[GMJ]

Jan mentioned starting a thread to put any favourite recipes in so shall we give it a go?

I guess many of us have 'old classics' that we use regularly and which perhaps have many variations to them. Please do share them.

I'll pop the ones in that I have mentioned on the 'What are you doing today? thread to kick off...

 

[GMJ]

Turkey or Chicken Dopiaza

As with most curries it is totally scale-able depending on how many you want to feed. It's a recipe for chicken dupiaza really but I have modified it for cooked turkey.

3 tablespoons of vegetable oil
2 onions - one finely chopped and one rough chopped
Garlic - as much as you dare/like - cloves chopped or you can use dried if handier
Fresh ginger - around 2cm - peeled and chopped

2tsp - ground coriander
1tsp - cumin powder
1/2 tsp turmeric
1.5 tsp hot chilli powder (if 'hot' powder, use with caution depending on how hot you like curries. Maybe try 1 tsp for your first attempt)

As much turkey as you want. I cut it up into small pieces approx an inch/2 inches by an inch wide long. Dark meat is better than breast but either does fine. I finish off any dark meat we have first and top up with white.

A tin of chopped toms - or two if you prefer it more tomato-y or more runny or if you are feeding more than 2 people.

300ml of chicken stock

1 tsp of garam masala
Handful of fresh coriander finely chopped

Method

Fry up the onions in a large saucepan until turning golden brown.
Add the garlic and ginger and fry for 1-2 mins
Add the ground coriander, cumin, turmeric and chilli powder and stir well and cook for 1-2 mins
Put in stock and tinned toms and bring to a good bubble

Add the turkey and gently heat for 30 mins. Lid off to reduce the stock etc but experiment with the lid on/off to get it as runny or sticky as you like.

A minute from the end add the garam masala and fresh coriander; stir and serve after a minute.

Bloody lovely

NB: If you fancy it using fresh chicken, just put that in and cook it fully before you add the stock and tomatoes.

 

[GMJ]

Home made plain Naan bread

250gm plain flour
2 tbsp sugar
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp baking powder
110-130ml milk
2 tbsp veg oil

To finish - nigella seeds and white poppy seeds plus some finely chopped coriander (optional)
Melted butter for brushing

• Mix the dry ingredients in a large bowl.
• Add the milk/oil mixture in bit by bit and mix in with a fork.
• You should get a sticky ball (add more flour if too sticky).
• Get your floured hand in there and give it a knead for 5 mins
• Turn out the ball into an oiled non metallic bowl; cover with a damp tea towel and pop in the airing cupboard (or a warm place) for no less than an hour. I leave mine all day tbh.

When ready, retrieve ball and turn it out. It will not have risen much if at all so don't worry about that.

I then knock it back for a minute or so and divide into 5 balls. The balls can be frozen separately in cling film with no adverse effects.

To cook..

Take a ball and half roll it out on a floured surface so that it keeps some thickness. I tend to do mine in a long oval shape rather than round, so I can fit 2 on a grill pan if needed.

Add a generous handful of nigella seeds and poppy seeds and then roll out to a couple of mm thick. This will seal the seeds in so that when you transfer the bread, most will stay in situ. I use a fish slice to help me transfer the rolled out naan to the grill pan as its quite thin.

Put a generous knob of butter in a ramekin and put in the bottom of the grill to melt. Put rolled out bread under a grill on its hottest setting. I have it a few inches down from the element/flame so it doesn't burn. I use the grill pan itself but lying it on a clean baking tray would do I guess,

Grill until it starts to turn brown on top....maybe 3-4 minutes. Keep an eye on it so it doesn't burn.

Remove and brush with melted butter and sprinkle on the optional chopped coriander.

The top will have delicate a crunch and the bottom will be doughy. The overall effect when torn , folded and dipped in your curry is awesome

 

[GMJ]

Chicken with ginger and black pepper

NB This looks grey and insipid when it's finished as there is no artificial colouring in it like Indian restaurants use...but don't let that put you off.

Firstly marinade your meat

30gm garlic - peeled and chopped, maybe 10 cloves or so. You can use garlic paste if you prefer: a good 2 tablespoons of it though.
10gm - fresh ginger (about an inch) - peeled and chopped
1 tsp - garam masala
1 chicken stock cube (I use stock pots)

Make up a mug of chicken stock and add all the other ingredients to it. Give it a good stir.

Then add this to your chicken and pop in the fridge. I use breasts which are chopped into decent size pieces perhaps 2 inch squared. I make the marinade in the morning and cook the curry in the afternoon but the marinate could easily be made the day before.

This recipe is scale-able depending on how many you are, or if you want to freeze some. Personally I wouldn't use less than 3 breasts if you are only making a meal for 2 people to start with.

