Beef Curry

A beautiful beef curry that falls apart upon biting into it. The sauce is a blend of tomatoes and coconut milk. I used low fat coconut milk as an experiment to keep it lower fat and to be honest I couldn’t tell the difference in this curry. Feel free to add a few vegetables. Courgettes and butternut squash would work well. Always with mango chutney though! Tip: Throw a few cardamom pods or a cinnamon stick in with your rice while it is steaming to add flavour.

Serves 4

Ingredients

350g diced beef

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

1/2 can of chickpeas

3 cloves garlic – minced

Thumb sized piece of ginger – grated

1 onion – sliced

400ml can of coconut milk – I used light

500g passata

1 tablespoon mango chutney

1 teaspoon cumin

1 teaspoon turmeric

1 tablespoon hot curry powder

1 teaspoon ground coriander

1 teaspoon salt

200ml water

Method

Pre heat oven to 160c / 140c fan

In a large pan ( one that has a lid) cook your onions low and slow in the hot vegetable oil until softened.

Add your minced garlic and grated ginger, stirring all the while.

Now add your all the spices and the beef. Stir for a minute or two just to brown the meat.

Pour in the passata and coconut milk and stir to fully combine.

Add your chickpeas and mango chutney, salt and water.

Pop on the lid and place in the oven for 2 and a half hours stirring every hour. The meat should be soft and fall apart upon biting into it.

Serve with rice and a tomato and onion salad for extra deliciousness.

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Malayan Chicken Curry

A beautiful gently spiced curry, this one is perfect for all the family including little ones. Creamy and full of authentic flavour.

Serves 5

Ingredients

4 chicken breasts – chopped

1 tablespoons fish sauce

1 cinnamon stick

1 teaspoon brown sugar

1 glug sunflower oil

1 tablespoon curry powder

1 onion – diced

Thumb sized piece of ginger – grated

2 cloves garlic – minced

200ml vegetable stock

1 teaspoon turmeric

1/4 teaspoon ground cloves

1 tablespoon mango chutney

150ml double cream

Method

Chop your chicken into cubes and season with salt and pepper. Pan fry in a little sunflower oil and set aside.

Pan fry your onions until they are soft and translucent along with the ginger, garlic and curry powder, turmeric and ground cloves.

Add your stock and mango chutney.

Return the chicken to the pan with the onions and spices etc. Bring to the boil for about five minutes to reduce the liquid.

Add your cream, cinnamon stick, fish sauce and sugar and simmer for around 10 minutes until the chicken is fully cooked through.

Serve with lots of mango chutney, basmati rice and naan bread.

Kashmiri Curry

This recipe was inspired by Mary Berry’s kashmiri chicken curry but modified somewhat. It was amazing and the chicken was so tender. A truly delicious curry with a real depth of flavour. I hope you like my take on it.

Serves 4

Ingredients

1 tablespoon hot curry powder

1 tablespoon ground cinnamon

1 tablespoon ground cumin

1 tablespoon ground coriander

Half tablespoon turmeric

Half tablespoon ground all spice

2 tablespoons ground nut oil or sunflower oil

Teaspoon chilli flakes

2 tablespoons flour

4 chicken breasts – chopped

1 onion – diced

450ml vegetable stock

Zest and juice of 1 lime

Thumb sized piece of ginger – grated

2 garlic cloves – minced

Method

Measure out all of your spices into a large mixing bowl except the ground coriander and chilli flakes, stir to combine and set aside.

Add your chopped chicken to a separate bowl and sprinkle over half of the spice mix and coat thoroughly. Marinate for at least an hour but overnight if time permitting.

Add your oil to a large pan and heat. Add your chopped chicken and brown. Set aside still reserving the oil in the pan.

Add our diced onions, grated ginger and minced garlic and cook down until the onions are soft and translucent.

Now add the chicken back to the pan along with the rest of the spice mix, stock, chilli flakes and flour.

Stir to combine and add your lime juice and zest. Simmer for 5 minutes.

Transfer to an oven proof dish with a lid and cook in the oven for approximately 30 minutes.

Remove from oven and stir in your ground coriander.

Serve with soft pillowy naan breads and some fluffy basmati rice.

Healthy Chicken and Vegetable Curry

Such a great mid-week meal to cheer up January. It’s healthy but won’t leave you feeling hungry.

Tomato is the base of the sauce to keep it on the lighter side. Coriander, cumin, garlic, chilli and ginger bring the flavour. Bulk it out with as much veg as you like to pack in the vitamins and fill you up. I like peas and courgettes. Lentils for added texture and protein. This is one I make on repeat.

Serves 4

Ingredients

4 chicken breasts

1 cup of frozen peas

1 onion – diced

Thumb size piece of ginger – grated

1 red chilli – thinly sliced

Half tablespoon ground coriander

Half tablespoon ground cumin

1 tablespoon medium curry powder

1.5 tins of chopped tomatoes

2 cloves garlic

1 tablespoon mango chutney

1 courgette – sliced into discs

Pinch of salt

Carton of ready cooked lentils – drained 230g

Half cup of water

Glug of ground nut oil

Method

Cook your diced onions in the glug of ground nut oil until they start to soften. Now add your ginger, chilli, garlic and 2 tablespoons water along with your spices, salt and chicken cubes and courgette.

