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.

Chicken vindaloo

recipe by:Colm O'Gorman

Vindaloo has a reputation for being very hot and spicy, particularly in Indian restaurants in the UK, but the original dish was not necessarily that hot

Servings

4

Preparation Time

 60 mins

Cooking Time

 60 mins

Total Time

 2 hours 0 mins

Course

 Main

Cuisine

 Indian

Ingredients

• 700g skinless chicken, breast and thigh

•  

• For the marinade: 

• 1 tbsp Kashmiri chilli powder

• 1 tsp turmeric

• 1 tbsp grated ginger

• 1 tbsp grated garlic

• 1 tsp ground cinnamon

• 1 ½ tsp ground cumin

• 1 ½ tsp ground coriander

• 1 ½ tsp ground black pepper

• 1 tsp flaky sea salt

• Juice of one lemon

• 50ml apple cider vinegar

•  

• For the onion gravy: 

• 3 medium onions

• 2 tomatoes

• 1 tbsp sugar

• 2 whole black cardamom

• 1 whole star anise

• 1 bay leaf

• Some chopped spring onion and coriander leaves to garnish

•  

• For the courgette yoghurt: 

• 1 large courgette

• 350g Greek yoghurt

• 1 tsp sugar

• 1 tsp salt

• Juice of half a lemon

• 20ml olive oil

• ½ tsp cumin seed

• ½ tsp fennel seed

• 1 tsp mustard seed

• 2 dried red chillies

• A few curry leaves or leaves of fresh basil

Method

1. Chop the chicken into roughly 3cm chunks. Make up the marinade by combining all the ingredients in a bowl big enough for the chicken. Kashmiri chilli powder is milder and sweeter than other types, so if you do not have any, use two teaspoons of ordinary chilli powder unless you want the dish to be quite hot. Bear in mind that the black pepper also adds heat.  Add the chicken and coat it well. Let it marinade for about an hour.

2. When it is ready, heat a few tablespoons of olive oil in a big saucepan. Add the chicken and cook it until the meat is seared, you may need to do this in a few batches depending upon the size of your saucepan. Add in the rest of the marinade from the bowl and bring it to a soft boil. Now add 200ml of water and bring that to a simmer. Reduce the heat and let is simmer away for about ten minutes.

3. Peel and slice the onions. Heat one tablespoon of olive oil in a heavy based frying pan. Add the bay leaf, cardamon and star anise. If you do not have black cardamon, use three pods of green cardamon instead. 

4. Lightly crush the cardamom before tossing them into the pan. Fry the spices and bay leaf for a minute before adding the sliced onions. Sauté the onions for twenty minutes until they are soft and brown. 

5. Chop the tomatoes and add them to the pan, along with the sugar and abut 50 ml of the gravy from the chicken. Cook for another seven to eight minutes until the tomato is soft and cooked through. Now add the chicken and the rest of the gravy. Bring it back a boil, before reducing the heat to a very low simmer and covering the pan. 

6. Cook for another ten minutes or so, stirring regularly until the gravy reduces and you have a thick, rich sauce that coats the chicken. Taste and season as required, adding more salt, and if it needs it, a little more vinegar.

7. While the curry is cooking, cook some basmati rice and make your courgette and yoghurt dish. Use a box grater to coarsely grate the courgette. Pop the grated vegetable into a pan of boiling water for just two to three minutes. Drain it immediately and rinse well with cold water to cool it down and stop it from overcooking. Pop the courgette into a clean towel and squeeze out any remaining water.

8. Whisk the yoghurt, sugar, salt, and lemon juice together in a bowl. Add the cooked courgette and combine it well. Set aside until you are ready to serve. When your Vindaloo is ready, it is time to finish off your side dish. Heat a few teaspoons of olive oil in a small pan. 

9. Add the spices for the courgette and yoghurt dish, that is the cumin, fennel and mustard seed and the dried chillies, along with the curry or basil leaves. When the mustard seeds start to pop, pour the oil and the tempered spices over the yoghurt and courgette dish, and serve it up right away with your Vindaloo and rice.

