Indian Recipes - RecipeTin Eats

Lamb Korma curry

Nagi — Fri, 31 May 2024 06:00:00 +0000

Rich with coconut cream and cashews, Lamb Korma is gently spiced and mildly sweet. It’s so family-friendly and easy to love, I call it “the other butter chicken!” Serve this lamb curry with basmati rice and homemade naan for a cosy Indian night in. Update: slow cooker, instant pot and pressure cooker directions added by popular demand!

Lamb Korma curry

Not all curries are fiery hot and intense flavoured, like Vindaloo and Rogan Josh. Like – everybody’s favourite Butter Chicken. And today’s Lamb Korma! The sauce is gently flavoured with spices, and it’s not spicy at all. It’s got a triple hit of creamy – pureed cashews, coconut cream and regular cream. And it’s a little bit sweet.

I describe it as “family friendly curry”, being one that everyone can enjoy!

Why make your own Lamb Korma?

Most Lamb Korma curries I’ve had at restaurants are far too sweet and much too oily for my taste. Same with jarred sauces from shops which also tend to completely lack depth of flavour.

I mean, Korma is supposed to be a bit sweet. But not candy sweet!!

Making Lamb Korma at home is so much better. It’s reliable, far cheaper, healthier and it’s really no harder than making a regular beef stew. Plus, you’ll find everything you need from large grocery stores except perhaps Kashmiri chilli which you can easily substitute with smoked paprika + cayenne pepper.

Are you ready to make your own Lamb Korma with fall-apart lamb smothered in a gorgeous creamy cashew-coconut sauce?? Yes you are!!

PS Proof of fall-apart lamb hunks:

About this Lamb Korma curry

There are many types of kormas. Some of the more authentic versions I’ve had are brutally rich and wildly spicy (but delicious!) This lamb korma is the much mellower style we’re more used to Indian restaurants in the West that have creamy, subtly spiced sauces that are mildly sweet.

This recipe was created by my brother. His kitchen superpower is making recipes that call for juggling complex flavours. So I often turn to him to help with curries like this! We had a few “heated debates” arriving at the end result – heh! But we got there, and everybody who tried it loved it. We hope you do too!

Ingredients in Lamb Korma curry

As I mentioned earlier, you should be able to find all the key ingredients from regular grocery stores (albeit large ones, perhaps not your cheerful local corner store!). There are a couple of speciality items you might not be able to find (ghee, Kashmiri powder) but there are easy substitutes!

1. Best lamb cut for lamb korma

Lamb shoulder is the best cut because it becomes meltingly tender with hours of slow cooking to break down the tough fibres. We cut the meat into large cubes else they will cook too quickly, before the sauce has had sufficient time to develop flavour.

The recipe calls for 800g/1.6 lb lamb sounds like a lot for 4 servings, but it shrinks a lot! In fact, the initial recipe used 600g of meat but it wasn’t enough for 4 adults.

Other lamb cuts – I can’t think of any other cut of lamb that will produce the same results, not even other slow cooking cuts of lamb. For example, there’s not enough meat on lamb shanks to cut large 5cm/2″ cubes we need for lamb korma. You can cook the shanks whole, though there’s not enough liquid to submerge 4 shanks. Lamb neck is great for slow cooking but too bony for this recipe (again, can’t cut large chunks). Lamb leg is too lean, and it’s illegal in my books to cook lamb cutlets and backstrap beyond medium rare (too expensive!).

Like I said, I can’t think of any other lamb cut suitable for this recipe. I have applied thought to it!!

Other meat (beef, pork) – Korma is traditionally made with lamb and the distinct flavour of lamb is partly what makes the korma curry sauce so special. However, the recipe will work as written with similar slow-cooking cuts of beef (chuck or boneless rib are the ones I’d recommend) or pork (pork shoulder). Chicken isn’t suitable for this recipe as written because it will be way overcooked in the time it takes to develop enough flavour in the sauce. I’d have to concentrate the sauce flavour a bit, so it’s a separate recipe!

2. lamb korma spices

Here are the spices you need for lamb korma. Don’t worry if you can’t find Kashmiri chilli powder! There’s an easy substitute.

Kashmiri chilli powder is a spicy, smoky Indian chilli powder sold at Indian grocery stores and some speciality stores. Substitute with 3/4 teaspoon smoked paprika plus 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper.
Garam masala– a spice mix used in Indian cooking that is easily found these days in the spice aisle of large grocery stores. Think of it as the better curry powder! If you can’t find it, substitute with an Indian curry powder.
Green cardamom pods – These are fairly easily found these days in regular grocery stores. They have a kind of citrusy fresh herbal flavour.
Turmeric powder – Bright yellow powder that adds earthy flavour.
Ginger powder – a warm flavour that is quite different to fresh ginger.
Cinnamon sticks – Sticks rather than powder add a subtle perfume of flavour into the sauce.

3. onion-garlic-ginger paste & cashew puree

Two unique aspects of this curry is the use of pureed cashew to thicken and enrich the sauce, and starting the curry sauce with a good amount of sautéed pureed onion, ginger and garlic. Don’t even think about just using chopped onion, it’s not the same at all!

Onion – Use brown or yellow onions.
Garlic – 8 whole, large cloves!
Ginger – A 5 cm/2″ piece, skin scraped or cut off then sliced.
Cashews – Roasted, unsalted cashews which we puree into a thick sauce with a little water.

4. everything else for the curry sauce

And here’s everything else we need to make Lamb Korma:

Ghee – A type of clarified butter used in Indian cooking, tastes like butter on steroids! It has a texture and melts like butter but can be kept in the pantry rather than in the fridge. Fairly readily available these days in the Indian section of large grocery stores, Indian and Asian shops, or make your own (super easy). Substitute with unsalted butter, or coconut oil (unrefined/virgin which has lovely coconut flavour).
Sugar – Just 4 teaspoons adds a touch of sweetness in the sauce.
Coconut cream – Thicker and richer than coconut milk! Full fat please. Low fat doesn’t have nearly as much coconut flavour.
Regular cream – Again, full fat please! Else the sauce will lack richness.
Chicken stock/broth – I see a lot of Indian home cooking recipes using water instead of stock or broth. To me, the sauce lacks depth of flavour when made using water. I have a theory that spices in India could be fresher and more aromatic that what we get a grocery stores in Western countries, which could explain this!

