumin seeds
1 tbsp coriander seeds
1 tsp black peppercorns
1 tsp fennel seeds
1 tbsp poppy seeds
5 dry red chillies
1 x 2.5cm (1 inch) cinnamon stick
3 green cardamom pods, seeds only
2 cloves
75g grated fresh coconut
FOR THE CURRY
3 tbsp rapeseed (canola) or coconut oil
3 star anise
20 fresh or frozen curry leaves
2 red onions, finely chopped
2 tbsp garlic and ginger paste
2 tsp Kashmiri chilli powder
½ tsp ground turmeric
400ml (14 oz) chopped tinned (canned) tomatoes
1 kg (2 lbs) bone in chicken thighs, skin removed
Salt to taste
2 limes quartered
4 tbsp fresh coriander (cilantro), finely chopped

Instructions

Toast all of the spice blend ingredients up to and including the cloves in a frying pan over a medium-high heat until warm to the touch and fragrant but not smoking. This should only take a couple of minutes. Transfer these spices to a plate to cool.
Add the grated coconut to the pan and fry until it is turning a light golden brown. Place this coconut and the toasted spice in a spice grinder and grind to a fine powder. Set aside.
Now heat the oil in a large pan or wok over a medium-high heat. Stir in the star anise to infuse into the oil for about 30 seconds. Then add the curry leaves and fry for an additional 30 seconds.
Add the chopped onions and fry for about 5 minutes or until soft and translucent. Stir in the garlic and ginger paste along with the prepared spice blend. Add the chopped tomatoes and stir well to combine.
Place the chicken thighs in the sauce and bring it all to a simmer, stirring often to coat the chicken. Cover the pan and simmer over a medium heat for about 20 minutes, lifting the lid from time to time to stir.
To finish, season with salt to taste. Squeeze in the juice of one lime and garnish with chopped coriander (cilantro). Serve with lime wedges at the table which can be added to the curry to taste. I recommend serving chicken Chettinad with steamed white basmati rice.

Chicken Passanda

February 23, 2014 By Dan Toombs 12 Comments

This is one of my kids' favourite curries. It's not very spicy but still has just enough bite to make me happy. I prefer my curries spicy but this is a good family dish.

I learned how to make this chicken passanda from a friend chef though I've changed it for my own taste. His version includes 100ml of raisons which he pounds into a pulp. It gives the curry a sweeter flavour. He also leaves out the chilli. You might like the idea so I thought I should let you know.

Chicken passanda is a great curry for large groups. It can all be made ahead of time and then simply heated back up at the end. The extra standing brings more depth to the dish. You may need to add a drop or two of boiling water when reheating.

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Yield: 4

Chicken Passanda

Prep Time 10 minutes

Cook Time 30 minutes

Total Time 40 minutes

Ingredients

2 tablespoons ghee or lite olive oil
1 two inch piece of cassia bark or cinnamon stick
3 green cardamom pods - lightly crushed
1 onion - finely chopped
2 tablespoons garlic and ginger paste
1 teaspoon cumin powder
1 teaspoon garam masala
1 teaspoon coriander powder
A pinch of red chilli powder
A pinch of turmeric
8 chicken thighs - skinned and flatted with a meat mallet
250g plain yogurt
1 tablespoon ground cashews
A large handful of toasted almond flakes
3 tablespoons - finely chopped coriander
Salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

In a large frying high sided frying pan or wok, heat the ghee/oil over medium high heat.
When bubbling, toss in the cardamom pods and cassia bark.
Allow to fry for about a minute stirring the spices around in the oil to release their flavour.
Add the onion and sizzle for about five minutes until it is lightly browned and translucent.
Now add the ginger and garlic paste and stir it all up to combine.
Stir in the cumin, garam masala, turmeric, chilli powder and coriander powder and fry for a further 30 seconds.
Throw in your flattened chicken thighs and brown for about a minute before adding the yogurt on teaspoon at a time while stirring continuously.
Add just enough water to barely cover and bring to a simmer.
Simmer for 20 minutes checking the curry occasionally to ensure the spices aren't sticking to the bottom of the pan.
About five minutes before you finish, add the ground cashews and stir it all in.
The sauce will thicken so that it coats the chicken nicely.
Check for seasoning and add salt and pepper to taste.
Garnish with the toasted almond flakes and chopped coriander and serve with plain white rice.

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Lamb Korma

February 19, 2014 By Dan Toombs Leave a Comment

Lamb Korma

This is nothing like the kormas you find at most Indian restaurants around the UK. I learned how to make it while on one of my many visits to my favourite local Indian restaurant, Table Talk. It's a very old recipe and I have to say, it is so good.

It's also quite spicy. If you like your curries milder, just reduce the amount of chillies or omit them all together.

Not me... I love the spice. I made this with a half leg of lamb, which was just enough meat for the curry. Back in India and Bangladesh, this recipe would be made with goat meat which I highly recommend trying if you can get it.

The key to success is in the long cooking time. Please don't rush it, especially if using mutton or goat meat. Cook it all low and slow until the meat is melt in the mouth tender. You'll be glad you did.

Not only does the longer cooking time make it more enjoyable to chew, it also adds to the flavour.

I've been to so many restaurants where they've obviously tried to get the dish out before it's ready. At good Indian restaurants, the meat is always slow cooked in a sauce before adding to the curry to ensure that it is spot on when served at a busy restaurant.

Tip: If you have the bone of the leg of lamb, cut it into three pieces and roast it for about 30 minutes until good and brown. Then add it to the sauce while simmering.

Take a look at my other lamb recipes if you enjoyed this one:

Pre Cooked Lamb
Pre cooked chicken
Railway Curry
Lamb Curry
Keralan Lamb Curry
Stir Fried Lamb
Coconut Lamb

Lamb korma curry — This korma goes so nicely with fresh homemade naans

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Yield: 4 - 6

Lamb Korma

Prep Time 20 minutes

Cook Time 1 hour 20 minutes

Total Time 1 hour 40 minutes

Ingredients

800g leg of lamb cut into cubes - Retain the bone if you have it.
3 tablespoons ghee
2 tablespoons garlic/ginger paste
3 black cardamom pods (or 6 green pods)
3 onions - finely chopped
3 fresh green chillies - finely chopped
2 tablespoons desiccated coconut
1 tablespoon garam masala
3 tablespoon almond flakes
200ml coconut cream
Salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

Heat the ghee in a large frying pan or wok.
When bubbling, toss in the cardamom pods and allow to sizzle for about 30 seconds.
Now add the chopped onions and fry until soft and translucent (about five minutes).
Spoon in the garlic and ginger paste and stir to combine.
Fry this combo for about two minutes and then throw in the green chillies. I like this curry spicy so I do tend to add a few more than the three suggested.
After about a minute, pour in the garam masala and desiccated coconut and stir it all up, followed by the diced lamb and brown it for roughly three minutes.
Add just enough water to stop the meat and onion mixture from sticking to the bottom of the pan and continue stirring and adding a drop of water here and there for about 15 minutes.
Now add the almond flakes followed by the coconut cream along with just enough water to cover.
Cover the pan and simmer for 40 minutes or longer if needed. If using goat or mutton you will need to add another 20 to 30 minutes cooking time.
The lamb korma is ready when the curry is quite dry (as pictured) and the onion coated meat is very tender.
Check for seasoning and add salt and pepper to taste. Serve hot with naans.

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Authentic Chicken Balti

February 17, 2014 By Dan Toombs 44 Comments

This chicken balti recipe will get you restaurant quality results.

I first learned to make chicken Balti at a restaurant called Shababs in Birmingham's Balti Triangle.

This is the recipe I learned that day and it is the chicken Balti I make most often and also teach at my cookery classes.

It's the real deal unlike so many chicken Balti recipes out there.

One of the key ingredients in a true chicken Balti is the Balti bowl itself.

You can cook this chicken balti in any pan and it will still be delicious.

That said, part of going out for a balti is experiencing having your curry served to you sizzling hot in the same balti bowl it was cooked in.

I recommend picking up a couple of Balti bowls if you want that experience. They aren't expensive and can be purchased right here from the Birmingham Balti Bowl Company.

I am not affiliated with them but highly recommend their product.

Use a real Balti bowl to cook this chicken Balti and you will love being able to experience an authentic Balti at home.

Most chicken Baltis served at restaurants are not actually Baltis.

Unfortunately, these days most Baltis are not cooked the way they should be.

They are still delicious but the presentation is all wrong. Most chefs cook their Baltis in a regular frying pan and then serve the curry in an ornamental Balti pan.

As I said above, you could do this too. But just think about that sizzling hot chicken Balti you could be dining from if you use a real stainless steel Balti bowl.

How I got to know Balti...

Andy Munro is one of the leading experts on all things Balti. You can read more about him and the Birmingham balti scene right here.

I met up with Andy recently and he showed me his Birmingham, Balti Birmingham.

We visited all of his favourite Balti restaurants and Shababs was one of them. That opened my eyes to the real thing. A good chicken Balti is a work of art.

Make it as it should be and you will be in Balti heaven!

The base sauce

The slow cooked base curry sauce is another of the most important ingredients in a true chicken Balti. It's easy to make and one of my recipes is here.

My site features many recipes that call for the base curry house style sauce.

The smooth base is one of the things that makes a British curry, British. If you want that famous flavour and texture, you've got to make the base!

Can I make a Balti without making the base sauce?

Yes and no. In order to get a Balti right, the base sauce must be used. You can still make a delicious curry without it as I show in my chicken Balti from scratch recipe here.

Pre-cooked meat

Another important ingredient in an authentic chicken Balti is pre-cooked chicken.

In my chicken Balti from scratch recipe I cooked the chicken from raw. It works but adding pre-cooked chicken such as my tandoori chicken or stewed chicken will get you superior results.

Cooking the chicken first adds another layer of delicious flavour.

The tandoori method gives an amazing flavour of smoky, marinated and grilled chicken. The meat juices can also be added to the sauce.

The stewed chicken option offers succulently cooked chicken with lots of sauce you can add with your base sauce.

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chicken balti finished — Here I used tandoori chicken in my Balti. It was amazing!

If you like this chicken Balti recipe, you might like to try some of these favourites too...

Chicken Balti from Scratch
Aubergine Balti
Balti Dhal Fry

Yield: 1 - 2

CHICKEN BALTI

Prep Time 10 minutes

Cook Time 15 minutes

Total Time 25 minutes

Ingredients

2 tbsp rapeseed (canola) oil or ghee
1/4 medium onion - finely chopped
1 tomato - diced
1 tbsp garlic and ginger paste
2 fresh green bird's eye chilli peppers
1/2 large green or red pepper roughly chopped
2 - 4 tbsp tomato puree
2 tbs tandoori masala
300ml (1 1/3 cups) Curry Base Sauce
2 tsp Mixed powder
225g (1/2 lb) - tandoori chicken
1 tbsp cider vinegar
2 tbsp chopped coriander
Juice of 1/2 lime
Salt to taste

Instructions

Heat the ghee or oil in a large frying pan or balti pan over high heat.
Toss in the chopped onion and allow to fry for about 3 minutes or until the onion is beginning to turn soft and translucent.
Add the garlic and ginger and stir to combine. About 30 seconds should do the job. You just want to cook off the rawness.
Spoon in the tandoori masala and curry powder.
Now add the green chillies, bell peppers, chopped tomatoes and tomato puree. Give this all a good stir to combine.
Add about half of the base curry sauce and bring to a simmer.
Throw in the chicken pieces and top as needed with more base sauce. Remember, Baltis are quite dry curries so don't add too much. If you do, you could always cook it down.
Simmer for about 8 minutes or until the chicken is heated through. Stir in more base sauce as needed.
Add the cider vinegar and simmer for another minute.
Just before serving, sprinkle the coriander into the curry and season with salt and pepper to taste and then add the lime juice.

I hope you enjoy this chicken Balti recipe. If you do try it, please leave a comment. I'd love to hear from you.

Baked Salmon Fillet

February 14, 2014 By Dan Toombs 2 Comments

Baked salmon fillet doesn't get much better than this.

Cooked in a banana leaf, you are going to love the subtle flavour that leaf gives to this spicy baked salmon fillet recipe. This baked salmon recipe is from my book The Curry Guy Easy. There's a good reason it went in that book. It is as easy as recipes come. You will need to source a banana leaf or two though!

About this spicy baked salmon recipe

Spicy baked salmon in a banana leaf looks exotic, tastes incredible and yet is unbelievably simple to make. The technique rewards both beginners and experienced cooks and the flavours are easy to adapt to whatever mood you’re in, fiery, mild, citrusy, coconut-forward, or herb-heavy.

Once you’ve made this dish a couple of times as written you’ll want to start experimenting with other flavours. Perhaps that’s just me but I really think you will.

You’ll start keeping banana leaves in your freezer all the time. They’re inexpensive, they keep well and they turn ordinary meals into something memorable and celebratory. That is exactly what this spicy baked salmon recipe is.

Why Banana Leaves?

Before we get into marinades and oven temperatures, it’s worth talking about the star wrapping material: banana leaves.

If you’ve never cooked with banana leaves before, don’t worry… they’re far easier to work with than they look. Across large parts of Asia, South America and the Caribbean, banana leaves serve the same role that parchment paper or foil might play in Western kitchens but with a wonderfully fragrant twist.

When heated, banana leaves release a subtle grassy aroma. It’s not overwhelming. You won’t taste “banana”, in fact, banana leaves don’t taste like bananas at all. Instead, they add a hint of sweet greenery, a soft herbal note that melts beautifully into fish.

They also lock in moisture so your salmon virtually steams inside its own little envelope while absorbing all the spices around it.

If you can’t find banana leaves fresh, look in the freezer section of Asian or Latin grocery stores. Frozen works perfectly; just thaw and wipe them clean before using.

Choosing the Right Salmon

For this recipe, you’ll want salmon fillets or a single larger side of salmon if you’re feeding a group. Both wild and farmed work, but wild salmon usually has a firmer texture and deeper flavour.

