Curry Blog

No Comments » - Friday 20th August 2010

Create ‘Curry-nary’ Cuisine in Comfort

Curry is a dish that most of us in the UK enjoy but few of us are actually daring enough cook for ourselves.  To help give you some flavourful inspiration in the kitchen we have found straightforward and tasty curry recipes to help to create perfect Indian cuisine at home.

Jaime Oliver provides the recipe for all curry novices- Curry base sauce. You can add the meat or vegetables of your choice and as Jaime suggests freeze the sauce so it is always there when you want a curry in a hurry.

If cooking a curry from scratch is new to you then why not try a completely different curry dish? Meen curry is a spicy fish dish that tastes delicious.

Chicken korma one of the nations favourite curry dishes is also simple and easy to make, but don’t just take our word for it give the recipe a go.

Or, if you are feeling a little bit braver in the kitchen try Brian Turner’s onion bhaji recipe. They compliment any curry and they are also a great snack to enjoy with a glass of ice cold Cobra beer.

Bookmark and Share

No Comments » - Wednesday 24th March 2010

Gordon Ramsay Recipe

As I’m sure you all remember a few weeks ago Gordon Ramsay was on TV with his travels around the great country that is India. Well, I finally managed to track down a copy of his book in my local Sainsbury’s and am slowly working my way through the recipes.

It’s a great book – not only does it have some great recipes, but it’s really interesting to read about his travels. I appreciate that he’s a bit of a love/hate character but one thing that cannot be denied is his love of food. He is really infectiously passionate about it and the way people that cook it.

 I gave his Indian butter chicken recipe a go and thought it was delicious. Unlike many Indian recipes all the ingredients can either be found in your local Asda or Sainsbury’s; some are store cupboard essentials. I cooked the dish for some friends who are also die-hard curry fans and they all couldn’t believe it when I said it was a Gordon Ramsay creation – they all expected it to have come from a top Indian Chef. Check out some of his other recipes on the Times’ website if you’re not sure on the book yet, but trust me , it’s certainly worth giving it a go – especially the aubergine bhajis!

Bookmark and Share

No Comments » - Friday 12th March 2010

Healthy Eating with award-winning Lasan and Warwick University

Recently I came across this fantastic recipe book (which you can download for free here) written by the hugely talented Aktar Islam, from Lasan, with input from Professor Sudhesh Kumar from Warwick University.

The cook book has been created with healthy eating in mind – according to Professor Sudesh: “There has been a dramatic increase in the prevalence of diabetes in people of South Asian origin and they are four to five times more likely to develop Type 2 diabetes than Europeans.” So by keeping the amount of oil to a minimum and doing a little bit more exercise it’s possible to eat Indian food everyday and keep a healthy lifestyle.

These recipes are brilliant – I’ve tried several of them and not only are many of them quick and easy but they’re also delicious.  My favourite by far is the Keralan Sour Fish Curry with Kokum.  It has some obscure ingredients, but it is possible to find them in your local Indian supermarket or online.  If you’re a regular reader you’ll have realised that I’m a huge fan of Keralan food – it’s got a fantastic clean taste yet is packed full of awesome flavour that you just can’t beat!

This is a great book full of fantastic recipes – I strongly suggest you try it for yourself!

You can download the cook book here for free.

Bookmark and Share

No Comments » - Thursday 18th February 2010

National Chip Week – Connoisseur’s Curry Sauce

You’ve probably guessed by now that here at Cobra we love curry… I mean really love it.  We honestly can’t stop eating the stuff; from Vindaloos to a nice creamy Korma, we’ll eat the lot.  One thing that has always left us a little disappointed though is fish and chip shop curry sauce – it never quite hits the spot or gets the taste buds tingling in quite the same way that a proper curry does.

Well, it seems we’re not the only people that are partial to some curry sauce with our chips –  research has shown that almost a fifth (17%) of Brits admit to loving nothing more than dipping their chips in curry sauce… now that’s a lot of people! 

So, in celebration of National Chip Week we have joined forces with renowned Indian chef, Cyrus Todiwala, to create the only curry sauce fit for a true curry fan!

Connoisseur’s Curry Sauce

Glistening with gold leaf, the Connoisseur’s Curry Sauce uses only the finest ingredients on the market, including Morel mushrooms costing £150 per kilo, and is worth a whopping £36 a portion – 36 times the price of your bog standard curry sauce found in your local ‘chippy’.  I tried some the other day at Cyrus’ restaurant and it was so delicious I ended up eating it with a spoon!   This supreme curry sauce definitely has the ‘wow’ factor and as far as I’m concerned should be crowned king of the curry sauce. 

