Celebrate Curry Week

Celebrate Curry Week 2017 at the campus Food Court this week and treat yourself to a special range of curry-themed options.

Why not also try holding your own cracking curry night at home? We have selected some great recipes that will suit everyone’s taste buds. 

Very Hot

Lamb Vindaloo

Ingredients

1.3 kg/3lb boneless lamb shoulder, cut into roughly 4cm/1¾in chunks

100ml/3½fl oz red wine vinegar

2 tbsp sunflower oil

2 tsp sea salt flakes

500g/1lb 2oz potatoes, peeled and cut into roughly 2.5cm/1in pieces

For the sauce

125ml/4½fl oz sunflower oil

4 onions, 3 finely sliced and 1 chopped

6 garlic cloves, roughly chopped

3 long red chillies (do not deseed), roughly chopped

25g/1oz fresh root ginger, peeled, roughly chopped

1 tbsp English mustard powder

1 tbsp ground cumin

1 tbsp ground coriander

1 tbsp ground paprika

2 tsp ground turmeric

2 tsp cayenne pepper

1 tsp ground cinnamon

2 tsp sea salt flakes

2 bay leaves

Method

1. Trim the lamb, discarding any really hard lumps of fat and sinew. Mix the vinegar, vegetable oil and salt in bowl until well combined. Add the lamb and turn to coat in the marinade. Cover and chill in the fridge for two hours.
2. Preheat the oven to 180C/350F/Gas 4.
3. For the sauce, heat three tablespoons of the sunflower oil in a large heavy-based frying pan and cook the sliced onions very gently over a medium-low heat for 15 minutes until softened and lightly browned, stirring occasionally.
4. While the sliced onions are cooking, put the remaining chopped onion, garlic, chillies, ginger, mustard powder, cumin, coriander, paprika, tumeric, cayenne pepper and cinnamon in a food processor and blend to a purée.
5. Stir the purée into the fried onions. Add two tablespoons of oil and cook together for five minutes, or until thickened and beginning to colour. Remove the mixture from the pan and place into a casserole dish.
6. Drain the lamb in a colander and reserve the marinade. Return the frying pan to the heat and add two tablespoons of the remaining oil. Fry the lamb in four or five batches over a medium-high heat, turning occasionally until lightly browned. Add a little extra oil if necessary. Add the lamb to the casserole.
7. Pour the reserved marinade and 500ml/17fl oz water into the casserole dish. Add the salt and bay leaves and bring to a simmer. Cover the surface of the curry with a piece of greaseproof paper, then cover with a lid. Cook in the oven for 45 minutes.
8. Remove the casserole from the oven and stir the potato chunks into the curry, re-cover with the greaseproof paper and the lid and continue to cook for a further hour or until the lamb and potatoes are very tender. Season, to taste, with salt.
9. Serve with spoonfuls of yogurt, chopped coriander and rice or wamed naan bread.

Hot

Chicken Madras

Ingredients

700g chicken breast / thighs

3 small green chillies

5 tablespoons cooking oil

3 cloves

2 cardamom pods

2 large onions, finely chopped

2.5cm piece root ginger, finely chopped

4 garlic cloves, crushed

1 teaspoon red chilli powder

1/2 teaspoon ground cumin

1/2 teaspoon ground coriander

1 teaspoon turmeric

salt to taste

1 teaspoon ground nutmeg

1/2 (400g) tin chopped tomatoes, pureed

handful coriander leaves

1 teaspoon garam masala

Method

1. Remove any skin on the chicken and cut into bite size pieces. Finely chop the chillies, and do not remove the seeds.
2. Heat the oil in a large non-stick pan, add the cloves and cardamom and wait till they sizzle.
3. Add the onions and fry until dark brown, the onions must be dark for the perfect result.
4. Now add the green chillies, ginger and garlic and cook for 30 seconds.
5. Next add the red chilli powder, cumin, coriander, turmeric and salt and stir frequently.
6. Add the chicken and 50ml of water and mix well for 2-3 minutes.
7. Finally add the nutmeg and tomatoes; cook covered for a further 20 minutes on a medium heat or until chicken is tender.
8. When ready to serve, sprinkle with garam masala and fresh chopped coriander.

Medium

Vegetarian Paneer and potato curry

Ingredients

2 tbsp olive oil

220g/8oz paneer, cubed

2 onions, finely sliced

salt and black pepper

2 garlic cloves, crushed

½-1 tsp chilli flakes

1 tbsp mild curry powder

250g/9oz floury potatoes, peeled and cut into small cubes

200g/7oz tinned tomatoes

500ml/18fl oz vegetable stock (made from stock cube)

200g/7oz rice

Method

1. Heat a saucepan or large (lidded) frying pan over a medium heat. Add the oil and once hot fry the paneer for two minutes on each side, or until the cubes are coloured. Remove from the pan and set aside.
2. Now add the onions with a pinch of salt and gently fry until golden-brown. Once golden, add the garlic, chilli flakes, curry powder and two tablespoons of water. Gently fry for a further two minutes over a low heat. Stir in the potato.
3. Pour in the tomatoes and the stock, bring to a simmer, cover with a lid and simmer gently for 15 minutes, or until the potatoes are completely soft and the sauce has thickened.
4. Meanwhile, cook the rice according to packet instructions.
5. Add the paneer to the curry and stir through, making sure it is well coated in sauce. Heat through for 3-4 minutes then serve with the rice.

Mild

Vegan Spinach, sweet potato & lentil dhal

Ingredients

1 tbsp sesame oil

1 red onion, finely chopped

1 garlic clove, crushed

thumb-sized piece ginger, peeled and finely chopped

1 red chilli, finely chopped

1 ½ tsp ground turmeric

1 ½ tsp ground cumin

2 sweet potatoes (about 400g/14oz), cut into even chunks

250g red split lentils

600ml vegetable stock

80g bag of spinach

4 spring onions, sliced on the diagonal, to serve

½ small pack of Thai basil, leaves torn, to serve

Method

1. Heat the oil in a wide-based pan with a tight-fitting lid. Add the onion and cook over a low heat for 10 mins, stirring occasionally, until softened. Add the garlic, ginger and chilli, cook for 1 min, then add the spices and cook for 1 min more.
2. Turn up the heat to medium, add the sweet potato and stir everything together so the potato is coated in the spice mixture. Tip in the lentils, stock and some seasoning. Bring the liquid to the boil, then reduce the heat, cover and cook for 20 mins until the lentils are tender and the potato is just holding its shape
3. Taste and adjust the seasoning, then gently stir in the spinach. Once wilted, top with the spring onions and basil to serve. Or allow to cool completely, then divide between airtight containers and store in the fridge for a healthy lunchbox (see tip below).