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.