Palak Chicken (Spinach Chicken Curry)
Ingredients
600gms chicken breast fillet & skinless
150gms baby spinach, cut chiffonade, stemmed removed
⅓ cup cooking oil
½ tsp cumin seeds
1 red onion medium-sized, sliced finely
2 tbsp ginger/garlic paste
12 roasted cashews
425gms whole peeled tomato, crushed
1 tsp red chilli powder
1 tsp coriander powder
½ tsp turmeric powder
¼ tsp garam masala powder
1 tsp sea salt
Method:
Cut the chicken into bite-sized pieces.
Wash & dry the spinach, remove stems & cut chiffonade & finely slice the onions.
For the ginger/garlic paste: In an immersion blender or mortar & pestle combine 6-8 garlic cloves & an inch long piece of ginger & in this instance, the roasted cashews with a few drop of water & blend to a smooth paste.
Heat oil in a pan & add the cumin followed by the onions & sauté until caramelized.
Add the ginger/garlic paste & roasted cashew nuts/paste & sauté for 5 minutes on medium heat or until the masala is thick & shiny. Add a few splashes of curry base to keep the masala moist during the cooking process.
Add the tomatoes, powdered spices & salt & sauté for 6-8 minutes, stirring frequently to cook the masala. The masala is done when it turns glossy & the oil leaves the sides of the saucepan.
Add the chicken pieces & sauté for 2 minutes more. Add 125mls of curry base & simmer on low-medium heat for 12-15 minutes or until tender.
Add the chiffonade of spinach leaves & cook for 2 minutes. Remove from heat, & garnish with torn coriander & serve immediately accompanied with Chapati or the unique texture of Paratha flatbread.
Lamb Coconut Curry
Ingredients
1.3 kgs lamb leg
4 tbsp coconut oil
1 tbsp sesame oil
1 tsp black mustard seeds
20 fresh curry leaves
3 red onions – finely chopped
2 tbsp garlic/ginger paste
1 tbsp black pepper
½ tsp turmeric powder
15 cherry tomatoes – quartered
½ coconut – meat removed & finely chopped
20 dried Kashmiri chillies, seeds removed
plain yoghurt, large tbsp each serve
salt to taste
Method:
To prepare the lamb leg, combine a teaspoon of garlic/ginger paste red chilli & coriander powder & ½ tsp of turmeric powder with a teaspoon of vegetable oil to form a paste. Rub into lamb leg & refrigerate for 2-3 hours or preferably overnight to infuse flavours.
Pre heat oven to 180°C & cook lamb leg for 45 minutes only. Remove from oven & deglaze with juices from the lamb & additional vegetable stock if necessary.
Place lamb leg in a large Dutch oven & include all deglazing liquid, add additional vegetable stock to submerge the leg completely & place in the oven at 180°C for I½ hours or until meat is fork tender.
Remove from heat & cool at room temperature with the lamb leg still in the cooking liquid. Once cool, strip the meat from the bone & refrigerate until required. Reserve the cooking liquid & refrigerate until required also.
Heat the oils in a large wok or saucepan over medium high heat & add the mustard seeds.
When they begin to pop, add the curry leaves & cook until fragrant.
Add the onion & cook until translucent, soft & lightly caramelized; add the garlic & ginger paste & stir to combine. Include the turmeric & black pepper followed by the red chillies, coconut pieces & tomatoes together with the “curry base” vegetable stock used to cook the lamb leg casserole.
Reduce the stock by one third & include the cooked meat.
To serve, season with salt to taste & top with a dollop of plain yoghurt if desired.
Goan Fish Curry
Ingredients
500gms mahi mahi – skinned & sliced thickly
1 tsp flaky sea salt
2 tbsp coconut or rapeseed oil
10 fresh or frozen curry leaves
1 medium brown onion – finely chopped
2 green chillies – sliced lengthwise
300mls “curry base” stock
200g chopped tomatoes
2 tbsp tamarind concentrate
salt to taste
2 tbsp chopped coriander
For the Curry Paste:
10 dried Kashmiri chillies
1 medium red onion – roughly diced
6 large cloves garlic – peeled & minced
1 x 2.5cm (1 inch) ginger – roughly diced
1 tsp cumin seeds
6 cloves – minced
½ tsp freshly cracked black pepper
¼ tsp turmeric
1 x 2.5cm (1 inch) cinnamon stick
Method:
Combine the salt & mahi mahi, ct into bite size pieces & refrigerate
Blend all of the curry paste ingredients with sufficient “curry base” stock to form a smooth paste. Set aside.
Heat the oil in a large pan or wok over medium high heat. When hot, add the curry leaves & temper in the oil for about 30 seconds; add the onion & cook until lightly caramelized & fragrant.
Add the curry paste & green chillies & sauté until aromatic, combine both the tomatoes & 300mls “curry base” stock & add. to the saucepan or wok. Simmer on low heat to reduce to desired consistency & to infuse the myriad of unique flavours.
Add the fish to the simmering liquid, ensuring allis fully submerged & cook for 3-4 minutes on a very slow simmer.
To finish, stir in the tamarind paste one tablespoon at a time. Tamarind concentrate will impart a nice sour flavour. Taste & add additional if required.
Season with salt to taste & garnish with the chopped coriander.
**Mahi mahi can be found in tropical & subtropical waters; this species is plentiful in Papua Niugini & is certainly prized. Renowned for its mild, but sweet flavour & firm texture, this beautiful eating fish that sits in the highest echelon of quality & preference.
**Tempering is an established method in Indian cooking. It involves frying or steeping spices in hot oil or ghee. The spices that are tempered contain oil-soluble compounds that account for much of their flavour. When placed in oil, they release these compounds into the oil or ghee. You can then remove the spices & add the flavored oil to your dish.
The oil (called tadka) is often added as a final touch to different types of dal or to curry, or you can use it at the start of cooking in some dishes. Note that if you are tempering fresh curry leaves with spices like cumin or coriander, those spices should go into the oil first.
Reserve the fresh curry leaves for the last few seconds before the oil is removed from the heat. This is important since these leaves can burn easily. If you are tempering the curry leaves with no other spices, place them in a pot & pour the hot oil over them. You can then leave them to steep with no danger of them scorching.
Refer “Indian Cuisine – The Basics” for a comprehensive brief on how to construct a Curry Base & the reasons why this staple should become a part of your repertoire.