Read Online Indian Curry Recipes by Catherine Atkinson - Free Book Online
Authors: Catherine Atkinson
Tags: Cooking
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this mixture into the curry. Add the spinach leaves, pressing down into the hot liquid. Cover and cook for a further 30-45 minutes or until the spinach has wilted.
Stir the spinach into the curry, taste and adjust the seasoning if necessary. Drizzle with the rest of the yoghurt and sprinkle with the flaked almonds before serving.
VARIATIONS
Minced pork has been used in this kofta dish, but lean beef or lamb would work equally well.
----
Beef
Because Hindus make up the majority of the Indian population and regard the cow as a sacred animal, beef curries are only served in a few parts of India. However, I've included a chapter of interesting and tasty recipes because the slow cooker excels when it comes to cooking beef, making it succulent and delicious.
Don't go for the most expensive cuts of beef believing that they will produce a better curry. Ideal beef cuts for slow cooking are generally the cheaper ones such as brisket and chuck steak as they have a looser texture. During cooking the fibres open up and allow moisture and spices to penetrate, creating a delicious, rich, tasty sauce.
More expensive cuts, such as fine-grained and densely textured sirloin (porterhouse) steak, are less suitable for slow cooking because the tightness of the fibres prevents them from absorbing the liquid around them. This means that although they become tender when cooked in a slow cooker, the curry will lack succulence and flavour.
----
Beef Biryani
Introduced to central India by the Moghuls, this meat and rice dish is usually layered and baked. In this simplified version, they are cooked separately to allow the beef to benefit from lengthy slow cooking until meltingly tender, before stirring the rice in at the end.
Serves 4
30 ml/2 tbsp ghee or unsalted (sweet) butter
2 onions, thinly sliced, or 90 ml/ 6 tbsp frozen diced onions
15 ml/1 tbsp groundnut (peanut) or sunflower oil
700 g/1½ lb lean braising or chuck steak, diced
5 ml/1 tsp ground ginger
5 ml/1 tsp garam masala
2.5 ml/½ tsp ground cinnamon
2.5 ml/½ tsp chilli powder
2.5 ml/½ tsp caraway seeds
100 ml/3½ fl oz/scant ½ cup very hot (not boiling) beef stock
2 green cardamom pods, split
1 bay leaf
150 ml/¼ pint/2/3 cup thick plain or Greek-style yoghurt
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
350 g/12 oz/1½ cups basmati rice
75 g/3 oz/½ cup frozen peas
45 ml/3 tbsp desiccated (shredded) coconut, to garnish
Heat the ghee or butter in a large frying pan. Add the onions and fry, stirring for about 10 minutes, until golden. Transfer to the ceramic cooking pot with a slotted spoon.
Heat the oil in the same pan and fry the beef until brown on all sides. Sprinkle over the ginger, garam masala, cinnamon, chilli and caraway seeds. Cook for a further minute.
Stir in the beef stock, then tip the mixture into the cooking pot.
Add the cardamom pods and bay leaf to the pot, then stir in the yoghurt. Season with salt and pepper, cover with the lid and cook on High for 3-4 hours or Low for 6-8 hours.
Meanwhile, cook the rice according to the packet instructions, adding the peas for the last 5 minutes. Drain well.
Gently stir the rice into the beef mixture. Spoon on to warmed plates and serve with popadoms and mango chutney.
VARIATION
This biryani can be made with lamb instead of beef, although I suggest you reduce the cooking time by 30 minutes if cooking on High, 1 hour if cooking on Low.
----
Bangladeshi Beef Curry
Known as rezala, this is a thick spicy curry with the chunks of beef so tender they can be cut with a spoon. Here the meat is moistened with just enough stock and yoghurt for it to be coated in sauce, although some traditional versions are much drier. Serve this with a moist accompaniment - a dhal or a juicy Mushroom Pilau would be ideal.
