Posts Tagged With: indian food

Quarantine Curry – Quick Spicy Tomato Masala with Cauliflower, Mango and Spinach

Posted on April 8, 2020 by leroy watson

Quarantine Curry – Quick Fragrant Tomato Masala with Cauliflower, Potatoes and Spinach – Vegan, Gluten-free

Quarantine cooking. Means simply making the most of what we’ve got!

This was last nights dinner in the BHK,

I can’t think of a much easier, less fuss-free way of preparing a curry.

This was such a hit over on our vegan cooking group, we had to share it. Thanks so much for all the continued support and enthusiasm. Your kind wishes here and on Instagram etc are really inspiring. It sounds like you’re mainly positive about this ‘new normal’ that we’re all finding ourselves in. Most countries around the world are on ‘lockdown’, and most of you are finding time to get cooking at home, which is great. Hang in there!! Let’s eat healthy:)

This is probably not the most enticing of recipe titles, but it’s pretty accurate! What can we do?! Cook with what’s at hand and hopefully this curry does just that, using only ground spices and a few simple ingredients and veg. You can use any veg in fact, the sauce/ masala is the key. Getting it well cooked, nicely spiced, with a nice hit of fruity sweetness to tickle the tastebuds.

We need less than we think to cook delicious food!

We’re loving our walks like never before. Appreciating the awesome mountains where we live. Last nights giant pink moon rising over Mount Snowdon. Spectacular!!

Making the most of what we’ve got

Really, the best way to cook is making the most of what we’ve got. Always. Not just now. So this could be the time we get into some really good kitchen habits. Learning new skills to take humble ingredients and give them a makeover. Make them shine! Good food is not fancy or expensive, it’s cooked with care, with passion and focus.

We very rarely buy anything especially for a recipe, we just cook with what’s local, seasonal and in the cupboard/ spice rack. It’s where I get my inspiration as a cook, a window to get creative and challenge myself. Let’s see these restrictions as a chance to try new things, new flavour combos, new textures and techniques, and always minimising waste.

We love cooking and buying food, partly because it is such a precious resource. I’m lucky, because Jane is a storage expert! An amazing stock rotator and tin stacker!! Never a rubbery carrot wasted in the BHK.

Keep it spicy!

So here we’ve got dried spices, not fresh ginger, onions, chilli or garlic, which is normally where I start most curries. Try to use as fresh spices as you can, but this is quarantine curry, swap and choose as you like. If you’re short of cumin or coriander, sub with a little more curry powder. If you don’t have fenugreek, no probs, just add a little more cumin or curry powder. They’re really the base notes for the flavour and in time, you’ll get your favourite balance, you’re own perfect masala mix.

Keep your spices in airtight containers, out of the way of damp and sunlight. As fresh as you can. Keeping them spicy! If you have whole spices, toasting and grinding your own is the way to go. I realise that’s a bit of a luxury, but you can’t beat those gorgeous flavours.

We’ve been doing lots of chilling, digging and some planting in the garden. But mainly chilling. It looks like all our trees survived the winter up here (which is not a given) and we’ll get a nice little crop of plums, apples, pears and maybe the odd cherry? You never know.

Up on the hill

We’ve had a brilliant weather for the past few weeks and are feeling settled up here on Tiger Hill. We live in a tiny village and people are in their gardens and taking daily walks more than ever, which is really nice to see. Even though we can’t get close, it feels good to just exchange waves and smiles. Bringing the village together. It’s never been truer than now, we’re all in this together!!

Somedays we’re feeling the sheer scale and global suffering relating to this situation, and on others, enjoying the newts and birds in the garden. We’re basing our days around focusing on those we love what makes us feel grounded and inspired. Cooking has always been a place where I can relax, retreat and focus my mind, a release at these times. We will be sharing our wellness tips in a post very soon.

We’re keeping healthy and in a positive frame of mind. This feels like just the beginning of something, so we’re trying to chill, be open minded and ride it out. Good food always helps!

I hope you like these photos, we’ve been taking our walk around the hill at sunset and there’s been many a firework show! Looking out across the Irish Sea towards Ireland. We feel VERY lucky, everyday, to be together up here, with a garage full of lentils.

Sending you all the best of bestest wishes, good health and sensational spiceX

Jane up with the stone circle (now a triangle?!) What a place to stretch your legs!!

Recipe Notes

Chilli! How’d you like it? I’ve gone for mild here, but add another 1/2-1 teas if you’d like to feel the fire.

The same goes for the mango chutney. Many people like a sweeter style curry, it’s one of the tricks in curry houses, making your curries slightly sweeter (and also richer) than at home.

Vegetable wise, you can use any similar quantities of cooked vegetables. Steamed, roasted, pan-fried, however they come. This curry is an ideal home for leftover veg, a good meal for the day after a roast dinner. A banging sauce, pre-made, then add your vegetables and maybe a few more spices and fried garlic or ginger, a little yoghurt/ coconut milk, a sprinkle of fresh coriander…. It’s such an easy way to approach making curry, and the foundation is always a tasty masala sauce. Having a masala sauce ready for action in the fridge is a cooks dream!

