If you're interested in learning to cook some simple but authentic curries and spicy dishes you are on the right page. All you have to do is contribute a negotiated sum of money to a children's charity in Uganda (my birth place). You can come to our house (or in your house) where you will learn about some of the Indian spices and how to use them to produce delicious vegetable and meat dishes. After the cooking experience you'll eat your results with us. Go on be brave and charitable! Come and enjoy yourself. Bring a bottle of wine (I like wine!) or beer if you think beer goes well with curry. One way or another it will be an experience you will never forget. And by the way you can purchase a small selection of spices in an attractive container (cost £15).
We will gradually build up a number of simple recipes on these pages which you, your friends and families can try out.
Spices
Although there are many spices, those we use at home are the most basic ones used for Gujarati cooking. Gujarati food tends to be very simple and therefore it is a good starting point. The main thing to remember is that there are no hard and fast rules about cooking curries. As gabecome more confident become adventurous and try out new vegetables and different style of curries.
There are two types of spices: oil soluble and water soluble
Oil Soluble
Black mustard seeds
Cumin Seeds
Coriandar Seeds
Whole cardamoms
Cloves
Cinnamon stick
Fresh or Dry chillies
Asafoetida (Hing)
Water Soluble
Cumin powder
Coriander powder
Turmeric
Chilli powder
Other Ingredients
Onions
Garlic
Fresh ginger
Fresh tomatoes/Tomato paste/Passata
The main thing to remember is that you always put oil soluble spices in HOT oil and water soluble spices at the later stages of cooking.
Ideally it is best to buy these spices from an Indian shop but you can get them from most major supermarkets.
List of Recipes
1 Fried rice with sweet corn and peas
2 Potatoes & peas curry
Simple Fried Rice
(with sweet corn, peas & red pepper)
preparation time 30 minutes for 2 servings
Ingredients
150gm Basmati Rice
125gm Frozen peas
150gm Prawns or tuna slices
125gm Sweetcorn
1 Red onion
1 Red Pepper
1 Garlic
Vegetable oil
Black mustard seeds 1/2 tea spoon
Cumin seeds 1/2 tea spoon
Asafoetida (HIng) a pinch (optional)
Turmeric 1/4 teaspoon
Chilli powder to taste
1 Put the Basmati rice in plenty of lightly salted boiling water and simmer it for 10 minutes and then add the frozen
peas, bring it back to boil and
simmer for further 6 minutes. Drain it in a sieve and rinse with cold water to wash out starch.
2 While the rice is boiling, finely chop the onion, the red pepper and garlic.
3 Once the rice is ready, heat the oil in a wok or a frying pan.
4 When the oil is really hot sprinkle the black mustard seeds into the oil when they pop add the cumin seeds and when they sizzle,
sprinkle the asafoetida and immediately plunge the chopped onion and pepper into the wok. Fry the mixture while stirring and
when the onion softens makea little room in the middle of the wok (pan) to fry the garlic until brown.Make sure the garlic does not
burn!
5 Tip the drained rice and peas and sweet corn into the wok and fry everything for a few minutes.
6 Add the turmeric, chilli powder and salt (to taste) and fry for a fewmore minutes, stirring, and finally add the prawns or tuna
slices.
7 Make sure that everything is heated thoroughly.
We serve this with side dishes of plain yoghurt, salad and pickles.
That's it - enjoy, as they say!
Potatoes & Peas Curry
Ingredients
(4 persons)
1kg Potatoes
125gm Frozen peas
1 Onion
1 Garlic
Vegetable oil 1 table spoon
Black mustard seeds 1/2tsp
Cumin seeds 1/2 tea spoon
Asafoetida (Hing) a pinch
Turmeric 1/2 teaspoon
Cuminpowder 1 teaspoon
Corriander powder 2 teaspoons
Chilli powder to taste
Salt to taste
1 Peel and chop the potatoes into 1cm cubes.
2 Finely chop the onion and the garlic.
3 Heat the oil in a frying pan and when it is really hot add the mustard seeds, turn the heat off, when they pop add the cumin seeds a
and when they sizzle add the asafoetida (Hing) and immediately plung the chopped onion and let the mixture fry gently for a few
minutes until the onion is soft. Make sure that the seeds don't burn!
4 Make a little room in the middle of the wok (pan) to fry the garlic until brown.Make sure the garlic does not burn!
5 Put the potatoes in the frying pan and fry the mixture gently for about 10 minutes, stirring all the time.
6 Then add the turmeric and the cumin and the corriandar powders and chilli powder and salt to taste. Also add a little water and
fresh tomatoes or a little pasata.
7 Let the potatoes cook for a further ten minutres and then add the peas.
8 Continue to cook until potatoes are ready adding more water or pasata if required. Be careful not to to burn the potatoe or
