A GUIDE TO NATIONAL CURRY WEEK

This week, it’s National Curry Week! What better way to celebrate the week than with a curry? From Korma, to Vindaloo, to Chicken Tikka – the choices are endless.

We’ve put together the perfect list of curries that you will need to try this week and the many weeks after that!

Butternut and Chick Pea Curry (Recipe and image courtesy of Waitrose & Partners)

Ingredients

• Sunflower oil spray
• 1 onion, dice
• 3cm piece root ginger, chopped
• 1 butternut squash seeded and cubed
• 2 x 400g cans chopped tomatoes
• 2 x 400g Waitrose chick peas, drained and rinsed
• 2 tbsp curry paste
• 300g frozen chopped spinach
• 6 seeded tortilla wraps or 6 Loyd Grossman chapattis

For the salad:

• 1 cucumber portion seeded and diced
• 1 red onion finely chopped
• 150g low fat natural yogurt
• 2 tbsp chopped mint
• 1 tsp toasted cumin seeds
• Squeeze of lemon juice

Method

1. Spray a large pan with sunflower oil and cook the onion, ginger and squash for 5 minutes until the onion is tender.
2. Add the tomatoes, chick peas and curry paste and simmer gently for 15 minutes until the squash is tender. Add the spinach and simmer for a further 5 minutes, until the spinach has thawed, and the curry is piping hot. Turn into a large serving bowl.
3. Meanwhile, stir together the cucumber, red onion, yogurt, mint and cumin seeds. Add a squeeze of lemon juice to taste, then spoon into a serving bowl.
4. Warm the tortilla wraps or chapattis according to packet instructions and serve with the curry and yogurt salad.

Cod & Prawn Sambal Curry (Recipe and image courtesy of Waitrose & Partners)

Ingredients

• 2 echalion shallots, roughly chopped
• 1 stalk fresh lemongrass roughly chopped
• ½ tsp shrimp paste
• 1 Thai red chilli (leave seeds in for hot/spicy)
• 28g pack coriander, leaves finely chopped, stalks roughly chopped
• 2 tsp oil
• 2 tsp curry powder
• 400g can chopped Italian tomatoes with olive oil & garlic
• 260g pack spinach
• 400g cod fillet, cut into chunky slices
• 180g pack raw extra-large king prawns

Method

1. Put the shallots, lemongrass, shrimp paste, chilli and coriander stalks into a small processor with 1 tsp oil and whizz to form a smooth paste.
2. Heat 1 tsp oil in a frying pan, add the paste and curry powder and cook for 2 minutes until fragrant. Add the tomatoes and half a can of water, then cover and simmer for 5 minutes until the sauce thickens. Stir in the spinach and most of the coriander, then season.
3. Drop in the cod and prawns. Re-cover then simmer for 3 minutes until the fish is cooked through and the prawns are pink throughout. Scatter with the rest of the coriander to serve. Enjoy with rice.

Creamy Coconut Vegetarian Korma

Ingredients

For the veggies:

• 425g new potatoes, cut into small, bite-sized pieces
• ½ cauliflower, chopped into bite size florets
• 2 carrots peeled and chopped
• 1 red pepper chopped
• 1 yellow pepper chopped

For the vegetarian korma sauce:

• 2 Tbsp the Groovy Food Company Organic Virgin Coconut Oil Infused with Turmeric
• 2 large onions chopped
• 6cm piece of ginger, peeled and grated
• 6 garlic cloves crushed with a knife
• 3 tbsp tomato puree
• 2 Tsp curry powder
• 2 Tsp garam masala
• 1 Tsp ground turmeric
• ½ Tsp ground cardamom
• ½ Tsp ground fenugreek
• ¼ – ½ Tsp chili powder
• 400ml The Groovy Food Company Organic Creamed Coconut
• 100g cashews
• 2 Tbsp lemon juice
• 150g yoghurt (omit or use vegan yogurt as alternative)
• 1 Tbsp The Groovy Food Company Organic Coconut Sugar
• Top with any or all: cashews, coriander, lemon wedges, and raisins
• Optional: Indian coconut bread (see Groovy Food recipe)

Method:

1. First prepare the coconut milk; measure the creamed coconut into a blender, add 325ml hot water then blend until smooth, set aside.
2. Heat the oil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until soft and starting to caramelise, about 10-15 mins.
3. Meanwhile bring a pan of water to the boil. Add the potatoes and simmer for 10 mins, then add the cauliflower, carrot and peppers and cook for 5 mins more, or until just tender. Drain and set aside.
4. Add the ginger and garlic to the softened onions and cook for 2 mins more. Add the spices and 1/2 tsp salt and stir for 1 min. Tip in the tomato puree and cook stirring for another 1 min or so, then pour in the coconut milk, cashews, lemon juice and 300ml water. Bring to the boil, then simmer gently for 5-8 mins to soften the cashews.
5. Leave the sauce to cool a little, then working in batches blend until smooth. Tip the sauce back into the pan, stir through the yogurt and coconut sugar and add more salt if needed. Add the cooked vegetables then cover and simmer gently for 10-15 mins, stirring every so often. Add a little water if the sauce becomes too thick.

When ready to serve, heat a small frying pan and toast the cashews and raisins for 1-2 mins, then sprinkle over the korma. Scatter over a handful of coriander leaves and serve with wedges of lemon for squeezing over.

Naansters from Jake & Nayns’

If cooking isn’t your thing, or if you want to try a different way to eat curry – then why not try Naansters from Jake & Nayns’.

The clever Naansters offer the taste of an authentic curry packed into a folded naan, meaning you can eat them wherever and whenever.

Jake and Nayns’ Naansters range is available in Sainsbury’s, Co-op, Spar, Londis and forecourts across the country. RRP £2.00