How to make Lamb Korma Curry

A stick blender is your friend here! Makes the pureeing of the onion and cashews a breeze. 🙂 While the onion can be pureed in a food processor, you will struggle with the cashews unless you have a small one because there isn’t enough volume.

Puree onion – Place the onion, garlic and ginger into a tall container that fits the head of a stick blender. Blitz until smooth. It only takes about 5 to 10 seconds. Scrape it into a bowl, then set aside.
Cashew puree – In the same jar, blitz the cashews and water with the stick blender until smooth. It will only take about 10 seconds. Cover the mouth of the jar with your hand (to prevent flying cashew comets!). Then set aside. We will add it into the sauce partway through the slow cooking time.

Cardamom sachet (OPTIONAL) – Bundle and tie the cardamom pods into a sachet using muslin or cheesecloth. Otherwise, just put the loose pods in the curry and pick them out when eating (this really doesn’t bother me, but I know someone people don’t like it!).
Reduce onion puree – Melt and heat the ghee over high-heat. Then cook the onion puree for a good 8 minutes or until it reduces by half. Because it’s so watery, it won’t “sauté” like chopped onion. Rather, it just reduces and dries out. Don’t let it caramelise or brown.

Add lamb then stir until the lamb changes from red to light brown. Don’t try to brown the meat – it won’t happen!
Sauce – Stir in the ground spices (turmeric, ground ginger, garam marsala and kashmiri chilli). Then add the stock. The liquid will barely cover the meat. Add the cardamom pod sachet and cinnamon sticks, then stir. Bring to a simmer, cover with a lid then transfer to the oven.

Slow cook 2 hours – Cook for 1 1/2 hours at 180°C/350°F (160°C fan-forced). Stir in the pureed cashews, put the lid back on then return to the oven for another 30 minutes. The sauce should have thickened to a creamy consistency and lamb should be tender end to pull apart with forks with no effort.

Slow cooker, pressure cooker and instant pot METHODS

This Lamb Korma can be made in a slow cooker, pressure cooker or instant pot. But the recipe needs to be altered else the sauce lacks flavour. This is because you don’t get surface caramelisation when using slow cookers etc, like you do in the oven which adds flavour in the sauce. Also, because there is no evaporation, the liquid in the sauce needs to be reduced else the sauce ends up too thin with diluted flavour.

So I’ve added directions in the recipe notes for how to make this in a slow cooker, instant pot etc, adding steps to brown the meat off and reduce the liquid in the sauce to address the above. It works really well!

Finish & serve – Place the pot on a low heat. Add the sugar, salt, coconut cream and cream, then stir. Simmer for 2 minutes, then it’s ready to serve. Look at the sauce!! Full of the promise of flavour!

What to serve with Lamb Korma

Serve over basmati rice, the type of rice traditionally served with Indian food. It’s more aromatic than plain white rice though really, you can use any type of rice in a pinch – see options here.

Adding naan for dunking is highly recommended! It’s exceptional – fluffy, bubbly and chewy like real restaurant naan rather than just a basic flatbread which all too many recipes are. It is a yeast dough, but it doesn’t require kneading!

If you’re looking to put on a full Indian feast (I feel you must, one of these days!), try Samosas or Pakoras as starters and add a Tomato Salad with Minted Yogurt Dressing as a fresh vegetable side.

suggested dishes to serve alongside lamb korma

Samosa recipe

How to cook Basmati Rice

Naan recipe – chewy & fluffy!

Pakora (Indian Vegetable Fritters)

Indian Tomato Salad with Mint Dressing

Persian Love Cake

No Bake Mango Cheesecake

Homemade Mango Ice Cream Recipe (No Ice Cream Maker!)

Regretfully, I don’t have any Indian dessert recipes. The closest I can offer up is a Persian Love Cake which is a gently spiced cake made with almond meal and semolina. Strictly speaking, it’s Middle Eastern (and in fact, was part of a Middle Eastern menu I shared, find it in the Persian Love Cake recipe) but the flavours would fit in nicely for an Indian themed dinner! – Nagi x

PS I just had another thought – Mango Ice Cream (no ice cream maker method) or Mango Cheesecake would also suit nicely, being that India is rather obsessed with mangoes!

Watch how to make it

Lamb korma curry

Recipe video above. In stark contrast to bold spicy curries like Vindaloo, Lamb Korma is creamy, nutty and gently spiced. It's easy to love and so family-friendly, I call it the "other butter chicken"! Slow cooked until the meat is fall-apart tender, I particularly love the subtle cashew flavour in the sauce from the pureed cashews, and the distinct flavour that lamb adds to sauce.

* Oven method yields the best flavour but see note 8 for slow cooker, instant pot and pressure cooker methods. Super handy, and I was very happy with it!

Course Mains

Cuisine Indian

Keyword korma curry, lamb curry, lamb korma

Prep Time 20

Cook Time 2 30

Servings

Calories 604cal

Author Nagi

Ingredients

Onion paste:

2 large onions , cut into 1cm/1/2″ squares (brown or yellow)
8 large garlic cloves , peeled, halved
4cm/ 1.5" piece ginger , peeled, sliced 3mm/0.2″ thick

Cashew puree:

1/4 cup cashews , roasted, unsalted (~20 cashews)
1/3 cup water

Lamb korma

3 tbsp ghee (Note 1), or unsalted butter
800g / 1.6 lb lamb shoulder (Note 2), trimmed off excess fat, cut into 4-5 cm / 2" cubes
1/2 tsp ground turmeric
2 1/2 tsp ground ginger
5 1/2 tsp garam marsala (Note 3)
1 tsp kashmiri chilli powder (or smoked paprika + cayenne – Note 4)
2 cups chicken stock/broth , low-sodium
10 cardamom pods (green), lightly crushed, wrapped and tied in muslin or cheesecloth (Note 5)
2 cinnamon sticks
4 tsp white sugar
1 1/2 tsp cooking salt / kosher salt
1/2 cup coconut cream , full-fat (Note 6)
1/2 cup cream , full-fat (any type – thickened/heavy, pure etc)(Note 6)