Frozen spinach is a great idea. Frozen vegetables and fruits are still filled with nutrition and flavour. We always keep a good stock of frozen fruits for smoothies (they even sell frozen avocado now!) and veg for stews and soups. Fresh is best. Most of the time. But not always. Frozen does have benefits. It’s right there, ready, and like I said, it’s normally picked ripe, so there is even more nutrients than lots of frozen produce.

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Vegan Cauliflower and Potato Curry – Quick and easy using simple ingredients. Ideal for lockdown:)

Quarantine Curry – Quick Spicy Tomato Masala with Cauliflower, Potatoes and Spinach

Vegan, gluten-free, oil free option

The Bits – For 4

Fragrant Tomato Masala
400g passatta or tinned chopped tomatoes
2 tbs tomato puree
1 tbs mango chutney
300ml vegetable stock

4 teas good quality curry powder
1 1/2 teas garlic powder
1 1/2 teas ground ginger
2 teas ground coriander
2 teas ground cumin
1/2-1 teas chilli powder
1/2 teas ground fenugreek
1 teas sea salt

Vegetables
300g frozen spinach leaves
300g cauliflower florets
400g boiled/ steamed new potatoes (cut in half)
2 tbs cooking oil (I use cold-pressed rapeseed oil)

Do It
In a sauce pan, add all of your masala ingredients, bring to a simmer and pop a lid on. Leave to cook gently for 25 minutes, stirring occasionally. That easy!!

In a large, heavy-bottomed frying pan, add the oil on medium high heat. Once the oil is hot, add your cauliflower and potatoes and cook for 8 minutes. Turning the veggies occasionally, getting some nice caramelised edges.

Add the spinach to the pan and pour the masala sauce over the vegetables, gently stir, careful not to break up the vegetables. Pop a lid on and leave to bubble for a couple of minutes, cooking until your spinach is soft and vibrantly green. Check seasoning, adding salt and chilli as you like.

Ideally, serve with basmati rice, a simple raita, pickles and warm chapati’s. It’s thali time!

If you’d like to make this recipe oil free, simply cook your vegetables without oil! Steamed vegetables is a great option.

Stunning sunsets, exploding sun. Wandering around Tiger Hill, looking over towards Ireland, Snowdonia (our extended back garden;)

Foodie Fact

Jane’s fav. Potatoes! Spuds are full of good stuff. A sprinkling of good protein and fibre with nice minerals, like potassium, and plenty of vitamin C. Leave the skins on and the nutritional value shoots up. This goes for most vegetables.

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Categories: Curries, gluten-free, healthy, Nutrition, photography, plant-based, Recipes, Vegan, Wales | Tags: curry, healthy curry, indian food, quarantine cooking, vegan recipe | 9 Comments

Coconut and Caulilflower Gigglebean Curry with Coriander and Lemon Chutney

Posted on December 10, 2019 by leroy watson

Vegan Coconut and Cauliflower Chickpea Curry – Quick, healthy and delicious!

A one pan, seasonal curry. All vegan and very easy to cook.

It doesn’t get much easier and nutritious than this to make a crowd pleasing curry. This really feels like a bowl of spicy abundance, a staple bowl of sunshine.

This was lunch today as Storm Something-or-Other blows itself up outside. The trees are rocking, the rain’s coming down sideways, even our blackbird has took shelter just outside the kitchen, not fancying getting mixed up in that raging wind. But we loved this one, so I thought I’d quickly share it with you. This is the kind of bowl that will fuel happy bellies in our house all the way through the depths of winter and beyond.

Taking this picture was a little tricky, but the colours are there for you, loads of nourishing ingredients meeting in a vibrant bowl of spicy winter comfort food. The rain is lashing the house, the wind is whipping the world, but we’re cosying up to a curry. Happy days!!

Chutney is generally a bit different in India to the British variety (fruity, sweet and sour, eaten with cheese etc). Chutney can mean many things, a whole variety of pastes and sauce bases. Here, we’re talking a creamy dip, which adds bags of herbs to any plate of Indian food. This chutney is versatile and will accompany many dishes, add a twist to a noodle bowl, stirred into a soup, drizzle over salads or even add to an Asian-style sandwich.

What we’ll do here is make a nice thick spiced tomato sauce, then cream it up with coconut, chickpeas are radiant in so many ways, add seasonal veg, a fresh and zesty chutney, there’s a wholeness to this kind of eating. A mild and satisfying curry with minimal fussin and frettin. Jane is not a fan of chilli, so this is a mellow curry. Light, something non-curry fans (do they exist?!!!) can enjoy.

Enjoy this bowlful of home cooked happiness!

I hope you get to try this recipe out, let us know in the comments. Feel free to say hello or sign up to our newsletter here. There will be lots of new recipes and travel stories. I’m heading to Israel, Spain, Italy and Austria soon. I’ll be doing some cooking and always enjoying the ride!

Plus, I’ll be posting more about our experiences walking the Camino Portuguese from Porto to Santiago de Compostela.

PS – I’m told that Gigglebeans is a nickname for Chickpeas in Germany, and we like it!!

Recipe Notes

Coconut cream is the thick cream on the top of many tins of coconut milk. A fail safe way of getting a good, defined layer of coconut cream is placing the tin into a fridge for a few hours. Flip it over and open. Scoop out the coconut cream. Reserve the rest for adding to soups, cakes or stews.

Use any mix of seasonal vegetables you like here.

This recipe does make a BIG panful!

