Army Benevolent Fund - World's Biggest Curry Lunch

Recipes

Recipes from Pat Chapman's
INDIA FOOD & COOKING
© Pat Chapman

The following copyright recipes may be used for non-commercial gain providing the user guarantees to credit the author and the publisher with details of the above book.


Chicken Tikka Masala

Recipe from Pat Chapman's INDIA FOOD & COOKING - ©Pat Chapman

This is Pat's version of Chicken Tikka Masala, the curry house favourite, here with no food colouring in sight. Chunks of chicken breast are simmered in a spicy, medium heat, thick red tomato-based sauce.

Serves: 2 to 3

  • 20 - 24 raw chicken pieces
  • 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
  • 4 - 6 garlic cloves, finely chopped
  • 3 tablespoons red bottled tandoori paste
  • 1 tablespoon tomato purée
  • 225g (8 oz) onions, finely chopped
  • 200g tomato passata
  • 1 teaspoon garam masala
  • 1 tablespoon fresh coriander, finely chopped
  • Salt to taste
  • 30ml double cream (optional)
  • 30 - 50g butter
  1. Heat the oil in a wok, stir-fry the garlic, paste and purée for 30 seconds, then add the onion and stir-fry for 5 more minutes.
  2. Add the tomato passata, garam masala and coriander. Stir-fry for 2 minutes or so, until the oil separates.
  3. Then add the chicken and simmer for a further 8 to 12 minutes, adding a little water if it needs it.
  4. Make sure the chicken is cooked right through. Salt to taste. Add the butter and cream and simmer for a few moments more.
  5. It can be garnished with fresh coriander leaves, toasted almonds and a curl of cream.

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Classic Lamb Korma also called Royal Shahi Korma

Recipe from Pat Chapman's INDIA FOOD & COOKING - ©Pat Chapman

Many people are keen to know what differences, if any, there are between standard restaurant curries and their authentic counterparts cooked in the subcontinent. There is no better example of these differences, than korma. When we think of the curry restaurant korma, we picture in our minds a very mild curry, pale golden in colour and of thickish creamy texture, achieved mostly by the use of creamed coconut block. In India, korma refers to a cooking style, where only ghee or oil is used in the initial cooking. Water is introduced later, but this must be entirely evaporated during the cooking process, indicated at the end of cooking when the ghee or oil 'floats' on top of the cooked dish. There are many types of authentic korma, all of which are aromatic and awash with a mellow gravy, achieved in the north by using yoghurt and/or cream, and in the south with coconut milk. Korma does not necessarily mean mild - it is quite normal to add fresh chillies. In Kashmir, one famous dish, the Mirchwangan Korma, is red in colour and hot in taste from the prolific use chillies. The korma has been around for centuries but it was perfected by the Moghuls. It was said that if a chef could cook a korma he could cook for the court. If he could cook two dozen variations he would be 'king of the kitchens', and cook for the Emperor's table. This recipe recreates a totally authentic Classic North Indian Moghul Lamb Korma, using yoghurt and optional chilli, cooked in the traditional manner.

Serves: 2

  • 250g boned lamb neck, cubed
  • 100g natural yoghurt
  • 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
  • 1/2 teaspoon turmeric
  • 2 teaspoons coriander, ground
  • 1 tablespoon finely chopped garlic
  • 1 tablespoon finely chopped ginger
  • 225g finely chopped onion
  • 20 - 30 strands saffron
  • 2 tablespoons ground almond
  • 2 tablespoons single cream (optional)
  • 2 teaspoons chopped fresh coriander leaves
  • 1 teaspoon garam masala
  • Salt to taste

Masala

  • 5cm piece cassia bark
  • 1/2 teaspoon green cardamoms
  • 1/2 teaspoon cloves
  • 4 bay leaves
  • 1/2 teaspoon fennel seeds
  1. In a non-metallic bowl, mix the yoghurt, meat and masala and leave to marinate for 2 to 60 hours.
  2. Preheat the oven to 190°C / 375°F / Gas 5. Put the marinated lamb into a casserole pot, cover and cook, lid-on, in the oven for 15 to 20 minutes.
  3. Heat the oil then stir-fry the turmeric and coriander for 30 seconds. Add the garlic, ginger and onion, and stir-fry for a further 10 minutes.
  4. Combine the fried mixture with the marinated lamb, add into the casserole, cover and cook, lid-on, in the oven for a further 15 to 20 minutes.
  5. Remove the casserole from the oven, inspect and stir, then mix in the saffron, ground almonds, coriander and cream. Return to the oven for 15 to 20 minutes more.
  6. Remove the casserole from the oven again, inspect, and, if it looks too dry, add a little stock or water. Taste for tenderness, and judge how much more cooking it needs to reach complete tenderness. Add the fresh coriander, garam masala and salt if required. It will probably need at least 10 minutes more.

The korma can be served straight away, garnished with the flaked almonds, or reheated next day (some people prefer that, saying it is more marinated), or it can be frozen.

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Chana Chaat Curry Chickpea Curry

Recipe from Pat Chapman's INDIA FOOD & COOKING - ©Pat Chapman

The three minute curry. That's all it takes to make it. Fast, simple, nutritious, filling and tasty!