SERVING

Basmati rice or other plain white rice of choice
Naan , for dunking! (optional)
Cashews finely chopped (optional sprinkle)
Coriander/cilantro leaves , roughly chopped (optional garnish)

Cups – Metric

Instructions

Onion puree – Place the onion, garlic and ginger into a tall container that fits the head of a stick blender. Blitz until smooth – about 5 to 10 seconds. Scrape into a bowl, set aside.
Cashew puree – In the same jar, while covering the mouth of the jar with your hand (to prevent flying cashew comets), blitz the cashews and water with the stick blender until smooth, about 10 seconds. , Set aside.
Preheat the oven to 180°C/350°F (160°C fan-forced).
Reduce onion puree – Melt and heat ghee in a ~24 cm/ 10" oven-proof pot over high-heat. Cook the onion puree, stirring regularly, for 8 minutes until it has reduced by half. Don’t let it caramelise.
Add lamb, reduce to medium-high heat then stir until the meat changes from red to light brown. Don’t try to brown the meat (it won't happen).
Sauce – Add turmeric, ground ginger, garam marsala and kashmiri chilli, then stir through. Pour in the stock (the liquid should just barely cover the meat). Add cardamom pod sachet and cinnamon sticks, then stir. Bring to a simmer, cover with a lid then transfer to the oven.
Slow cook – Cook for 1 1/2 hours. Stir in Cashew Puree, put the lid back on then return to the oven for another 30 minutes. The sauce should have thickened to a creamy consistency and lamb should be tender end to pull apart with forks with no effort. (Note 6)
Creamy sauce – Place the pot on a low heat. Add the sugar, salt, coconut cream and cream, then stir. Simmer for 2 minutes, then you’re done!
Serve over basmati rice with a sprinkle of cashew nuts and coriander, if desired. Naan for dunking highly recommended!

Notes

1. Ghee – A type of clarified butter used in Indian cooking, tastes like butter on steroids! Fairly readily available these days in the Indian section of large grocery stores, Indian and Asian shops. Substitute with unsalted butter, or coconut oil (unrefined/virgin which has lovely coconut flavour).

2. Lamb shoulder is the best because it becomes meltingly tender with hours of slow cooking to break down the tough fibres. No other cut of lamb will produce the same results (see Ingredients section for commentary). Cut large cubes else they will cook too quickly, before the sauce has had sufficient time to develop flavour. PS I know 800g/1.6 lb lamb sounds like a lot for 4 servings, but it shrinks a lot!

Other meat – Beef chuck or boneless ribs, or pork shoulder, follow recipe as written, though note that korma is most commonly made with lamb.

3. Garam masala is a spice mix used in Indian cooking that is easily found these days in the spice aisle of large grocery stores. Think of it as the better curry powder! If you can’t find it, substitute with an Indian curry powder.

4. Kashmiri is a spicy, smoky Indian chilli powder sold at Indian grocery stores and some speciality stores. Substitute with 3/4 teaspoon smoked paprika plus 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper.

5. Cardamom – Bundle up and tie to hold the cardamom pods in a bag. Otherwise, just put the loose pods in the curry and pick them out when eating (this really doesn’t bother me, but I know someone people don’t like it!).

6. Avoid low fat! If you go down the low-fat path, you will find that the sauce lacks the creamy mouthfeel and Korma-coconut-flavour. I really recommend sticking to full fat!

7. Sauce thickness – If the sauce is not thick enough, just reduce on the stove before adding the cream and coconut cream. If the lamb is not tender enough, cover and return to the oven in 10 minute increments.

8. Slow cooker, pressure cooker, instant pot method – Need to alter recipe else the sauce lacks flavour because the meat is not browned off and you don’t get surface caramelisation like you do in the oven. Here’s how to do it:

Reduce chicken stock/broth by 1 cup
Increase coconut cream and cream to 2/3 cup each, and increase salt by 1/4 tsp.
Puree cashews with 1/3 cup chicken stock instead of water
Start on stove or sauté function of instant pot/slow cooker.
Melt all the ghee OR 1 tbsp plain oil on high heat then brown the surface of the lamb in batches (but still raw inside). Remove. (If you used oil, add butter now).
Cook down the onion puree per recipe then follow recipe as written (returning browned lamb into pot) up to step 6.
Add cashew puree and coconut cream (but not regular cream), bring to simmer. Transfer everything into slow cooker/IP (scrape out pot well!).
Cook times – Slow cooker (LOW 8 hrs, HIGH 3 hrs), pressure cooker/IP HIGH 40 min.
Stir in regular cream. Simmer with lid off if needed to thicken sauce (shouldn’t need, but sometimes lamb drops more juices than expected). Serve!

Storage – Leftovers will keep for 3 days, though I always feel the spice flavours start fading!

Nutrition per serving, assuming 4 servings. Does not include rice or naan.

Nutrition

Life of Dozer

This week, we had a photo shoot at Bayview dog beach with Rob, Dozer’s favourite photographer. He can only do these sprints for short bursts these days. So what a treat it was to have it captured – thank you Rob!

Also, Dozer says sorry for spitting sand on the very expensive lenses….

DOZER FOOD CREATION CONTINUES

And in the kitchen, the new senior-citizen Dozer swallow-safe food project continues. I think I’m getting close! Inspired by the soft, slippery, bouncy Asian fish balls, I think I’ve come up with a formula and method to make large quantities of swallow-friendly food that will work with most proteins as well as incorporating fresh vegetables.

Glutinous rice flour seems to be the key, to hold the mixture together without drying it out!

The ability to make big-batch food is important for me because Dozer eats a LOT!! 1 kg / 2 lb a day, to be exact. What you see above is just 2 1/2 days worth of food for him!!

