This is a vibrant and hearty curry dish, full of rich flavour and textures using vegetables combined with a blend of aromatic spices. Curry is a very versatile dish and you can basically make it with whatever vegetables you have available, allowing for endless variations. You can make your curry dry, add water to make a curry stew or coconut cream to create a creamy texture with a richer flavour.
As the curry sits, the flavours have more time to meld and penetrate the vegetables so if you have left over curry for the next day it tastes even better.
Curry can be served with rice, eaten with various dipping breads such as roti or chapati, puri or naan bread. If we have left overs sometimes we have curry on toast which is quite nice.
Chickpea potato curry served with Dahl and roti
EQUIPMENT: a large cook pot, or a large non stick fry pan with lid, mortar and pestle (optional)
INGREDIENTS FOR CURRY
517g or 3 large potatoes, cubed into bite size pieces (You need to use a variety of potato that will keep it's shape when boiled and not fall apart or go mushy)
1 heaped teaspoon punch porah *SEE BELOW
10 curry leaves (optional but adds more flavour to the curry)
165g or 1 medium size onion, finely chopped
58g or 1 bulb of garlic, minced, (can use a mortar and pestle)
3-4 fresh chilli, minced, (can use a mortar and pestle)
1/4 - 1/2 teaspoon turmeric
1 heaped tablespoon curry powder
1 level teaspoon pink Himalayan salt (or salt you prefer)
170g or 1 medium to large size tomato, roughly chopped
1 small handful or 1 cup tightly packed fresh spinach
400g or approx. 1/1/2 cups chick peas, cooked and drained (also called chana or garbanzo)
1- 1/2 cup distilled water
Light tasting cooking oil
PANCH PHORON: is a whole spice blend of cumin, fenugreek, mustard seeds, fennel and nigella seeds. Available in some health shops, Indian shops, online. If you cannot find it leave it out of the recipe or use 1/2 teaspoon cumin and 1 teaspoon mustard seeds instead.
CURRY POWDER: There are many curry blends available online or make up your own. I have been using curry spice blends made by an Australian owned business called 'No Worries Curries' they have a large selection of curry blends all very nice.
Authentic Indian curry blends made by Indians.
TURMERIC: is a spice also known as cur-cumin and is a member of the ginger family. Its colour ranges from bright yellow to deep orange and has a variety of uses, especially in curries.
METHOD
*Firstly peel and wash potatoes and cut into bite size pieces.
*Fill a medium saucepan with water and add 1/4-1/2 teaspoon salt. Next add the potatoes and bring to a boil. Turn heat down and allow potato to simmer until fork tender. Remove from heat and drain cooking water. Set aside.
*Heat a fry pan on medium to high heat, once the pan is heated add 2 -3 tablespoons of oil, add punch phoron seeds.
*As soon as the seeds start popping add curry leaves, then finely chopped onion. Give the onion a stir and let cook a couple of minutes. Tun heat down a bit.
*Add minced garlic and chilli let cook a couple of minutes.
* Add turmeric and curry powder and cook off in the oil for a minute or so then add cooked potato and salt.
*Toss potatoes so they are covered with the rest of the ingredients in the pan and cook at least five -10 minutes, with lid on pan.
*Next add chopped tomato and give a stir. Once the tomato starts to break down add water and chickpeas.
*Turn heat to a low simmer and continue to cook with lid on, another 10 minutes so that all the curry flavours soak into the potato and chickpeas.
*Taste test, see if you have enough salt, adjust if you need to. Add a little more water if needed to thin out the curry sauce.
*Add fresh spinach, stir gently through the curry and allow to wilt. Place the lid on the pan to help steam the spinach.
*Turn the heat off. Curry is done.
*Enjoy
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