Taking shelter from the storm – Wintery Vegan Chickpea Curry, full of creamy spiciness, loaded up with nutrition and big flavours, plus some spicy red cabbage ‘kraut

Coconut and Caulilflower Gigglebean Curry with Coriander and Lemon Chutney – Vegan, Gluten-free

The Bits – For 4-6

2 tbs cooking oil (cold-pressed rapeseed we like)

1 tbs cumin seeds

3 large garlic cloves (finely sliced)

3 tbs fresh ginger (finely sliced)

2-3 teas garam masala

2 teas ground turmeric

150ml hot water

1 tin tomatoes (or equivalent fresh tomatoes)

1/2 small/ 400g cauliflower (chopped into chunks)

1 pepper (deseeded, chopped into chunks)

2 tins/480g cooked chickpeas

1 tin coconut milk

1 bok/ pak choi (sliced)

3 tbs fresh coriander (finely sliced)

Sea salt

Do It

In a large saucepan or frying pan, warm your oil on a high heat, add the cumin seeds. Stir, then quickly add the ginger and garlic, continue stirring. Cook for 2 minutes, then stir in your spices, followed by the tomatoes and hot water. Add 1 teas sea salt and stir. Bring to a boil and cook for 3 minutes.

Now add your cauliflower and pepper to the mix, stir and cook for 5 minutes.

Pour in you coconut milk and chickpeas, bring to boil again and cook for 5 minutes, more. Check that the cauliflower is cooked, nibble a bit.

Stir in the bok choi and fresh coriander. Cook for 2 minutes and check seasoning, adding a little more salt if your tastebuds agree.

Serve in a shallow bowl, drizzled with the coriander and lemon chutney. We added some more freshly chopped coriander and desiccated coconut, along with warm paranthas. Your favourite rice is also delicious, chopped chillies for spiciness.

All of your favourite curry accompaniments apply too.

Coconut and Lemon Chutney

The Bits – For One Small Bowlful

35g desiccated coconut

60g fresh coriander (with stems)

4 teas lemon juice

4 tbs coconut cream (from the top of a tin of coconut milk)

100ml water

1/2 teas sea salt

Do It

Place all into a decent blender. Blitz on high. Scrape down the sides and blitz again. Do this until a creamy chutney is formed. Taste and add salt as needed.

Foodie Fact

Chickpeas are a staple for most of us, so versatile; hummus, stews/ curries, makes an awesome flour (gram), roast them, add them to a cake mix, they know no limitations!!

Maybe you’re not so aware of how amazing gigglebeans are for our dear old bodies. They’re a good source of protein and fibre, a great start, this means that they’re filling. They are low GI and are a good source of vitamins and minerals; there’s iron, calcium, potassium and magnesium.

What’s not to love!!

Categories: Chutney, Curries, gluten-free, healthy, Healthy Eating, Nutrition, photography, plant-based, Recipes, Vegan, Wales | Tags: curry, indian food | 5 Comments

Easy Vegan Indian Bowl – Roasted Vegetable and Coconut Curry, Black Kale Daal and Coconut Rice

Posted on October 2, 2019 by leroy watson

Beach House Kitchen Bowl!

Better than takeaway! Wayyyy better!! Made with only fresh vegetables and spices, this Indian feast is delicious, rich and healthy too. I’ve stripped down the preparation and ingredients, so this need not be a weekend treat. It’s very mid-weekable! Three recipes, served with our favourite condiments and we’re feasting vegan style!

I’m addicted to spice! Can’t live without it for long. When I travel around Italy or France, I’m always packing garam masala. We really fancied a thali today, something colourful, filled with fragrant aromas, dishes to enliven the taste buds. Plus, it’s my day off, what better way to celebrate! We were missing India (see some of our India travels here) and felt like a light and seasonal curry. Lots of it….this is our Beach House Kitchen Thali Bowl!*

Curry in the BHK front garden, where the herb garden has gone a little feral.

It happens at this time of year. The trees are all turning golden and crimson and I begin to ponder dark nights and BIG storms (we live on a mountain side). I love the drama and peace of winter, but I need colours, spice and variety to get me through. I like to get some rainbows cooking in the kitchen when the skies are grey.

We eat curries every week, sometimes even for breakfast (AM curry recipe here). I love giving local, seasonal veggies an Indian twist. I’ve used simple spices and ingredients here, like I said, this is a staple recipe, something I’d like you to find easy to cook. Add and subtract vegetables as you like, whatever is good or in your veg basket/ fridge.

Travelling India, especially in the South, is a moveable vegan’s feast. So many, coconut based options and up North, just ask to hold the ghee and you have a whole host of tantalising options, from street foods to wedding banquets, you’re gonna eat well in India as a plant-based wanderer.

Easy Vegan Curry Feast – 3 quick recipes

The essence of a good curry is fresh spices and a vibrant sauce (or gravy as they sometimes call it in India). Got to be flavourful, it’s the base for soulful and spicy things to happen in your kitchen. You’re creating something very special.

Here we make a simple tomato sauce, that can be used in a whole host of curries. We mix in coconut cream, but it can be served as it is with vegetables. We don’t blend it here, but that will make for a nice smooth sauce.

A portal to Pondicherry…..India we miss you (thanks for the spice!)