I haven’t forgotten my promises to share the recipe. I just hesitate to share anything before I get fully comfortable with it myself because it’s designed for dogs with medical conditions and I am not a qualified veterinarian or nutritionist for that matter. I shall be caveating heavily when I share the recipe!

Oh, and a snap from this morning on his Digestion Bed on which he perches for 30 minutes after every meal, set on an incline to coax food does his throat. He’s very comfortable on it these days! And why wouldn’t he be? I wouldn’t complain if someone told me I had to lounge on a soft bed after every meal!

And in case you are wondering if Dozer is still able to carry out his important work as the Chief Recipe Tester of RecipeTin Eats – yes he is. He can’t have everything – flaky / crunchy things like croissants and crispy biscuits are too dangerous because little bits are at risk of being inhaled into his lungs = aspiration pneumonia = bad.

But if it can be squished and rolled into a rough ball shape, it’s fine!

Here he is, taste testing pikelets earlier this week. With jam and cream, of course.

Look at the intense concentration and focus in his eyes! (Well, perhaps wild-eyed excitement is a more accurate description 😂).

Thank you, as always, for the messages of concern, support, advice and suggestions you have shared as we’ve moved into Dozer’s senior years and with it, the inevitable problems that come with age.

In all honesty, he is doing so, so well. I truly believe getting back into a routine of good real food has made such a difference to his well being. I think he has more to go and I’m very committed to continuing with his physical therapy and ensuring he gets all the nutrition he needs.

He’s worth it. He’s an important company asset!! 😂

The post Lamb Korma curry appeared first on RecipeTin Eats.

Qeema – Easy Indian Curried Beef Mince

Nagi — Mon, 27 Nov 2023 03:26:28 +0000

This is an authentic Indian curried beef mince recipe called Qeema (or keema or kheema). It’s a gem of a find because it tastes incredible but unlike many Indian dishes, there are no hard-to-find spices in the ingredients. And it’s super fast – on the table in 20 minutes!

Qeema – Quick & Easy Indian Curried Beef Mince

This recipe is an excellent way to get an Indian food fix without having to hunt down hard-to-find Indian spices.

It’s also an excellent way to change up your usual rotation of beef mince recipes. Spag Bol, we love you, but sometimes it’s nice to try something new!!

And new this is. You probably haven’t seen Qeema on Indian restaurant menus because it’s a home cooking meal. But blimey, it’s a great find! 100% legit Indian flavours, 7 minute prep, 13 minute cook. Get all the spices from regular grocery stores – turmeric, garam masala, cumin, coriander and cayenne pepper.

What you need for Qeema

The key to achieving the bold, authentic Indian curried beef flavour in this quick ‘n easy recipe is a good amount of fresh garlic and ginger, and a generous amount of ground spices.

Here’s what you need:

Beef mince – That’s ground beef to those of you in the States! I’m using lean today, but regular is fine (fattier – juicier). I also made this recipe a few years ago using chicken mince which was terrific.
Fresh garlic and ginger – Key to flavour in this otherwise simple Indian dish, so don’t skip these.
Spices – Garam masala, cumin, coriander, turmeric and cayenne pepper. You can get all these at regular grocery stores here in Australia. Garam masala is an Indian spice mix which I tell people is the “better curry powder” because it tastes more legit, whereas the curry powders you get at regular grocery stores are very Westernised.
Fresh coriander/cilantro for garnish. (Skip if you’re not a coriander fan).
Green cayenne pepper (optional garnish) – This is for garnish, and it adds fresh chilli flavour without much spiciness because cayenne peppers are not that spicy. But it’s entirely optional, so feel free to omit!

How to make Qeema

Sauté – Heat oil in a skillet over high heat. Add ginger and garlic and saute for 30 seconds until golden, don’t let it burn! Add onion and cook for 1 minute until it is starting to turn translucent.
Add beef and cook, breaking it up as you go, until it changes from pink to light brown. Add remaining ingredients EXCEPT water. Cook for a further 2 minutes to let the spices bloom.
Cook 10 minutes – Add water, give it a stir, then put a lid on (or cover with a baking tray if you don’t have a lid for your pan). Turn heat down to medium and let it simmer for 10 minutes or until most of the water has evaporated, but still a bit juicy.
Serve over with basmati rice or plain white rice, garnished with extra chilli and coriander/cilantro, and lots of Mint Yogurt. Naan or flatbreads would make it even better, though if time is not your friend, try frozen roti (pictured in post, more on this below the photo).

What to serve with Qeema

Serve over basmati rice and mint yogurt or plain yogurt (recipe below for mint yogurt). Then mix up the beef into the rice so it flavours the rice, then dig in!

It’s also pictured above with flaky, buttery roti which I stuffed with the Qeema and rice. Not homemade. I always have a stash of frozen ones which you can get at regular grocery stores. I love them because they can be cooked from frozen in a few minutes – how good is that! Ideal to use for any and all Indian / South East Asian saucy foods, like curries.

Though, if I have the time (or foresight to plan in advance), you can’t beat homemade naan. 😊

For vegetable sides, try one of these:

Indian Tomato Salad with Mint Raita Dressing
South Indian Carrot & Cabbage Salad with Coconut is fresh and popping with flavours – love the coconut flavour in this!
Give this Everyday Cabbage Salad an Indian spin by sautéing garlic and cumin seeds in oil before mixing up with other Dressing ingredients.

Indian Tomato Salad with Mint Dressing

Cabbage & Carrot Thoran-style Indian Salad

Everyday Cabbage Salad

I really hope you try this Qeema recipe, the flavour is so authentic! Something a little different to make with that packet of beef mince you threw in your shopping trolley on the weekend. – Nagi x

recipe credit

This Qeema recipe is very slightly adapted from this Authentic Indian Minced Meat Qeema recipe from Scrambled Chefs. I just spied a 5 Ingredient Indian Potato Curry and this Chicken Curry has just jumped to the top of my Must Try list!

