CURRY IN A HURRY

MADRAS LAMB CHICKEN or BEEF

This is a brilliant easy mid week decandant weekend curry with all the trimmings from fridge to table in under 30 minutes and more like 20 minutes if you've prepped your fridge like a pro so you can just grab and go.  The secret is some forward preparation while your cooking on another night to set this curry in a hurry up.  I like to have some curry freezer stock sauce (recipe below batch cook 4 ptns) to hand which makes this super easy to pull together.

Ahead prep time 30 mins / On the day Prep time 5 mins / Cooking time 15-25 mins

The base sauce is best prepped ahead of time and can be frozen, having a batch of the base sauce ready to go really does make this curry in a hurry a family winner dinner in minutes.  If you don't have the base sauce prepped ahead no worries just add half hour to your kitchen time.

Ingredients 

(serves 4)

Best Ever Curry Base Sauce 

1tbsp ghee 

2 onions chopped

6 cloves garlic grated

2" ginger grated

1/2 red pepper diced

1/4 white cabbage chopped

1 carrot chopped

5 tomatoes chopped

1 tsp ground coriander 

1 tsp ground cumin

1 tsp ground fenugreek 

1 tsp turmeric 

1 tsp paprika 

1 tsp garam masala (recipe below)

A one pot cook, heat a large deep saucepan medium hot, add the ghee, onions and garlic, soften for 7 minutes, then add all the other ingredients except the garam masala and 1 ltr of water or stock.  Simmer for 20 minutes, then using a stick blender blitz to a smooth sauce, add the garam masala, that's it, base sauce made.

Stage One 

The Curry Spice Mix and Marinating 

(Serves 4)

If your a preper this stage can be done a few days ahead and stored in the fridge or freezer so all you have to do is grab and go.

2 tbsp ground cumin

1 tsp turmeric 

2 tsp ground coriander 

2 tbsp Kashmiri chilli powder 

1 tbsp curry powder

1 tsp paprika 

1 tbsp garam masala

8 fresh green chillies sliced longways

6 cardamom pods bashed

Mix the spices together and in a food bag or container coat your choice of lamb, chicken or beef in all the spices, the longer you leave to marinate the deeper the flavour will be, but if your really in a hurry you don't have to marinate.

Stage Two Marinating 

I like to add the base curry sauce to the marinated meat on the day I will be cooking the curry for dinner that day, along with the following ingredients, again you can do this all in one go and freeze ahead.

1 tbsp grated ginger

1 tbsp grated garlic

2 tbsp tomato purée 

All the base curry sauce

Cooking The Curry

Here we go just grab your bag of marinated curry, place in a saucepan on a medium heat and gently simmer for 20-25 minutes or longer if your using lamb so that it's tender.  Add the finishing ingredients below to your personal taste giving you a hint of sweet and sour to your madras curry.  Enjoy.

To Finish The Dish

2 tbsp mango chutney 

1 lime juiced

1/2 tsp garam masala

1 handful chopped corinader 

Move Over Salt Police

I am a salt lover, Himalayan to be exact, but I have found with this spiced curry and the saltiness from the ghee I don not need to season this curry with additional salt, this is personal to taste.  

STICKY LEMON GARLIC SKILLET CHICKEN

Fabulous one pan cooking, this gorgeous crispy nutty garlicky sweet sticky lemon chicken is a mouthwatering brilliant mid week dinner treat and on the table in only 15 minutes it pleases the family cook too.

Prep / Cooking time 15 minutes 

Ingredients 

(Serves 2-4)

4 boned out skin on chicken thighs

1 large bulb garlic chunky chopped 

1 red chilli sliced

1 lemon juiced

2 tbsp local honey

50ml olive oil

1 tbsp butter optional

1 pinch Himalayan sea salt 

1 pinch fresh ground black pepper 

Place the olive oil in your skillet and bring to a medium high heat, season the chicken thighs with the salt and pepper and place skin side down in the skillet, cook for 5 minutes with out being tempted to turn the thighs over, this is hard I know, but crucial to a crispy skin.  

At 5 minutes turn the thighs over and lower the heat to medium, cook for a further 3 minutes then add the garlic and chillies, cook the garlic and chillies for a couple of minutes to soften and caramelise the garlic giving it a nutty flavour,  remove the chicken, garlic and chillies from the pan and place on a plate to rest for a couple of minutes while you...