Now, we appreciate that not everyone will want to spend that kind of money on curry sauce so feel free to swap the morel mushrooms for some shitake – oh, and the gold leaf is optional too.  Plus, what’s even better is that the sauce can be kept fresh in the fridge for up to five days, so you can enjoy it at your leisure!

As always you can find the recipe here so open a bottle of King Cobra to share with your friends, get some of your favourite chips, tuck in and enjoy!

Bookmark and Share

No Comments » - Monday 15th February 2010

Cyrus Todiwala’s Connoisseur’s Curry Sauce

 “To celebrate National Chip Week I’ve teamed up with Cobra beer to create this rich, unique and luxurious curry sauce which is guaranteed to both complement the great British chip and tantalize the most discerning of taste buds.  Even better, this simple and versatile sauce can be easily stored in your refrigerator for up to five days and makes a delicious cold dip as well“ – Cyrus Todiwala.


 
Cyrus Todiwala’s Connoisseur’s Curry Sauce with King CobraIngredients:

- 2-3 fresh or dried morel mushrooms

- 50gm ground almonds

- 1 tin coconut milk

- 2 heaped tbsp butter

- 1 or 2 green chillis (depending on taste) – slit into 4 lengthways

 - 2 garlic cloves – peeled and very finely chopped

- 1 small banana shallot – very finely chopped

- 1 heaped tsp good English smooth mustard

- 1 level tbsp madras curry powder

- 1 heaped tbsp fresh coriander – chopped

- 1 sheet gold leaf 

 Equipment:

- 1-2 litre capacity casserole or saucepan

- Strainer

- Blender/ liquidizer

- Wooden spatula

- Heat resistant scraper

- Bowl

- High spirits (for the enjoyment) 

To serve:

- A portion of your favourite chips.  For the ultimate homemade chip, why not try Heston Blumenthal’s triple-cooked chips

- King Cobra – best served shared and ice cold

 

Method:

- Clean and chop your morel mushrooms into very tiny pieces. If using dried morels, soak them for a while (or as instructed on your package) drain and chop

- Puree the ground almonds with the coconut milk and set it aside ready for use

- Take the casserole or saucepan and heat it on a medium flame

- Add the butter and, once melted and foaming, add the mushrooms and sauté for a minute or two. Drain over a small bowl in the strainer

- Return the butter to the pan and add the slit green chillis.  Sauté for a minute or two, then add the finely-chopped garlic

- As soon as the garlic turns pale add the finely-chopped shallots and continue to sauté for a couple of minutes until the shallots turn pale

- When the shallots turn pale add the chilli powder, incorporate the pureed almonds and coconut milk – stirring until well blended

- Bring to a boil and simmer for three to four minutes before adding the mustard paste

- Remove from the cooker and add the sautéd mushrooms.  Keep mixing until the mustard settles down – this might take a minute or two

- Check the seasoning and see that it is to your liking

- Now add the chopped coriander and stir it in – ensuring the mixture is blended into a smooth sauce

- Finally, garnish with a flourish of gold leaf before serving with a portion of your favourite chips and a glass of ice cold King Cobra.

Bookmark and Share

1 Comment » - Monday 1st February 2010

Come Dine With Me – Curry Dinner Party

We love Channel 4’s Come Dine With Me in the Dr Spice household – it’s one of the only times we all sit and watch TV in relative silence.   However, as you’d expect, there’s always a big debate on what we’d serve for our guests. 

Despite being a house of curry fanatics, Indian food is rarely mentioned as the top choice for cuisine – preferring, instead, to go for an old French classic or something equally as predictable. Obviously, being a curry fanatic I’d definitely do all three courses as Indian dishes matched of course with the only beer brewed especially to go with Indian food – Cobra beer.

For inspiration I’ve nabbed a few of one of my favourite Indian chef’s, Anjum Anand, recipes for the basic reason that they’re really tasty, simple and most of the ingredients can be found in the local supermarket!

One of the great things about Indian food is that it can often be prepared well in advance, leaving you time to talk to your guests rather than being cooped up in the kitchen slaving over a hot stove! 

I would do the following:

StarterAktar Islam’s Tandoori Salmon

Just because this recipe from F-Word Best local Restaurant Lasan’s in Birmingham is low in fat certainly means it’s not low in taste! Simple and easy to prepare this makes a cracking starter served with some mint yoghurt or Raita.

Main CourseJamie Oliver’s Southern Indian Crab Curry

As you’ll have seen in my past post I love Southern Indian food so this dish ticks that box nicely.  There’s also something fantastically decadent about crab – not many people eat it on a regular basis so it feels special and will make your guests marvel at your taste and sophistication.

DessertAnjum Anand’s Indian Brioche Pudding with Cardamom and Saffron “Cream”

I think it’s best to let Anjum explain this one:

“This dessert is my easy, cheat’s version but it is still luscious and moreish. You can serve it as it is simply garnished with some fried cashew nuts, toasted almonds or pistachios or with the caramelized apples for an added dimension or with any other fruit you like.” – My mouth is watering just thinking about!

