Homemade chicken currry- help appreciated

[Louisa]

I am cooking tonight for four visitors. Everyone loves spicy, so have decided I'll give making a curry a go. Can anyone recommend how someone like me who mostly cooks meat and two veg can go about cooking a fresh curry with (mostly) fresh ingredients? I am pretty good at doing the basics, but the thought of buying spices and crushing them scares me a bit. Are there any alternatives to buying the spices in some sort of box in the supermarket? Or a paste maybe? How long do I cook for? Any help much appreciated.

Louisa.

[Loz]

Spice powder mixes lose their flavours quite quickly on the shelf, so I find that the spice pastes are a good middle ground alternative to buying/frying/crushing spices yourself.

[Peckhamrye]

The line by Anjum Annand are pretty good http://anjumanand.co.uk/Home/TheSpiceTailor

[KidKruger]

I'm pushed for time at moment so can't really help, otherwise would help with advice on spices/ingredients/method.

One thing that springs to mind though - do you really want to be doing this first time when guests are coming ?!?

Here's a recipe I made on Monday, but you do have to make your own garamm masala, it's described in Telegu (from Andhra Pradesh) with English subtitles:

[johnie]

How about a Thai green or red curry? Really easy to find good pastes (try the oriental supermarket on Hanover Park beside Morrison's car park), then you just need coconut milk and lots (lots) of fresh coriander. Pick up some of their frozen starters too. You must get the sticky Thai rice too, not the same without it.

[Michael Palaeologus]

M&S do a good range of curry mixes. A sort of triangular box contains one packet of dry spices, one small jar of paste, one jar of sauce. With instructions.

I tried the madras one a couple of days ago. I used lamb and added a chopped onion, two medium aubergines (sliced and fried beforehand) a can of coconut milk, a can of chopped toms, two cans of chick peas and a chopped bunch of coriander. Its quite a wet mix to be begin with, but allow to simmer for between 60 and 90 minutes and it will be lovely.

[Seabag]

Go into SMBS

There's a Shan brand of ready made spice mixes. They don't look much but are good and reliable. They can be a little salty but I usually bulk up the fluids (low salt/salt stock) or some tomato pasata and ad a can of coconut milk (the thick stuff often from Thailand)

Onions and ginger and garlic is usually good, along with a few chunks of potato

My son is 13 and makes these often.

[Take Note]

Have tried all of the above and couldn't agree more: that if you're inexperienced/time-poor etc there is a huge amount of pre-made stuff which is gorgeous.

Good luck, and let us know how you get on! :)

[PeckhamRose]

I did not know powders lost their flavour over time. I had better get cooking a LOT.

Kahns Bargains is my fave shop!

[Loz]

PeckhamRose Wrote:

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> I did not know powders lost their flavour over

> time. I had better get cooking a LOT.

> Kahns Bargains is my fave shop!

The flavour compounds are generally volatile oils, so grinding helps them dissipate faster. Whole spices lose flavour as well, but much more slowly.

[PeckhamRose]

Sh! I'm baking! Getting real hot in my kitchen I tell ya!

[ken78]

KidKruger it's not in english but looks nice.and i burnt the floor when i lit the fire.cot to buy a new floor

[KidKruger]

Ken if you follow the guidelines as per the video it's a stone slab and outside !

[penfold]

appreciate its a tad late - but foolproof chicken curry:

2 onions - sliced - soften with:

5 cloves

5 whole cardamum seed

1 whole dried red chile

2 table spoons of whole cumin seed

once onion soft

add skinless chicken - boneless and/or thighs/drumsticks

brown off

add 2 table spoons of turmeric powder

stir through so powder absorbed

add two tins tomatoes - chopped/plum - whatever

big squirt of tom puree

season

simmer for as long as possible - min 45 mins up to hours..... with lid on wonky

top up with water if necessary

serve with rice and naan and jobs a good'un

[Alan Medic]

A tad late? Louisa, your audience awaits the outcome.

[Seabag]

Alan Medic Wrote:

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> A tad late? Louisa, your audience awaits the

> outcome.

This thread was a 'beard' for Louisa, to keep her looking safe for Admin

The flan effect near got her busted, so this smokescreen was created.

[Dog duck]

Currying favour?

[Alan Medic]

Seabag Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> Alan Medic Wrote:

> --------------------------------------------------

> -----

> > A tad late? Louisa, your audience awaits the

> > outcome.

>

> This thread was a 'beard' for Louisa, to keep her

> looking safe for Admin

>

> The flan effect near got her busted, so this

> smokescreen was created.

You old cynic. Given all the generous input she received from forum members, it's unimaginable that the request was a smokescreen. I'm sure we will have an update very soon from Louisa. Beard....huh!

[KidKruger]

Two tablespoons of turmeric powder is a MASSIVE amount of turmeric for a curry, unless it's to feed like 40 people !

It will give a normal-sized curry a overly massala-y taste and I'd expect turn it day-glo orange !

Perhaps two teaspoons was meant ? (Even that's a lot..)

[Alan Medic]

Sabotage maybe?

[Sue]

Turmeric has recently been much recommended for its apparently miraculous healing properties.

Maybe that recipe was medicinal :))

So how did the meal turn out, Louisa?

[Alan Medic]

Foxy is probably busy emailing some photo's to her......

[DulwichFox]

KidKruger Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> Two tablespoons of turmeric powder is a MASSIVE

> amount of turmeric for a curry, unless it's to

> feed like 40 people !

> It will give a normal-sized curry a overly

> massala-y taste and I'd expect turn it day-glo

> orange !

> Perhaps two teaspoons was meant ? (Even that's a

> lot..)

K.K. is absolutely right. Turmeric id VERY over powering. A curry for 4 people 1 teaspoon is ample.

All ground spices should be mixed with water to form a paste so as not to burn when frying..

Foxy

[Louisa]

Thanks every so much everyone for your input.

I used fresh chicken breast, and I took a lot of the elements you suggested above. As it was experimental I used quite a bit of coriander and fresh garlic, also fresh chillis and a lot of them. The only element I cheated with a little was the spices which were condensed in a paste. I am slightly upset I didn't go the extra mile and next time I certainly will give it a go. Pretty shocked at just how light and fresh a homemade curry tastes compared to a curry house one. I used two whole packs of vine tomatoes too.

Despite using 6 whole chillis with seeds in, the curry was not especially hot by the standard we compare it with something you'd get in a restaurant. But the freshness was something you couldn't replicate, and it was still hot enough to satisfy. For next time, if I am using prawns for example, at what stage do I add them so that hey cook reasonably well but aren't rubbery? Chicken was a safe bet.

KK I didn't use tumeric but I think the paste probably contained some?

Louisa.

[Louisa]

Oh yes and the oil, I only had sunflower oil. Reading posts above I assume I should have not done this?

Louisa.