Continue to cook for another 5 minutes or so, stirring all the while.

Pour in your tomatoes, peas and lentils and simmer for approximately 25 minutes until the chicken is cooked through and the courgette is tender.

Stir in your mango chutney to add a little sweetness and your water to loosen. Stir to fully combine and serve with white rice, chapatis and extra mango chutney.

Chicken Bhuna

I can’t get enough curry recipes into my repertoire. We all love curry in our family even the children so I’m forever making it and experimenting with new versions. It’s such an easy dinner to make and share when you have a get together.

This chicken bhuna is rich, spicy and packed with flavour. Serving with mango chutney is compulsory along with some fluffy naan breads and basmati rice. I leave it all on the side and everyone helps themselves. Some more so than others!

Serves 4

Ingredients

1 medium onion – diced

4 chicken breasts – chopped into pieces

3 cloves garlic – minced

Tin of chopped tomatoes

1 tablespoon tomato pureé

1 tablespoon curry powder

1 tablespoon garam masala

1 teaspoon ground cumin

2 teaspoons chilli powder

Glug of ground nut oil

1 teaspoon ground ginger

Method

Pan fry your diced onions in ground nut oil for a minute over a low heat. Add your spices and garlic. Cook your onions low and slow until fully softened. This part really helps enhance the flavour of the curry.

Add your tomatoes and tomato pureé and simmer for half an hour or so. Add your chicken pieces and simmer for another 20 minutes until fully cooked through.

Chicken Tindian Curry

Can you tell I’m addicted to making curries? It’s our favourite food and the whole family eats it which is always a bonus. This is similar to my prawn version but the swap for chicken and the lentil addition makes it a lot more filling and a nice change.

I don’t know about you but if I can’t have mango chutney with a curry I’d rather not have it. Rather like going to Mcdonalds when they forget to give you the sauce for the nuggets! Fuming! You get what I’m saying. Add your mango chutney to the side, fluffy naan bread or crunchy poppadoms and this is on a level with the takeaway and nowhere near as many calories.

Serves 4

Ingredients

Half tin of chopped tomatoes

1 onion – thinly sliced

2 garlic cloves – minced

1 teaspoon ground coriander

Half teaspoons chilli powder

Half teaspoons turmeric

Half teaspoon salt

4 chicken breasts

125g asparagus

Half tin of coconut milk

1 teaspoon light soft brown sugar

Tablespoon ground nut oil

Can of ready cooked lentils

1 whole lime

Method

Pan fry your thinly sliced onions in your pan over a medium heat with the ground nut oil.

As the onions begin to soften add the garlic and all the spices. Now add your chicken strips and pan fry until almost cooked. You might want to add a dash more oil.

Add the chopped asparagus and tomatoes giving a good stir to combine. Now add the coconut milk and stir some more.

Once the chicken is fully cooked add your lentils and simmer gently for 10 minutes or so.

Finally squeeze in the juice of half a lime and stir in a teaspoon of light soft brown sugar.

Tip: Fabulous served with naan bread, mango chutney and coconut rice

Quick and Easy Chicken and Vegetable Curry

I’m always making curry’s. This one is a favourite. Low fat but tastes amazing. I’d say above average amount of spice but won’t have you reaching to knock back glasses of water. You can sneak in veg the kids wouldn’t normally eat as they tend not to be so fussy when they are hidden in the curry.

I serve it as always with mango chutney to give a hint of sweetness. I add a few cardamom pods to my basmati rice while it’s cooking for a bit of fragrance.

Serves 4

Ingredients

3 chicken breasts – cut into strips

Tin of tomatoes

Cup of frozen sweetcorn

A couple of tenderstem broccoli stalks

3 tablespoons medium curry powder

1 onion – diced

1 teaspoon brown sugar

3 cloves garlic – minced

Thumb sized ginger – grated

Basmati rice to serve with a few cardamom pods for fragrance

Mango chutney

Glug or 2 of oil – I used ground nut or vegetable

Method

This delicious curry couldn’t be simpler. I often make it when I’m busy during the week and pushed for time. It’s something we have often. I always start by cooking my rice at the same time as I’m making my curry as it will stand on the hob with the lid on and still be steaming hot when you are ready to serve your curry.

Start by heating a glug of oil in a large wide pan. When the oil is hot add your onions, minced garlic and grated ginger. You need to cook over a low heat to really soften the onions and cook them down as they hold all the flavour. When the onions are looking soft and fully cooked set them aside into a bowl with a slotted spoon keeping the oil still in the pan.