Watch how to make it

Qeema Indian Curried Beef

An authentic Indian spiced ground (minced) beef recipe known as Qeema (or keema or kheema). This is a gem of a recipe because it tastes incredible but unlike many Indian dishes, there are no hard-to-find spices in the ingredients. And it's super fast – on the table in 20 minutes!

Serve over basmati rice. Great with plain yogurt, even better with Mint Yogurt.

Course Dinner

Cuisine Indian

Keyword beef mince curry, curried beef, queema

Prep Time 5

Cook Time 15

Total Time 20

Servings

Calories 255cal

Author Nagi | RecipeTin Eats

Ingredients

3 tbsp vegetable or canola oil , or other neutral oil
4 tsp ginger , finely mince
5 large garlic cloves , minced (about 4 tsp)
1 large onion , finely diced
500g / 1 lb beef mince (ground beef)
3/4 tsp cooking salt / kosher salt
1 tsp cayenne pepper or chilli powder (pure, not US chili powder spice mix), omit for not spicy
1 1/4 tsp garam masala (Note 1)
1 1/4 tsp cumin powder
1 1/4 tsp coriander powder
1/2 tsp turmeric powder
1 cup water

Garnish

1 green cayenne pepper , deseeded, finely sliced
Cilantro/coriander leaves
Plain yogurt or Mint yogurt (below)

Mint yogurt (optional, pictured in post)

3/4 cup plain yogurt
1/2 cup (lightly packed) mint leaves
1/4 tsp cooking salt / kosher salt

Instructions

Sauté – Heat oil in a skillet over high heat. Add ginger and garlic and saute for 30 seconds until golden, don't let it burn! Add onion and cook for 1 minute until it is starting to turn translucent.
Add beef and cook, breaking it up as you go, until it changes from pink to light brown. Add remaining ingredients EXCEPT water. Cook for a further 2 minutes to let the spices bloom.
Cook 10 minutes – Add water, give it a stir, then put a lid on (or cover with a baking tray). Turn heat down to medium and let it simmer for 10 minutes or until most of the water has evaporated.
Serve over with basmati rice or plain white rice, garnished with extra chilli and coriander/cilantro, and lots of Mint Yogurt. Naan or flatbreads would make it even better, though if time is not your friend, try frozen roti (pictured in post, Note 3).

Mint yogurt

Blitz then stir – Put just 1/4 cup of the yogurt with the mint leaves and salt in a jug just big enough to fit the head of a stick blender. Blitz until mint is very finely chopped. Then stir in remaining yogurt. (Note 4) Refrigerate until required.

Notes

Recipe credit – very slightly adapted from this Indian Queema Minced Beef by Scrambled Chefs.

1. American “Chili Powder” is not pure ground chilli, it contains other spices like paprika and is not very spicy. This recipe calls for pure ground chilli for spiciness, or cayenne pepper.

2. Garam Masala – Spice mix used in Indian cooking, a more legit curry powder. Sold at regular grocery stores in Australia -> Coles, Woolworths, Harris Farms.

3. Roti – Flaky Indian round flatbread that’s sold in the freezer section of large grocery stores these days. Love them because they’re so handy – cook from frozen on the stove in just a couple of minutes. Cheap, tasty, if you’ve never tried it, it’s a game changer! 🙂

4. Mint yogurt – Blitzing makes yogurt watery. So just blitz the minimum to puree the mint, then stir the rest in which thickens the sauce up again.

5. Leftovers keep for 3 – 4 days in the fridge, or freezer for 3 months.

Nutrition for beef only, not including rice or yogurt sauce.

Nutrition

First published April 2016. Republished 7 years later with sparkling new photos, brand new recipe video (couldn’t make them back then!) and of course added a Life of Dozer section!

My easiest Indian recipes

More easy Indian recipes!

Butter Chicken

One-pan Baked Butter Chicken

Oven Baked Tandoori Chicken

Naan recipe – chewy & fluffy!

Chicken Tikka Masala

Beef Biryani

Chickpea Curry with Potato (Chana Aloo Curry)

Indian Recipes

Life of Dozer

He doesn’t realise it’s a vegetable platter. (Yet).

The post Qeema – Easy Indian Curried Beef Mince appeared first on RecipeTin Eats.

One-pan Baked Butter Chicken

Nagi — Mon, 06 Nov 2023 05:00:11 +0000

This is a streamlined version of everybody’s favourite butter chicken, designed to make right now! So easy it’s unbelievable – just put everything in a pan then pop it in the oven. All the flavour, with a fraction of the effort. This is a one-pot meal game-changer!

Dear readers – Before jumping into today’s recipe, just a quick thank you for all the lovely messages of support and congratulations on the new food bank kitchen for RecipeTin Meals. Today was the teams’ first day cooking in the new kitchen – all the space was a luxury! We are so excited about the possibilities, the ability to increase the number of meals we make and people we can help. Here are some snaps from today. – N x ❤️

Butter chicken – in just a few steps!

Butter Chicken has been one of my most popular recipes from the moment I published it. Readers tell me they love it because it tastes “totally legit” yet you can get everything from regular grocery stores and it’s very straight forward.

Well, your Butter Chicken loving life is about to get even better because here’s a one-pan baked version that’s even easier! It’s one of those “dump and bake” recipes. I hate that phrase because I feel like it undermines the recipe. But that’s exactly what this recipe is. You put everything in a baking dish – curry slathered chicken and the sauce – then you put it in the oven.

The end result tastes just as good as regular Butter Chicken. Some would say better, because whole chicken thighs are juicier than bite size pieces!

Before

After!

Ingredients in butter chicken

The ingredients in this one-pan baked version of Butter Chicken are the same as the original Butter Chicken, though quantities are different for a couple of items which is explained below.

CHICKEN AND MARINADE (BUT NO MARINATING REQUIRED!)

I will continue to call this the butter chicken marinade even though you don’t need to marinade for this baked version! Why? Because the chicken is baking in the sauce for 45 minutes during which time enough flavour infusion happens. But, you can marinade overnight if you’d like, to get even more flavour into the flesh!