Thickness matters more than type. Aim for pieces around 2–3 cm thick. Thinner pieces cook very quickly and may overcook before they absorb enough flavour, while thicker pieces take longer to steam inside the leaf.

If you’re using a side of salmon, you’ll need a couple of banana leaves to wrap it properly, but the process is the same.

Salmon cooked in a banana leaf — The salmon, lightly spiced and almost ready for the oven.

How to Prepare the Banana Leaves

Banana leaves are large and often a bit stiff when cold. Here’s how to prepare them so they become pliable and easy to fold:

Thaw (if frozen) and wipe clean with a damp cloth.
Pass them briefly over a flame or stovetop burner, just a quick glide. The leaf will soften and darken slightly.
- If you’re nervous about the open flame, you can dip them in hot water instead.
Cut the leaves into pieces several centimetres larger than your salmon fillets.
Keep the shiny side facing outward. The duller side usually touches the food.

The softened leaves won’t crack when folded to make this spicy baked salmon, which is key for keeping the steam inside while baking.

If you like this baked salmon recipe, you might like to try some of these popular salmon recipes too.

Other popular seafood recipes

Have you tried this spicy baked salmon recipe?

If yes, please give it a star rating in the recipe card below and leave a comment. I love receiving your feedback and I’m sure other readers of my blog do too. Thank you.

If you are not already doing so, please follow The Curry Guy on Instagram and Facebook for all our latest recipes.

Yield: 4

Baked Salmon Fillet

Direct from the pages of my book The Curry Guy Easy, you will love the flavours you get when you make this easy baked salmon recipe!

Prep Time 10 minutes

Cook Time 15 minutes

Total Time 25 minutes

Ingredients

4 banana leaves, soaked in water for about 20 minutes
4 x 250g (9oz) salmon fillets
1 garlic clove, finely chopped
1 tbsp good quality or homemade garam masala
1 tsp freshly ground black pepper
1/2 tsp red chilli powder
1 lemon
Salt and freshly ground pepper
3 tbsp finely chopped fresh coriander (cilantro), to serve

Instructions

Preheat your oven to 200oC/400oF/Gas 6.
Place the banana leaves on a work surface with the light side facing upward. Lay a salmon fillet on each leaf and rub the chopped garlic equally into each piece.
Mix the garam masala, black pepper and chilli powder, then sprinkle it equally over the salmon fillets.
Cut the lemon in half and squeeze the juice from one half of the lemon over the fillets. Cut the other lemon half into thin slices and place the slices on top of the fillets. Add salt and pepper to taste.
Wrap the salmon with the banana leaves to form parcels (as pictured). Now place the salmon parcels on a baking tray, with the seams tucked underneath to secure them closed, and bake for about 15 minutes. This should leave the centre of the salmon medium rare, but ovens do vary so you may need to experiment.
When the salmon is cooked, serve each parcel at the table with a bowl of chopped coriander (cilantro) to sprinkle over the top of the fish.

Game Pickle Curry

February 14, 2014 By Dan Toombs 2 Comments

Game Curry with pickling spices — Game meat curry pickle. This is currently my favourite recipe.

I made this curry a couple of days ago. Two days in the fridge gave the curry more depth, not that it wasn't already amazing when I first cooked it. This recipe is at least a few hundred years old. It can't be made in India anymore due to their ban on shooting game. Game pickle curry is too good for the world to lose though so I'm going to keep in alive here in the UK where game meat is easy to come by.

You are going to love this one. I promise.

Back in the old days in India, this would have been prepared and then stored in airtight jars. It is preserved in pickling spices, vinegar and mustard oil. I recommend eating it within a couple days of making the curry though. Nowadays, the recipe is still made with lamb, beef and chicken. It is usually eaten rolled into a hot parantha which is what I did. Talk about gorgeous!

Yield: 4

Game Pickle Curry

Prep Time 20 minutes

Cook Time 1 hour 30 minutes

Total Time 1 hour 50 minutes

Ingredients

500g venison
1 tablespoon garam masala
1 tablespoon red chilli flakes
1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder
2 tablespoons garlic and ginger paste
1 teaspoon fenugreek seeds
1 teaspoon black peppercorns
1 star anise
2 teaspoons brown mustard seeds
250ml mustard oil or olive oil
2 large onions - finely chopped
a pinch of asafoetida
200ml red wine vinegar

Instructions

In a large bowl, mix the garam masala, red chilli flakes, turmeric powder and the garlic and ginger paste together.
Pour in the meat and stir with your hands until the meat is covered with the marinade. Rub the marinade into the meat with your hands.
Allow to marinate for about an hour or two.
When you are ready to cook, place the meat in a large pan and brown in batches.
Then return all the meat to the pan and pour in just enough water to cover. Simmer slowly until the meat is cooked through and tender. This could take about 40 minutes depending on the cut of venison you are using.
When the meat is almost cooked to perfection, heat the mustard/olive oil in another large sauce pan. (Note: I used mustard oil and recommend that you do the same if you can get it.)
Add the onions to the hot oil and fry over medium high heat until the onions are crispy brown. Remove to paper towels to rest.
In another frying pan, toast the fenugreek seeds, mustard seeds, peppercorns and star anise until warm to the touch and just beginning to smoke.
Grind the spices with a spice grinder or pestle and mortar until you have a find spice blend.
Now to finish...
Add the cooked meat to the remaining mustard oil in the pan.
Then toss in the onions, spice powder and asafoetida and stir with your spoon until the meat is nicely coated.
Remove from the heat and pour in the vinegar and stir again to combine.
Eat immediately or allow to sit, covered in the fridge for up to two days. The flavour gets better with time.
Serve with chapattis or paranthas.

The game meat used in this recipe was sent to me to try by Farmer's Choice. I highly recommend their service and have used them for years now.

Curry Chicken Wings

February 13, 2014 By Dan Toombs Leave a Comment

I call this South Indian style recipe curry chicken wings because it’s an idea a came across while visiting Kerala in Southern India. There and, as I found on other trips all over India, cheaper cuts like wings are often used to make complete curries. Sure, more expensive cuts like breast and thigh are preferred in the west but I promise you, you are going to love this curry chicken wings recipe.

It might be a bit more difficult to eat but you can make it at a fraction of the cost of curries made with other cuts and it is just as good if not better.

About This Curry Chicken Wings Recipe

I have personally tried many South Indian curries like this curry chicken wings recipe. This curry has a lot of the most popular flavours from southern India in it.

This is a recipe you can literally make in 30 minutes or less and it will be just as good as any curry you find at restaurants in Goa and Kerala!

Using chicken wings in the curry is popular all over India. That and a mix of chicken wings and other small cuts of chicken. In India the skin is often removed from the chicken wings. I don’t recommend doing this because it’s not easy and very time consuming. That said, most Indian grocers and butchers will be able to sell you skinless chicken wings if you are eating light.

Ingredients

Fresh ingredients are key to getting the best flavour from this curry chicken wings recipe. You’ll find the ingredients listed below, while the precise amounts are provided in the recipe card at the end of the page. For smooth cooking and the best outcome, it’s a good idea to have everything measured and prepared before you begin.

See recipe card for quantities.

Coconut oil or a neutral vegetable oil
Black mustard seeds
Cumin seeds
Kashmiri chillies
2Fresh or frozen curry leaves
Onions
Green finger chillies, finely chopped
Garlic and ginger paste
Ground cumin
Ground coriander
Kashmiri chilli powder
Chicken wings
Thick coconut milk
Garam masala
Juice of one to two limes
Salt to taste.

Step by step photos

Below, you’ll see step-by-step photographs to guide you through this curry chicken wings recipe. At the bottom of the page, you’ll also find the full recipe card, which includes the complete list of ingredients and written instructions in an easy, printable format.

Infusing the mustard seeds into the hot oil in a wok.

Step 1: Heat a pan, karahi or wok over a high heat and add the oil. When the oil begins to shimmer, stir in the mustard seeds.

Adding the dried chillies, cumin seeds and curry leaves to the pan to infuse their flavour into the oil.

Step 2: When the mustard seeds begin to crackle, reduce the heat to medium-high and stir in the cumin seeds, dried Kashmiri chillies and the curry leaves. Fry, stirring regularly for about a minute.

Stirring the ground spices into the onion mixture.

Step 3: Stir the ground spices into the fried onion mixture. Be careful not to burn the spices. Take the pan off the heat if needed.

Stirring in the garlic and ginger paste.

Step 4: Stir in the garlic and ginger paste and let it all sizzle for about 30 seconds. Then add the chicken wings and stir them into this base masala.

Browning the chicken in the onion and spice mixture.

Step 5:

Adding just enough water to cover and cook the chicken.

Step 6: Add just enough water to cover and simmer the chicken until cooked through. About 250 to 500ml (1 to 2 cups) should do.

Step 7: Stir in the coconut milk and bring to a simmer. Continue simmering to cook the sauce down and thicken it to your preference.

Step 8: Stir in the garam masala and add lime juice and salt to taste. Serve hot with white rice or flatbreads.

Variations

There are of course many variations of this dish. Here are a few popular options:

Spicy: The curry is already quite spicy but you can make it South Indian HOT by adding more chillies and chilli powder.
Deluxe: Go ahead and use bite sized pieces of thigh or breast meat. On the bone is best. The chicken wings on the bone made a delicious sauce which is partly down to bone-in chicken meat.
Kid friendly: Leave the chillies and chilli powder out. You could replace them with bell peppers and sweet paprika. The flavour will still be good and it will be mild enough for the kids.

Useful Equipment

Curry chicken wings is an easy, one pan recipe. You don’t need any special equipment but the following might come in handy.

A wok or karahi: Although a frying pan will do, using a wok or karahi will make cooking easier as this is a quick stir fry.

A spatula: A good spatula will be useful for helping to stir the ingredients. If using a non-stick pan, be sure to use either plastic or wooden spatulas.

A Chefs Knife: For finely chopping the onion and chillies.

What do you serve with Curry Chicken Wings?

Other Curries: If you are serving a group, why not make a few other popular South Indian style curries like Chicken Chettindad, Goan Chicken Curry, Kuzhambu Chicken Curry, Goan Chicken Vindaloo, Chicken 65, Kerala Lamb Curry, Kerala Fish Curry,

Rice Dishes: All of these side dishes will go great with dahi chicken curry - Steamed Basmati Rice, Boiled Basmati Rice, Pilau Rice, Mushroom Fried Rice

Breads: Tandoori Naans, Tandoori Roti Chapatis Spiced Chapatis, Stovetop Naans

Dals: Chana Dal, Tarka Dal, Spinach Dal, Dal Makhani

Storage and Reheating

Like most curries, curry chicken wings can be made ahead of time and stored in your fridge or freezer. The flavour actually gets better the day after you make it.

Fridge: Keeps well for up to 3 days in an airtight container.
Freezer: You can freeze this curry for up to 3 months. The texture of the coconut in the sauce might change a little. If batch cooking, add the coconut milk after you defrost the curry to reheat it.
Reheating: Defrost completely and then reheat in a pan over a medium heat until hot. You can use a microwave but you’ll get better results using a pan.

Top Tip

Watch and Stir! Curry chicken wings is a quick stir fry. Before adding the water and coconut milk, be sure to watch it carefully and stir regularly so that you don’t burn the spices. If needed, add a drop of water to cool the pan down.

FAQ

Can you use dried curry leaves?

I get asked this question a lot. I don’t recommend using dried curry leaves. They have next to no flavour. Use fresh or frozen. I often purchase lots of curry leaves and freeze them so that I always have them on hand. They will freeze well for up to 3 months.

Can this recipe be made with other cuts of chicken?

Yes. This recipe is an example of how good a curry can be using cheap chicken wings. Feel free to use more expensive cuts. The sauce is also good with other proteins such as prawns and lamb.

Is this curry chicken wings recipe spicy?

As it’s written, it is spicy but not overly so. When you cook yourself, however, you can decide how spicy it is by adding more or less chilli powder and fresh chillies.

Looking for other recipes like this? Try these:

Pairing

These are my favorite dishes to serve with curry chicken wings:

Have you tried this curry chicken wings recipe?

If yes, please give it a star rating in the recipe card below and leave a comment. I love receiving your feedback and I’m sure other readers of my blog do too. Thank you.

If you are not already doing so, please follow The Curry Guy on Instagram and Facebook for all our latest recipes.

Yield: 4

Curry Chicken Wings

This recipe demonstrates how good a curry can be even when using cheaper cuts of chicken like wings. Give this a try. The sauce goes well with any cut of chicken.

Prep Time 10 minutes

Cook Time 20 minutes

Total Time 30 minutes

Ingredients

2 tbsp coconut oil or a neutral vegetable oil
1 tsp black mustard seeds
1 tsp cumin seeds
3 dried Kashmiri chillies
20 fresh or frozen curry leaves
2 medium onions, finely chopped
4 green finger chillies, finely chopped
2 tbsp garlic and ginger paste
2 tsp ground cumin
2 tsp ground coriander
1 tbsp Kashmiri chilli powder
15 to 20 chicken wings
200ml (3/4 cup) thick coconut milk
1 tsp garam masala
Juice of one to two limes
Salt to taste.

Instructions

Heat a pan, karahi or wok over a high heat and add the oil. When the oil begins to shimmer, stir in the mustard seeds.
When the mustard seeds begin to crackle, reduce the heat to medium-high and stir in the cumin seeds, dried Kashmiri chillies and the curry leaves. Fry, stirring regularly for about a minute.
Add the chopped onions and fry for about 5 minutes or until soft and translucent.
Stir the ground spices into the fried onion mixture. Be careful not to burn the spices. Take the pan off the heat if needed.Stir in the garlic and ginger paste and chopped chillies and let it all sizzle for about 30 seconds.
Then add the chicken wings and stir them into this base masala. Brown the chicken for a couple of minutes while stirring often.
Add must enough water to cover and bring to a simmer. Let the chicken simmer for about 5 minutes or until cooked through.
Stir in the coconut milk and again bring to a simmer. Squeeze in the lime juice and season with salt to taste to serve.