This was our lunch, so we ate it out in the garden. I love the autumn up here in Snowdonia, the sunsets are regularly spectacular and there is plenty of sunshine with a nip in the air. Ideal for walking in the mountains and along the beaches. I’ll post some pictures soon.

We’ve been preparing for winter by refining our fermentation skills, Jane is on kombucha, I’m all over sourdough and sauerkraut etc. Packing loads of colours and flavours into big jars and fermenting, it really is magic. You can see some of our Radish Bombs here, with a nice hit of lime and spices. Perfect on most things! We are always inspired by our friend Janice from Nourished by Nature, see Spicy Radish Bomb recipe here. A shining light!

These curry recipes will keep you going this autumn, straight through winter, filled with spicy, rainbow bowls.

Roasted Vegetable and Coconut Curry, all the trimmings…

Recipe Notes

The curry and daal will freeze well. Make double if you fancy, portion it up into seperate containers and you’re well ahead.

The vegetables can be played with here. No squash, carrots or pumpkin is fine. No kale, use savoy cabbage or spinach. No peppers, try courgettes or aubergines. You get the idea! Mix and match. Play. Enjoy!!

I’m not shy with oil here. It adds richness, but using less will not adversely affect these dishes at all. Stirring coconut oil into these dishes at the last minute is a nice way to finish things.

I roast and grind my own spices before cooking, especially the cumin and coriander. You can’t beat the flavour. Here’s a post about roasting and grinding your precious spices.

This is a mild, lightly spiced curry. If you like spices add more! If you like chillies, go crazy!!

Timing is everything right!

Stage one – Start with your rice, then daal, then roast your vegetables and get the sauce cooking.

Stage two – Leave a lid on the rice (keep it warm), finish off the daal with the fried spices and garlic, add your roasted vegetables to your sauce.

There will be a lot going on here, you’ll need four pans and an oven working in harmony, but that’s the buzz and excitement of cooking like this, pots bubbling away, all action. Once you’ve made these recipes a couple of times, you won’t even need the recipes. You’ll be free-styling and expressing yourselves like true curry champions!!

Do let us know if you like this recipe, or even better, if you try it out.

We love to hear from you below in the comments. Say “hello!”

I’ve also just started posting over on Instagram.

Easy Vegan Indian Feast – Roasted Vegetable and Coconut Curry, Black Kale Daal and Coconut Rice

The Bits – For 4 big eaters or 6

Coconut Rice

250ml brown basmati rice

500ml vegetable stock

1 1/2 teas cumin seeds

2/3 teas nigella/ kalongi seeds

1/2 teas mustard seeds

1/2 stick cinnamon

5 green cardamom pods (cracked)

4 tbs dessiccated coconut

1 tbs cold pressed oil/ coconut oil

1/2 teas sea salt

Black Kale Daal

250g red lentils

850ml vegetable stock

1/2 teas turmeric

125g black kale/ cavolo nero (finely sliced)

1/2 tbs cold pressed oil/ coconut oil

3 cloves garlic

2 heaped tbs chopped ginger

1 1/2 teas cumin seeds

1 teas mustard seeds

1/2-1 teas sea salt

Roasted Vegetable and Coconut Curry

2 peppers (chopped)

500g/ 1/2 large butternut squash

1 large onion

1/2-1 tbs cold pressed oil/ coconut oil

Sea salt and black pepper

Spicy Tomato Sauce

1 large onion (chopped)

5 tomatoes (chopped)

5 cloves garlic (finely chopped)

2 tbs ginger (finely chopped)

1-2 red chillies (sliced)

150g/ 2 handfuls white cabbage (sliced)

2 teas garam masala

2 teas ground cumin

1 1/2 teas ground turmeric

1 1/2 teas ground coriander

1-2 tbs cold pressed oil/ coconut oil

1 teas sea salt and black pepper

Easy to be vegan!

Do It

Rice

Wash and drain your rice several times. Add the oil to a small saucepan, heat on medium, add the seeds, stir for a 30 seconds, add the coconut, cinnamon and cardamon, stir and cook for a few minutes, until the coconut is golden and fragrant. Add the rice and stock. Stir again and bring to a boil. Lower heat to a slow simmer and pop a lid on. Leave to cook for 25-30 minutes. It will depend on your rice.

Daal

Wash and drain your lentils well. Add them to a medium sauce pan. Cover with the stock, add the turmeric and bring to a boil. Lower the heat to a low simmer, pop a lid on and leave to cook for 25 minutes. Stirring a few times. Once the lentils are cooked, in a small frying pan, add the oil and heat on medium. Fry the seeds, ginger and garlic together until the garlic is golden. Add this mix to the lentils, along with the kale, season with salt and thin out the daal with hot water from a kettle if needed.

Curry

Preheat oven to 200oc. Toss you squash, peppers and onion on a baking tray with oil, salt and pepper. Place in the oven and roast for 30 minutes, turning once. Get some nice colour onto the vegetables, some caramelised edges are very welcome.

While that’s happening, in a large frying pan on high heat, add your oil and cook the onions for 7 minutes, until golden. Add the garlic, chilli, ginger and spices, fry a minute, stirring. Now add the tomatoes and salt. Lower the heat and cover with a lid. Leave to cook for 8 minutes. Take the lid off, add the coconut milk and cabbage, leave to simmer for 10 minutes. Check the seasoning and ensure the cabbage is cooked through.