Serves: 4 as a starter or side dish

  • 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
  • 1 teaspoon garlic, finely chopped
  • 2 - 3 teaspoons curry powder
  • 1 tablespoon tomato purée
  • 3 tablespoons onion, finely chopped
  • 400g canned, strained chick peas
  • 1 fresh tomato chopped
  • Chopped green chilli and fresh coriander to taste
  • Salt to taste

Spices

  • 1/2 teaspoon white cummin seeds
  • 1/2 teaspoon fennel seeds
  • 1/2 teaspoon mustard seeds
  • 1/3 teaspoon nigella seeds
  1. Heat the oil. Stir-fry the spices and garlic and stir-fry for a further 30 seconds, then add the curry powder and onion and stir-fry for a while more.
  2. Add all the remaining ingredients, and stir-fry for about 2 minutes.
  3. Remove from the heat and serve hot, or allow to cool.
  4. For the cold version serve the chana on a bed of salad or mix the two together.

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Oonbariou. The Parsee Vegetable Masterpiece

Recipe from Pat Chapman's INDIA FOOD & COOKING - ©Pat Chapman

We mostly think of Indian vegetables as being stewed, and even overcooked. This dish Oonbariou (or Umberio/ Oberu) brings a whole new meaning to Indian vegetables. It is a slow-baked Parsee vegetable dish which evolved from Undhui a baked vegetable dish from the western Indian state of Gujarat. Like Undhui it uses mainly root vegetables. Before the advent of the modern oven (still unavailable to many Indians) they dug a pit in the earth , lined it with charcoal, which when white hot, they lowered the pan onto it, then buried and covered with more burning charcoal. It then slowly 'baked' for several hours. Parsees call this dish their masterpiece to which they often add meat and especially quail. We are lucky having our modern, effort-free ovens. Vegetables can include mooli (white radish), sweet potato, baby aubergines, gourds, courgettes, shallots, whole garlic, new potatoes, parsnip, carrot, etc.

Serves: 4 as a side dish

  • 450g (1lb) exotic mixed vegetables chosen from the above items, weighed after stage 1 below.
  • Plus 1 unvinegared cooked beetroot
  • 4 tablespoons vegetable oil
  • 1 teaspoon turmeric
  • 1/2 teaspoon asafoetida (hing)
  • 2 teaspoons cummin seeds
  • 1 teaspoon ajowain (lovage) seeds
  • 10 - 12 curry leaves
  • 2 - 4 fresh chillies, chopped (optional)
  • Salt to taste
  1. Prepare and trim the vegetables, cut into in any shape that takes your fancy. The baby aubergines look nice when cut longways, but keeping them in one piece (so that the stem end is still whole).
  2. Heat the oil in a wok. Add the seeds, curry leaves, turmeric and asafoetida, and stir-fry for 30 seconds. Now turn off the heat and add the vegetables and stir to coat them with the mixture so that they look golden.
  3. Preheat the oven to 190&176;C /375 F/ Gas 5. Place the vegetables on a flat oven dish (roasting tray), so that they are closely packed together, one layer deep throughout. Bake for 25 minutes.
  4. You may need to baste them with more oil, and bake a while longer.
  5. Sprinkle with a little salt to taste and serve straight from the pan if it is decorative enough.

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Perfect Pullao Rice - cooked by absorption

Recipe from Pat Chapman's INDIA FOOD & COOKING - ©Pat Chapman

The classic Moghul rice, cooked the classic way, by absorption. Basmati rice, fried in butter ghee with clove, cardamom, cassia bark, bay leaves, fennel seed, star anise, black cummin and green and black cardamom. Its golden colour comes from saffron.

Serves: 4

  • Exactly 250g Tilda Basmati rice
  • 400ml boiling water

Pullao Rice spicing

  • 2 or 3 bay leaves
  • 2 inch (5cm) piece cassia bark
  • 4 green cardamoms
  • 1 brown cardamom
  • 4 cloves
  • 1/2 teaspoon black cummin seeds
  • 1 teaspoon fennel seeds
  • 1 star anise
  • 2 teaspoons ghee
  • 1 pinch saffron

You can omit some of these spices if you don't have them to hand. If you don't like chewy spices omit or remove the cloves, bay, cassia etc.

  1. Rinse the rice briskly with fresh cold water until most of the starch is washed off.
  2. Measure the 400ml water and bring it to the boil.
  3. Choose a saucepan or a casserole pot with a lid and a capacity of at least twice the volume of the strained rice.
  4. Heat the ghee in it then add all the spices, except the saffron, and stir-fry for 30 seconds.
  5. Add the cold, rinsed rice and gently stir-fry, ensuring the oil coats the rice, and it heats up.
  6. Then add the boiling water and gently stir in well.
  7. As soon as it starts bubbling put the lid on the pan and reduce the heat to under half. Cook for 8 minutes, but turn the heat right down after all the water has seemed to disappeared, which, to save you looking is after 5 minutes or so.
  8. After 8 minutes, check it for dryness, cooking on a wee while if needed. When it is as you like it, turn off the heat. Gently fork in the saffron
  9. To dry the rice to get fluffy grains: Put the lid on the pot and seal it with Clingfilm. Put the pot in a warm place (near the stove but not applying a flame) and leave it for at least 30 minutes, max 90 minutes. It should still be warm. Gently fluff up with a fork and serve.

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Tel 020 7901 8914. Registered Charity Number 211645 Scottish Charity Number SC039189