Paneer Balti

January 18, 2014 By Dan Toombs 8 Comments

Paneer balti is one of my favourite vegetarian baltis.

This paneer balti is very easy to make.

I like to cook balti curries on the barbecue but you could of course cook this paneer balti indoors.

What's important is to get the balti pan really hot. That's one of the things that will make this paneer balti a success for you.

Then you serve it in the same sizzling hot pan that it was cooked in.

Paneer Balti is a great balti curry for beginners.

Cooking a good balti curry is easy but perhaps a bit daunting when you first give it a go.

Balti curries are made in stainless steel balti pans. You could use another pan such as a metal frying pan but it just won't be the same.

The good thing about this paneer balti is that it is simple to put together.

The paneer is added raw and then simmered in the sauce until soft and delicious. It's so good scooped up with a hot naan, like my karahi naans, a chapati or paratha.

Paneer balti in a naan — No cutlery required! Just pick the delicious paneer and sauce up with the bread of your choice.

The essential base curry sauce...

As with all British curries, a base sauce is required to make them what they are.

The sauce is easy to make and is added to everything from the paneer balti right up to the spiciest balti phall.

I have a few recipes for this sauce on my blog. You might like to This small version or The larger version that I usually make. If you have the freezer space, I recommend making the larger batch as it does freeze well.

Make this paneer balti your own...

I have given a common recipe for paneer balti below.

You can make it exactly as it is or adjust to your own taste.

Add more chillies, for example or throw in some chickpeas.

The possibilities are a big as your imagination.

Step by step cooking photos...

Starting the curry off — Heat the oil in the pan and add the cumin seeds to infuse for 30 seconds. Then stir in the blended onion. Fry for a few minutes and then stir in the garlic and ginger paste.

Adding ground spices to balti pan — Add the ground spices and stir well to combine.

Paneer masala — Then add the chopped chillies.

Adding tomato puree to pan — Add the tomato puree and bring to a simmer.

Adding base sauce — The add about half of the heated base sauce and bring to a simmer.

Adding tomatoes — Stir in the cherry tomatoes and top up with a little more base sauce to keep it bubbling.

Adding paneer to balti bowl — Now add the paneer and push it right down into the sauce to cook. Add any remaining base sauce.

Adding cream to balti — Stir in the cream. You can add more to taste.

Adding kasoori methi and salt to taste — Add the kasoori methi and salt to taste. Done!

If you like this paneer balti recipe, you might like to try some of these too...

Hot as Hell Chicken Phall Balti
Chicken and chickpea balti
Chicken Saag Balti
Chicken balti
Duck balti jalfrezi
Duck and mushroom balti
Keema balti
Rogan josh balti
Prawn balti

Love Indian Vegetarian Recipes? Why not try one of these too...

All Indian Vegetarian recipes

Rice

See more Indian Rice Recipes →

Naan

See more Indian bread recipes →

Dahls

See more Dal Recipes →

Yield: 1

Paneer Balti

Prep Time 10 minutes

Cook Time 10 minutes

Total Time 20 minutes

Ingredients

1 medium onion, blended until smooth in a little water
2 tbsp rapeseed (canola) oil
1/2 tsp cumin seeds
1 tbsp garlic and ginger paste
1 tsp Kashmiri chilli powder
2 tsp basar curry powder OR
2 tsp mixed powder
2 green bird's eye chillies, finely chopped
70ml (1/4 cup) tomato puree
250ml (1 cup) base curry sauce
4 cherry tomatoes, quartered (optional)
250g (9 oz) paneer, cut into 1 inch cubes
3 tbsp single cream, plus more to taste
1 tbsp butter
1/2 tsp kasoori methi (dried fenugreek leaves)
Juice of one lemon
Salt to taste

Instructions

Heat the oil over medium high to high heat in a balti bowl. When hot, stir in the cumin seeds to infuse for about 30 seconds. Be careful not to burn the cumin! Then add the blended onion.
Fry the onion for about 3 minutes and then stir in the garlic and ginger paste to fry for another 30 seconds or so.
Stir in the ground spices and then add the green chillies, followed by the tomato puree. Bring to a simmer.
Add about half of the base sauce and bring to a simmer.
Stir in the tomatoes and push them down into the sauce. Add more base sauce as needed to keep it all bubbly and only stir if the sauce is sticking to the side of the pan.
Add the paneer and stir well so that it cooks in the sauce. Paneer can fall apart if cooked too long so you're about finished with your paneer balti now.
Stir in the cream and bring again to a simmer. Add the kasoori methi, the butter and lemon juice. Season with salt to taste to serve.

Tandoori Lamb Chops

January 6, 2014 By Dan Toombs 42 Comments

A curry house favourite, tandoori lamb chops are so good!

If you like tandoori lamb chops, you're in for a real treat with this one. The lamb chops are delicious served with a simple salad and some mint raita. If you want to make these tandoori lamb chops into a feast, don't forget the naans!

About this recipe

Usually when you go out for a curry and order tandoori lamb chops, they are served the Indian way, well done. That is good and you can cook these tandoori lamb chops to your preferred doneness, but I like them pink in the centre which is what I've done here.

Not only that, but in this recipe you cut the lamb chops into double thick chops. These are amazing! All you need to do is pick one up and bite into that deliciously marinated and grilled meat and you will be in tandoor heaven!

Which lamb chops should you purchase for this recipe?

Although you can get lamb chops prepared in a more traditional way at Asian shops, I recommend purchasing a couple racks of lamb from a good butcher.

Then you slice and prepare them as shown in the step by step photos below. The extra thick, grilled tandoori lamb chops are to die for!

Do you have to cook these on a barbecue?

Personally, I think you do for best results. That said, you can pan fry them too.

Cooking them over a hot fire on the barbecue add an amazing char grilled tandoori flavour that you find at the best curry houses.

Is this recipe difficult?

Not at all! All you need to do is marinate the lamb as explained in the recipe card below. This can be done up to 3 days before cooking and yes, the lamb chops do benefit from marinating for longer.

For best results, you should let the tandoori lamb chops marinate for 72 hours. If time is not on your side, you could get away with just marinating the tandoori lamb chops for 1 hour.

Can you freeze tandoori lamb chops?

Yes but please do this after you cook them. The marinade does not freeze well so it is best to grill them up and then freeze for later.

How long with tandoori lamb chops keep in the fridge?

Once cooked, you should be able to keep them, covered in the fridge for about 3 days.

How do you reheat tandoori lamb chops?

If you are cooking them pink in the centre, you don't want to loose that perfectly cooked meat.

So don't place them in the microwave as microwave ovens heat the meat from the centre and it will probably come out over done. You should preheat your oven to 200c (400f) and cook for about 10 minutes or until juicy hot and heated through.

If you like well done tandoori lamb chops, then go ahead and use the microwave to heat them up. It only takes a couple of minutes.

What is the internal temperature for cooked tandoori lamb chops?

This is important as people like their lamb cooked through in different ways. It is best to use a good meat thermometer to ensure you achieve the perfect doneness for your tandoori lamb chops.

For rare, aim for a temperature of 50c/120f. If you want your tandoori lamb chops to be cooked medium rare, 53c/125f is it. For medium, you need those chops to have an internal temperature of 55c/130f and for well done, aim for 63c/145f or higher.

Lamb does have a tendency to taste more gamy if cooked well done. Once cooked to your liking, let the meat rest for at least 5 minutes before serving.

What do you serve with tandoori lamb chops?

The obvious answer is exactly what you might order at your favourite curry house. Try starting off your meal with poppadoms or samosas and a good chutney or two.

You might also like to serve a tasty dal and I have recipes for that here too.

You can't go wrong with a good curry house style curry and perhaps ever naans and chapatis!

Step by step photographs.

Ingredients for tandoori lamb chops — Get all of your ingredients together before starting. It's easier that way.

Slicing a rack of lamb into chops. — Begin slicing your racks of lamb into double chops.

Slicing lamb chops — Some may have two bones. When slicing the chops, slice a closely to the second bone as you can.

Slicing tandoori lamb chops. — You can then slice that extra bone off so that each thick cut chop only has one bone handle. For traditional Tandoori lamb chops, remove the top fat as well.

Whisking the first marinade ingredients. — Whisk the first marinade ingredient together in a mixing bowl. Then rub that marinade right into each lamb chop.

The second marinade ingredients in a bowl. — Mix the second marinade ingredient together.

Lamb chops marinating. — After the lamb has been sitting in the first marinade for 20 minutes, rub the second marinade into the meat. Allow to marinate for 1 to 72 hours. The longer the better.

Cooking the tandoori lamb chops on the barbecue. — Heat your barbecue and cook for about 3 minutes per side. Using a meat thermometer will ensure perfectly cooked lamb chops.

Yield: 4

Tandoori Lamb Chops

Prep Time 30 minutes

Cook Time 6 minutes

Total Time 36 minutes

Ingredients

2 racks of lamb, cut into double chops
FOR THE FIRST MARINADE
2 tbsp ginger & garlic paste
1 tbsp mustard oil
½ tsp salt (to taste)
1 tsp freshly ground black pepper
1 tbsp lemon juice
FOR THE SECOND MARINADE
2 tsp garam masala
1 tsp Kashmiri chilli powder or to taste
1 tsp cumin
1 tsp coriander powder
½ tbsp fenugreek leaves
½ tsp dry red chilli, crushed
½ tbsp mustard oil
1 tsp Dijon mustard
3 tbsp yogurt
2 tsp mint sauce.

Instructions

You need to marinate the meat in two stages. First, mix the ingredients for the first marinade together and then rub this right into the flesh of the meat.
Allow to marinate for about 20 minutes while you prepare the second marinade.
Whisk all of the second marinade ingredients together and then rub this into the lamb chops. Allow to marinate for at least an hour or up to 72 hours. The longer the better.
When ready to cook, light up your barbecue and prepare for direct heat cooking. When it is uncomfortably hot to hold your hand 2 inches from the cooking grate for longer than 2 seconds, your fire is ready.
Cook the meat for about 3 minutes per side for medium rare or to your preferred doneness.

Garlic and Ginger Paste

January 3, 2014 By Dan Toombs 3 Comments

Garlic and ginger paste is an essential ingredient for Indian recipes.

Thousands of Indian recipes call for garlic and ginger paste. It's really just a blend of garlic and ginger as the name implies. The popular Garlic, Ginger and Chilli Paste is made in the same way. Just add fresh green finger chillies to taste.

Here you will learn everything you need to know about making garlic and ginger paste and how to use it. Whether you're making an Indian chicken, lamb or vegetarian curry, there is a good chance you will need garlic and ginger paste so having it on hand is very convenient.

About this garlic and ginger paste recipe

There aren't many recipes that are easier to prepare than garlic and ginger paste. Just open any Indian cookbook and you will find so many recipes that call for it. This simple recipe will get you a flavourful paste that can be used often and you can make it ahead too.

What is garlic and ginger paste?

Put simply, it's exactly what you might think. Equal amounts of garlic and ginger are blended with just enough water to make a paste.

The paste can be creamy smooth or even chunky depending on your preference or what it is you are cooking.

You can purchase paste like this in jars and frozen. Stay away from the jars though as these usually have vinegar or some other ingredients to give the paste longer life and they don't taste or smell very nice,.

How do you use the ginger garlic paste?

When cooking it into a curry like these curry house style curries, the paste is fried in hot oil for about 30 seconds to a minute. This flavours the oil with the garlic and ginger and also cooks out the rawness.

The prepared paste is also often used in tandoori marinades. The garlic and ginger add the perfect flavour to tandoori meats, fish, paneer and veggies. It's the traditional flavour we all know and love.

Do you always blend equal amounts of garlic and ginger?

No. Although equal amounts of garlic and ginger will get you a perfect blend, you might want to adjust the amount of both.

You could go heavy on either the garlic or the ginger if you want to.

How long can you keep garlic and ginger paste?

The paste will keep for at least three days in the fridge. Garlic can naturally turn a bit blue when kept in the fridge. This is not a problem so don't throw it out.

Whisking the paste should solve the colour issue but it will still taste good either way.

Can you freeze the prepared paste?

Yes! I recommend freezing it in ice cube trays. Then, once frozen, you can pour them all into a freezer bag to use whenever required.

How do you defrost frozen paste?

You can defrost your frozen paste in the microwave or just let it sit and defrost naturally.

Are there any other variations on this recipe?

Yes. Often you will find recipes calling for garlic, ginger and chilli paste.

This is really just the same thing but with chillies, to taste, thrown in. You can add your chillies of choice but I recommend using green finger chillies.

Can this recipe be upscaled or downscaled?

Yes. I have given an example recipe in the recipe card below. You can use the recipe as a guide and make as much or as little as you like.

Just blend equal amounts of garlic and ginger with enough water to make a paste and it's ready to use it in your cooking.

What are the benefits of garlic and ginger paste?

Flavour Enhancement: Garlic and ginger paste adds a robust and aromatic flavor to dishes. It brings a distinct taste and depth to various cuisines, enhancing the overall taste profile of the dish. The combination of garlic and ginger creates a flavourful base that complements a wide range of ingredients and spices.
Digestive Aid: Both garlic and ginger are known for their digestive properties. Garlic stimulates the production of digestive enzymes, helping to break down food and improve digestion. Ginger aids digestion by reducing inflammation, relieving bloating, and soothing the gastrointestinal tract. Using garlic and ginger paste in cooking can promote better digestion and alleviate digestive discomfort.
Anti-inflammatory and Immune-Boosting Properties: Garlic and ginger are renowned for their potential health benefits. They contain bioactive compounds with anti-inflammatory properties that may help reduce inflammation in the body. These compounds also have antioxidant effects, which can protect cells from damage caused by free radicals and support a healthy immune system.
Cardiovascular Health: Garlic has been associated with potential cardiovascular benefits. It may help lower blood pressure, reduce cholesterol levels, and improve circulation. Ginger, on the other hand, may have a positive impact on blood clotting and blood sugar levels. Regular consumption of garlic and ginger paste as part of a balanced diet may contribute to cardiovascular health.
Antibacterial and Antiviral Properties: Both garlic and ginger possess natural antibacterial and antiviral properties. They contain compounds that can help combat certain bacteria and viruses. Incorporating garlic and ginger paste in cooking may support the immune system and provide protection against common infections.
Nutrient Content: Garlic and ginger are packed with essential nutrients. Garlic is a good source of vitamin C, vitamin B6, manganese, and selenium. Ginger contains vitamins such as vitamin C, vitamin B6, and minerals like potassium and magnesium. Using garlic and ginger paste in recipes can provide a boost of these beneficial nutrients.