Chicken – The best chicken to use for this one-pan baked version is bone-in chicken thighs. This is because they remain juicy for the 45 minute bake time required for the sauce to thicken and develop flavour. We remove the skin (it’s easy, just peel it off) to prevent the sauce from getting too greasy.
Other chicken options – Drumsticks (excellent), boneless thighs (not as good but will work), breast (bite size chunks, my least preferred). I’ve included directions for each of these in the recipe notes.
Yoghurt – This is what makes the spices stick to the surface of the chicken. Use any plain yogurt. Not sweetened and certainly not flavoured! Full fat is best, though low fat will work too.
Lemon juice – For a touch of tang. Apple cider vinegar will also work (or other mild clear vinegar – white wine vinegar etc).
Ginger and garlic – Fresh, finely grated so you don’t have lumps in the sauce. Using paste out of a jar is not the same – it’s sour and the flavour is nowhere near as good!
Chilli powder – Pure & spicy, not the US tex-mex chili blend. Else, use cayenne pepper. Butter chicken isn’t spicy, we only use 1/2 teaspoon for a fair amount of sauce. But if you’re concerned, leave it out.
Garam masala – An Indian curry spice mix widely available at regular grocery stores these days. Doesn’t cost any more than regular spices!
Other spices – Turmeric and cumin powder.
Salt – My original Butter Chicken recipe doesn’t need salt in the marinade because it’s seared then simmered in the sauce. Because we plonk-and-bake in this recipe, salt in the marinade is needed else the surface of the chicken is a bit bland.

Butter chicken CURRY sauce

Butter chicken curry sauce doesn’t call for many ingredients because the curry flavour comes from the chicken marinade.

Ghee is a type of clarified butter that is commonly used in Indian cooking, for intense buttery flavour. Kept in the pantry not fridge. Sold at regular grocery stores, or make your own, or just use butter.
Tomato passata – Pureed, strained pure tomatoes, sometimes labelled “tomato puree” in the US (here’s a photo of Mutti brand sold at Walmart). It’s readily available in Australian supermarkets nowadays, alongside pasta sauces. Passata is excellent for making thick, smooth sauces. More on tomato passata here.
Cream – Thickened / heavy cream is best because it is thicker than regular cream. But regular cream will work too and if your sauce is a bit thinner than ideal at the end, just pop the pan back in the oven with just sauce in it for a few minutes (it thickens quickly).
Sugar – Just 1 1/2 teaspoons, to achieve the right flavour tone in the sauce.

How to make One-pan Baked Butter Chicken

As I said from the outset – put everything in the pan and shove it in the oven!!! OK, OK, there’s one or two minor little details to add to that. 🙂

Coat chicken – Mix the marinade ingredients in a bowl then toss to coat the chicken.
Mix the sauce ingredients in a baking pan.
Place the chicken in. Scrape out all the residual marinade and dab onto the skin. Don’t waste any of it, that’s all butter chicken flavour!
Bake for 45 minutes at 200°C / 400°F (180°C fan-forced), basting at the 30 minutes and 40 minute mark. We need a slightly hot oven to get good colour on the chicken and reduce the sauce.

Basting – Basting just means spooning sauce over the chicken. After the 2nd baste at the 40 minute mark, I like to put the chicken back in so it browns nicely.
Done! When you pull it out of the oven, the surface of the chicken should be golden and the sauce will have transformed from the unremarkable looking pink watery mixture you mixed up at the beginning into your favourite butter chicken sauce!

SAUCE THICKNESS TROUBLE-SHOOTING

The rate at which the sauce will thicken and darken in colour will differ depending on variables including the accuracy and heat distribution of your oven, the pan you use (and how it conducts/retains heat) and the juiciness of your chicken (frozen-thawed chicken can be more watery inside, and some economical chicken can be pumped up with brine which also means more water comes out when it cooks).

But tweaking at the end is so easy. Just take the chicken out – it needs to rest for 5 to 10 minutes before serving anyway – then pop the pan with the sauce back into the oven. It will thicken quickly, so keep an eye on it.

Serving baked butter chicken

While the chicken is in the oven, steam some basmati rice to serve it with. Place a juicy piece of chicken on top then smother with a generous amount of sauce (I never skimp on sauce, so there is plenty!).

For a splash of fresh green colour, add some coriander/cilantro leaves (whole or chopped). Then dive in. To make everyone even happier, add naan for mopping the bowl clean. If you’re yet to try homemade naan, it needs to be pushed to the top of your list!! The dough doesn’t requiring kneading. It’s extremely straightforward.

Love to know what you think if you try this Baked Butter Chicken. Oh, and did I mention the option to assemble tonight to pop into the oven tomorrow? The ultimate meal-prep. – Nagi x

Watch how to make it

One-pan Baked Butter Chicken

Recipe video above. The miraculous, easy way to make butter chicken in the oven! Just put everything in a pan and pop it in the oven. That sauce is to-die for! Just like the real-thing, with a fraction of the effort.

This doesn't even need to be marinated because the flesh gets infused with flavour as it bakes. Not spicy at all, so this one for everyone!

Course Main

Cuisine Indian

Keyword Butter Chicken, easy curry recipe, oven curry

Prep Time 10

Cook Time 45

Total Time 55

Servings – 6 people

Calories 545cal

Author Nagi

Ingredients

1.2 kg/ 2.4lb (6 pieces) bone-in chicken thighs , skin removed (Note 1)

Butter chicken marinade:

1/2 cup plain yoghurt , full fat
1 tbsp lemon juice
1 tbsp ginger , finely grated
2 cloves garlic , finely grated or crushed
1 tsp turmeric powder
2 tsp garam masala (Note 2)
1/2 tsp chilli powder (pure, not US blend) or cayenne pepper powder
1 tsp ground cumin
1/2 tsp cooking salt / kosher salt

Butter chicken curry sauce:

2 tbsp/ 30g melted ghee or butter (Note 3)
1 cup tomato passata (US: tomato puree) (Note 4)
3/4 cup heavy / thickened cream (or regular cream, or coconut milk)
1 1/2 tsp white sugar
3/4 tsp cooking salt / kosher salt

Serving:

1/2 cup coriander leaves (cilantro) , for garnish (optional)
Basmati rice or other plain rice
Naan (easy – no kneading required!)

