Basic Curry
This basic curry recipe is quick, tasty and makes good use of left-over roast meat, vegetables you have in the fridge and some basic staples like tomato paste and yogurt. I love the flexibility of it. If you are of an experimental nature, you may like play around with some the spices to make it your own.
Ingredients
Spice base
- 8 cardamom pods
- 8 whole cloves
- 1/2 stick cinnamon
- 2 tspns coriander seeds
- 2 tspns cumin seeds
Asian base
- 1 tbsp ghee (or preferred cooking oil – see the "Smoke Point of Fats" chart linked in the notes below for options)
- 2 garlic cloves
- 1 tbsp grated ginger
- 1 onion finely sliced
- 1 red chili (depends on how hot you like your curries)
Meat
- Left overroast (lamb, chicken or beef)
Vegetables (can use any in season root vegetable total weight 1.2kg)
- 300 g sweet potato
- 300 g pumpkin
- 300 g carrots
- 300 g celeriac
- 1/2 cup peas fresh or frozen
Sauce
- 2 tbsp tomato paste
- 1 1/2 cups bone broth/stock (can use water)
- 2 tbsp yogurt (coconut, sheep or cow)
Instructions
- Heat a heavy based pan to a moderate temperature.
- Add the cardamom pods, cloves and cinnamon, gently stirring with a wooden spoon until you can smell the aroma being released.
- Add the coriander seeds, and continue to cook for 30 seconds, then add the cumin seeds and remove from heat.
- Stir for another minute in the hot pan, then place into a mortar. Grind well with the pestle (the pod covers will not break down completely). Set aside.
- Warm a heavy based pan, and add the ghee.
- When the ghee has melted, add the onion and cook until transparent. Add garlic, ginger and chilly, and cook for 30 seconds.
- Add the ground spices and the tomato paste, cooking to release the natural sugars.
- Add the cooked meat, chopped vegetables and broth. Simmer gently for 30 minutes.
- Remove from the heat and stir in the yogurt.
- Serve with rice or cauliflower rice and freshly chopped coriander leaves.
Notes
- See the “Smoke Point of Fats” chart here.
- If time is an issue, skip roasting the spices and use a curry paste you have made previously or an off-the-shelf version with ingredients you trust.