Your roasted vegetables will now be ready, scrape them gently into the pan and combine well with the sauce.

You’re good to go! On a preferably warm plate/ shallow bowl, add the rice, daal and curry.

Serve topped with sliced chillies, your favourite pickles, crispy onions, radish bombs and we had coconut yoghurt.

Vegan curries all the way! Healthy and delicious, always possible!!

Foodie Fact

Every part of this curry sparkles with nutritional wonders. Because we’re only using fresh vegetables, whole grains and spices, it really is a bowl of healthy happy. Eating a balanced vegan diet, based around fresh fruit and veg is the healthiest way we can fuel ourselves, tasty too! This bowl is filled with a huge range of vitamins, minerals, iron, protein, anti-oxidants, pro-biotic goodness, good energy, good fats, good vibes! This bowl is good for your heart, your mind, your skin, your tastebuds!!

You could even add some steamed broccoli or kale for an ultimate healthy happy bowl.

*PS – A thali is a traditional plate, with loads of compartments for treats. We don’t have one. I’d like one, but I’m trying to minimise my kitchen equipment. It’s amazing what you can do with a few spoons and a pan. No gimmicks. No gadgetry. I’m getting back to the roots of cooking. Except my blender. I draw the old school line there. How do you hand-make a smoothie?

Categories: Autumn, Curries, gluten-free, healthy, photography, plant-based, Recipes, Vegan | Tags: curry, easy vegan curry, healthy recipes, india, indian food, vegan food | 2 Comments

Mushroom and Squash Rogan Josh – Traditional Kashmiri Curry

Posted on September 27, 2018 by leroy watson

Mushroom and Squash Rogan Josh – How to make a proper vegan curry, from scratch (even the spices!)

Make a decadent, aromatic, rich curry from scratch and even make your own spice mix. I’ve cooked this curry, and variations of it, loads recently, but think this version is the best. It does take a little longer, but you just can’t compare the flavours. I’ve given you options to make this a quick curry too, but I’d urge you to give the full version a try. You’re gonna love it!!

The Real Deal

Rogan Josh is a rich, classical style curry made with yoghurt as a sauce base, not onions. It was brought to Kashmir by the Mughal’s as they swept across North India. I’m captivated by Indian history and if you’re not a regular BHK reader, by way of background, I’m in love with India and have been there many times, travelling from the tip down south to the top, the Himalayas! I am yet to visit anywhere that is as enchanting and mesmering and the FOOD, lets just say it will take me this lifetime at least to explore such a vast and tantalising cuisine. This curry is a good start, a staple and as ever, this is vegan food everyone one will love! How could you not? We get all the full flavours of roasted veg and mushrooms and treat it to a very special sauce.

If you make this curry, please let me know, I’d be excited to hear about your spice adventures and how you found the flavour. Once you try this, you’ll never go back to shop bought or jars (unless you were in a real rush!) I love curries, but at this time of year, with it getting colder and darker, I think this style of warming, rich curry really comes into it’s own. A radiant, colourful bowl of big flavours that’s perfectly suited as a winter/ autumn warmer. I get quite passionate when talking about Indian cooking. Does it show?!

Make your own spice mix. It’s quick, easy and totally, very much, better than shop bought spices

Roast your own! Spices

Spices! They bring everything to life. I’ve written so much about spices over the years, not to mention a hefty spice intro (with nutritional benefits) in Peace and Parsnips. I talked a lot about spices in there, they’re so important to my cooking and dare I say, Indian is my favourite way of cooking. No, I don’t! It does depend on how the stars are aligned and what I fancy and all of that, but, we all know Indian food is utterly diverse, vibrant and totally brilliant.

I give you full instructions below about how to toast and grind your own spice mixes, this one is similar to a Garam Masala, a North India spice mix filled with warming spices like cinnamon and cloves, you can see the picture above and you can probably imagine the aroma when all that hits a warm pan. Out of this world!!

Garam Masala – Hot Spice!

Dry toasting spices like this in a pan adds complexity and brings out all the incredible aromas. There are many versions of Garam Masala (‘Garam’ – Hot, ‘Masala’ – Spice Mix). You could add Mace or nutmeg for example. But I think this is a good all rounder. If you don’t please let me know below. If you do, again, let’s talk in the comments. I love chatting about spices and learning new things.

I’ve added smoked paprika and turmeric to this spice mix, they’re not classically ‘Garam Masala’, but I like them in this Rojan Gosh.

You can also use shop bought spices here. See in the recipe below. Keep your spices in a sealed container and use well within the use by date on the packet. Smell them, if they don’t smell of much, they won’t add much to the curry.

Rojan Gosh – filled with influence from the Mughals andPersia, this dish has a fascinating history

We’re going to Kashmir……

Kashmir is a stunning region in the very North West of India, and a very good song of course (click here for Led Zep’s version of Kashmir). Apparently Robert Plant had never even been to Kashmir when he wrote it, just liked the sound of it. Maybe he just loved a good Rojan Gosh? Which loosely translates as ‘Rojan’ – to stew, ‘Gosh’ – red.

The well used BHK Dhaba

Recipe Notes

I’ve gone for mushrooms and squash here because they’re seasonal and I love them. But you can use similar vegetables, carrots, potatoes, peppers, whatever takes your fancy. The key here is the sauce. That’s where the magic is!