Step by step photographs.

Ingredients for garlic and ginger paste. — Get your garlic and ginger together. You can make as little or as much as you like. Remember it does freeze well.

Finely chopped garlic and ginger. — Finely or roughly chop your garlic and ginger. You could simple add finely chopped garlic and ginger to a curry but a smooth garlic ginger paste is used much more often.

Garlic and ginger paste. — Add just enough water to blend your garlic and ginger into a paste. You could also use a pestle and mortar.

Pro Tips

Fresh and Quality Ingredients: Start by using fresh and high-quality garlic cloves and ginger root. Look for firm bulbs of garlic without any soft spots or mold. Choose ginger that is firm, smooth, and free from wrinkles. Fresher ingredients will yield a more potent and flavorful paste. Organic options can be preferred to avoid potential pesticide residue.
Proper Ratio and Blending Technique: Maintaining the right ratio of garlic to ginger is important for achieving a balanced flavor in the paste. I usually use a 50/50 blend of both. Peel the garlic cloves and ginger, then chop them into smaller pieces to ease the blending process.
Storage and Preservation: To preserve the freshness and flavour of the garlic and ginger paste, you should store it in an airtight container or small glass jars. Drizzle a thin layer of oil on top of the paste to create a protective barrier against oxidation. This will help extend its shelf life.

Refrigeration is recommended to maintain the quality and prevent any spoilage. The paste can typically be stored in the refrigerator for up to two weeks. If you want to prolong its shelf life, freezing is an option. Portion the paste into small containers or ice cube trays, freeze them, and then transfer to a freezer bag for easy usage. Frozen garlic and ginger paste can last for several months.

Yield: 15 tbsp

Garlic & Ginger Paste

Prep Time 5 minutes

Total Time 5 minutes

Ingredients

135g (1 cup) peeled garlic, roughly chopped
135g (1 cup) peeled ginger, roughly chopped
Water as needed

Instructions

Prepare your roughly chopped garlic and ginger. You can either leave the skin on or off. It’s up to you. I find the garlic and ginger skin adds flavour but the skin is usually removed for appearance.
Place the garlic and ginger in a spice grinder or pestle and mortar and grind with just enough water to make a smooth paste.
Use as required. Store in the fridge for up to three days or freeze in small portions. It is worth noting that finely chopped garlic and ginger will achieve an equally good flavour.

Notes

The amount of water needed to blend your garlic and ginger paste depends on your blender. Just add enough to assist blending.

Curly Kale Salad

January 1, 2014 By Dan Toombs Leave a Comment

After last night's festivities, I'm surprised I'm able to sit here and type. I love New Year's Eve but New Year's day is definitely a day to do something good for myself and family.

You probably won't find anything like this recipe in any Indian cookbooks. I made it up, but don't let that stop you.

Curly kale is nice stir-fried or steamed but in this recipe I serve it raw with ingredients that are used often in Indian cookery. I promise you that you will like this one if you enjoy your salads and a touch of good old spice.

This curly kale salad is one of the healthiest things you can eat. I used to make an Italian version back when I lived in California but today I decided to experiment with it.

This is easy to make and as the curly kale is quite a lot tougher than lettuce, the salad can actually be tossed with the dressing and hour before serving.

So here you go. If you like the idea of this salad but aren't a big fan of chilli and ginger and garam masala, just leave them out and add a tablespoon of Parmasen for an Italian treat that's equally as nice.

Yield: 4

Curly Kale Salad

Prep Time 15 minutes

Total Time 15 minutes

Ingredients

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
4 anchovies
4 cloves garlic (more or less to taste)
10mm chunk of skinned ginger - finely grated
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
3 tablespoons finely chopped coriander
1 red chilli - finely chopped
Juice of two limes
Freshly cracked black pepper (to taste)
1/2 teaspoon garam masala (to taste)
Approx. 200g curly kale - finely chopped

Instructions

Pour the olive oil into a large wooden bowl.
Add the garlic, anchovies, grated garlic and red chili and smash with a fork until becomes a paste.
Add the Dijon mustard, the lime juice and the chopped coriander and stir to combine.
Add the curly kale and ensure that it is evenly coated with the dressing.
Add the black pepper and sprinkle with garam masala and allow to sit for up to an hour or serve immediately.

How To Make Indian Restaurant Base Curry Sauce

December 31, 2013 By Dan Toombs 455 Comments

This curry house style base curry sauce will get you the results you're looking for!

Visit the kitchen of any busy curry house and you are almost certain to see a large saucepan of curry sauce/gravy simmering away on the stove. This sauce is used as a base for most of the restaurant’s curries.

Base curry sauce in a saucepan on a table, ready to use in curry house style curries.

About the base curry sauce.

Each restaurant has their own special recipe but they are usually quite similar. The base sauce makes it possible for chefs to cook, plate and serve many different curries quickly and easily.

This smooth base curry sauce is just one of the things that give British Indian restaurant (BIR) style curries their distinctive flavour and texture that is loved by so many.

Base Sauce

In this video you will find new information that will make your Base Sauce absolute perfection!

Recipe Card

What exactly is a base curry sauce?

I like to describe the base curry sauce as a fancy vegetable stock. It doesn’t have a lot of flavour though it does taste good.

Add some tandoori chicken, cumin, garam masala, a large heap or two of chili powder, mango chutney and a few other ingredients and you’ve got yourself a chicken madras.

Keep the chilli powder to a minimum and add some cream, block coconut, rose water and a dusting of cardamom powder and voila… a fragrant chicken korma.

The most important thing to take away is that it's a simple sauce. There should not be any strong or spicy flavours in it.

Why does the base sauce need to be kept simple?

You might have seen some recipes on the internet or books that require a lot more ingredients. That is completely defeating the purpose of making and using a base curry sauce! You might even see recipes that call for coconut milk, cream, fresh coriander, chillies and chilli powder and even tamarind. Although tasty, you should add ingredients like these when you make the different curry house style curries.

The base sauce is meant to be a bit bland. It's a base! It should not have a lot of flavour because the idea is to build on the subtle flavours that are in it.

Add too many other, stronger flavoured or creamy ingredients and all of your curries will taste the same. Let your base curry sauce work it's magic as you introduce other ingredients when you are making the different curries. You can use a simple, base curry sauce like this in every curry, from the mildest korma to the spiciest phall.

Why use a base sauce?

The answer to this question is simple. It's the best way you will achieve authentic and perfect curry house style curries at home.

When you have a base curry sauce (or gravy) on hand, you can literally prepare your favourite restaurant style curries in minutes. There is no need to slowly fry chopped onions and add other ingredients to form a base masala for your curry because all that work has been done ahead of time.

You can, however achieve amazing curry house style curries without a base sauce as I show in my series of no base curry house style curries here.

So you never add stronger flavours to a base sauce?

Never say never! If you are preparing this base curry sauce and you know what you like, then go ahead and add more ingredients. Make it creamy with cream. Stir in some coconut milk or add chillies to give it a kick.

However, if you are making your base sauce and want to whip up curries in minutes for friends, it's best to keep it simple. That is what they do at every curry house I have been to, learning from the chefs. They keep the sauce mild but flavoursome and then use it in all their curries from mild to spicy. Mild and flavoursome is what you are going to get from this base curry sauce recipe!

Ingredients

Get all your ingredients together before you start cooking. It's easier that way.

onions, roughly chopped
salt
rapeseed (canola) oil*
carrots, peeled and chopped
green cabbage, roughly chopped
red (bell) pepper, deseeded and diced
green (bell) pepper, deseeded and diced
tinned (canned) chopped tomatoes, or about 4 medium fresh tomatoes, chopped
garlic and ginger paste
garam masala
ground cumin
ground coriander
paprika
ground fenugreek (optional)
ground turmeric

See recipe card for quantities.

Step by Step Photographs

As you will see from the photos below, the base curry sauce is quite simple to prepare. Take some time to do it and you will be amazed at how authentic your curry house style curries are!

Step 1: Fry the onions in the oil for a few minutes to soften. You can add a pinch of salt which will bring out the moisture and cook them faster.

Adding the bell peppers, carrot and cabbage to the pot.

Step 2: Add the carrots, cabbage and bell peppers to the pot and give them a quick fry in the oil.

Adding the garlic and ginger paste to the pot.

Step 3: Add the garlic and ginger paste and stir it all up to combine.

Adding the paprika, ground coriander, cumin, garam masala, fenugreek and turmeric to the pot.

Step 4: Then add the paprika, ground coriander, cumin, garam masala, fenugreek and turmeric.

Adding water to the vegetables and spices in the pot.

Step 5: Pour in just enough water to cover the veggies. You should leave about 2 inches at the top.

Bringing the base sauce to a simmer in an open pot.

Step 6: Slowly bring the base stock to a simmer.

Step 9: Cover the pot with a lid and simmer gently over a medium heat for about 45 minutes.

Showing the cooked vegetables in the sauce on a spoon.

Step 8: You want to blend until really smooth. At this stage, the base curry sauce will be quite thick. Time to thin it some! Note: If you are freezing the sauce, freeze it before thinning it with water to conserve freezer space.

Step 9: Begin blending the sauce. This can also be done in a countertop blender if more convenient.

Step 10: You want to blend until really smooth. At this stage, the base curry sauce will be quite thick. Time to thin it some! Note: If you are freezing the sauce, freeze it before thinning it with water to conserve freezer space.

Step 9: Before adding the base curry sauce to a curry, you need to thin it some. Add water or stock to thin the sauce.

Pouring the base curry sauce from a spoon back into the pot.

Step 10: It should be creamy and smooth, about the same consistency as full fat (whole) milk.

Equipment

A large heavy bottomed pot: I use a 6 litre pot for this recipe. Sometimes I make more or less and use a larger or smaller pot.

A Blender: Personally I prefer using a stick blender but you could also use a counter top blender.

Storage

Your homemade base sauce will keep, covered in the fridge for 3 to 4 days. In fact, it will get better as the flavours develop. So this really is a job you can get out of the way early for your next curry night. Just be sure to heat it up in a pot before adding to your curries.

You can also freeze the sauce for up to 6 months

What size containers should you freeze the base sauce in?

That's really up to you and how you wish to use it.

Most of the recipe in my books and on this blog that call for base curry sauce serve 2 to 4. These recipe call for anything between 500ml (2 cups) and 700ml (2 3/4 cups) of base sauce. That's the diluted sauce!

So if you want to have enough sauce to cook a curry for four at the ready, I recommend freezing the sauce, before diluting it in portions of 350ml (1 3/4 cups). Then diluted it with water, vegetable, chicken or meat stock when you heat it up to use in your curry.

That said, I also have a lot of recipes for curry house portions of my recipes on this site. These call for between 250ml and 300ml of base sauce and serve 1 - 2 people.

Top Tip

If you are freezing your base sauce, freeze it just after blending and before diluting with water. It will free up freezer space.

FAQ

What type of cabbage do you use?

This is probably the question I get asked most. Cabbage is not added to all base sauces and you really can’t taste it. You can add any green cabbage. It really isn’t all that important. Just don’t use red or purple cabbage.

Do you thin the sauce before adding it to a curry?

This is another question I get asked a lot and the answer is YES! When you add the base sauce to a curry, it should be about the same consistency as cream or full fat milk. Because of all the vegetables in the sauce, it will cook down very quickly so it is important that the sauce be creamy smooth and thin. I usually freeze the sauce before diluting with water to free freezer space.

Do you have to use all those spices?

This is a base sauce recipe that is similar to those used at curry houses. The spices are more there for colour than flavour. The spicing of the curries is done when you make the actual curries. I have seen some chefs use nothing but oil, onions and garlic and ginger paste in their base sauces but the majority of chefs give their curries a bit of a head start by adding spices to the actual base sauce.

You might not have the time to make the base curry sauce. So I have developed these two cheats that work really well.

How to use your base sauce.

You will find all the most popular curry house style curries on this site. Following are the top 10 to get you started:

Yield: 3 liters (enough for 15 servings)

How To Make Indian Restaurant Curry Sauce

Take some time to make this base curry sauce. Once it's made and you have it on hand, you can whip up all your favourite curry house style curries in minutes! From the mildest korma to the spiciest phaal, this is the base you need to make them just like you get at Indian restaurants.