Drinks – Cobra of course! In particular I’d go for King Cobra – looks great, tastes great and goes wonderfully with curry!

Finally, here are my top tips for a successful dinner party:

- Prepare as much in advance as you can – get marinating several hours before your guests arrive.  Not only will this develop the flavours but it’ll also save you rushing around when you have guests to entertain!

- Set the table the night before – your day will be manic and stressful enough so why not cut yourself some slack

- Make sure you have all your extras (naan, chutneys, Raita etc) prepared and on the table before your guests arrive

- Ensure you’ve put your Cobra in the fridge before you start – nothing will put a dampener on the evening more than serving warm beer to your guests

- Don’t forget to drink in moderation – no-one likes a drunken host!

- Above all, enjoy yourself! Relax, chat to all your guests and most importantly don’t panic – it’ll all be ok, there’s always a takeaway if it all goes horribly wrong … no-one will notice the difference!

So guys, no excuses – what are you waiting for? What would you cook?

Bookmark and Share

1 Comment » - Wednesday 27th January 2010

Lazy Curry Recipes

Now, my last blog post covered off supermarket ready meals but, for some (most of my readers in fact!), nothing is quite as good as home made.  However, many of us are still pushed for time and often lack the patience to cook a curry so I’ve rummaged through my recipe book and have chosen a handful of recipes for you try for yourself – all of which are delicious, quick and shouldn’t cost the earth.

First-off is Cobra’s very own Chicken Naag, created by Anjum Anand – not only is it very tasty but it is very quick and easy to make.

Secondly, dear old Jamie Oliver does produce some cracking, easy to make recipes that are certainly worth a try. I’m a huge fan of his Quick Salmon Tikka with Cucumber Yoghurt – it only takes about 20 minutes, is reasonably healthy and damn tasty!

Another favourite of mine is Kedgeree, a dish most commonly associated with Colonial India which doesn’t take long to cook and is a great way to use up left over Rice.

Finally, Sainsbury’s do a cracking Prawn and Tomato Curry that is tasty, quick and only costs a fiver! Who can argue with that!

Do you have any quick recipes you can recommend – please post them below and we’ll have a go!

Bookmark and Share

No Comments » - Wednesday 6th January 2010

New Year’s Resolution – Less Fat, More Curry!

I’m not sure about you guys but my New Year’s Resolution is to shed a couple of pounds over the next few weeks – Christmas has been very good to me!  I know I’ve eaten far too much Turkey, Cheese and Chocolate so I’m going to do more exercise and cut back on some of the more unhealthy curries!

Curries that can be higher in calories are those which are heavy on the cream such as favourites  Korma, Tikka Massala and Passanda whilst curries that are slightly lower in calories (but you still need to be careful) include Jalfreizi, Sambar and the legendary Phall.

Now I know from the Facebook page that many of you aren’t always too keen on lower fat curries but believe me – they can be incredibly delicious.

If you’re feeling adventurous then one of my all time favourite curries has to be Crab Varuthathu. It’s a dish that is cooked dry with ginger, curry leaves, chilli and mustard seeds – it’s delicious and also pretty healthy!  I first discovered it when I was in India, and now look out for it whenever I’m  out for a curry – sadly as it’s a speciality of Kerala in South India it’s a touch tricky to find! An alternative lower fat curry that’s just as good and easier to find is one of my staples Masala Nu Roast Gos (which you can see how to make here).

If you’re looking to cook some healthier options at home, but don’t want to skimp on the spice, then give weightlossresources.co.uk a go.  They have some cracking recipes – I’ll be trying the Lamb Masala Kebabs soon!

Finally, don’t forget the beer. Don’t believe that beer is fattening (in fact all beer has Zero fat), Cobra Zero has just 79 calories per bottle and Cobra Premium has 132 calories per bottle. So when drunk in moderation you don’t need to give up on the odd treat to keep your diet going! 

Good luck (I know I’ll need it)!

Bookmark and Share

1 Comment » - Tuesday 22nd December 2009

What do you do with Christmas leftovers? Turkey curry of course

Come Boxing Day and there is one huge dilemma that always needs to be resolved?  What on earth do you do with all the Turkey leftovers? Make them into sandwiches (again)?  Feed them to the dog?

 Well how about turning them into curry?

Dr Spice recommends Anjum  Anand’s very own Turkey Naag.  It’s really simple and best of all takes just 30 minutes to cook, and let’s face it, on Boxing day the last thing you want to do is actually cook!

Needless to say it’ll certainly be making an appearance on Boxing Day in my household and everyone but the dog will be happy!

I hope you all have a very merry Christmas and a happy and prosperous New Year!