Serves 4
60 ml/4 tbsp ghee or unsalted (sweet) butter
700 g/1½ lb braising or chuck steak, cut into 4 cm/1½ in cubes
2 onions, sliced, or 90 ml/6 tbsp frozen diced onions
1 garlic clove, crushed, or 5 ml/ 1
Stir the spinach into the curry, taste and adjust the seasoning if necessary. Drizzle with the rest of the yoghurt and sprinkle with the flaked almonds before serving.
VARIATIONS
Minced pork has been used in this kofta dish, but lean beef or lamb would work equally well.
----
Beef
Because Hindus make up the majority of the Indian population and regard the cow as a sacred animal, beef curries are only served in a few parts of India. However, I've included a chapter of interesting and tasty recipes because the slow cooker excels when it comes to cooking beef, making it succulent and delicious.
Don't go for the most expensive cuts of beef believing that they will produce a better curry. Ideal beef cuts for slow cooking are generally the cheaper ones such as brisket and chuck steak as they have a looser texture. During cooking the fibres open up and allow moisture and spices to penetrate, creating a delicious, rich, tasty sauce.
More expensive cuts, such as fine-grained and densely textured sirloin (porterhouse) steak, are less suitable for slow cooking because the tightness of the fibres prevents them from absorbing the liquid around them. This means that although they become tender when cooked in a slow cooker, the curry will lack succulence and flavour.
----
Beef Biryani
Introduced to central India by the Moghuls, this meat and rice dish is usually layered and baked. In this simplified version, they are cooked separately to allow the beef to benefit from lengthy slow cooking until meltingly tender, before stirring the rice in at the end.
Serves 4
30 ml/2 tbsp ghee or unsalted (sweet) butter
2 onions, thinly sliced, or 90 ml/ 6 tbsp frozen diced onions
15 ml/1 tbsp groundnut (peanut) or sunflower oil
700 g/1½ lb lean braising or chuck steak, diced
5 ml/1 tsp ground ginger
5 ml/1 tsp garam masala
2.5 ml/½ tsp ground cinnamon
2.5 ml/½ tsp chilli powder
2.5 ml/½ tsp caraway seeds
100 ml/3½ fl oz/scant ½ cup very hot (not boiling) beef stock
2 green cardamom pods, split
1 bay leaf
150 ml/¼ pint/2/3 cup thick plain or Greek-style yoghurt
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
350 g/12 oz/1½ cups basmati rice
75 g/3 oz/½ cup frozen peas
45 ml/3 tbsp desiccated (shredded) coconut, to garnish
Heat the ghee or butter in a large frying pan. Add the onions and fry, stirring for about 10 minutes, until golden. Transfer to the ceramic cooking pot with a slotted spoon.
Heat the oil in the same pan and fry the beef until brown on all sides. Sprinkle over the ginger, garam masala, cinnamon, chilli and caraway seeds. Cook for a further minute.
Stir in the beef stock, then tip the mixture into the cooking pot.
Add the cardamom pods and bay leaf to the pot, then stir in the yoghurt. Season with salt and pepper, cover with the lid and cook on High for 3-4 hours or Low for 6-8 hours.
Meanwhile, cook the rice according to the packet instructions, adding the peas for the last 5 minutes. Drain well.
Gently stir the rice into the beef mixture. Spoon on to warmed plates and serve with popadoms and mango chutney.
VARIATION
This biryani can be made with lamb instead of beef, although I suggest you reduce the cooking time by 30 minutes if cooking on High, 1 hour if cooking on Low.
----
Bangladeshi Beef Curry
Known as rezala, this is a thick spicy curry with the chunks of beef so tender they can be cut with a spoon. Here the meat is moistened with just enough stock and yoghurt for it to be coated in sauce, although some traditional versions are much drier. Serve this with a moist accompaniment - a dhal or a juicy Mushroom Pilau would be ideal.
Serves 4
60 ml/4 tbsp ghee or unsalted (sweet) butter
700 g/1½ lb braising or chuck steak, cut into 4 cm/1½ in cubes
2 onions, sliced, or 90 ml/6 tbsp frozen diced onions
1 garlic clove, crushed, or 5 ml/ 1
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