Hot vindaloo-style lamb curry with cooling option

The curry recipe below is not in any way a replica of a vindaloo, famous in England for being one the spiciest curries, but it generates a similar level of intensity and fiery flavour. So, if you can handle the spice you might enjoy giving this a try, although using a cooler such as coconut yoghurt means you can lighten the heat if required.

Ingredients

400g small pieces lamb (ideally cut from a nice leg of lamb)
1 tbsp tandoori spice mix
1 tsp chili powder
1 tsp garam masala
1 onion
1 small garlic (puree together with the onion)
4 cardamon pods
3 cloves
1 tsp coriander seeds
1/2 tsp black pepper corns
1 inch of chopped ginger
2 red and 2 green chilies
1 tbsp of tomato puree
1 tbsp of chili powder
400ml lamb stock (or water)
1 tsp salt

Method

The night before cooking this curry rub in to tandoori spice mix, chili powder and garam masala.
Using a pestle and mortar lightly grind the cardamon, cloves, coriander seeds and black peppercorns.
Heat some oil in a saucepan and when hot add the mixture that has been grinded.
After 30 seconds add the chillies and ginger.
Stir well and after a minute add the pureed onion and garlic.
After three minutes add the lamb and cook over a medium heat for 5 minutes.
Add the tomato puree, table spoon of chili powder, salt and lamb stock and simmer for 30 minutes.

Mix in some coconut yoghurt to cool if necessary.

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Spicy Beef and Tomato Tagliatelle

This minced beef recipe is similar to a Bolognese dish, but with a spicy kick and more emphasis is on the meat rather than the tomato sauce. Nonetheless it has great Italian flavours and is lovely with olives and tagliatelle sprinkled with chili oil.

Ingredients

500g minced beef
4 to 6 cloves of garlic
2 tsp dried basil
1 tsp dried oregano
1 medium red chili
1 large onion
1 400g tin of plum tomatoes
1 tbsp tomato puree
salt and cracked black pepper to taste

Method

1. I almost always like to brown the mince first and with a pack this size I will usually do this in two batches and then place to one side.
2. Using the same pan add a little vegetable oil and on a high heat cook the chopped onion, garlic and chili for five minutes. Stir regularly.
3. Return the beef to the pan and mix in the dried vegetables and the tomato puree.
4. Cook for five minutes, again stirring often as the dish will stick due to being quite dry.
5. Now add the tin of plum tomatoes and break up the plums. I find this gives thicker consistency than pre-chopped tomatoes. 
6. Cook for a further five minutes, adding a sprinkle of salt and a good amount of freshly cracked black pepper.

Cook the Tagliatelle according to instructions and place on a plate with a drizzle of chili oil. Now spoon on the minced beef mixture and serve with a side of stuffed olives.

Check out other minced beef recipes - I do cook a lot of these, which I guess is rather lazy.

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Tandoori minced beef recipe: A great jacket potato topping

This recipe is, in some respects, a variation of a traditional chili con carne and I feel it is fantastic to serve this on top of steaming jacket potatoes with a healthy dollop of sour cream to counter the fiery spice of this minced beef mix. This recipe used a tandoori spice mix, to find out what is included in tandoori spices follow the link.

Ingredients:

500g of minced beef
1 medium onion
2 cloves of garlic
1 green birdseye chili
150ml water
1 tbsp of tandoori spice mix (pictured below)
2 tsp of freshly ground coriander seeds
2 tbsp of tomato ketchup
salt and freshly cracked black pepper
100g of chopped babycorn (or your vegetable of choice)


Method

1. Start by browning the minced beef, probably in two batches, in a saucepan and then leave to one side.
2. In the same pan and using the oil from the beef fry the chopped onion, garlic and chili for ten minutes, stirring frequently.
3. Return the minced beef to the pan and add the spices and ground coriander seeds, stir well before adding the tomato ketchup. 
4. The pan should now be quite dry so add the water and stir well. Add the chopped babycorn (or your alternative vegetable) and leave to simmer for 10 minutes on a low heat.
5. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Serve on buttered jacket potatoes and a dollop of sour cream.

If you like your food spicy add a tsp of chili powder along with the tandoori spice mix .

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Spicy chinese chicken drumsticks and wings

As part of my 'three meals from one chicken' approach this is a way of using the legs and wings for a side dish or a snack perhaps. The recipe contains the usual chinese flavours with lots of ginger and chili, but it is also very sweet, so probably consider this dish to be a treat. The secret is to marinade the chicken for roughly 24 hours before cooking the chicken and then to cook it in the marinade.

Ingredients

2 chicken legs
2 chicken wings
an inch of grated root ginger
1 medium red chili
1 heaped tbsp of honey (chinese if available)
3 tsp of chinese five spice
2 tbsp of dark soy sauce
1 tbsp of muscavado sugar

Method

1. It is essential to marinade the chicken at least overnight. Cut off the chicken legs and wings and lacerate them with a knife.
2. In a bowl mix all the other ingredients. Make sure the ginger is finely grated and the chili is chopped finely. Deseed the chili, or leave it out, if you do not like the spice, but it adds a cracking contrast to the sweetness of the honey and sugar.
3. Marinade the chicken and when possible spoon the marinade over the chicken again.
4. In a dish create a bowl out of tin foil and place the chicken and marinade in the middle.
5. Place in a preheated oven at 200 degrees for an hour. This should create a crispy and dark skin, which while being unhealthy is delicious. Go on, treat yourself!

Serve with the sauce drizzled over the chicken and what else you are eating, such as rice and corn on the cob.

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Chinese style aubergine recipe - sweet, spicy and delicious!

I was taught how to cook this aubergine (egg plant) dish by a cook in Guilin, China and the intense sweet and spicy Chinese flavour can be recreated by ingredients available in England.

Ingredients:

2 medium/large aubergines
2 green finger chillies
2 cloves of garlic
50g muscavado soft brown sugar (Chinese rock sugar would be better if available)
2 tbsp shaoxing rice wine
2 tbsp rice vinegar
Handful of chopped spring onion and coriander
Salt to taste
Vegetable oil for cooking

Method

Aubergines can have a rather bitter taste, but this can be reduced by sprinkling the freshly chopped chunks with salt and leaving them to sit for about 25 minutes. Then rinse with water and dry with a paper towel.

1. Heat some vegetable oil in a wok and then add the chopped aubergine pieces and fry until the pieces become soft or limp. Remove from the pan.
2. Now fry the slices garlic and chillies for five minutes - stirring frequently.
3. Reduce the heat and add the rice wine, rice vinegar and sugar. Stir the ingredients together for a minute or two.
4. Return the aubergine pieces to the pan and cook for a further five minutes. Add salt if required.
5. Turn off the heat and sprinkle over the chopped coriander and spring onions.

I prefer to leave this dish to sit for a while and then reheat it to serve. The aubergine really soaks up the flavour this way.

Serve with rice and pork.

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