Heat the skillet again to medium hot heat again add the lemon and honey to the skillet bringing to a simmer, reduce for a minute or so until you have a sticky sauce, take off the heat and toss the rested chicken and garlic back in the pan coating the chicken well.  Serve your chicken and spoon over the sweet sticky garlicky lemon sauce and enjoy.  Suggested sides: rice, cauliflower rice, creamy buttery mashed potatoes, wedges, salad, flatbreads, 

TURMERIC CHIA FLAXSEED CRACKERS

Fabulously easy to make crackers that are super healthy for you too, loaded with So Good For You ingredients, Turmeric gives anti inflammatory protection, is an antioxidant, speeds up wound healing and relieves arthritis, diabetes support by lowering blood sugar reversing insulin resistance, helps with depression and cholesterol.  Flaxseeds are loaded with omega 3 ALA fats, huge wallop of fiber and low in carbs, high protein along with vitamin B1, manganese, magnesium, phosphorus and selenium which gives you healthy skin and hair, lowers cholesterol, supports digestive health and are highly antioxidant and finally Chia seeds super high in fiber, supports digestive and heart health, supports diabetes because their rich in alpha-linolenic acid which helps lower excessive fat in the blood and supports strong bones and teeth.

Ingredients 

(Makes approx 24)

1 cup of ground flaxseed

1/2 cup chia seeds

1 tsp turmeric 

1/2 tsp Himalayan sea salt 

1 clove garlic grated optional 

1/3 cup of water

1/4 cup grated Parmesan optional 

At this point you can add any extra flavour you like, I often add some chilli flakes or cumin and if I want to use these crackers for dipping with a lovely fresh bowl of salsa I will add fresh coriander and lime juice to compliment the salsa dip.

Pre heat your oven to 150 degrees C, combine all ingredients in a bowl, lay some baking paper on your work top enough to cover your baking sheet, cut a second sheet the same size, this is going to save clearing up!  Take your ball of flaxseed dough and place in the centre of the baking sheet, place the second sheet on top and press down to flatten the dough out a little.

Take your rolling pin and roll the dough through the paper, hence no floury work top to clean down!  Roll as thin as you dare, cracker thin.  Peel off the top baking paper and using a knife or pizza cutter score the dough in to your crackers, this can be triangles for corn chips style or long and thin for more fancy presentation or just your standard squares.

Slide your baking sheet on to your baking tray and pop in the oven, these crackers will take 40 minutes to bake to perfection, if you feel they are not crisp enough leave for a further five minutes or so.

Remove from the oven and leave to cool on a wire rack and these are best enjoyed on the day, but they will keep for a week in a air tight tin, they just loose a little of their crispy cracker, but the flavour is still there.  Enjoy.

THAI GREEN CURRY

WoW a simple sumptuous quick (15-20 minutes) easy dinner that will have the family thinking you've been in the kitchen hours!  Loaded with aromatic flavours, rich and creamy from the coconut milk this is a wonderful winter dinner, uplifting and comforting, serve with fluffy rice and flat breads for a fully satisfied family.

Prep and Cooking time 15-20 minutes 

Ingredients 

(Serves 4)

The Green Curry Paste

2 cloves garlic peeled

2" piece ginger

1 shallot peeled

1 stick lemon grass bashed

4 fresh kaffir lime leaves

1 small bunch corinader with stalks

1/2 tsp ground cumin

1 tsp Kashmiri chilli powder 

The Curry 

2 tbsp ghee or coconut oil

4 chicken thighs skin off bone out diced

8 mushrooms thickly sliced

1 green pepper large diced

1-2 cans coconut milk

8 Thai basil leaves torn

1 lime juiced

1 tbsp fish sauce

Himalayan sea salt 

Fresh black pepper 

To Finish the Dish

2 tbsp fresh coriander chopped 

2 red chillies sliced

Heat a large skillet medium hot, in a food processor blitz all the green Curry paste ingredients until really finely blitzed, add the ghee to the skillet along with the curry paste and cook for 5 minutes, next add the chicken and stir in well, add the coconut milk, more if you want a soupy curry.

Cook for 7-10 minutes on a medium low heat until the chicken is cooked through, add the mushrooms, peppers, basil, fish sauce and half the lime juice stir in well and taste the curry sauce, adjust the flavour with more lime juice if you want a less creamy Curry, season with salt and pepper, reduce the coconut milk if you want a thicker sauce.  Finish the serve Curry with a sprinkling of the fresh coriander and red chillies.

