Rogan Josh

Ingredients
900g Lamb Fillet (cubed)
250ml Natural Yoghurt
400g Chopped Tomatoes
150ml Water
1 Onion (finely chopped)
2 Cloves Garlic (finely chopped)
1 Inch Fresh Ginger (grated)
1 Teaspoon Salt
3 Tablespoons Lemon Juice
2 Tablespoons Tomato Purée
1/2 Teaspoon Cumin Seeds
2 Bay Leaves
4 Cardamom Pods
2 Teaspoons Each Ground Coriander, Ground Cumin
1 Teaspoon Chilli Powder
A Splash of Oil
Rice to Serve

Equipment
1 SHARP Knife
1 Chopping Board
1 Mixing Bowl
1 Metal Spoon
1 Wok/Large Frying Pan
1 Large Pan (for the rice, see home page for instructions on how to cook perfect rice every time)
1 Garlic Press

The Good Bit

1. Mix together the lemon juice, yoghurt, salt, half the crushed garlic and ginger then add the lamb and leave to marinate over night.
2. Heat a splash of oil in your wok and fry the cumin seeds for 2 minutes, then add the bay leaves and cardamom pods and fry for another 2, next add the onion and the remainder of the garlic and fry for a further 5 minutes.
3. Now add the coriander, ground cumin, and chilli and fry for 2 minutes before adding the lamb and marinade, cook this for 5 minutes, stirring all the time to prevent it burning to the bottom of the pan.
4. Add in the tomatoes, water and tomato purée, bring to a gentle simmer, cover and cook for 1 hour 15 minutes. Serve with rice (start preparing the rice after the meat has been simmering for an hour)
   

Serves 4

Lamb and Apricot

Ingredients
600g Lamb (stewing lamb cubed if you can)
1 Inch Cinnamon Stick
1 Onion (finely chopped)
2 Teaspoons Curry Paste
1 Teaspoon Cumin
1 Teaspoon Coriander
A Pinch of Salt
120g Dried Apricots (ready to eat)
240ml Lamb Stock
A Splash of Oil
Fresh Coriander (chopped to garnish)
Rice and Mango Chutney to Serve

Equipment
1 SHARP Knife
1 Chopping Board
1 Large Frying Pan/Wok

The Good Bit

1. Heat the oil in the wok and add in the cinnamon stick and cardamoms, heat gently for 2 minutes before adding the onion, now heat for a further 5 minutes until the onion is soft but not coloured.
2. Add in the curry paste and cook for 2 minutes before adding the cumin, ground coriander and salt, cook this mixture for 3 minutes, finally add the meat, stock and apricots, bring to a gentle simmer, cover and cook for 1 hour 15 minutes.
3. Serve on a bed of rice (yellow rice looks good for this, add a teaspoon of cumin and 1 of turmeric to the rice pan whilst cooking to achieve this, or if your posh do it with saffron instead of cumin and turmeric). Add a spoonful of mango chutney at the side or in a separate bowl.
   

Serves 4

Lamb in Yoghurt and Masala Sauce

Ingredients
225g Lamb (boneless, cut into strips)
1 Tablespoon Tomato Purée
175ml Natural Yoghurt
1 Teaspoon Each Garam Masala, Salt, Fresh Ginger (grated), Garlic (crushed),Chilli Powder
1/4 Teaspoon Cumin Seeds
2 Medium Onions (thinly chopped)
25g Butter (unsalted is best)
1 Inch Cinnamon Stick
2 Cardamom Pods
5 Dried Apricots (quartered)
Oil
Parsley/Coriander Leaves to Garnish

Equipment
1 SHARP Knife
1 Chopping Board
1 Blender/Pestle and Mortar
1 Wok/Large Frying Pan
1 Spatula
1 Mixing Bowl
1 Metal Spoon
1 Slotted Spoon

The Good Bit

1. Mix the yoghurt and all the spices (apart from the cinnamon stick and cardamom pods) and salt in your bowl, add in the lamb, stir well, cover and set aside for at least an hour.
2. Fry the onion of gently in a little oil until it becomes golden and crispy, then remove with the slotted spoon and either blend or crush with pestle and mortar.
3. Add a splash more oil to the wok and drop the onions back in, now add the lamb and its sauce and stir fry for 2 minutes, then cover and cook for 15 minutes (you may need to add a little water if thing start to look dry, 150ml should do)
   
4. Empty the lamb into a serving dish with the sauce, add a splash of oil to the wok and then melt the butter in it, drop in the cinnamon stick and cardamom pods, then add the apricots and stir fry for 2 minutes over a low heat, pour over the lamb and garnish with parsley or coriander leaves.
   

Serves 4

Lamb Balti withPeas and Potatoes

Ingredients
225g Lamb (boneless, cut into strips)
120ml Natural Yoghurt
1 Cinnamon Stick
2 Cardamom Pods
3 Peppercorns
1 Teaspoon Each Garlic (crushed), Ginger (grated), Chilli Powder, Garam Masala, Salt
2 Onions (sliced)
2 Tablespoons Fresh Mint (roughly chopped)
300ml Water
1 Large Potato (diced)
115g Frozen Peas
1 Tomato (peeled and de seeded, then diced)
Rice to Serve (optional, check the tips section on the home page)

Equipment
1 SHARP Knife
1 Chopping Board
1 Wok
1 Mixing Bowl
1 Wooden Spoon
1 Pan (2/3rds full with boiling salted water for the potato)

The Good Bit

1. Mix the yoghurt, cinnamon, cardamom, peppercorns, chilli powder, ginger, garlic, garam masala and salt together, add in half the mint stir well then drop in the lamb, stir well again making sure the lamb is well coated then set aside for 2 hours.
2. Heat a splash of oil in your wok then cook the onion slowly until it is soft and brown, then pour in the lamb mixture and cook for 3 minutes, add the water and bring to the boil and lower the temperature, simmer for 15 minutes.
3. Meanwhile cook the potato, should only take about 10 minutes, you want it cooked but not ready to turn to mash. Add the peas to the wok, drain the potato and then add that too, stir gently to get a good mix then stir in the tomato and remaining mint.
4. Cook for 5 more minutes before serving, you may want rice with this, check my tips section on the home page on how to do perfect rice every time.
   