 

 

 

~~~ Anjum Anand’s Turkey Naag ~~~

 

Serves 4-6

Preparation time: 15 minutes

Cooking time: 25-30 mins

Anjum’s top tips:

-   If you’re tight on time, replace ginger and garlic with garlic and ginger pastes

-   For a richer dish, stir in a dash of cream or sour cream before serving

 

Ingredients:

-   3 tbs. vegetable oil

-   2 tbs. ghee or butter

-   1 tsp. brown mustard seeds

-   750g turkey (cooked)

-   7 baby potatoes, par boiled, peeled and quartered

-   1 medium onion, finely chopped

-   Handful of finely chopped coriander leaves and stems

-   330ml of water

 

Paste:

-   5 fat garlic cloves, peeled

-   3/4” ginger, peeled

-   3 medium tomatoes, chopped into 2 cm chunks

-   3 rounded tbs. full fat Greek yoghurt

-   1½ tbs. coriander powder

-   1¼ tsp. garam masala

-   ¼-½ tsp. red chilli powder plus some paprika for colour (optional – add more chilli if you like it a little hotter)

-   ½ tsp. turmeric powder

-   1 tsp. cumin powder

-   Salt to taste

 

Step 1:

Create a fine paste of the ginger, garlic and tomatoes (ideally use a blender but if you don’t have one then grate the ginger and garlic to create a rough paste and chop the tomatoes).

Stir in the powdered spices, salt and yoghurt. Add the potatoes and leave while you get going with step 2.

 Step 2:

Heat the oil and butter/ghee in a medium non-stick saucepan. Add the mustard seeds and cook until you can hear that they‘ve all popped – this shouldn’t take any more than a minute. Add your onions and cook over a moderate flame, stirring often, until the onions are browned on the edges – this takes around 7-8 minutes.

 Add the potatoes and paste and cook over a moderate-high heat, stirring occasionally at first but more often when the paste starts to thicken. Once the sauce begins to release oil droplets back into the pan (look at the edges of the pan), around 10-12 minutes, it is cooked. If you are not sure, taste it – the sauce should taste delicious without any raw garlic flavours. If it is not cooked or has reduced too much while cooking, add a splash of water and continue until you can see the oil around the edges.   

 Step 3:

Add your turkey and enough of the remaining water to come halfway up the pan (or a little more if you like a little more sauce) and bring to the boil. Simmer for a few minutes, taste and adjust the seasoning. Stir in the chopped coriander and serve with some lovely pure Basmati rice and an ice cold Cobra.

Bookmark and Share

1 Comment » - Friday 27th November 2009

Cooking Anjum Anand’s Chicken Naag

As you will have seen top Indian chef and presenter of “Indian Food Made Easy” Anjum Anand has created a new dish especially for Cobra National Curry Week. The recipe for the curry can be found on the Cobra website here  with a video demonstration from Anjum herself, as well as  Galaxy FM DJs Rob, Nige and Rachel to prove that anyone can make the dish! 

Last week the Cobra team were lucky enough to have a sneak preview of the curry and got to be the first ones to try it out.  The curry is supposed to so simple that anyone can make it, without compromising the great tastes of authentic Indian food.  With the team having various levels of cooking skill, it was going to be a good test run for some of the guys.

The curry is a great way to get into making your own – there is a strong balance of flavours and yet it’s not too spicy, it’s simple to make, preparation time is no more than 20 minutes and the cooking time is around 35 – 45 minutes maximum.  It’s very simple to make and is broken down into three stages so it’s easy to follow.

Rather than give you a blow-by-blow guide to cooking the curries here are my top tips and FAQs

-          How will I know when the mustard seeds are popping?
This will happen after about 30 seconds – 1 minute, it’ll sound like mini pop-corn popping, don’t lean too close, they sometimes spit a bit….

-          I don’t have a blender – how do I make the paste?
The easiest way is to grate the garlic and ginger using one of the smaller holes on your cheese grater and just chop the tomatoes up a bit smaller.
You will get a slightly chunkier sauce but it will still cook out as well and most importantly taste the same

-          Where do I get all the ingredients from?
You should be able to get them from your local supermarket

-          My potatoes are taking a while to cook how can I speed this up?
Make sure you’ve added enough water and have covered the pan whilst it simmers, this should speed things up a bit

-          Any other top tips?
Make sure the potatoes are cut quite small (about 2cm thick is ideal)
Right at the last minute add the coriander – this adds a nice freshness to the curry and cuts through the spice nicely
If your hands smell a bit of Garlic, cut a lemon slice and rub your hands with it – this will get rid of the smell
Serve it with chapattis and a nice cold Cobra!

So now you have no excuse now for not being able to cook a very simple, tasty curry!

Bookmark and Share