I make up huge batches at a time so we get around 10-12 meals out of it (5-6 meals for 2 that is). I buy one of those massive packs of chicken breasts at Tesco with about 8-10 breasts in there.

Base

3 tbsp vegetable oil;
An onion (I use 3) roughly chopped. You can't have too much onion.
1-2 green chilli's to taste - chopped - bear in mind the chilli 'Russian Roulette' effect (they could be mild or hot unless you use Naga, Sctoch Bonnet or birds eye chillis etc which are definitely hot!)
15gm - fresh ginger peeled and chopped - if you like ginger you can shred it into larger pieces if you prefer.
1 tbsp coriander powder
200mls water
1 tbsp - ground black pepper. Again, you cant have too much I think, so make it a heaped one if making a larger batch. NB I haven't used black pepper powder which I think would spoil it as it may overpower the other flavours)
1/2 tsp garam masala
2 tsp lemon juice (or a good squirt if bottled)
2 handfuls freshly chopped coriander
(Up to a) punnet of mushrooms (OPTIONAL)

Method

In a large non stick saucepan fry up the onions in the oil until turning brown.

Add the ginger, coriander powder and chilli's and fry for a minute or so.

Add the chicken and sear it for 5 mins or so, turning the chicken at least once to seal it.

Chuck the marinade in; the ground pepper; and around half the water (depending on how much you are making: I put all the water in with my large batch).

If you like/want mushrooms cut them into good size pieces (add whole or halved if small ones). I add a punnet load to my large batch so scale according to taste. I love mushrooms plus it also serves to pad the dish out otherwise its basically chicken really.

Cook now for around 45 mins on a low heat so it just bubbles. Play around with the lid on/off; with the heat; and with the balance of the water depending on how runny/sticky you want it to be. I tend to have at least 30 mins with the lid off and a decent bubble going on to reduce it down and still get a nice jus with it. Stir every 5 mins or so. If too dry add some water.

A minute before the end stir in the garam masala, lemon juice and coriander. Then serve.

As I say: it looks grey and insipid but tastes divine.

I really am not precise with my ingredients at all in any of my Indian cooking and as such we get a slightly different taste each time I make it...which I think is a benefit of home cooking curries.

 

[GMJ]

Beef Madras

When folks think of Madras curries they think it is one step away from a Vindaloo in terms of fiery heat however it isn't. It's spicy but not too hot at all - more a medium I reckon.

Firstly, make up a Madras paste...

NB Note some are teaspoon and some are tablespoon amounts

2tbsp ground coriander
1 tsp ground black pepper
2 tsp hot chilli powder (or to taste but not less than 1 tsp)
1 tsp garam masala
1 tsp ground turmeric
1tbsp ground cumin
2 cloves garlic crushed or a generous squeeze of garlic paste or a teaspoon dried garlic powder
2tbsp brown malt vinegar

Mix all the above together well in a non-metallic bowl, with water and into a paste. Add water very slowly as you want a paste not a liquid.

Fry the above in a frying pan with a tablespoon of veg oil. Fry for 2-3 mins. It will have a firm paste consistency but don't worry too much about that.

This can be kept in the fridge when cool for 2 weeks or so however I use it all in the curry as I do large batches (around 5 meals for 2) for freezing. If you have regulated the chilli powder amount and would be unlikely to use it within 2 weeks chuck the lot in...it'll do no harm!

The curry itself

2 tbsp veg oil
2 onions - or as many as you want/need depending on how much you are making
Diced beef - again, for however many you are making (min 500gms I'd say)
2 tbsp tomato puree
1 tin of chopped tomatoes (or more again depending on batch size)
400ml beef stock. I find the stock pots to be best rather than cubes
Fresh spinach - as much as you want or can cram in depending on how much you like spinach
A handful of fresh chopped coriander
Madras paste from above

Method

• Heat oil in a large saucepan
• Fry the onions until soft and golden
• Fry off the meat until sealed
• Add the Madras paste and cook for 2-3 mins until nice niffs are happening. NB As I said I use it all as I do batches. It really isn't a hot curry especially if you have cut down on the chilli powder in the paste but very flavourful so it's your call as to how much you use.
• Mix in the tomato puree, can of tomatoes and beef stock
• Bring to the bubble and then turn down and simmer for 2 hours covered. Check every 30 mins to see consistency and take the lid off if you want/need to thicken.
• Stir in the spinach (as much/little as you want). As you know it will reduce down to very little and will also help to bind the sauce. Let it shrink to its smallest, so a few minutes cooking max.
• Serve with the chopped coriander sprinkled on top. You can drizzle single cream on top or have a side of yogurt if you feel it's too spicy.

 

[Glandwr]

An excellent idea Graham, but one that as phone/thumb type subscriber I couldn't hope to compete in. Maybe when I'm at a keyboard.

