Indian/Chinese food

You need to look at Curry Queen 's recipes on the recipe thread... can't remember exactly where at the moment, but they're on the stickies at the top, but I did copy them shamelessly into my recipe file so here they are (apologies to Curry Queen, not trying to pretend they're my idea!): - oh hang on, just found the link, it's http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showpost.html?p=456767&postcount=38
- but as I've copied it anyway, here it is:

Curry Sauce

1 kg onions
50g ginger
50g garlic
1.5 litres water
1 tsp salt
225g tin tomatoes (or passata)
8 tbsp veg oil
1 tsp tomato puree
1 tsp turmeric
1 tsp paprika

Method

Stage 1

Peel and slice onions, garlic and ginger (if cheating and using minced ginger/garlic from a jar miss next bit out) and put chopped ginger and garlic in a blender with half pint water and blend till smooth.

Place onions, blended ginger/garlic and rest of water into a large saucepan.

Add salt and bring to boil. Turn heat down and simmer on very low, with lid on, for 45 mins. Leave to cool.

Stage 2

Once cooled, blend onion mixture (do half at a time) in a blender until perfectly smooth (this is important).

Can be frozen at this stage.

Stage 3

If using tin tomatoes give them a blast in a blender until smooth (I use passata as I'm lazy LOL!).

Put oil, tomato puree, turmeric and paprika. Stir in blended tomatoes and bring to boil. turn down heat and cook for 10 mins, stirring occassionally.

Add onion mixture to saucepan and bring back to the boil. Turn down again to very low and simmer for 20-25 mins, stirring occasionally. During the cooking process a froth will appear on the surface which needs to be skimmed off.

The sauce is now ready to use or can be refrigerated for up to 4 days. I've also frozen it at this stage and it's been absolutely fine.
I know it sounds like a long, complicated process, which is one of the reasons I make it in bulk batches, but it really is worth the effort if you want to make curries like the ones they serve in Indian restaurants/take-aways


The curries themselves only take 10 mins to cook (if using pre-cooked chicken/lamb) and the basic method is to heat the oil and curry sauce to boiling, add meat and cook for 5 mins, add spices and turn down to simmer for 5 mins. Add any cream or yoghurt and fresh chopped coriander you want and serve!

If using raw chicken/lamb then fry it in oil first before adding sauce, same with any added raw veggies like onions, peppers, mushrooms etc.
Chicken Korma (serve 3-4)

4 tbsp veg oil
425ml curry sauce
450g cooked chicken
2 tbsp cashew nuts, roughly chopped
1 tsp salt
1/4 tsp turmeric
1 tsp ground cumin
150ml coconut cream
2tsp finely chopped coriander



Chicken Bhuna (serves 3-4) (my fav!)

50g mushrooms, sliced
1/2 green pepper, sliced (fry both of these in oil before adding sauce)
6 tbsp veg oil
425ml curry sauce
1lb cooked chicken
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp chilli powder
11/2 tsp garam masala
1 tsp ground cumin
1/2 tsp dried fenugreek
1 tbs finely chopped coriander
Chicken Moghlai (serves 3-4)

6 tbsp veg oil
425ml curry sauce
1lb cooked chicken
1 tsp salt
1/4 tsp turmeric
2 eggs
150ml single cream
11/2 tsp garam masala
1 tsp ground cumin
4 mango slices, tinned or fresh
1 tbsp finely chopped coriander

After adding meat, turn down and simmer 5 mins ... whisk eggs and add to cream ... spoon off excess oil on surface and stir in eggs/cream. Add spices and simmer further 5 mins. Serve with sliced mango on side.
Chappatis

225g chappati flour
110ml water (approx)

Place flour in bowl and slowly add water, bringing it together with fingertips, until you have a soft pliable dough. Knead with wet hands for a couple minutes then leave to rest for 15 mins.

Heat up a hotplate/griddle type thing to cook them on. Roughly divide dough into 8-10 pieces and with flour-dusted hands, roll each piece into a ball. Press flat and dust flour on both sides then roll out into circles approx 6" diameter. Place on hot griddle and cook for approx 30 seconds each side. Remove from griddle and using tongues hold over a meduim flame and it will puff up in seconds. Wrap in clean tea-towel to keep warm.
Naan Bread

450g SR flour
1/2tsp salt
1/2 tsp baking powder
2tbsp veg oil
4 tbsp plain yoghurt (beaten)
2 eggs (beaten)
150ml water approx

(can add garlic, herbs, spices to flavour)

Sift flour, salt, baking powder into bowl and add oil, yoghurt and eggs (plus any herbs/spices you want to add) and mix. Add water slowly, using hands to bring together until you have a soft dough. Knead with wet hands for a couple mins then leave to rest for 15 mins.

Pre-heat oven to highest temp and place baking tray in to heat up.

Divide dough into 6 equal portions, and with floured hands roll each piece into a ball in palms of hand. Pull each ball out into a tear shape and place 2 at a time onto hot baking baking tray and return to oven immediately for about 3-4 minutes. Remove tray from oven and place under hot grill for about 30 seconds to brown and crisp top lightly. Keep warm in clean tea-towel.



Pilau Rice

2 cups Basmati rice
1 tbsp ghee or oil
1 tbsp finely chopped onion
6 green cardamons
2" cinnamon stick
4 cloves
2 bay leaves
3 cups cold water
1/2 tsp salt
red & yellow food colour (optional)


* Pre-heat oven to 160C/Gas 3 and wash rice in several changes of water - drain well.

* Fry onion, cardamons, cinnamon stick and cloves in ghee/oil for a couple of minutes till soft.

* Add the drained rice and fry for a further minute or two.

* Add cold water to rice and bring to the boil, then put lid on and leave to simmer on low for 5 minutes.

* Give gentle stir with fork so not to break rice then replace lid and simmer for 3 minutes. Repeat and cover for further 2 minutes.

* Remove from heat then sprinkle few drops (or pinch if using powder) food colouring onto rice.

* Replace lid and put in oven for 15-20 minutes to finish cooking and set colours. (Time to prepare and cook curry then!)

* Stir with fork before turning out onto serving plate to distribute colours, and voila! ... the perfect pilau rice

Hi

If you have the following 'golden trilogy' of ingredients - ginger, spring onion and garlic - these are the basis for a great chinese meal. Add a quarter of a teaspoon of five spice and a glug of the cheapest sherry or if you are more flush, some chinese wine and bobs your uncle - a really great tasting chinese meal. Maybe make it with some egg fried rice?

If you like a sweet chinese dish, this is my all time favourite:

Spareribs in Sweet and Sour Sauce

½ tsp salt
1 tbs dry sherry/white wine
1 tsp cornflour
1lb pork spareribs cut into 1 inch squares (you can buy pork already cubed and ready for stir frying. I bought my last lot on offer from the CoOp and it was yummy!!!)
4 tbs oil

Sauce:
2oz sugar
3tbs wine vinegar
2tbs soy sauce
1 tsp cornflour

Mix together the salt, sherry/wine and cornflour in a dish. Add the sparerib pieces and toss to coat with the mixture and leave to marinate for at least 30 minutes.

Heat the oil in a pan. Add the sparerib pieces and fry on a low heat until cooked through. Remove with a slotted spoon and drain on kitchen paper. Keep hot.

Using the oil left in the pan, mix together the sauce ingredients and add this into the pan. When the sauce is bubbling add the spareribs. Stir well to coat and serve hot.

I make the above two recipes regularly and made rice and chips for everyone and we are far more full after eating than we are from eating a takeaway!