I mentioned that this was traditional, that was a small, white lie. It is pretty traditional, but in Kashmir they may use something called Cockscomb Flower to give the curry a more reddish hue. But I’m happy with this colour.

Kashmiri chillies are quite important here. You’ll find them in most supermarkets and especially Indian/ Asian food shops. They are milder than many chillies. We want lots of chillies in the Rojan Gosh masala, but not loads of heat.

If you don’t have dried Kashmiri chillies, that’s cool, go for chilli powder or cayenne pepper, anything to add a little heat to the curry.

Saffron can also be added here, but I think it just gets lost with the other spices and is basically a waste of our precious, and not inexpensive, saffron.

When I mention coconut cream, I mean the cream off a tin of coconut milk. That means, the thick bit. Adds lovely creaminess. Yoghurt is best, unsweetened soya yoghurt, now available in most supermarkets.

Spices, you will have too much here for just one curry, but if you’re going to make your own spice, you may as well make a decent batch I say. Keep them in a sealed container or jar. Label them up, with a date, or give them away as a gift. In my experience, people love the gift of spice!

Mushroom and Squash Rogan Josh

The Bits – For 4-6

1 roasted medium squash, 650g (skin on, chop into chunks, seeds removed)

1 tin chickpeas (drained)

200g or 3 big handfuls mushrooms (chopped)

3 big handfuls or 75g greens (kale, spinach, chard)

5 tbs plain soya yoghurt/ coconut cream

Garam Masala – Spice Mix

½ teas green cardamom seeds (seeds from 10 cardamom pods)

½ stick cinnamon

2/3 teas cloves

1 teas black peppercorns

2 tbs cumin seeds

2 tbs coriander seeds

1 teas fennel seeds

3 bay leaves

1-2 dried red Kashmiri chilli

1 teas turmeric

1 ½ teas smoked paprika

Or use shop bought spice mix like garam masala plus 1 teas smoked paprika

Curry Paste

1 roasted red pepper (seeded, chopped into chunks)

3 garlic cloves

2-4 dried kashmiri chilli

1 inch fresh ginger (chopped)

3 tbs tomato puree

1 teas salt

3 tbs cold pressed rapeseed oil (or whatever oil you use)

3-4 tbs Spice Mix

Garnish
Fresh coriander and sliced chillies

Do It

Preheat a fan oven to 200oC.

On a baking tray lined with parchment, place the red pepper and squash. Toss in a little salt and cooking oil. Roast in the oven for 25-30 minutes, until soft and slightly blackened in places.

For the spices – Place a pan on a medium heat, add all the whole spices and toast for 4-8 minutes or more, tossing them and making sure they’re all toasted and smelling fragrant. They will take on a slightly darker colour and smell ‘toasty’.

Be sure not to burn them, the best way to check this is the smell and the look. You don’t want any black bits at all. Some people prefer darker spices, some prefer lightly toasted. I’d start with lightly toasted. Add the ground turmeric and paprika a minute before you finish toasting the spices.

Place all the spices in a small blender or spice grinder (coffee grinders are also good), and blitz until a powder forms. Use some in the curry and store the rest in an airtight container. Garam Masala is a versatile spice mix.

For the curry paste – Place the roasted red pepper in a blender with the other curry paste ingredients and blend to a smooth paste.

For the curry – In a large frying pan, warm 1 tbs cooking oil and fry your mushrooms for 5 minutes, until they’re soft. Add the curry paste, thinning out with water or soya milk (creamier) as needed. Once the curry paste is bubbling away, spoon in the yoghurt and check seasoning.

Now add the roasted squash, chickpeas and greens. Warm through from 5-7 minutes, then serve scattered with freshly chopped coriander with naan, chutneys and rice.

This would be delicious with our Mango and Papaya Chutney or Cashew and Green Pepper Pulao or even Quick Carrot and Ginger Pickle.

Snowdonia looking stunning in the autumn sunshine. Sometimes the mountains around here remind me of the Himalayas.

Foodie Fact

Squash is bang in season at the minute, there are so many varities. If you’re reading from the US, were of course talking Winter Squashes here. They are a rich source of vitamin C, A and plenty of fibre and minerals. Also remember the seeds, you can clean and dry them and they are amazing roasted in the oven for 10-12 minutes.

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Categories: Autumn, Curries, Dinner, gluten-free, Healthy Eating, Nutrition, photography, plant-based, Recipes, Vegan, veganism, Wales | Tags: indian food, recipe | 7 Comments

Goan Jackfruit Curry – Totally Tropical!

Posted on March 14, 2018 by leroy watson

This curry is totally over the top in all the right ways!! Flavours, intensity, creaminess, coconut! India cooking rocks my world, how about you?

Making things like this masala paste at home brings any kitchen to life with incredible colour’s and fragrance. Apparently it’s spring, but looking out the window here in Wales, we’re in serious need of some rainbow food! Some zest and zing, brightness on our plates. This Goan curry is perfect for that!

This type of curry takes me right back to Goa, sitting in my favourite little place, right under many jackfruit trees, and eating homemade curries with fresh mango juices. Not a bad life!! It wasn’t jackfruit season, but they were hanging off the trees like strange bright green, spiky alien space craft. If you’ve seen one, you’ll now what I mean.

