Curry Night

Now at the weekend the husband likes a good curry, particularly when he is on call and feeling sorry for himself. However, due to budgetary constraints there will be no curry house for us. Also, I will have to make it from the rather unimpressive array offered by the fridge. Hmmm...

So here is what we ended up with, I fancy it's not too shabby, under the circumstances.

Should make enough for 2 hungry souls plus a bit left over for lunch or supper the next day.

Turnip and Aubergine Curry with homemade relish, raita and chapatis

curry:

a)   1 tbsp garam masala
      1 tsp ground ginger
      1tsp cumin seeds
      1 tsp coriander seeds
      2 medium chillies (change acc. to taste)
      2-3 cloves garlic
      1 tsp oil
                                                                                        
b)   2 onions
      1 tin tomatoes
      1 tbsp tomato puree
      2 medium turnips
      1 aubergine
      2-3 bay leaves
      100g frozen peas
      1 handful parsley

Take all the ingredients from list (a) and starting with the seeds and ground spices, mash up in in a pestle and mortar to make your paste.

Chop up the onions and fry in the paste on a medium heat for about 5 mins.

Chop up the aubergine and turnip and add along with the tomatoes, puree and bay leaves. Cover and simmer or put in the oven at 160-180 degrees for and hour or until the vegetables are completely cooked.

If you prefer to you can use other vegetables, I only chose aubergine and turnip a my green grocer gave them to me for 40p. Also, the parsley can be substituted for fresh coriander if you have it. I happened to have some parsley in my freezer to use up.


chapatis:

200g wholemeal flour
100 ml warm water
1-2 tsp ghee/butter/oil

These are seriously easy to make: mix the flour and warm water and knead for a couple of mins until your dough is formed. Cover and leave leave to rest for 10 mins. Next divide into four and roll out each on a floured surface.

Fry in a hot pan with the butter (or whatever you choose) until cooked on both sides. Put them on a plate in the oven to keep warm till all are ready but take care to separate them with kitchen towel or greaseproof paper.

raita:

1 small clove of garlic
150ml natural yoghurt
1tbsp lemon juice
1/2 tsp dried mint
1/2 tsp coriander
1/2 tsp cumin
50g cucumber

chop the cucumber, crush the garlic, grind the spices and mix all the ingredients together.


relish:

1-2 tomatoes
1/4 cucumber
1/2 red onion
1 handful fresh parsley (or coriander)
1/2 tsp coriander
1/2 tsp cumin
2tbsp lemon juice
1/4 tsp salt

Chop the cucumber, onion and tomato and fresh herb as finely as you can be bothered to. Again, most people would chose fresh coriander but in the spirit of making to I used curly parsley which I had found whilst snaffling some bay leaves up my street. Grind the spices and add along with the salt and lemon juice.


Serve it all up and stuff in your face.