Serves 4

Chicken with Coconut Milk

Ingredients
4 Chicken Breasts (cut into strips)
6 Cardamom Pods
6 Cloves
2 Inch Cinnamon Stick
1 Onion (finely chopped)
1 Inch Ginger (chopped)
3 Green Chillies (de seeded and thinly sliced)
4 Tablespoons Lemon Juice
1 Teaspoon Turmeric
200ml Coconut Milk
1 Red Pepper (thinly sliced to garnish)
Oil

Equipment
1 SHARP Knife
1 Chopping Board
1 Blender
1 Frying Pan
1 Spatula

The Good Bit

1. Quickly fry the chicken off in the pan in a splash of oil until it begins to brown, remove and set aside. Add a splash more oil to the pan and fry the cardamom cloves and cinnamon for 1 minute.
2. Turn down the heat and add the onion and cook for 5 minutes, whilst this is doing, blend the garlic, ginger, chillies and lemon juice into a smooth paste, add into the frying pan along with the turmeric and cook for another 5 minutes.
3. Pour in the coconut milk, season and bring to the boil, add in the chicken and simmer for 15 minutes.
4. Serve when done, with a garnish of red pepper strips, these can ever be raw or quickly fried.
   

Serves 4

Beef Vindaloo

Ingredients
1 Tablespoon Cumin
4 Dried Red Chillies
1 Teaspoon Black Pepper Corns
The Seeds From 5 Green Cardamom Pods
1 Teaspoon Fenugreek Seeds
1 Teaspoon Mustard Seeds (or mustard if you cant get hold of the seeds)
1 Inch Piece of Ginger (grated)
2 Teaspoons Coriander
1/2 Teaspoon Turmeric
1 Garlic Clove
A Pinch of Sugar and Salt
4 Tablespoons White Wine Vinegar
900g Beef (cubed)
1 Large onion (as finely chopped as you can manage)
A Splash of Oil or Two
375g Rice (again anything but pudding)

Equipment
Pestle and Mortar (or instead of seeds use powder)
1 SHARP Knife
1 Chopping Board
1 Large Frying Pan
1 Mixing bowl

The Good Bit

1. Grind up the cumin seeds, peppercorns, fenugreek, cardamom and mustard seeds (leave out the mustard if you are not using seeds) and chillies until you have a fine powder, or just mix them all together if you are using dried powders and mustard from a jar and keep in the mixing bowl.
2. Heat your oil in the frying pan and cook the onion until it is golden brown, then mix this in the mixing bowl with your powder the white wine vinegar a pinch of salt and a pinch of sugar.
3. Now fry of the beef in a little oil until it begins to brown on all sides, then remove from the pan and leave to settle whilst you add another splash of oil to the pan and cook the garlic and ginger for 2mins then add the coriander and turmeric and cook for another 2 minutes.
4. Add your onion and spice mix to the frying pan now and cook for a further 5 minutes, really get those flavours mixing before adding the meat along with a good glass of water (not a pint but imagine a glass of something cold when you've just come in from a hot day outside and that is the size you want.
5. Cover and cook for 1-1 1/2 until the meat is really tender (at this stage if you need more liquid just add a little more water, if the sauce is too liquid then turn up the heat and uncover for 5 minutes. Serve with rice

Serves 6

Beef Madras

Ingredients
450g Beef (cubed)
250g Rice (any rice is fine just don't use pudding rice)
1 Large Onion (finely sliced)
4 Cloves
4 Green Cardamoms
2 Whole Star Anise
4 Green Chillies (chopped)
2 Red Chillies (chopped)
3 Tablespoons Madras Masala Paste
1 Teaspoon Dried Turmeric
4 Tablespoons White wine Vinegar
Sugar to Taste
A Splash of Oil
Coriander and Lemon Wedges to serve (optional)

Equipment
1 SHARP Knife
1 Chopping Board
1 Large Frying Pan/Wok
1 Spatula
1 Large Pan (2/3rds full of boiling salted water)
1 Colander

The Good Bit

1. Start by putting the rice on, cook to packet instructions, usually 10-15 mins whilst that is cooking heat a splash of oil in the frying pan and cook the onion until it turns golden brown, then add all the spices and cook for another 2-3 minutes.
2. Add the meat, the white wine vinegar and a pinch of sugar (keep tasting the sauce until you are happy that the sugar has taken the tang from the vinegar) cook over a medium heat until the beef is cooked through and soft (your rice should be about ready too at this time)
3. Once the rice is done (taste test) wash your rice (place it in a colander and then rinse with boiling water) whilst you are doing this turn the heat up on the frying pan to reduce any remaining sauce. Then serve in a ring of rice. Top with shredded coriander leaves and lemon wedges if you want to be fancy!
   

Serves 4