Prep Time 20 minutes

Cook Time 1 hour

Total Time 1 hour 20 minutes

Ingredients

900g (2lb/about 7 medium) onions, roughly chopped
1 tsp salt
250ml (1 cup) rapeseed (canola) oil*
110g (4oz) carrots, peeled and chopped
60g (2oz) cabbage, roughly chopped
85g (3oz) red (bell) pepper, deseeded and diced
85g (3oz) green (bell) pepper, deseeded and diced
200g (1 cup) tinned (canned) chopped tomatoes, or about 4 medium fresh tomatoes, chopped
5 tbsp garlic and ginger paste
1 1/2 tbsp garam masala
1 1/2 tbsp ground cumin
1 1/2 tbsp ground coriander
1 1/2 tbsp paprika
1 tbsp ground fenugreek (optional)
1⁄2 tbsp ground turmeric

Instructions

Place the onions in a 3-litre (3 US quart) stockpot over a medium heat and add the salt and oil. Give it a good stir and fry to soften the onions for about 3 minutes. Then add the remaining vegetables along with the garlic and ginger paste and stir them in to coat with the oil too.
Add the ground spices and then pour in just enough water to cover. You will simmer this for some time, so do not fill the pan to the rim. The water level should be about 5cm (2in) from the top.
Bring to a simmer and then reduce the heat to low and simmer gently, covered, for about 45 minutes.
After 45 minutes, your vegetables will be much softer and the liquid will have reduced somewhat. You probably won't need to add any liquid at this stage but keep an eye on it and top it up if you need too.
Simmer for another 30 minutes. When the oil rises to the top and your veggies are good and soft, you’re ready to blend.
Using a hand-held blender, blend for about 4 minutes until the sauce is super-smooth, with no chunks and not at all grainy. This step can be done in batches in a blender. If you have a good blender, you might not need to blend as long to achieve that smooth consistency.
At this stage, the blended sauce will be quite thick (see note). Add water until the sauce is about the same consistency as full-fat (whole) milk or stock. Sometimes I need to pour the sauce into a larger bowl to do this.
Use immediately or store in the fridge for up to 3 days, or freeze in small portions of between 500ml (2 cups) and 750ml (31⁄4 cups) for use later. The sauce can be frozen for up to three months.

Notes

Freezing the base sauce.

If you are planning on freezing the base sauce, it is best to freeze it before diluting with water. This will save you freezer space. Then when you are ready to use the base sauce, let it defrost completely and heat it up in a pan. Dilute this thick sauce with water or stock until it is about the same consistency as full fat (whole) milk or single cream before using.

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Garam Masala Seared Haddock

October 15, 2013 By Dan Toombs 6 Comments

Seared Haddock

This is a quick and easy seared haddock recipe. As you can see, I served it with my fried lemon rice and my recipe can be found below. The combination works wonderfully together.

For eggs, all you need to do is set the temperature to 62c and then place the eggs in the water bath and leave them for an hour. Done!

Anyway, back to the seared haddock, you could just as easily serve it with roast potatoes or no carbs at all. Garam masala seared haddock is nice served with a fresh green salad.

As part of my commitment to use more olive oil in my cooking, I seared the fish in a few tablespoons of Cardiasoil olive oil which was great. You could use other oils too.

The garam masala is easy to make. Those who have been reading my blog for a while will know I have quite a few recipes. To make this garam masala seared haddock, I used my curry powder recipe. Yes, curry powder is just another name for garam masala.

You could also us a good quality store bought brand.

If you love this recipe try my other Indian fish recipes which are equally as good:

Fried Lemon Rice

Baked Thai Salmon
Salmon Dosa
Salmon Curry with Broccoli
Salmon with cashew & corriander sauce
Tandoori Salmon Tikka with soy sauce and garlic
Spicy Salmon Fillet baked in Banana Leaf
Salmon with a creamy saffron sauce
Keralan Fish Curry
Goan Fish Curry
Halibut Fish Curry
Fish Curry with Coconut & Chilli
Spicy Fish Curry with Naga Chillies
Monkfish Curry

Yield: 4

Garam Masala Seared Haddock

Ingredients

4 x haddock fillets
1 teaspoon turmeric
3 tablespoons garam masala
3 tablespoons olive oil or ghee
Salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

Dust the haddock fillets equally with the turmeric and rub it into the flesh.
Now do the same with the garam masala.
Heat the oil in a large frying ban and fry the haddock fillets for about two minutes per side until the fish flakes easily but isn't falling apart.
Season with salt and pepper to taste and serve.

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I hope you enjoy this seared haddock with garam masala Recipe. If you do give it a try, please don't be a stranger. Leave a comment. I'd love to hear from you.

Indian Roast Duck

October 12, 2013 By Dan Toombs 15 Comments

This slow roast duck is a real treat

Name: Roasted Red Pepper & Tomato Marinated Tandoori Prawns
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 30 min
Total time: 45 min
Yield: 4
Cuisine: Indian
Ingredients: 20 medium sized prawns - peeled and deveined; two roasted red bell peppers (capsicums); 2 large roasted and skinned tomatoes or 100ml passata; Juice of one lemon; 1/2 teaspoon sweet smoked paprika; Salt and pepper to taste; FOR THE CHILLI AND CORIANDER BUTTER; 100g unsalted butter; 1 green chilli - finely chopped; 2 cloves garlic - smashed into a paste; 1 small bunch of coriander - finely chopped

slow roast duck with garam masala — The crispiest, most amazing duck recipe I know.

About ten years ago I used to cook a lot of Chinese food. I wanted to perfect my Chinese cooking skills very similar to what I'm doing now with Indian food. Back then, however I didn't have this slow roast duck recipe. I wish I did.

Back then, I used to boil the ducks for about ten minutes and then hang them to dry out the skin for crispy Peking duck. This traditional method worked very well but it was a lot of work.

You might think that slow roast duck could get a bit dry but the opposite is true. We're talking very juicy meat with the crispiest skin. I love this recipe.

No, it's not good for you but sometimes you've just got to do what you've got to do.

Yield: 4

Garam Masala Slow Roasted Duck

Prep Time 15 minutes

Cook Time 4 hours

Total Time 4 hours 15 minutes

Ingredients

1 5 lb. duck
2 tablespoon garam masala
1 tablespoon ginger paste
1 tablespoon garlic paste
Salt and Pepper

Instructions

Preheat your oven to 325f (120c)
Using a sharp knife, prick the skin all over about 40 times. Do this at an angle so as not to put holes in the meat.
Wash the duck inside and out and then dry with kitchen towels.
Rub the duck inside and out generously with salt and pepper.
Then press the garam masala into the skin and rub the ginger and garlic pastes inside the cavity.
Now place the duck breast side down in a roasting dish and place in in the oven.
Every half hour take the duck out of the oven and make about forty more pricks in the skin to release more fat and pour out any fat in the dish. Then place it back in the oven.
After two hours, turn the duck on its back and cook for a further 30 minutes.
Now turn the oven up to it's highest setting and cook until the skin is crispy and nicely browned.
Remove from the oven and allow to rest for about 20 minutes. The skin will get crispier as it rests.
You could eat the slow roast duck on its own or wrap pieces of duck meat and skin in fresh chapattis with salad and a nice raita. That's my favourite way to eat it.

The free range duck featured in this recipe was sent to me to try buy Farmer's Choice. It was awesome.

Rumali Roti

October 1, 2013 By Dan Toombs 1 Comment

Rumali Roti is an Indian flatbread that you simply must try!

Rumali rotis aren't only delicious and fun to serve, they're actually quite light. If you're like me and want to cut back on your carb intake while still enjoying a good roti or two, then this rumali roti recipe might be just what you're looking for. Over the years I have tried a few recipes for rumali roti but this is now my go-to recipe. These paper-thin rotis are excellent for dipping into curries such as this Old Delhi style grilled butter chicken or using as wraps.

What are rumali rotis?

Rumali roti, also known "roomali roti," is a type of unleavened Indian flatbread. The name "rumali roti" translates to "handkerchief bread" in Hindi, and as it is so thin and resembles a handkerchief.

What should rumali rotis look like?

Thin and Large: Rumali rotis are extremely thin and can be quite large, often reaching the size of a large handkerchief or even larger. You roll the dough until it becomes very thin, which gives the bread its unique texture.

You can prepare your rumali rotis smaller if you must. Make them as large as your pan will allow. If you have a large pan, I highly recommend making them larger.

When cooked correctly, rumali roti is soft, elastic, and slightly chewy. It should be pliable enough to fold or roll without breaking.

What is the difference between chapattis and rumali rotis?

Chapattis use chapatti flour which is a fine mix of whole wheat and plain white flour. You could actually use a little chapatti flour in rumali rotis if you like which is also good.

Another difference is that rumali rotis are much thinner than chapattis. Think a quarter of the thickness!

How are these rotis cooked?

Traditionally, rumali roti is cooked on an upside down, very hot wok-like pan. You will see photos of this method below. They can, however be prepared in any hot pan that is not non-stick.

The pan or wok are first splashed with salt water and then the dough is rolled and stretched and then slapped onto the wok or into the pan.

It cooks very quickly due to its thinness. It's then removed, folded or rolled, and served hot.

How do you serve rumali rotis?

These delicious rotis are traditionally an accompaniment to various Indian dishes, particularly those with rich gravies or curries. They can be used to scoop up the curry or wrap around pieces of meat or vegetables. They are also popular as a street food snack, where it might be folded into a cone shape and served with various fillings.

Can you store these rumali rotis in the fridge?

Yes but it's worth noting that rumali rotis are best when served fresh, as their thin texture can make them prone to drying out.

If you plan to store them for an extended period, you can also consider freezing them. To freeze, wrap each roti individually in aluminum foil, then place them in an airtight container or freezer bag. You can freeze them for weeks. Thaw them in the refrigerator and reheat as needed.

Remember that while storing can extend the life of rumali rotis, their texture may not be as perfect as when freshly made. It's always best to enjoy them soon after cooking for the best experience.

How do you store rumali rotis?

Following is the best advice I can give you. I find that taking these steps will ensure rumali rotis that are almost as good as fresh out of the pan.

Allow Them to Cool:

Let the rumali rotis cool down to room temperature after cooking but before storing. This helps prevent condensation inside the storage container, which can make the rotis soggy.

Stack with Parchment or Paper Towels:

Place a piece of parchment paper or a clean, dry paper towel between each roti as you stack them. This helps to prevent them from sticking together and makes them easier to separate when you want to use them.

Wrap in Aluminum Foil:

Wrap the stack of rumali rotis in aluminum foil. The foil helps to retain moisture and keep the rotis soft and pliable. Make sure to wrap them but not too tightly to avoid crushing them.

Place in an Airtight Container:

Put the wrapped stack of rumali rotis inside an airtight container. This extra layer of protection helps maintain freshness and prevents them from absorbing any strong odors from the refrigerator.

Store in the Refrigerator:

Place the airtight container with the wrapped rotis in the refrigerator. Refrigeration helps extend their shelf life. You can store them this way for 2-3 days.

How do you reheat rumali rotis?

When you're ready to use the rumali rotis, you can reheat them. Heat a skillet or tava (griddle) and warm each roti briefly on both sides. This will make them soft and pliable again, similar to when they were freshly made.

Step by Step Photographs

Ingredients for rumali roti — Get your ingredients together before starting.

Flour, salt and sugar in a mixing bowl with oil. — Sift the flour, salt and sugar into a mixing bowl and add the oil.

Mixing the dough together in a mixing bowl. — Work the oil into the flour. It will look crumbly. Then start pouring in the milk while continuing to mix with your hand.

Top tip: When mixing the dough at this stage, just use one hand. Keep your other hand dry.

Kneading the dough together in a bowl. — Knead the dough together. It will be quite wet at this stage.

Kneading the dough on a floured surface. — Lightly flour a clean surface and begin kneading. Be careful not to add to much flour. Just enough so that it doesn't stick to your hands.

Stretching the dough and kneading — Knead for about 10 minutes, stretching the dough as you do. Keep stretching. You will find that the dough becomes easier to stretch without adding much flour at all.

Kneading the dough. — Keep stretching and kneeding! 10 minutes at least if not longer!

Dough ball for rumali roti. — Work the dough into a ball, pinching the bottom together. Your dough should still be very soft and just a bit sticky to the touch.

The dough ball rubbed with oil and in a mixing bowl. — Rub a little oil over the surface of the ball and place in a bowl.

Dough ball resting under a damp cloth. — Cover the dough ball with a damp cloth and let it rest for at least 2 hours. 4 - 6 will be even better.

Dividing the dough for rolling out. — Dived the dough into 4 equal portions. You could make more equal sized portions if using a small pan.

Rolling out the dough. — Roll a section of dough into a ball and then flatten. Roll it out as thin as you can get it.

Showing fingers through the rolled out dough so that people can see how thin it is. — We're talking paper thin here! This will become even thinner when stretched across the wok.

An upturned wok splashed with salt water. — Stir the salt and water together until the salt dissolves into the water. Heat a wok until flaming hot and turn it over. Splash the surface with the salt water.

Placing the rolled roti onto the wok. — Place the rolled roti on top and cook for about 15 seconds.

rumali roti turned and cooking on a hot wok. — Turn it over and cook for about 5 seconds. Repeat a few times until cooked through. The whole process should only take about 20 to 30 seconds.

Yield: 8

Rumali Rotis

Rumali rotis are much thinner and lighter than chapattis and tortillas but they are just in good used as a wrap. You will also enjoy these rumali rotis as a lighter alternative to naans ane they are great dipped into a curry.

Prep Time 20 minutes

Cook Time 10 minutes

Total Time 30 minutes

Ingredients

250g (2 cups) plain (all-purpose) flour, plus extra for dusting
1 tsp table salt
1 tsp sugar
250ml hand hot milk
2 tbsp rapeseed (canola) oil
FOR COOKING
250ml (1 cup) water
3 tbsp salt

Instructions

Sift the flour into a large mixing bowl. Add the 1 teaspoon salt, the sugar and the oil, then slowly pour in 250ml (1 cup) warm milk while working it in with your hand.
Form into a soft dough and knead for at least 10 minutes on a flour-dusted surface. You do not want to add too much flour. Just enough so that the dough is not sticking to your hands but is still soft.
Form this into a smooth dough ball and cover with a damp cloth. Allow to rest for at least 2 hours and up to 6 hours.
When ready to cook, separate the dough into eight small balls or four large balls. I like them large for wrapping, but the smaller balls may be better for light snacks. Using a rolling pin, roll out one of the balls into a circle. You want the rotis to be as thin as you can get them. Paper thin! I usually roll out and cook the rotis one at a time for ease.
When ready to cook, stir 3 tbsp salt into 250ml (1 cup) water until all of the salt has dissolved.
Now heat a pan that is not non-stick over a high heat. You want your pan to be flaming hot before adding your first roti. Dip you hand in the salt water mixture and splash it all over the surface of the pan. Do this a few times so that the whole surface is covered. The pan surface will turn white from the salt which adds flavour and also stops the rumali rotis from sticking to the pan.
Place your first rumali roti in the pan and cook for about 15 seconds. Carefully flip it over and you will see light brown spots which is good. Allow to cook on this side for 3 seconds, then flip again for 3 seconds and once again for 3 seconds.
Remove the rumali roti from the pan and fold it into a square shape. Cover to keep warm.
Repeat with the remaining dough, slashing a little more salt water into the pan. This will cool it down some and also ensure your remaining rotis don't stick.
Repeat the folding process for each rotis and cover to keep warm. These are best served immediately while they are still hot from the pan but you can keep them, covered for about 30 minutes if needed.