Cups – Metric

Instructions

Preheat oven to 200°C / 400°F (180°C fan-forced).
Coat chicken – Mix the marinade ingredients in a bowl, then add the chicken and toss to coat.
Optional marinade – overnight. (Note 5)
Assemble – Mix Sauce ingredients in a 23 x 33cm / 9 x 13" baking dish. Place chicken in, smooth side up. Scrape residual marinade out of bowl and dab onto chicken surface.
Bake 45 minutes, basting with sauce at the 30 minute and 40 minute mark. The sauce will change from pink to orangey-red (Note 6 for sauce thickening).
Serve – Rest for 5 minutes. Then serve over basmati rice, garnished with coriander if desired! Naan for mopping would make everyone extra happy. 🙂

Notes

1. Chicken – Best to remove the skin so the sauce isn’t too greasy. Bone-in thighs work best as they remain juicy for the required bake time.

Drumsticks will also works, use a bit more.
Boneless thighs – get the sauce going first for around 20 min then add the chicken and bake for a further 15 – 20 min until just cooked through.
Breast – personally don’t recommend, flavour result won’t be the same (it’s so lean!). But if you insist, here’s how I’d do it! Cut ~650g/1.3lb into big bite size pieces, cook per boneless thighs above (I’d spray the chicken).

2. Garam masala is an Indian curry spice mix widely available at regular grocery stores these days. Doesn’t cost any more than regular spices!

3. Ghee is a type of clarified butter that is commonly used in Indian cooking, for intense buttery flavour. Kept in the pantry not fridge. Sold at regular grocery stores, or make your own, or just use butter.

4. Tomato passata – Pureed, strained pure tomatoes, sometimes labelled “tomato puree” in the US (here’s a photo of Mutti brand sold at Walmart). It’s readily available in Australian supermarkets nowadays, alongside pasta sauces. Passata is excellent for making thick, smooth sauces. More on tomato passata here.

5. Marinating not essential for this method of cooking because the flesh gets infused with flavour as it bakes! But you can marinade if you want.

6. Sauce thickness – If your sauce isn’t as thick as it should be (oven temp accuracy and baking pan heat conduction come into play here) just remove the chicken and return the sauce into the oven. It will thicken quickly.

Leftovers will keep for 3 to 4 days in the fridge, or freezer for 3 months. Make-ahead – You can assemble the entire thing in a ceramic or glass baking dish, refrigerate overnight then bake tomorrow. Imagine that!

Nutrition per serving, assuming 6 servings.

Nutrition

Life of Dozer

I wasn’t at RTM today. I was back in the office, schlepping away on the computer writing up today’s post. I want to tell you here’s Dozer, consoling me because I’m feeling left out. But actually, he just wants that treat on the table. 😂

The post One-pan Baked Butter Chicken appeared first on RecipeTin Eats.

Vindaloo

Nagi — Wed, 07 Jul 2021 05:00:00 +0000

Vindaloo is a traditional Indian curry that’s not for the faint hearted! Chunks of beef are slow-cooked to tender perfection in a fiery-red sauce packed with big, bold curry flavours. Is it spicy? Heck yes, as it should be! For serious curry lovers, it’s hard to top this.

Serve with naan for mopping and yogurt to cool that fire.

Vindaloo Beef Curry

Vindaloo is a traditional tomato-based curry gifted to the world from Goa, a sunny pocket of paradise on the Western coast of India.

The origins of Vindaloo can be traced back to the time when Portugal ruled Goa in the sixteenth century. In fact, the name Vindaloo comes from carne de vinha d’alhos, a Portuguese dish of pork, wine, and garlic. Local chefs added a stack of spices, switched the wine for vinegar, and that’s how Vindaloo as we know it today came about (in a nutshell!)

A staple of Indian restaurant menus around the world, this curry is one for spicy food lovers!! 🌶 Vindaloo is loved for its fiery heat and intense sauce, which packs a generous combination of spices and is sharpened with a good whack of vinegar. It can be made with most proteins, including lamb, goat, pork, prawns, chicken and you could even do a vegetarian number.

While pork is actually traditional, here in Australia beef is the most popular version in Indian restaurants so that’s what I’m sharing today. Chunks of meat are slow-cooked for two hours in the Vindaloo sauce until it’s so tender it easily yields to the touch of a spoon!

What does Vindaloo taste like?

Unlike the easygoing and luscious Butter Chicken and Tikka Masala, Vindaloo is a swinging punch to the head! Plenty of Kashmiri chilli powder – a key spice in Vindaloo – brings flavour, heat and the famously rich red colour to the curry. There’s also warm spices in the form of cumin, coriander, cardamom, a little cinnamon and a few others. Finally, a distinct tang from vinegar is a signature Vindaloo flavour that balances the curry and gives it backbone.

It’s strong, hot and intense! If you’re wondering how spicy it actually is, I’d say it’s an 7 out of 10. Those who are accustomed to spicy food will no doubt scoff this down without breaking a sweat. I may talk a big chilli-heat game but I can’t actually handle very spicy food, and I don’t find this Vindaloo brutally hot.

So for you spice-wimps out there? Don’t worry, see the recipe notes for how to lower the Scoville units in this dish! 😂

Vindaloo curry paste
Marinating beef vindaloo

Ingredients in Vindaloo

Let’s go through what you need to make this amazing curry! First, the Vindaloo curry paste which is used to marinate the beef and help form the sauce. (Other proteins are covered in the recipe notes.)