King prawn jalfrezi

recipe by:Colm O'Gorman

This curry is lighter than those which use coconut milk, butter or cream, and can be made in about thirty minutes

Servings

4

Preparation Time

 10 mins

Cooking Time

 20 mins

Total Time

 30 mins

Course

 Main

Cuisine

 Indian

Ingredients

• 2 medium onions

• 3 green chillies

• 3cm of fresh ginger

• 3 cloves garlic, diced

• ½ tsp turmeric powder

• 1 tsp ground coriander

• 2 tsp cumin seeds

• 1 tsp flaky sea salt

• 2 tbsp honey

• 400g tin of chopped tomatoes

• 2 bell peppers, one red and one green

• 200g raw king prawns

• 20g fresh coriander

Method

1. Peel and thinly slice the onions. Peel and grate the garlic and ginger. Wash, deseed and finely chop the chillies. Wash the bell peppers, remove the seeds and stalks and slice them into strips, about one centimetre thick is perfect.

2. Heat a saucepan over a medium heat. Add a few tablespoons of rapeseed oil, and when it is good and hot, add the sliced onions. Sauté them until they are soft and a little golden. Now add the ginger and garlic and chilli and cook for a minute or two before adding the turmeric, coriander and cumin seed. If you prefer to use ground cumin instead of seed that is fine, I just like the texture and flavour of the seed in this dish. Fry off the spices for just two minutes, stirring them to ensure they do not begin to stick or burn, and then add the chopped tomatoes and salt. Finally add the runny honey and the peppers. Bring the sauce to a soft boil before reducing the heat to low.

3. Cover the pan and let it simmer away for fifteen minutes. Check the sauce halfway through, and if it looks a little too thick, add some cold water, about 60-80ml should be plenty, but you can add a little more if needs be.

4. Chop the coriander, retaining some of the leaves for garnish, and when the fifteen minutes are up, add the fresh raw prawns and the chopped coriander. Continue to cook over a low heat for another three to five minutes until the prawns are pink and cooked through. Take care not to overcook the prawns, five minutes maximum is all that is required to give you have sweet, juicy perfectly cooked prawns.

5. And that is it. A thirty-minute delicious curry packed full of flavour and cooked from scratch, as good if not better than anything you will get from your local takeaway. 

Chicken tikka masala

This delectable chicken dish is filled with spicy flavour, with a smooth creamy sauce soked up by fluffy rice to create the perfect weekend supper for the whole family

Servings

4

Preparation Time

 10 mins

Cooking Time

 25 mins

Total Time

 35 mins

Course

 Main

Cuisine

 Indian

Ingredients

• 100g natural yoghurt

• 1 tsp dried chilli flakes

• 1 tsp garam masala

• 1 tsp smoked paprika

• 1 tbsp medium curry powder

• ¼ tsp sea salt

• 5cm piece of fresh root ginger, peeled and finely chopped or grated

• 4 garlic cloves, finely chopped or grated

• 500g boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into small chunks

• 2 tbsp rapeseed oil

• 1 onion, diced

• 1 tbsp tomato purée

• 1 tin of chopped tomatoes

• 300g basmati rice

• 2 tbsp coriander, chopped

Method

1. Tip the yoghurt into a bowl, then add the spices, salt, ginger and garlic and mix really well. Add the chicken and stir until completely coated. If you have the time, cover and place in the fridge overnight, but if not, cover and chill while you sauté the veg.

2. Heat a sauté pan until medium hot, then add the rapeseed oil and onion and stir well. Cover, reduce the heat to medium-low and cook for about 10 minutes until softened and just coloured, stirring occasionally.

3. Stir in the tomato puree and cook for one minute, then add the tomatoes and bring to a simmer.

4. Add the marinated chicken and all the marinade, stir through, then bring to a gentle simmer, cover and cook for 15-20 minutes until the chicken is cooked through and the sauce thickened slightly, stirring occasionally. You don't want the sauce to boil otherwise the yoghurt will split - just a gentle simmer.

5. Meanwhile, bring a large saucepan of salted water to the boil, add the basmati rice and cook according to the packet instructions until tender, then drain.

6. Stir the coriander into the sauce and serve the chicken tikka masala with the hot rice.
   From Eat Well For Less - Family Feasts On A Budget by Jo Scarratt-Jones, published by BBC Books