Monkfish Cheek with Chorizo

September 23, 2013 By Dan Toombs 6 Comments

Monkfish cheek is so tender and nice to cook with

Monk cheek with chorizo — You are going to love this quick dish

Have you ever tried monkfish cheek? You might be surprised how good it is. It's also very quick and easy to cook making it perfect for lunch or a family meal after a long day at work.

I picked up a few monkfish cheeks from my fishmonger a couple of days ago and didn't really have any idea what I was going to do with them. I knew they needed to be fried over high heat for about 45 seconds per side but that's about it.

So today, I decided to raid my fridge to see what else could be served with these seafood delicacies.

This may have been a last minute meal but the flavours didn't half work well together. I made it for lunch for my wife, Caroline and me and she insisted I type down the recipe before I forgot it. I do tend to forget things these days so I sat down and typed.

I used gram (chickpea flour) in this Indian recipe but you could also use plain flour. I do like the subtle flavour of the gram flour though and it also gives the fish a nice and natural reddish appearance.

Enjoy!

Yield: 2

Peppered Monkfish Cheek With A Chorizo & Garlic Sauce

Ingredients

4 monkfish cheeks (about 100g each)
4 tablespoons rapeseed oil
1 teaspoon freshly ground pepper (or more to taste)
Salt to taste
250ml gram flour (sifted)
150g chorizo - finely chopped
Approx 20 coriander stocks - finely chopped
2 cloves garlic
2 spring onions - finely chopped
1 large tomato - finely chopped
1 teaspoon tried chilli flakes
200ml rich chicken stock
1 tablespoon soy sauce

Instructions

Place the monkfish cheeks in the gram flour so that they are evenly dusted with the flour. Remove any excess flour
Sprinkle the ground pepper over the monkfish cheeks and then add salt to taste.
Press the salt and pepper into the flesh.
Now heat a frying pan over high heat and add the oil.
When nice and hot, carefully place the monkfish cheeks into the oil and fry for about 40 seconds per side.
Remove the fish from the oil and set aside.
Pour out all but about one tablespoon of oil and then add the chopped chorizo.
Allow to fry until nice and crisp and then pour in the chopped coriander, garlic and tomato.
Stir to combine and the add the soy sauce and the stock.
Bring to a happy simmer and place the fish back in the pan for about a minute, turning once.

Rad Na

September 18, 2013 By Dan Toombs 5 Comments

Ever tried rad na? You should!

This is one of my favourite dishes from my cookbook 'The Curry Guy Thai'. It is pretty simple to make but you do need to pay close attention when you're frying the noodles.

You can make Rad Na in less than 30 minutes so it's a great one for after work or when you want to impress your friends with your Thai cooking skills.

Rad Na on a serving plate at the table. — Photo by Kris Kirkham for my cookbook 'The Curry Guy Thai'.

What is rad na?

Rad Na is a popular Thai noodle dish known for its savoury and slightly sweet flavour. ‘Rad’ means to pour in Thai and ‘na’ means top. That’s what you will be doing here – pouring a delicious thick gravy all over the top of a nice pile of smoky seared noodles and pork.

If you are not used to using a wok, I recommend using a non-stick wok or pan for this one. If your wok skills are up to it, go for a well seasoned carbon steel wok to really bring out the smoky flavour in the noodles. Most non-stick woks cannot be used at a high temperature as it will ruin the non-stick coating.

Following I have listed some of the things that make rad na so amazing:

Ingredients:

Wide Rice Noodles: To make rad na, you need to use flat rice noodles that have a chewy texture.
Meat and Vegetables: Common proteins include chicken, pork, beef, or tofu, and it’s often combined with vegetables like Chinese broccoli (gai lan), bell peppers, or carrots. My version uses pork but feel free to add what you like.
Gravy/Sauce: The sauce is a mix of soy sauce, oyster sauce, and sometimes a bit of chicken or beef broth. You then thicken the sauce with cornstarch, creating a savoury, slightly sweet gravy that coats the noodles.

Cooking Method:

Stir-Frying: The noodles, meat, and vegetables are stir-fried together, with the sauce added towards the end of cooking to ensure everything is evenly coated.
Gravy: Typically, you pour the sauce or gravy over the noodles . You then cook it briefly to heat and thicken and as it does, it adheres to the noodles.

Which noodles should you use for rad na?

Rad na should be made with wide rice noodles, preferably homemade, though any flat rice noodles will work. It is best to cook your noodles over a high heat to give them a bit of a char and smoky flavour. If you aren't used to using a hot wok, go ahead and cook the par-boiled noodles over a medium heat in a non-stick pan. You may not achieve the smoky flavour but they will still be good.

You can do this in advance, as they do at many Thai restaurants. Ideally the hot noodles are first fried and then cooked with the remaining ingredients before adding the sauce.

The crispy, smoky texture and flavour of the noodles is what really makes the dish.

Can you make rad na without the special wide rice noodles?

Yes, you can make Rad Na without fat rice noodles, although it will change the texture and slightly alter the dish. Here are some alternatives you can use if you can't find or prefer not to use wide rice noodles:

1. Thin Rice Noodles: You can use thin rice noodles as a substitute. They’ll have a different texture but can still absorb the sauce well. Make sure to adjust the cooking time as thin rice noodles cook faster than wide ones.

2. Udon Noodles: Udon noodles, which are thick, chewy Japanese wheat noodles, can be a good substitute. They have a different flavour and texture but work well with the savoury sauce.

3. Egg Noodles: You can also use egg noodles, which are slightly more flavourful and have a different texture than rice noodles. They will give the dish a richer taste and slightly different mouthfeel.

4. Flat Rice Noodles (Ho Fun): If you can find flat rice noodles that are not as wide as traditional Rad Na noodles, they can be a suitable alternative. They have a similar texture and work well with the sauce.

Tips for Substituting Noodles:

Adjust Cooking Times: Different types of noodles have different cooking times. Be sure to follow the package instructions and taste test to ensure they’re cooked to your liking.
Watch the Sauce: Some noodles may absorb sauce differently, so you might need to adjust the amount of sauce or thicken it slightly to suit your chosen noodle.

Can you store leftover rad na in the fridge?

Yes, you can store leftover Rad Na in the fridge. To keep it fresh and maintain its flavour and texture, you should let it cool to room temperature before storing in an air tight container for up to 3 days.

To reheat, I recommend that you heat it up in a pan or wok over a medium heat until hot. You can add a drop of water which will help loosen the noodles and prevent them from sticking.

You could also reheat rad na in your microwave, covered to retain the moisture. The best way to reheat is on the stove in a pan though.

Yield: 4

Rad Na

Ingredients

250g (9oz) pork shoulder, sliced into small, bite-size thin slivers against the grain
450g (1lb) fresh rice noodles (see page 20 for homemade) or 225g (8oz) dried wide rice noodles, soaked just before cooking as packet instructions
2 tsp dark soy sauce*
2–3 tbsp rapeseed (canola) oil 200g (7oz) Chinese broccoli or
other Asian greens, roughly
chopped
Pickled chillies (see page 147),
to garnish
Fried shallots (see page 148),
to garnish
FOR THE MARINADE
2 tbsp tapioca starch
1 tbsp light soy sauce*
1 tbsp oyster sauce*
1⁄4 tsp ground white pepper
1 egg white
1 tsp sesame oil
1 tsp Chinese cooking wine or
dry sherry (optional)
FOR THE SAUCE
2 tbsp sesame oil
5 garlic cloves, finely chopped 2 tbsp yellow soy bean paste or
Yeo brand gluten-free hot soy
bean paste
500ml (2 cups) unsalted pork or
chicken stock (see page 18) 2 tsp soy sauce*
1 tbsp palm sugar
2 tbsp tapioca starch

Instructions

Start by making the marinade. Whisk all of the marinade ingredients in a bowl, adjusting to taste as necessary. Add the pork and let it sit while you prepare the rest of the dish, or leave it overnight to marinate.
If using homemade or shop-bought fresh noodles, separate them and place them loosely in a bowl. If they are difficult to separate, heat them in the microwave for 30 seconds. Pour the dark soy sauce over the rehydrated or fresh noodles, then mix it in with your hands.
Heat a non-stick wok or large frying pan over medium–high heat. Add about 1 tablespoon of the rapeseed (canola) oil and when it begins to shimmer add half of the noodles. Fry for about 20 seconds without stirring, then toss the noodles over in the wok/pan or turn them carefully with a spatula. If using fresh noodles, some clumping will occur. That’s OK; you are trying to sear them so they turn crispy
in areas. When they are turning crispy, pour them onto a warm serving plate and repeat the process with more oil and the remaining noodles.
Now for the sauce. Working swiftly, wipe your wok clean with a paper towel and add the sesame oil. Stir in the garlic and bean paste and fry for about a minute until the garlic is turning a light brown. Add the stock, soy sauce and sugar and bring to a boil. Meanwhile, whisk the tapioca starch with 2 tablespoons of water in a glass and set aside. When your sauce reaches boiling point, add the pork slowly and cook it through, stirring often at first so that it doesn’t stick together. It is important that you don’t add the pork too quickly to the boiling sauce so it maintains its heat. The sauce must be boiling when the pork is added or the protective marinade coating will fall off into the sauce rather than cooking onto the pork. After about 1 minute of simmering, add the broccoli and cook for a couple of minutes until tender.
To finish, stir in the tapioca starch paste a little at a time until the sauce thickens and glistens to your liking. You may not need it all; you just want a thick and smooth gravy. Taste and adjust the seasoning if necessary. Pour this delicious, thick gravy over the seared noodles. Garnish with pickled chillies and fried shallots.

Notes

I usually cook my tandoori style recipes in my tandoor or on the barbecue. Today I was lazy and the oven worked just fine.

Indian Roast Shoulder of Lamb

September 17, 2013 By Dan Toombs 16 Comments

This roast lamb shoulder can also be done with leg of lamb.

Indian food recipes - shoulder of lamb — Indian influenced 10 hour shoulder of lamb

This recipe brought back memories of growing up for me. Ten hour slow roasted lamb was a family favourite though my parents cooked it with Italian spices. The meat is so tender.

The version in our family cookbook calls for leg of lamb but I decided to use the shoulder. Shoulder is cheaper and personally I think it tastes equally as good cooked in this way.

Whether you use leg or shoulder, I hope you try this one. It's more the long cooking time that I want to promote here than anything else. If you like Italian food, try the technique with oregano, rosemary, garlic and thyme with a splash of wine.

If you'd like to do your own French interpretation, use lots of onions, whole shallots, garlic and again wine.

In this rather Indian style dish, I used many of the spices I use in my traditional lamb rogan josh recipe though I did decide to add a nice dry white wine which doesn't feature in most Indian dishes.

You could of course just use a nice lamb, vegetable or chicken stock instead.

International & UK Orders

Yield: 6

10 Hour Spicy Roast Lamb Shoulder

Prep Time 20 minutes

Cook Time 10 hours

Total Time 10 hours 20 minutes

Ingredients

1 bone in or out shoulder of lamb
2 tablespoon freshly ground pepper
1 teaspoon flaky sea salt
3 tablespoon rapeseed oil
1 tablespoon garlic paste
1 tablespoon ginger paste
1 tablespoon (or more) green chilli paste
1 one inch stick of cinnamon or cassia
1 teaspoon cumin seeds
1 teaspoon coriander powder
1 teaspoon red chilli powder
2 tablespoons rose water
500ml dry white wine
2 large onions - very finely chopped
4 carrots - roughly chopped
1 cup (250ml) plain flour

Instructions

Pre-heat your oven to 150c.
Bring the shoulder of lamb to room temperature.
Rub a little of the oil over it and then press the crushed pepper and salt into the flesh.
Heat the remaining oil in a large saucepan with a lid.
When the oil is good and hot but not smoking, brown the lamb joint all over.
Now add the cumin seeds, cinnamon stick, coriander powder and red chilli powder.
Move the spices around for 30 seconds being very careful not to let them burn.
Pour in the chopped onions and carrots followed by the garlic, ginger and green chilli pastes.
Now add the white wine and and rose water and bring to a rolling simmer.
Make a dough with the flour and a little water. You won't be eating this so it doesn't need to look pretty.
Place the lid on the saucepan and then roll the dough out into a long rope shape.
Use this to seal the lid so that no air can escape when cooking. Believe me, this is an important step and adds so much to the final dish.
Place in the oven for ten hours.
When ready to serve, remove the lid at the table. The aroma will be amazing.
Serve with rice or roast potatoes.

Indian Herb & Spice Stock

September 10, 2013 By Dan Toombs 4 Comments

Using herb and spice stock is a fantastic way to add flavour to your curries!

There really isn't much you can do with this herb and spice stock on it's own. It doesn't taste of much but it sure can make a curry go from good to fantastic.

This is especially so with curry house style dishes where curries are usually cooked over high heat. Spices that are added to hot oil to make curries can easily burn if the chef isn't careful.

In an effort to ensure the spices don't burn, many chefs will spoon in a ladle or so of water to cool the pan.

There is an easier and equally delicious way to add these flavours to your curries.