EGG AND PARMA HAM SNACK BALLS

These are brilliantly good, especially for people who like me, like to have a go to snack in the fridge which actually lessens your overall daily intake of food because eating several small meals a day and replacing two larger meals can lower your overall daily calorie intake, I know it seems kinda wrong but serious proper snacking/mini meals can lower your overall daily intake.  I use Parma ham rather than bacon as this is nitrate and nitrites free.

Prep time 5 minutes / Cooking time 6 minutes

Ingredients 

(Makes approx 12 balls)

6 organic eggs

6 strips Parma ham

4-6 tbsp mayonnaise 

(Home made turmeric recipe below)

1/2 tsp Himalayan sea salt

1/4 tsp black pepper

Homemade Turmeric Mayonnaise 

(takes 2 minutes)

1 egg yolk

1 tsp white or apple cider vinegar

200 - 300ml olive oil

1 pinch Himalayan sea salt 

1 pinch black pepper

1 tsp turmeric 

Once you get in the rhythm of making your own mayonnaise you won't go back to store bought again, its quick (2 minutes max), easy, so much tastier and possibly better for you.

In a large jug place the egg yolk and vinegar, take your balloon whisk and very very slowly start to drizzle in the olive oil around a teaspoon at a time to start, whisking all the time, once you feel the egg yolk thickening you can add the olive oil at a much quicker rate, stop adding the olive oil when your mayonnaise is at the thick ribbon stage.  Season with the salt, pepper and turmeric, that's it.

The perfect soft set (mollet) boiled eggs.

Bring a pan of water to a gentle rolling boil, add a pinch of sea salt then place the eggs in the water, immediately set the timer to 6 minutes.  While the eggs are boiling crisp up the Parma ham in a medium hot skillet then roughly chop and place on a plate.  As soon as the timer rings drain the hot water out of the pan and fill with running cold water in the sink for 30 seconds, then leave the eggs to cool for a few minutes before peeling.

Chop the eggs roughly season with the salt and pepper then add the eggs to your mayonnaise and combine well.  Using a spoon or small meatball scoop take the egg mayonnaise mixture and form in to balls, place each ball on the crispy Parma ham plate and roll to coat the ball completely, repeat with the the rest of the mixture, place all the balls in the fridge to chill and that's it your good to go.

CHICKEN THIGHS WITH THE BEST EVER CRISPY CRACKLING SKIN

What's better than Crackling, Chicken Crackling thats what!

What a great family show stopper dinner that will have everyone running to the table!  A simple dinner that is elevated to the highest flavour levels just simply by the the cooking method!  I cook crispy crackling chicken thighs all the time, in fact several times a week as my hubby uses them as (fridglet nibblits) but their never as fully crisped up as this, just a little tweak in the preparation and cooking method has made this our all new family favourite.  Serve with mayo slaw, flat breads and siracha, stuff, wrap and enjoy.

Prep time 10 minutes / Cooking time 10 minutes

Ingredients

(Serves 4)

8 chicken thighs boned out

Himalayan sea salt 

White pepper

1 tbsp coconut oil

To Serve

1/4 white cabbage finely sliced

1/4 red cabbage finely sliced

1 onion finely sliced

4 tbsp mayonnaise 

Pinch sea salt

Pinch white pepper

Combine the above slaw ingredients

8 flat breads

Siracha sauce

Place your cast iron skillet on a medium high heat, bone out the chicken thighs, that is secret number on, then cover with cling film and using a rolling pin bash the thighs flat and a little thinner making the thighs roughly the same thickness all over.

Season the thighs with the salt and pepper, place the coconut oil in the skillet and once melted place the thighs skin side down in the skillet, I now use a large plate to cover the skillet as it is going to spit a lot and you want to leave the chicken skin side down for around six minutes, don't be tempted to turn it over or check it, this is how the crispy crackling skin is made.  At six minutes turn the thighs over and cook for a further two minutes, turn the thighs back over so that they are skin side down again and remove the skillet from the heat, leave the chicken to rest while you serve up the slaw, flat breads and siracha all family style then place the chicken piled high on the table and watch your family stuff wrap and enjoying a brillant dinner.