This recipe is based on a selection of curries I ate almost every day for lunch. They were always homemade and you can really taste the difference, the ingredients taste real!! The cooks loved to use coriander seeds, giving their slightly citrus flavour to the curry. I’m not sure if this is classically Goan, but it is how the lovely families cooked. The cuisine of Goa is so diverse, see my post here, ‘A Taste of Goan Cuisine’ for more Goan food tales.

JACKFRUIT?

Is still a new ingredient for most of us. It doesn’t get much more exotic, it’s a very strange fruit. I love it!

Here we use the unripe jackfruit, which many say is a good meat sub, you can also eat the ripe jackfruit which is more like a yellow flower. Both are available in the UK in tins. The ripe jackfruit is better suited to desserts, makes an incredible ice cream and is delicious eaten raw.

You will find many street vendours around the world, in Thailand, India etc expertly dissecting the giant fruits (the can get massive) and serving the yellow, slightly rubbery flowers on small trays. For a few pennies you can enjoy the totally unique flavour of jackfruits, some say it has a hint of juicy fruit bubblegum in there. I get that.

But we’re all about the unripe version here, the one many people are using to replicate pulled pork. It works a treat and meat eaters are easily fooled by it. They certainly enjoy it!

Some people have said that we should not eat such an exotic ingredient regularly in the UK. I understand that, but we all love bananas and pineapples and jackfruit I think will always be a treat ingredient for me. Something we use seldomly, a very tasty kitchen curve ball.

There is a slight sourness to some Goan curries, it seems to be a legacy of the Portugese, who like adding vinegar to dishes. The sourness here comes in the form of the tamarind, but you can also add a little lemon juice to the curry at the end to give it that extra little twang!

Recipe Notes
Tamarind can be found in world or Indian food stores in its dried state, with the seeds still present. I like it like that. You can also buy the paste in supermarkets.

Chillies are up to you. Jane is not a huge fan of chilli, so I really tone things down. I would go for the green chillies and around 4 red dried chillies in this curry. Remember, that many dried red chillies are milder. If you use the equivalent in chilli flakes for example, you may have an incendiary curry on your hands.

If you don’t have jackfruit, you can substitute it with any vegetable you like or even a tin of black eyed beans. I really loved the Goan curries made with black eyed beans. Tofu or tempeh would of course be sensational here.

I left the jackfruit pieces whole here, but you can chop off the stem if you like and break the jackfruit up into smaller chunks. Like the BBQ Pulled Jackfruit recipe we did a while ago, see here.

Goan Jackfruit Curry

The Bits – For 4

350g squash – 1/2 medium-sized butternut squash, or carrots/ sweet potatoes
280g jackfruit (1 tin, well drained)
1/2 small onion (finely chopped)
2 tbs curry leaves
2 large pieces of cinnamon bark or 2 inch cinnamon stick
1 tbs coconut oil
2 teas sea salt

Masala Paste
70g grated/ dessicated coconut
5 cloves garlic (roughly chopped)
1/2 small onion (finely chopped)
3 teas tamarind paste or 1/2 small lemon (juice)
2 heaped tbs fresh ginger (chopped)
2 1/2 teas coriander seeds
1 1/2 teas cumin seeds
12 peppercorns
2-6 dried red chillies (mild)
1 teas turmeric

1 tin coconut milk
100ml water

2 green chillies (optional)

1 tbs coconut sugar, brown rice syrup, sweetener of your choice.

Garnish
Toasted coconut
Coriander leaves

Do It

Press the jackfruit between kitchen paper to draw out most of the water. This leaves more room for flavours to infuse and get in.

Put all masala ingredients into a blender, I use a small blender (I have one that attaches to a stick blender), I find it easier to do this in a smaller blender.

Blitz up and gradually add roughly 125 ml coconut milk to the masala as you blitz and scrape down the sides of the blender until all is combined. You should have a smooth sauce, the better and more powerful your blender, the smoother the paste. Don’t worry about a few chunks, in Goa, the chunks of coconut are a nice surprise!

In a large saucepan, heat the oil and add the onions, cinnamon, salt and curry leaves, saute for 4 minutes. Then add the squash, jackfruit and masala paste, plus the leftover coconut milk from the tin and 150ml water. The green chillies can go in now if you’re using them.

Stir and bring to a simmer, cover and cook gently for 40 minutes. Until the squash and jackfruit are nice and tender, adding more hot water to thin out the sauce as needed.

Stir in your sweetener and check that you’re happy with the seasoning.

Serve topped with coriander and toasted coconut, with your favourite Indian rice and salad combo. Here’s some ideas that we’ve cooked in the past:

Cooling Watermelon, Tofu & Mint Salad

Toasted Cashew & Green Pepper Pulao

Quick Carrot & Ginger Pickle

Foodie Fact

Jackfruit is high in fibre, helping us to detox which in turn makes us glow! It also contains a good amount of carbohydrates, keeping us fully charged with energy and is loaded up with vitamin C and some potassium. Jackfruit seeds are a good source of protein and vitamin A.

Categories: Curries, gluten-free, healthy, Nutrition, photography, plant-based, Recipes, Travel, Vegan | Tags: Goa, indian food, low fat, vegan recipes | Leave a comment

Toasted Cashew and Green Pepper Pulao plus the healthy magic of Cinnamon

Posted on April 19, 2015 by leroy watson

Toasty Cashews. YUMAH!