You may like to add another glug of oil and when it is gently sizzling add your chicken strips and a tablespoon of the curry powder. Move these around the pan with your wooden spoon for around 10 minutes or so until they are cooked through. The oil will still be full of the garlicky, ginger flavour in the oil and will add to the flavour of your chicken. Add your onions back in.

Now add the rest of your curry powder, tinned tomatoes and sweetcorn.

Simmer gently for another 10 minutes. At the start of this time place your broccoli on a plate and cover with cling film, pierce it and steam in the microwave for a minute or so just to speed up it’s cooking time. Now chop it and add it to the curry.

Just before the end of cooking time add your teaspoon of brown sugar, stirring through to sweeten the curry.

Tip: Add a few cardamom pods to your rice or a cinnamon stick for a bit of fragrance.

Chicken Pasanda

This curry was divine. Creamy coconut milk based sauce that’s so mild and gentle on spice it’s great for all the family.

Warm peshwari naan bread on the side is a match made in heaven. If you love coconut, then this is definitely a curry you will love.

Serves 4

Ingredients

4 chicken breasts

1 can coconut milk – full fat

150ml double cream

2 cloves garlic – minced

1/4 teaspoon cinnamon

1 teaspoon turmeric

1 teaspoon cumin

1 teaspoon garam masala

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon ground coriander

1 tablespoon ground nut oil

1 onion – diced

1 teaspoon light brown sugar

3 tablespoons evaporated milk

1 tablespoon cornflour

Sprinkle of almonds to serve

Method

Add oil to a large pan and over a medium heat pan fry the onions until soft and translucent.

Add garlic and ginger, stirring to combine and then add your lovely spices, stirring all the while.

Now add the chicken and coat in all the spices and pour over the coconut milk. Allow to simmer gently for approx 10 minutes until the chicken is fully cooked through.

Scoop out around an egg cup full of the sauce and mix in your cornflour. Transfer back to the pan and mix thoroughly. This will gently thicken the sauce.

Finally add in your evaporated milk and brown sugar, stirring to combine. This gives the curry it’s gentle sweetness.

Sprinkle over a few toasted almond flakes to serve.

Tip: Serve with fluffy white rice, naan of choice and mango chutney for added delight.

Beef Massaman Curry

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We love ordering beef massaman curry from the Thai takeaway.

This version is so authentic and it’s lovely served with coconut rice. I slow roast the beef so it falls apart which is the only way to have this curry in my opinion. It’s a creamy, mild curry that’s great for all the family.

Serves 4

Ingredients

1 tablespoon ground nut oil

800g beef cubes

1 can coconut milk – full fat

4 tablespoons massaman curry paste

1 cup water

8 baby potatoes – halved

1 onion – sliced thinly

1 cinnamon stick

50g cashews

1 tablespoon tamarind paste

1 teaspoon light soft brown sugar

1 tablespoon fish sauce

x2 tablespoons dessicated coconut

1 tablespoon cornflour

Method

Pre heat oven to 180c / 160c fan

Add ground nut oil to a heavy bottomed pan. I use a wok. Once you have head the oil add the massaman curry paste. Add the onions to soften slightly.

Add the beef cubes and brown them.

Now add the coconut milk and potato halves, tamarind cinnamon, fish sauce and dessicated coconut.

Transfer to a large cooking pot and put on the lid adding a cup of water and a cinnamon stick.

Cook slowly in the centre of the oven for 2 hours. Test the meat a little before the end of cooking time to ensure it is tender and falls apart if not you may need to add on 10 minutes or so cooking time until this happens.

When the meat is tender, scoop out an eggcup amount of juice and add the cornflour to it, mixing to combine. Add this back into the curry to thicken it a little. Stir in the brown sugar and the cashews and serve with your rice of choice. I like coconut.

King Prawn Tindian Curry

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I’ve been obsessing over creating asparagus recipes lately and you are going to love this one. Coconut milk and tomatoes form the base of the sauce of this curry.

I wanted the creaminess of the coconut milk to go with the prawns and asparagus and the lower calorific value of the tomatoes so I compromised and used half and half. The result tastes somewhere between a Thai and an Indian curry and makes such a lovely change.

Serves 4

Ingredients

Half tin of chopped tomatoes

1 onion – thinly sliced

2 garlic cloves – minced

1 teaspoon ground coriander

Half teaspoons chilli powder

Half teaspoons turmeric

Half teaspoon salt

165g king prawns

125g asparagus

Half tin of coconut milk

1 teaspoon light soft brown sugar

Tablespoon ground nut oil

Method

Pan fry your thinly sliced onions in your pan over a medium heat with the ground nut oil.

As the onions begin to soften add all the spices.

Add the tomatoes giving a good stir to combine. Now add the coconut milk and stir some more.

Add your prawns and simmer gently for another 4 minutes or so, just so the prawns turn their lovely pink colour.

Finally squeeze in the juice of half a lime and stir in a teaspoon of light soft brown sugar.

Tip: I serve with fluffy white coconut rice, some pillowy naan breads and mango chutney.