I have witnessed many great chefs substitute something like this herb and spice stock.

The flavour if subtle but when added to a curry instead of water it just seems to lift the flavour and make the end dish so nice.

I like to look at this herb and spice stock as that little bit extra which isn't necessary but well worth the effort.

Working ahead...

Indian herb and spice stock freezes well. It can also be kept in the fridge for at least a week.

It only takes about a half an hour to make.

So why not make some spice stock when convenient and use it as required.

I like to freeze this spice stock in ice cube trays and add it like a stock cube. It takes the flavour up and makes the curry that little bit better.

Make this herb and spice stock your own...

You could experiment depending on the curries you are making. You might like to throw in a few fenugreek seeds or perhaps a spoonful of garam masala.

Use it like you would chicken or vegetable stock and the possibilities are endless.

It's worth noting that you could use a stock like this for any cuisine. It's not just limited to Indian cuisine.

Vary the spices depending on what kind of food you are making.

How to use spice stock in you BIR curries...

You don't need a lot. If you have my book 'The Curry Guy', you will know that the spice stock is and added bonus that can be added like you do the base sauce to a curry.

This is a really good idea, especially if you are making a curry sauce and using a vegetarian main ingredient.

Where you might add a little chicken stock to a chicken tikka masala or some lamb stock to a rogan josh, this spice stock can be added in the same way to any curry house style curry.

Add it to taste and then cook the sauce down to your preferred consistency.

If you add to much, it will cook down and taste amazing. If your curry is too dry, you could add more base sauce or a combination of base sauce and spice stock.

Want to give it a go? Try this spice stock in one of these famous curry house sauces.

Tikka masala sauce
Chasni sauce
Pathia sauce
Pasanda sauce
Chilli garlic sauce
Jalfrezi sauce
Keema sauce
Madras sauce
Vindaloo sauce

Herb And Spice Stock For That Perfect Curry

Ingredients

1 handful of green cardamom pods
20 cassia bark leaves (Indian bay leaves)
1 two inch cinnamon stick or cassia bark
20 black peppercorns
1 teaspoon roasted cumin seeds
1 large bunch coriander - stems and leaves roughly chopped
1 or more green chillies - cut lengthwise (optional)

Instructions

Bring a 3 litre pot of water to a rolling boil
Throw in the herbs and spices and stir to combine.
Reduce to a simmer and allow to cook for about 30 minutes
Strain through a fine sieve and store in air tight plastic containers.

Rabbit Curry

September 3, 2013 By Dan Toombs 10 Comments

This rabbit curry was so good and easy to make!

Rabbit meat isn't always that easy to find where I live but when I can get it, I often make this delicious rabbit curry. This is an easy one as you only need to whip up a quick base masala and then add the rabbit meat to stew until cooked through and tender.

Rabbit has a similar flavour to chicken but I prefer it to chicken. Especially when I cook it on the barbecue until nicely charred. When I do that, I often add the grilled meat to this rabbit curry instead.

You will love the flavour that cooking the rabbit meat on the bone in the curry. Of course, you could cut the meat off the bone if you prefer but you won't get the same depth of flavour. This rabbit curry goes very well with other curries as part of a curry feast. Don't forget the homemade poppadoms, samosas and fried, baked or air-fried onion bhajis!

About this rabbit curry recipe

This is a family favourite which we usually take camping with us. We prepare the sauce ahead of time and then grill the piece of rabbit over the fire to add to it.

You don't have to grill it over fire though! Your rabbit curry will be equally as delicious, but a little less smoky if you stew it as you will do from the recipe in the recipe card below.

Do you find rabbit curry in India?

While rabbit meat is not as commonly consumed in India as chicken, lamb, or goat, rabbit curry is prepared and enjoyed in some regions, particularly in parts of South India. The cuisine of South India, especially in states like Kerala and Tamil Nadu, incorporates a variety of meats and seafood, and rabbit is one such option.

In fact, this is a recipe that I ate quite a few times while in Kerala. It's so good.

What should you consider when cooking rabbit curry?

Marination for Flavor:
- Marinate the rabbit pieces before cooking to enhance their flavour. A simple marinade can include ingredients like rapeseed (canola) oil, garlic, ginger, chili powder, lemon and salt is all you need. Let the rabbit marinate for at least a couple of hours and up to 4 hours.
Sear the Meat:
- Before stewing, sear the rabbit pieces in a hot pan with a bit of oil. Searing helps lock in the juices and adds flavour through caramelization. It's a crucial step for developing a rich taste in a rabbit curry.
Choose the Right Cooking Liquid:
- Select a flavorful liquid for stewing. In this recipe, you simply add water. A lot less common but very good is to add about 250ml (1 cup) of dry white wine. I know... wine doesn't feature in many curries but then, not many curries are rabbit curries. Give it a try.
Low and Slow Cooking:
- Rabbit meat benefits from slow, gentle cooking to become tender. Use low to medium heat and simmer the stew rather than boiling it vigorously. Stew the rabbit until the meat is fork-tender, which may take 1.5 to 2 hours or more, depending on the size and age of the rabbit. Don't rush this! Your rabbit curry is ready when the meat is tender!
Add Vegetables at the Right Time:
- If you're including vegetables in your rabbit stew, add them later in the cooking process. Root vegetables like carrots and potatoes can be added about halfway through the cooking time to ensure they don't become mushy. There are no root vegetables in the recipe below but you can definitely add them if you like.
Fresh Herbs for Finishing:
- Add fresh herbs toward the end of the cooking time for a burst of fresh flavor. Fresh coriander (cilantro) is the obvious choice but you could try parsley, thyme, or rosemary too.
Check for Doneness:
- Test for doneness by piercing the rabbit meat with a fork. It should be tender and easily pull away from the bone. Be careful not to overcook the meat or it will become stringy and not very nice.
Rest Before Serving:
- Allow your rabbit to rest for a few minutes before serving. This helps the flavours meld, and the meat continues to absorb the juices.

What do you serve with rabbit curry?

This is a Keralan curry and most Keralan curries are great served simply over white Basmati rice or a flavoured rice.

Step by step photographs

Ingredients for rabbit curry — Get all your ingredients together before starting. Oops, I forgot to show the chopped onions and tamarind concentrate but I'm sure you get the picture.

Scoring the rabbit pieces for better penetration of the marinade. — Score each piece of rabbit before placing the meat in the marinade.

Marinating the rabbit meat — Marinate the meat for about 30 minutes or up to 4 hours. Mix it well so that the rabbit meat is completely coated with marinade.

Frying slivered garlic — Fry the garlic slivers in oil until light brown. This should only take a couple of minutes. The garlic will flavour the oil. Transfer the fried garlic to a plate and set aside.

Frying the rabbit pieces. — Fry the rabbit pieces for a couple of minutes on each side to give it a good sear. You may need to do this in batches. Don't overcrowd the pan.

The seared rabbit — Your rabbit should look a bit like this once browned. Transfer to a plate and set aside.

Adding whole spices and curry leaves to the pan — Now add the mustard seeds and when they begin to crackle, stir in the other whole spices and curry leaves. Add more oil to your pan if needed.

Stirring in the chopped onions to fry until soft and translucent. — Stir in the chopped onions and fry for about 5 minutes or until soft and translucent. Sprinkle in a little salt to assist and speed up the cooking of the onions.

Stirring the garlic and ginger paste, chillies, ground spices and tomatoes into the pan. — Add the garlic and ginger paste and fry for about 30 seconds. Then stir in the chopped chillies, ground spices and chopped tomatoes.

Returning the fried rabbit to the pan and stirring it into the onion and spice mixture. — Return the rabbit to the pan and stir it into the onion mixture.

Pouring in water or stock to cover the rabbit and simmer it. — Pour in just enough water to cover the rabbit pieces. Bring to a simmer and then cover the pan to lightly simmer for about and hour.

Reducing the stock down. — After about an hour, your rabbit should be nice and tender. There will still be a lot of liquid in the pan so take the lid off and simmer it down to thicken.

Stirring in the coconut milk and tamarind concentrate. — Stir in the coconut milk. You can add a whole can but I only added half as I like the red colour and it's spicier too.

Serving the rabbit curry. — Season with salt to taste and serve.

You might also like to try one of these...

Why not make your rabbit curry into a curry feast with rice, naans and/or chapattis and another curry or two? Following are some of my favourites.

Goan Chicken Vindaloo
Chicken Changezi
Grilled butter chicken

Have you tried this rabbit curry recipe?

If you have, please leave a star rating in the recipe card below and leave a comment. I love getting your feedback and I'm sure other readers of my blog do too. Thank you.

Yield: 4

Rabbit Curry

Prep Time 15 minutes

Cook Time 1 hour

Total Time 1 hour 15 minutes

Ingredients

1 rabbit – cut into six to eight pieces
3 garlic cloves, slivered
FOR THE MARINADE
2 tbsp garlic and ginger paste
1 tbsp rapeseed (canola) oil
3 tbsp lemon juice
1 tsp salt
2 tsp black pepper
1 tbsp Kashmiri red chilli powder
FOR THE CURRY
3 tbsp coconut oil or rapeseed (canola) oil
1 tsp black mustard seeds
2.5cm (1 inch) cassia or cinnamon stick
1 tsp cumin seeds
4 green cardamom pods
30 fresh or frozen curry leaves
2 onions – finely chopped
2 tbsp garlic and ginger paste
2 - 3 green finger chillies, finely chopped
2 tomatoes – finely chopped
1 tsp garam masala
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp ground black pepper
1 tbsp ground coriander
1 - 3 tbsp Kashmiri red chilli powder ( to taste)
200ml - 400ml thick coconut milk
1 tsp tamarind concentrate
Salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

Score the rabbit pieces a few times in each piece. Place the scored rabbit in a mixing bowl and add all the marinade ingredients. Be sure to rub the marinade right into the flesh. Allow to marinate for 30 minutes to 4 hours or just go straight to cooking. The longer marinating time does have flavour benefits!
Pour two tablespoons of oil in a large pan over a medium heat and fry the slivered garlic until just turning a nice golden brown. This should only take a couple of minutes. Transfer the fried garlic to a plate and set aside for later.
Now sear the marinated rabbit in the hot, garlic flavoured oil over a medium-high heat for a couple of minutes per side or until nicely browned. You may need to do this in batches. Don't overcrowd the pan or your rabbit will steam instead of fry.
Transfer the seared rabbit to a plate and set aside.
Add more oil if needed and stir in the mustard seeds. When they begin to crackle, add the cumim seeds, cinnamon, cardamom pods and curry leaves. Allow these flavours to infuse into the oil for about a minute, while stirring continuously for about a minute.
Stir in the chopped onions and fry for about 5 minutes or until soft and translucent. Then add the garlic and ginger paste and chopped chillies and fry for a futher 30 seconds.
Stir in the ground spices and chopped tomatoes. If you're not sure about the chilli powder, add a little to start and then add more to taste at the end of cooking.
Return the rabbit pieces to the pan and add just enough water to cover the meat. Bring to a simmer over a medium-high heat and then cover the pan and continue simmering slowly over a low to medium heat for about an hour.
After an hour, the rabbit should be really tender. Take the lid off and simmer the sauce down over a medium-high heat to thicken it some.
When you are happy with the consistency of the sauce, pour in the coconut milk and tamarind concentrate. If you prefer a really creamy sauce, add all the coconut milk. If you like a spicy, not so creamy curry, only add half.
Stir it all in and season with more salt and pepper to taste if needed. Garnish with the slivered garlic and fried curry leaves to serve.

Notes

TIP: I usually take some of the fried curry leaves out of the pan and use them as a garnish.

Lamb Shami Kebab

August 21, 2013 By Dan Toombs 1 Comment

Shami Kebabs — Try a lamb shami kebab wrapped into a hot naan. Delicious!

You could use any minced meat for this lamb shami kebab recipe but I decided to go the full flavour route and used minced mutton. Usually I use lamb

If you want to make things easy on yourself, ask your butcher to run minced leg of lamb or mutton through the grinder a couple more times. The end result will be a lamb shami kebab that is velvety in texture and fall apart gorgeous too.

The recipe I use for the minced meat is exactly the same as for my seekh kebab but this meat is worked even more. Once I have the ground meat, I push it by hand onto the bottom of bowl or work surface.

It’s called “lacing”. You can see what this “lacing” technique does from my seekh kebab recipe.

How to serve lamb shami kebab?

I usually serve my lamb shami kebab with homemade naans, cooked onions and peppers, shredded lettuce and a spicy yogurt raita and/or hot sauce.

If there's one recipe I really hope you'll try soon, it's this one. It's so easy to make and an absolute favourite around my house.

In the Summer months - when the weather is nice, I cook these in my home tandoor oven on a metal plate over the hot coals. The lamb shami kebab patties are usually too delicate to barbecue on a grill, thus the reason for cooking them on a metal plate.

It’s a lot easier to cook shami kebabs in a pan on the hob which is what I’ve done here.

Making shami kebabs — Flatten the meatball with a flat spatula in a hot pan.

International & UK Orders

Yield: 6 - 8

Mutton Shami Kebabs

Prep Time 15 minutes

Cook Time 15 minutes

Total Time 30 minutes

Ingredients

1 kilo lean minced and prepared mutton or lamb (see above)
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 egg
2 tablespoons green chilli paste (two or three chillies blended with a little water)
1 onion finely chopped
1 tablespoon freshly roasted and ground coriander powder
1 tablespoon garam masala
1 large bunch finely chopped fresh coriander
Salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

Mix all the ingredients with the minced meat and marinate in the fridge for three to 48 hours. When ready to cook, heat the oil in a pan over high heat and form your meat into equal sized balls.
When your pan is sizzling hot, place one of the meat balls in and then quickly smash it down with a flat spatula.
Fry for about three minutes and then flip over and fry until cooked through.
Check for seasoning and serve with fresh naans and vegetables. I served this with mint, coriander and mango chutney and spicy mango chutney.

