Curry night in Castlemaine

One thing I have always loved, if given the time, is making a great homemade curry. It's amazing how many combinations of flavours you can make, and a wide range of spices and herbs that can be played around with! All sorts of dietary needs and wants can be catered to.

Class act Curry!

Ingredients (Serves 4)

Curry

• 1 tbs coconut oil

• 2 brown onions (sliced)

• 4 flat cap mushrooms (sliced)

• 2 cloves of garlic (Sliced)

• 1 regular sized sweet potato (diced)

• 2 tomatoes (diced)

• 1 red pepper (diced)

• 3 cups of spinach

• 1 tsp dried chilli / chilli flakes

• 3 cardamon pods

• 2 tsp caraway seeds

• 2 tsp curry madras powder

• 1 tsp fenugreek

• 1 tsp ground ginger

• 1 tsp turmeric powder

• 1 tsp garamasala powder

• 1 tin coconut milk

• 2 sprigs of fresh coriander

• 2 bay leaves

• 2 curry leaves

• 250g diced chicken (optional)

Rice

• 2 cups basmati rice

• 4 cups water

• zest of 1 lemon

• 1 tbs chopped parsley

• juice of 1/2 a lemon

• 1/2 tsp chilli flakes

• pinch of salt

Method

Heat coconut oil in a large pan, add onions and allow to sweat on a medium heat.

Add chicken at this point if you are using it and slightly increase the heat.

Add mushroom, garlic and sweet potato and allow to slightly brown off.

Toss in tomato, pepper and mushroom and mix through.

Mix together, chilli flakes, cardamon pods, caraway seeds, madras powder, fengreek, ground ginger, turmeric and garamasala. Allow this to cook out and coat all of the ingredients. Don't allow the spices to stick to the pan as they will burn. If they do look like they are going to throw in the coconut milk and stir quickly!

Finally throw in bay leaves, curry leaves and fresh coriander.

Let the curry simmer away for around half an hour.

In the meantime put basmati rice, water, lemon zest, parsley, lemon juice, chilli flakes and salt in a pan. Bring to the boil and then simmer. Simmer for around 15 minutes until almost all liquid has been absorbed. When you can't see any water, it doesn't always mean there isn't some lurking at the bottom. Put a lid on the pan and take off the heat. This will allow the rest of the liquid to steam and be absorbed.

Plate up and enjoy! This will serve 4 substantial portions for anyone!

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