 

[GMJ]

Jan's idea Dick but I agree, a good one

Is it worth having a separate thread on curries and one for more general recipes as I'm aware that not everyone likes a curry?

 

[raynipper]

Oh yes they do!!!

Ray.

 

[JanHank]

I suggest you stay with one thread Graham, too many and they will get lost in the rest of the clutter 😁 I see we have a toad in the hole thread, pastry recipe Worth a try and even a Microwave browner ✋ and a Dijon mustard shortage, they have disappeared off the page now I think. Perhaps we can control ourselves to stick to a recipe and anyone who tries it can give a thumbs up if they like it and the unhappy face if they didn´t like it.
As long as this thread doesn't get any rubbish posts it should be reasonably easy to find something to suit everyones taste.
Just my suggestion again, thumbs up if it´s a good suggestion, miserable face if not. 👍😟

 

[Pudsey_Bear]

Jan's idea Dick but I agree, a good one

Is it worth having a separate thread on curries and one for more general recipes as I'm aware that not everyone likes a curry?

One thread G I think, good idea too that you have a post for each Gecipe.

See wot I did there

 

[JanHank]

I am cooking red cabbage at the moment and wondered if this is how it´s always done these days.
I have a joint of uncooked ham that I´m cooking in with the cabbage, plus fried onions, sour Apple bayleaves and salt.
Normally it would be fried onion, apple and chopped fried streaky bacon with a bayleaf or 2.
These ingredient also go in with Sauerkraut, Curley Kale, or any other cabbagy thing.

 

[Drew]

This being a recipe thread, what is the recipe Jan?

 

[JanHank]

That´s it really Drew, the measurements don´t need to be exact.

A red or green cabbage, tin of Sauerkraut, Curley Kale whatever you choose.

A large onion chopped
8 oz chopped streaky bacon (smoked is best)
Bramley or other sour apple peeled and chopped,
enough water to boil the cabbage, 2-3 cups full no more because the cabbage will create its own water.
Method
Fry the bacon until crispy, remove from pan and fry the onion in the bacon fat, put the bacon back with the onion and add the chopped apple.
While this is being done cut the cabbage into strips (or the Kale to the size you like it).
Turn the lot into a saucepan with water and 2 large bayleaves a bit of salt, not much if the bacon is smoked and simmer for an hour.

A squeeze of lemon juice and a teaspoon of brown sugar added to the red cabbage. I don´t add that to the other cabbage, Kale or Sauerkraut.

Delia Smith puts more spices in, but I prefer my recipe.

 

[Drew]

Thank you Jan, the reason I ask is that red cabbage is one of our favourite vegetables and we are always trying various recipes when cooking it. Some recipes include raisins or sultanas with various spice as you already know.

As a matter of fact, for my lunch today, I have just finished the left over red cabbage from one of our New Year meals. A meal in itself as well as another favourite, cauliflower with a thick cheese sauce.

 

[JanHank]

Here it is with mashed potatoes and the ham, very, very tasty.

 

[Glandwr]

Red cabbage was made to go with roast pheasant. I never have the one without the other!

 

[Pudsey_Bear]

Yorkshire pudding or Toad in the hole batter mix​

140g of PLAIN flour

1/2 teaspoon of salt

Pinch of pepper

2 Eggs

175ml of milk

Method

Heat oven to 220C/200C fan/gas 7.

Put 6 to 8 sausages (I'm not a fan of fancy sausages and use the Richmond Irish ones and find four is enough for two of us) in a 20 x 30cm (8’’x12’’) roasting tin/dish with just enough oil to cover the base, then bake for 15-20 mins until sausages are browned.

I also sometimes leave the sausages out and put them in when I add the batter as this still cooks them but they are not browned so much

Meanwhile, make up the batter mix. Tip the flour into a bowl with the salt, make a well in the middle and crack both eggs into it. Use an electric whisk to mix it together, then add the milk, whisking all the time. Leave to stand until the sausages are nice and brown.

Carefully remove the sausages from the oven – watch because the fat will be sizzling hot – but if it isn’t, put the tin back in the oven for a few mins until it is. Pour in the batter mix, then cook for 25-30 mins, until risen and golden. Serve with gravy maybe with caramelised onion or my fave fried mushrooms.

Enjoy

 

[Pudsey_Bear]

Doing a beef curry tonight

same recipe as before, I added a little more on the spices but it's not coming round as I'd like it, plenty of spice but not as much flavour, not sure how to go forward it's for tomorrow night so no rush.

 

[JanHank]

Do you know curries ,casseroles and stews taste better if left to go cold and then reheat, just like Sauerkraut.

 

[Drew]

Do you know curries ,casseroles and stews taste better if left to go cold and then reheat, just like Sauerkraut.

And soup next day.