Toasty cashews with sweet peppers and a raft of spices and fluffy rice. Its all there. Indians taking a staple dish way up there towards Nirvana and beyond!!!!!!

A simple rice dish (don’t be put off by the long list of ingredients) with some seriously tasty touches. Toasted cashews are ever delicious. Pulao is basically a side dish, but can really be a main course, something like a Biryani for example, with a few more veggies and a little more spice. Pulao is like a toned down cousin of Biryani. Just like all Indian food, flavours here are turned up to 11 and the possibility of spice combing are fully explored. This may seem like alot spices to be putting into your rice, but they are worth it and if you are interested in cooking Indian food, you will find that all of these spices are used almost on a daily basis in your average Indian kitchen.

In India this March, above the Himalayan snowline in a family home. Dinner time was a huge highlight (we could warm out hands over the rice)

A SPICY CONUNDRUM

When you see the recipes for many Indian dishes you are immediately confronted with the sheer length and seemingly mind boggling array of spices in even a simple dish. Do not fret, once you get them all together and start cooking more Indian food, your dhaba (spice rack) will become your best friend. I always bang on about this, but keep your spices in sealed containers and preferably in the fridge (if you live in a hot place or your central heating is potent). Don’t mix strong smelling spices with, like Hing (Asafoetida) with other spices, they’ll all be tinged with the funk of hing. Get your spices ready, in one bowl if possible, before hand. Then when the pan is hot and the spatula is flying, you can simply pour them in with no real fuss. Bear in mind however that some spices are better added earlier or later in the cooking process, depending on the dish/ spice. Its a little complex really! Being a bit organised with your spices beforehand saves you clambering around with slippy jars and unruly spice bags.

I’ve used brown rice and thrown some of my favourites, flax seeds in, but both are not exactly traditional. If you use white rice, you could knock 10 minutes off the overall cooking time.

One of the main men in Nainital market. Great onions. India ’15

The Bits

1 tbs cooking oil (vegetable/ sunflower etc)

400g brown rice

600ml light vegetable stock

1 green pepper (as finely diced as you can)

1 handful of cashews (chopped in half lengthways, like half moons)

2 cloves garlic (peeled and smashed up or finely diced)

1 large tomato (finely diced)

Spices

1-2 large red chilli (dried and cut lengthways, remove seeds for less heat)

6 green cardamom pods (split)

1 small cinnamon stick (2 inches long)

5 cloves

6 green cardamom pods (split)

1 teas cumin seeds

1 teas fennel seeds

½ teas nigella seeds

1 tbs flax/linseeds

Optional Topping

1 handful toasted cashews

1 handful fresh coriander leaves (roughly chopped) – we didn’t have any (soz)

Fried Pulao – Just add a few tomatoes for a super simple lunch treat

Do It

In a large saucepan, with a good fitting lid, warm the oil on medium high heat and add the green peppers, fry them for a couple of minutes before adding the cumin and nigella seeds, stir for a minute and then add the rest of the spices and garlic, stirring all the time. Cook these for a minute and then it’s time to pour in the rice and tomatoes. Combine all the ingredients well and leave to warm through for yet another minute.

Pour over the stock and turn the heat up a little until the rice is vigorously boiling. Now place a well fitting lid over the rice and turn the heat down to minimum. Leave to steam away for 40-45 minutes (white rice, know off 10 minutes cooking time).

While the rice is cooking, grab a small frying pan and on medium heat, add the cashews and toast them gently. Tossing them about, getting them nice and coloured. Toasty. Gorgeous. Dark golden.

Once cooked, have a peak, the rice should be nice and fluffy. With a fork, being careful not to scratch your nice, non-stick pan (if you are lucky enough to have one), gently tease and fluff the rice. If you like added richness, you can add a drizzle of oil here and coat the rice. It gives nice shine and richness and would be condone by most Indian cooks I know, although they would probably add a good knob of ghee. Pop the lid on and leave to sit for a few minutes before serving. The final, fragrant mingle……

Toasted Cashew and Green Pepper Pulao – Side/Main Dish (just add spoons)

Serve

Pulao is an occasion. Mix in most of the cashews. Warm a platter and pile it in the middle, this makes for a lovely centre piece for any Indian feast. Or you can line some tea cups with cling film and spoon the pulao into them, packing it down quite well. Turn the cups over, onto the plate you’re using for serving and gently lift off the cup. This will leave you with a very neat and professional looking pile of rice. Scatter with some freshly toasted cashews and a little fresh coriander.

Foodie Fact

All these spices are so very good for you. At random let me pick cinnamon, a serious, serious anti-oxidants. So much so, that it should be offered in all pharmacies across the country to treat and prevent things like colds. Cinnamon has anti-inflammatory properties, it can help to stabilise insulin and hormones and can even help against heart disease.

Spices are our natural friends and the more spices you can add to your food, namely cook plenty of food from India or the Middle East, the healthier you will no doubt be. Imagine the cumulative effects of eating decent amounts of cinnamon, fennel seeds, cloves, cumin, coriander…………….you’ll live a healthy life until you’re 200 (with some decent karmic conditions along the way).

JUST ADD SPICEX