ruth frances
Full Member
Now that the cast is off, I can start typing out the indian recipes I promised. It might take a couple of weeks cos the wrist is very stiff and I don't want to overdo it.
Important tips for all the recipes:
1. DON'T leave any of the spices out/improvise with others - it usually doesn't work out very well
2. When using oil in the recipes, don't use olive oil as the flavour is too strong. Vegetable/sunflower are best.
(Aloo) Channa Masala
My favourite! Usually cooked once a week in our house
Serves 6+
Heat a large saucepan and add 2 tins of chickpeas including the water in the tin.
I usually also add 2 low GI potatoes (Nicola or Carisma) chopped into chunks, but you could use sweet potato, or nothing and just keep it chickpea! If you are adding something, also add 1/2 tin extra water.
As chickpeas are heating up add:
1 teaspoon tumeric
1tsp coriander powder
1tsp dry mango powder
1tsp chilli powder
1tsp cumin seed powder (I dry fry cumin seeds until dark brown - takes about 4-5mins then grind in pestle and mortar to make powder - they might sell the powder in the shop, but for some reason I haven't got any, probably because we have a massive jar of cumin seeds!))
2 tsp channa masala (spice mix usually found in small boxes in indian supermarkets)
2 diced green chillis - they must be green. If you like things not too spicy change this to 1/2 or 1 green chilli.
1 tsp fresh grated ginger (I use the minced ginger in a jar)
Stir in spices, then bring to the boil.
Whilst the chickpeas are simmering away, heat up a frying pan with 1 tablespoon oil.
Once hot, add 1 bay leaf, 1 cinnamon quill and about 10 black peppercorns. Once the peppercorns start crackling add 1 large chopped red onion
Once onion is softened, slowly add 1/2 large 700ml jar of passata (or 1 normal sized tin of crushed tomatoes)
Stir and cook until (now this is a difficult concept to explain) you can see the oil separating from the mix around the edges. If you can't see this/have no idea what I'm talking about, then cook for at least 10mins to be sure its happened.
Tip tomato/onion mix into saucepan with chickpeas. Mix and cook for another 10mins, or until potatoes are soft.
Serve with basmati rice / barley
Tip: if you add 1/2-1 tsp of tumeric to the cooking water for your rice it will come out yellow in true indian style!
NB- if you don't have them/forget, things that can be left out of this recipe without unduly affecting the taste too much are:
bay leaf
cinnamon quill
ginger
Important tips for all the recipes:
1. DON'T leave any of the spices out/improvise with others - it usually doesn't work out very well
2. When using oil in the recipes, don't use olive oil as the flavour is too strong. Vegetable/sunflower are best.
(Aloo) Channa Masala
My favourite! Usually cooked once a week in our house
Serves 6+
Heat a large saucepan and add 2 tins of chickpeas including the water in the tin.
I usually also add 2 low GI potatoes (Nicola or Carisma) chopped into chunks, but you could use sweet potato, or nothing and just keep it chickpea! If you are adding something, also add 1/2 tin extra water.
As chickpeas are heating up add:
1 teaspoon tumeric
1tsp coriander powder
1tsp dry mango powder
1tsp chilli powder
1tsp cumin seed powder (I dry fry cumin seeds until dark brown - takes about 4-5mins then grind in pestle and mortar to make powder - they might sell the powder in the shop, but for some reason I haven't got any, probably because we have a massive jar of cumin seeds!))
2 tsp channa masala (spice mix usually found in small boxes in indian supermarkets)
2 diced green chillis - they must be green. If you like things not too spicy change this to 1/2 or 1 green chilli.
1 tsp fresh grated ginger (I use the minced ginger in a jar)
Stir in spices, then bring to the boil.
Whilst the chickpeas are simmering away, heat up a frying pan with 1 tablespoon oil.
Once hot, add 1 bay leaf, 1 cinnamon quill and about 10 black peppercorns. Once the peppercorns start crackling add 1 large chopped red onion
Once onion is softened, slowly add 1/2 large 700ml jar of passata (or 1 normal sized tin of crushed tomatoes)
Stir and cook until (now this is a difficult concept to explain) you can see the oil separating from the mix around the edges. If you can't see this/have no idea what I'm talking about, then cook for at least 10mins to be sure its happened.
Tip tomato/onion mix into saucepan with chickpeas. Mix and cook for another 10mins, or until potatoes are soft.
Serve with basmati rice / barley
Tip: if you add 1/2-1 tsp of tumeric to the cooking water for your rice it will come out yellow in true indian style!
NB- if you don't have them/forget, things that can be left out of this recipe without unduly affecting the taste too much are:
bay leaf
cinnamon quill
ginger