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Tuesday, July 13, 2010

Curry...

My thinkery has gone thunk lately, and I can't think of much to write about. So you'll have to content yourselves with hearing about my curry-making-to-be-exploits.
Tomorrow I have a girlfriend coming over for tea, and I'm cooking. It felt like half-past curry-time, and I've decided on Jamie Oliver's Chicken Tikka Masala recipe.

Since I left the [amazing] Jamie Oliver book which had the recipe in it, at my old house I have to be satisfied with a slightly transmogrified edition, taken from some blog.

This recipe is good. I've used it several times already, ever since I bought the recipe book for my big brother's birthday a while back [so that I could use the book, of course]. It's full of delicious spices like cumin [my favourite spice of all time], coriander, paprika, and mustard seed, and fresh chilis, ginger, coriander and garlic.
One of the best things about this curry is seeing people tuck into great big plates of steaming basmati rice, a clean chopped salad, some thin, buttery flat breads and the curry itself - creamy, spicy and well-simmered, dressed with squeezes of lime juice, swirls of yoghurt, and torn coriander.

That's worth seeing.
So here's the recipe...

Chicken Tikka Masala

2 Tbsp tomato paste
4 cloves garlic
3 inches ginger
2-3 chilis, depending on how hot they are, and how much you want to cry
- or else use 1-2 tsp chili powder
2 tbsp canola oil
1 tbsp mustard seed
1 tbsp paprika
2 tsp ground cumin, roasted
2 tsp ground coriander, roasted
3 tbsp garum masala
200ml yoghurt

grate the ginger first, and slice up the chilis. Then whizz up everything but the yoghurt in a little kitchen whizz; add the yoghurt last. Alternatively, mix up your paste in a mortar and pestle [like artists used to grind paint powder in], stick the goo in a bowl and add the yoghurt.

Marinate your chicken - as much as you think you need for about 4-6 people - in the fridge for at least an hour, but preferably much longer. Like overnight.
Apparently the curry ends up tasting better, although personally I've tried both ways and can taste no difference with the overnight drama.
...
Fry 2-3 onions in some butter with a couple of minced cloves of garlic, until they're golden and brown. Yum.
Then add your chicken mixture. Simmer this lot for a few minutes before adding your cream/water, and a handful of whizzed up almonds/powdered, or cashews.
When the thing is cooked, bring on the lime juice, chopped coriander and swirls of yoghurt. Voila.

Enjoy!

- Lydie

7 Comments:

Blogger Cinnamey said...

I love your descriptions. "Then wizz up everything but the yogurt in a little kitchen wizz..."

This recipe sounds really yummy. I'm going to write it out in my recipe book. (A converted notebook... I think the original intention was for it to be a travel one possibly, but it shall have to settle for being a much used cookbook!)

12:05 am  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

*drool* i'm with siminy...ur descriptions are making this curry-lover hungry :)

1:54 pm  
Blogger Lydie said...

Siminy: aww, that's so lovely you have an old & well-used recipe book. Is it properly marked with matter from previous baking/cooking exploits? 'cos that's when you know that it's a good cookbook..

Tiff: hey, come back to NZ and we can make curry together.. :)

11:56 am  
Blogger FR said...

You're back:)

This looks seriously delicious! I might just try it.

12:01 pm  
Blogger Cinnamey said...

Yes, it's properly stained on the most used pages... and the edges with tomato juice. Not sure how that happened but it looks neat.

6:28 pm  
Blogger a bite of air said...

...come to think of it, i miss seeing that jamie oliver book too. A great combination of design, photography and deliciousness.
Thanks for posting the recipe! :)

1:47 am  
Blogger Lydie said...

mmmm, if you like curry then this is the one for you FR! Especially if you like them creamy, with loads of spices..

Ooh, just love recipe books like that Siminy!
haha.. spills really enhance the 'used & loved' look.

Isn't it great? I'm gutted to leave it, but it really is Andy's. I'll just have to make up for it by perusing it when I'm visiting there.. and maybe making stuff from it too!

9:30 pm  

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