Notes

Don't be temped to add garlic or ginger. I like the shami kebabs without. Add raw garlic and ginger to your raita if you like for an extra nice punch.

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Tandoori Chicken Wings

August 19, 2013 By Dan Toombs 2 Comments

These tandoori chicken wings can be bakes or placed in your air-frier.

Have you ever tried to skin a chicken wing? It’s not easy so when you prepare these tandoori chicken wings, it’s fine to leave the skin on. Although chicken skin isn’t eaten often in Indian cuisine, you’ll probably find these skin-on tandoori chicken wings some of the best on the planet!

There is a version of Tandoori Chicken Wings in the following cookbook...

The Curry Guy Chicken - Page 26

What is the idea behind these tandoori chicken wings?

It’s quite simple really. Use my all-purpose tandoori marinade below. This is a marinade that can be made spicier or milder to your preference.

I think the green chilli paste really adds to the flavour but this can be left out as can the chilli powder. That said, you will want to substitute paprika if Kashmiri chilli powder isn’t your thing.

Can this recipe be made in advance?

Yes, but I do recommend cooking them right before you serve them. You can let the wings marinate for up to 24 hours and the flavour will benefit from the longer marination time.

Although best right out of the oven, they are also delicious cold next day!

How do I make these chicken wings in an air-frier?

That's easy as air fryers are very efficient small ovens. They're like a small tandoor oven!

Preheat your air fryer to 200°C/400°F. Spray the basket with oil and place your tandoori chicken wings inside. Cook for 15 to 20 minutes, turning or shaking the basket once so that they cook eveningly.

That's it... Done and delicious.

Do you enjoy cooking in your air fryer? Try these...

See more Air Fryer Recipes →

What else to serve with Tandoori Chicken Wings?

You can serve this recipe on its own or alongside a variety of other Indian starter dishes — you’ll absolutely love a feast! Why not try adding some...

Can the marinade be used with other cuts of chicken?

Sure can. The tandoori marinade in the recipe below can be used for everything. Not just chicken! It is my all-purpose tandoori marinade.

How to prepare the chicken wings?

Chicken wings come with 3 different parts. The pointy end, tip of the wing is often removed by supermarkets. If not, many people prefer to cut that off but I do like it when I can get it.

Lay your chicken wing on a clean cutting board. You will see that there are three or two joints. Slice with a sharp knife or chopper through the joints. This is not at all necessary but is better for presentation and handling.

What do you serve tandoori chicken wings with?

Hot sauce or a good raita will do the trick. I can recommend this raita or this coriander and mint chutney!

See more Raitas →

See more Chutney Recipes →

How long can you store leftovers in the fridge?

As mentioned above, your tandoori chicken wings will be best if you serve them hot out of the oven. If you do have leftovers, you can wrap them tightly and store them in the fridge for about 3 days.

Then to heat them up, place them in the microwave if you're in a hurry for tandoori chicken wings. Better would be to reheat them in an airfryer or your oven set to 200°C/400°F until heated through. They will be crispier if reheated with your oven or air fryer.

Can you freeze the leftovers?

Yes and they will freeze nicely for up to three months. You do need to cook them first. Don't just marinate them and freeze as that won't be any good.

To reheat, let the tandoori chicken wings defrost completely and then heat in an air fryer or oven at 200°C/400°F until heated through.

Tandoori chicken wings, step by step photos...

Season the chicken wings with salt and pepper, Squeeze in the juice of one lime and stir to coat.

Pounding the chillies and coriander (cilantro) into a paste. — Pound the chillies and coriander (cilantro) into a paste.

Adding the remaining marinade ingredients to the chillies and coriander (cilantro). — Add the remaining marinade ingredients to the chillies and coriander (cilantro).

Marinating chicken — Pour the marinade over the chicken. You can go straight to cooking or allow to marinate for up to 24 hours. The longer the better.

Tandoori chicken on a rack, ready for the oven. — Place the tandoori chicken on a rack and place in your pre-heated oven.

Tandoori chicken in an air-fryer. — Or alternatively, you could cook the tandoori chicken in an air-fryer.

Top Tip

Marinate overnight – For maximum flavor and tenderness, marinate the wings for at least 6–8 hours, ideally overnight, in yogurt and spices. This lets the spices penetrate fully and keeps the meat juicy when cooked.

Why not turn it into a feast?

You’ve served up this delicious curry house starter, but something’s missing — a main to match! Try one of these curries, and don’t forget to check out some of our popular side pairings too.

Looking for more chicken?

Check out my full range of Indian Chicken Recipes...

See more Indian Chicken Recipes →

Have you tried tandoori chicken wings?

If yes, please give it a star rating in the recipe card below and leave a comment. I love receiving your feedback and I’m sure other readers of my blog do too. Thank you.

If you are not already doing so, please follow The Curry Guy on Instagram and Facebook for all our latest recipes.

Yield: 4 - 6

Tandoori Chicken Wings

tandoori chicken wings can be made spicy or mild. This is a really easy recipe that is perfect for starting up the party!

Prep Time 10 minutes

Cook Time 30 minutes

Total Time 40 minutes

Ingredients

1 kg (2 lbs) chicken wings
1 tsp salt
1 tsp black pepper
Juice of 2 limes
3 - 5 green finger chillies
1 small bunch coriander (cilantro) roughly chopped
4 tbsp Greek yoghurt
1 tbsp rapeseed (canola) oil
2 tbsp garlic and ginger paste
2 tsp ground coriander
2 tsp tandoori masala
2 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp chaat masala
1 tbsp Kashmiri chilli powder
1 tbsp smoked paprika or more chilli powder

Instructions

Put the chicken wings in a large bowl and season generously with salt and pepper. Squeeze the juice of one lime over all the wings and mix well to combine. You want that chicken coated with the salt, pepper and lime juice. Set aside while you prepare the marinade.
Pound the green chillies and coriander (cilantro) in a pestle and mortar until you have a paste. Add this paste to a large mixing bowl with the remaining ingredients including the remaining lime juice until smooth.
Pour this marinade over the chicken wings and again stir until the chicken is nicely coated with the marinade. You can go straight to cooking or place the chicken, covered in the fridge for up to 24 hours. The longer the better.
When ready to cook, place the chicken on a wire rack. Preheat your oven to 220c/425f. Place the chicken in the oven and cook for 30 minutes. Ovens do vary so please be sure to check after about 20 minutes to see their progress.
When cooked through, serve immediately with lemon or lime wedges and a good hot sauce or raita.

You will find many spicy and delicious recipes on my blog. Here are some you've got to try!

Curry house style base sauce - Make a curry just like those at the best curry houses using this sauce.
Lamb Bhuna from Scratch - This one is from my book 'The Curry Guy One Pot'
One Pot Chicken Dhansak - from my book 'The Curry Guy One Pot
Asian Honey Glazed Baked Salmon
Sri Lankan Black Chicken Curry
Peruvian Chicken - Pollo a la Brasa
Korean Braised Beef Stew
Dal Makhani - An Indian restaurant favourite!
Tonkotsu Broth - When only the best will do. This one takes some time but it is just like you find at the best ramen restaurants!
Tonkotsu Ramen - Use that homemade tonkotsu broth in this ramen!
The Best Butter Chicken - Try it and you'll agree.
Authentic Saag Recipe - This is so good
Thai Beef Green Curry - Authentic recipe with homemade curry paste
Air Fryer Chicken Biryani
Cajun Mac and Cheese - The creamiest mac on the planet!
One Pot Chicken Vindaloo
Chicken 65 - One of my favourites. You might also like to try this air fryer chicken 65.
One Pot Chicken Chilli Garlic Curry
Homemade Sriracha Sauce - So much better than any sriracha you can purchase!
Tandoori Chicken Tikka - Homemade is alway best and this recipe gets restaurant quality results.

Restaurant Style Tarka Dhal Recipe

July 30, 2013 By Dan Toombs 39 Comments

Tarka dhal is so easy to make! Here's how...

I don’t know about you but I can’t go out for a curry without ordering a nice side of tarka dhal. It’s the perfect mild accompaniment for a curry.

Tarka dhal is also nice added to curries such as dhansaks.

To make this tarka dhal recipe, I use Massoor dhal (split small red lentils). Red lentils are available in most supermarkets though you will find them cheaper at Asian markets.

Massoor dhal, unlike other lentils only needs to be washed and rinsed under cold water. I do let mine soak in fresh water for about a half hour while I prepare the other ingredients but it isn't really necessary.

Slow Cooker Tarka Dhal

Watch how I make my Slow Cooker Tarka Dhal on YouTube! You can also find the recipe card in the link below.

Recipe Card

Getting this recipe right...

So many people have said to me that they just can't get their tarka dhal to taste as good as it does in curry houses.

This recipe will get the results you're looking for.

I'm afraid, however that the secret to that amazing tarka dhal flavour is ghee and lots of it.

About this recipe.

This recipe is from my cookbook 'The Curry Guy Bible' where I suggest using about 3 tbsp of ghee. Hey, it's a cookbook and people don't like finding recipes that are too fatty these days.

The thing is, the chefs at good curry houses know that people love ghee. They use a lot more than 3 tablespoons of the stuff!

So for the blog, I have made it like I have seen in made hundreds of times. You can use the amount of ghee suggested in the recipe or use one heck of a lot more as I do in the photos below.

That ghee is what makes a good tarka dhal, great!

I recently streamed a live video of me making this tarka dhal recipe. Look and see how easy it is and please be sure to subscribe to my Youtube channel for more live videos.

Ingredient substitutes...

You might like to try this recipe using different lentils or a combination of different lentils. Some lentils require a longer cooking time so be sure to read the label.

At curry houses, they normally use red split lentils as I have here because they cook to perfection so quickly.

I often make this dhal with a combination of moong, chana and massoor lentils. This takes more time and although very nice, it is just as good with plain old red lentils.

Following are step by step photographed instructions on cooking tarka dhal.

Simmering lentils — Simmer the lentils until soft. Skim off any foam that rises to the top.

melting ghee — While the lentils are simmering, go ahead and melt the ghee over medium-high heat.

Adding whole spices to the pan — When melted, add the whole spices and curry leaves.

Stirring chopped onions — Stir in the chopped onions and fry for about 5 minutes until soft and lightly browned.

Adding garlic to the pan — Now add the garlic and fry for another minute in the ghee.

Adding ground spices to the pan — Add the ground spices and stir into the ghee.

pouring tarka over the dhal — Pour most of the tarka over the dhal, leaving a little to garnish.

Here are more curry house curry favourites you might like to try!

Chicken Korma
Chicken Madras
Chicken Dhansak
Lamb Rogan Josh
Lamb Vindaloo
Chicken Chilli Garlic
Chicken Patia
Lamb Bhuna

finished tarka dhal — Amazing. Try this recipe with lots of ghee. You won't be sorry.

Dal Recipes are often served alongside a delicious curry or two. Here are my top Indian curry recipes you may like to try.

Rice

See more Indian Rice Recipes →

Naan

See more Indian bread recipes →

Have you tried this tarka dal recipe?

If yes, please give it a star rating in the recipe card below and leave a comment. I love receiving your feedback and I'm sure other readers of my blog do too. Thank you.

If you are not already doing so, please follow me on Instagram and Facebook for all my latest recipes.

Yield: 4 - 6

A Fantastic Tarka Dhal Recipe

Prep Time 30 minutes

Cook Time 30 minutes

Total Time 1 hour

Ingredients

250g Massoor dhal – rinsed with water
3 tablespoon ghee (or more) see above.
10 fresh curry leaves (optional)
1 teaspoon cumin seeds
1 x cinnamon stick
1 onion - finely chopped
4 garlic cloves finely chopped
2 tbsp garam masala
½ tsp turmeric
salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

Pour about 400ml of water over your lentils in a sauces pan and simmer over medium high heat until tender. Remove any foam that forms on the top. Cooking the lentils should take about 25 minutes.
While your lentils are cooking, melt the ghee in a frying pan and add the curry leaves, cumin seeds and cinnamon stick.
Stir in the chopped onion and fry for about 5 minutes until browned.
Add the chopped garlic, garam masala and turmeric and stir it into the hot ghee..
Pour the most of the ghee mixture (the tarka) over the lentils and stir it all in. Leave some to garnish.
Season with salt and pepper to taste and garnish with the remaining tarka.

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Instructions

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Tandoori Chestnut Mushrooms

If you like this recipe try my other vegetarian recipes:

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Mushroom Biryani

Love Indian Vegetarian Recipes? Why not try one of these too...

Rice

Naan

Dahls

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In order to make perfect dosas, you need to get the dosa batter just right.

The first step of making dosa batter

Step two of making the batter

Now for step three, fermenting the dosa batter.

Step four of making the dosa batter

The fifth step is to make that dosa batter, dosa ready!

Now it's time to make your first dosa with this dosa batter.

Choosing the right dosa pan

Getting the heat in your pan just right.

How do you keep the temperature right in a pan?

Greasing the pan or crepe maker

How do you swirl the dosa batter over the surface?

Cooking the dosa

How long does that dosa batter keep?

What do you serve with dosas?

Ingredients

Instructions

Notes

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Nutrition Information:

Yield:

Serving Size:

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This lamb keema is delicious served with toasted buns!

What makes this lamb keema recipe so special?

Forward preparation...

How can the lamb keema be served?

If you like cooking with photographs, I have photographed the cooking process step by step for you.

If you like this lamb keema recipe, you might also like to try some of these.

Ingredients

Instructions

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Try fresh coconut chutney with dosas or your favourite curry.

Step 1

Step 2

Step 3

Step 4

Step 5

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Ingredients

Instructions

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Ingredients

Instructions

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Ingredients

Instructions

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This pan fried lemon sole is out of this world delicious and simple to make too.

About this pan seared lemon sole recipe.

Can you bake/grill the fish instead?

Baking Lemon Sole

What are the best substitutes for lemon sole?

Ingredients

Instructions

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Nutrition Information:

Yield:

Serving Size:

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