Bhuna, Korma, Vindaloo, Jalfrezi and Tikka: five authentic Indian recipes to make tonight

With the right recipe and some store cupboard spices, a delicious curry is mere minutes away

Authentic Indian curries are easier than you think.

Creamy chicken korma with almonds

recipe by:Darina Allen

Curries like this get better with time, so feel free to make it today to eat tomorrow - rich, creamy and bursting with vivid spices

Servings

4

Preparation Time

 10 mins

Cooking Time

 35 mins

Total Time

 45 mins

Course

 Main

Cuisine

 Indian

Ingredients

• 5-6 garlic cloves, peeled and coarsely chopped

• 1 inch piece of fresh ginger, peeled and chopped

• 50g blanched, slivered almonds

• 5 tbsp olive or canola oil

• 2 bay leaves

• 8 cardamom pods

• 4 garlic cloves

• 1 cinnamon stick

• 1 medium onion, peeled and finely chopped

• 1 tbsp ground cumin

• 1 tbsp ground coriander

• ¼ tsp cayenne pepper

• 1 tbsp tomato purée

• 1.5 kg chicken pieces, skinned and cut into serving portions

• 1¼ tsp salt

• 3 tbsp single cream

• ½ tbsp garam masala

Method

1. Put the garlic, ginger, almonds and 6 tablespoons water into an electric blender and blend until you have a smooth paste.

2. Put the oil in a wide pan set over medium-high heat. When very hot, put in the bay leaves, cardamom pods, cloves and cinnamon. Stir for 10 seconds.

3. Put in the onion. Stir and fry until the onion pieces turn brown. Turn the heat to medium and add the paste from the blender as well as the cumin, coriander and cayenne. Stir and fry for 3-4 minutes.

4. Add the tomato purée and stir for a minute.

5. Add the chicken pieces, salt, cream, garam masala and 150ml water. Cover and bring to a simmer. Turn heat to low and simmer gently for 25 minutes.
   This recipe is from Madhur Jaffrey's Indian Cooking, published by BBC Books

Lamb bhuna with pilaf rice and onion relish

recipe by:Colm O'Gorman

The bhuna has rich, deep flavours so the fresh zesty relish is a perfect accompaniment that you could also enjoy with homemade garlic and coriander Naan

Servings

4

Preparation Time

 15 mins

Cooking Time

 45 mins

Total Time

 60 mins

Course

 Main

Cuisine

 Indian

Ingredients

• For the lamb:

• 500g lamb, diced

• 1 tsp cumin seeds

• 2 tsp coriander seeds

• 1 tsp mustard seeds

• 1 tsp fennel seeds

• 1 tsp fenugreek seeds

• 1 tsp Kashmiri chilli powder

• 1 onion

• 2cm piece fresh ginger

• 4 garlic cloves

• ½ tin of chopped tomatoes

• 1 tsp sea salt

• 150ml water

• For the rice:

• 400g basmati rice

• ½ onion thinly sliced

• 1 stick cinnamon

• 2 pods cardamom

• 2 tbsp coconut oil

• 1 tsp salt

• 30g flaked almonds

• 30g sultanas

• For the onion relish:

• 1 medium onion

• juice of 1 or 2 limes

• ½ tsp salt

• ½ tsp caster sugar

• 30g desiccated coconut

Method

1. Heat a small saucepan over medium heat. Toast the cumin, fenugreek, coriander, mustard seed and fennel until they turn a little dark. This will take 3-4 minutes. Take them off the heat and let them cool a little before grinding them to a powder.

2. Chop the onion and grate the garlic and ginger. Heat 45ml of coconut or rapeseed oil in a large pan over a medium-high heat. Fry the onion, garlic, and ginger for about 5 minutes until they brown a little, then add the ground spices along with one teaspoon of chilli powder.

3. Fry the spices with the onion mixture for about a minute, stirring all the time. Next, add the tomatoes. Keep stirring until the tomatoes cook down a little and you have a thick paste, this will only take a few minutes. 

4. Now add the lamb and salt, stir well to coat the meat, and cook for another 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add 150ml of water and bring to a simmer. Cover the pan and reduce the heat to low. Let the curry simmer away until the lamb is soft and tender. This will take anything up to an hour. Be patient, this low slow simmer is what makes the lamb tender and the gravy deep in flavour. It is worth the wait.

5. While the lamb is cooking, prepare the rice and the relish. Put the rice in a sieve and rise it thoroughly under a cold tap. Pop it into a pan, cover it with water and let it soak for about thirty minutes.

6. Heat the coconut oil in a medium pan over a medium to high heat. When the oil is hot, pop in the cinnamon and the cardamom pods. Add the onion and fry until it starts to turn brown, and then add the almonds and sultanas. Stir for a few minutes until the almonds start to go brown, and then add the drained rice and the salt. Stir well and add 600ml of water. 

7. Bring to a boil, then cover the pan with a lid and bring the heat down as low as possible. You want this to just barely simmer for about twenty to twenty-five minutes until the water is absorbed and the rice is soft and fluffy.

8. While the rice and lamb are cooking, make the relish. Peel and very thinly slice the onion. Pop it into a bowl along with the lime juice, sugar, salt and chopped coriander. Toast the coconut in a dry pan until lightly browned, then add that to the bowl. Stir to combine well and that is it. Set aside until you are ready to eat.

9. When the lamb is soft and tender, remove the lid and if the sauce is till a little thin, keep the pot simmering until it reduces to a thick gravy that clings to the meat.

10. Serve with the pilau rice, your lovely fresh relish, and other sides if you made them. Feast well.