1. The beef and the curry paste marinade

Spices – Most of these spices are fairly accessible these days in the spice section of large grocery stores in Australia. The two exceptions are Kashmiri chilli and fenugreek seeds – see next points;
Kashmiri chilli – This is an Indian chilli that is a little smoky as well as spicy. The Kashmiri chilli gives the curry sauce its signature bright red colour and chilli heat.
Find at: Indian* and some Asian grocery stores (some have Indian sections). Believe it or not, it’s also sold at some Coles grocery stores (Indian section).
Also used in: Goan Fish Curry, Tandoori Chicken.
Best substitute: It’s a key ingredient (we use 6 tablespoons!) so I really urge you to make the effort to find it. But if you can’t and you’re desperate to try this dish (I don’t blame you!), substitute with a mix of sweet paprika + smoked paprika + chilli powder (pure chilli powder, not US Chili Powder which is a blend) / cayenne pepper.
Fenugreek seeds – Another Indian specific cooking spice that actually kind of smells like maple syrup, though doesn’t taste like it when raw.
Find it at some Harris Farms, or Indian* and some Asian grocery stores (some have Indian sections). Use leftover for Palak Paneer!
Can’t find it? Just leave it out.
Beef chuck– An economical cut of beef that is best slow cooked until tender. Try to get it in a block piece so you can cut the pieces yourself. Most butchers and grocery stores cut it too small so the pieces cook too quickly, before the sauce develops enough flavour.
Alternative beef: Boneless ribs will also work as would beef osso bucco (use 1.2kg / 2.4lb including bone, keep them whole, the meat will fall off in pieces once slow cooked). If you can get well marbled brisket, that will also work but I find a brisket a bit stringy cooked in stew-like form.
Other proteins – Slow cooking cuts of lamb (mutton), goat and pork. Chicken will work too but the cook time needs to be shortened. See recipe notes;
Sugar – Just a touch to balance out the vinegar; and
Garlic and ginger – Fresh, just roughly chopped because it’s blitzed up with the spices to make the curry paste.

* I go to the Indian Emporium in Dee Why, Sydney.

2. Other ingredients in the Vindaloo Sauce

Much of the curry flavour of the Vindaloo Sauce comes from the Vindaloo Curry Paste (above) used to marinade the beef. But there’s a few extra ingredients we use to pep up the base of the sauce flavour:

Beef stock – Stock or broth rather than water to add greater depth of flavour into the Vindaloo curry sauce. I did try with just water, but found the sauce a bit lacking.
Ordinarily I’m an advocate of using the best quality beef stock within your budget because producers are yet to successfully mass-produce cheap beef stock to a decent level of quality. However in this case, average store bought beef stock or broth is fine because by the spices are the dominant flavour here! But you get bonus points if you use homemade beef stock. I use homemade when I’m making to impress. 😇
Curry leaves – It smells like curry powder, but in fresh curry leaf form! (Though just so you know, curry powder isn’t derived from curry leaves 🙂) Curry leaves add incredible curry perfume into anything it’s used in in a way that can’t be replicated with powders. Fairly accessible nowadays for Sydney-siders, sold at Harris Farms, most Coles and Woolworths. I have a plant!
Store leftovers in the fridge (several weeks) or freeze for months.
Also used in: Eggplant Curry, Dal, Vegetable Samosa Pie, Cabbage Thoran. Throw in 10 or so when cooking Curried Rice, or into this Indian Chickpea Curry or Vegetable Curry – it will really take it to a new level!
Substitute: dried curry leaves (not quite the same, but it’s the best sub) or Garam Masala powder;
Ghee (or butter) – The fat used in Indian cooking which adds an intense buttery flavour. Ghee is basically the same thing as clarified butter. This is simply normal butter but with milk solids and water removed, leaving behind pure butter fat.
You can either make your own Ghee (it’s cheaper, really easy and keeps for months), buy it, or just use normal butter;
Black mustard seeds – they look like poppyseeds but have a slight wasabi-like bite to them. And they smell Indian, not Japanese! Not spicy, more a fresh zing. It’s about $1.50 in small packs at Indian grocery stores – I go to Indian Emporium in Dee Why on the Northern Beaches, Sydney. Also sold in the Indian food section at some Woolworths (Australia) $1.70, and online – small, light pack so postage should be minimal!
Also used in: Eggplant Curry, Dal, Vegetable Samosa Pie, Cabbage Thoran; and
Ginger and garlic – It’s rare to see an Indian recipe that don’t include these, and Vindaloo is no exception!

How to make Vindaloo Curry

Vindaloo starts with a curry paste made by blitzing or grinding a generous amount of chilli and spices, fresh garlic and ginger. This is then used to marinate beef before before slow cooking in a sauce until the meat is fall-apart-tender.

1. Vindaloo curry paste beef marinade

Vindaloo Curry Paste – Place the curry paste ingredients in a small food processor or Nutribullet (pictured) and blitz until it becomes a paste. We use a bit of water which makes it easy to blend until smooth;
Marinate beef – Pour the Vindaloo curry paste over the beef, then marinate for 2 hours minimum. Up to 24 hours is fine, but it doesn’t make the end result any better because the spice flavour is so strong it penetrates into the beef pieces during the slow cooking time.

2. Making the Vindaloo curry sauce base

Make sauce base – The Vindaloo curry sauce starts by sautéing garlic, ginger and onion before adding the black mustard seeds which will sizzle and pop dramatically. Then we cook off the tomato paste (this takes off the raw edge) before mixing in the beef stock;
Transfer to jug – I then transfer the mixture in a jug so the mixture can be pureed with a stick blender. This is necessary because there’s not enough volume to do this in the pot because the head of the stick blender won’t be submerged. Trust me, I tried – and ended up with most of it on my face!!
Puree – The use a stick blender to puree until smooth. You could do this step in a blender or food processor too. The purpose here is to puree the onion, garlic and ginger until smooth which releases flavour and makes the sauce smooth. I didn’t do this for earlier versions of the recipe (and many recipes online do not call for this) but once I added this step, the Vindaloo Sauce flavour noticeably improved;
Back into pot – Then pour the sauce back into the pot, and we’re ready to proceed with slow cooking the beef!

3. Slow cook beef until tender

I like to do the slow cooking step in the oven because it’s entirely hands off. No stirring, no need to worry about the base catching. But if can also be done on a very low heat on the stove.

Add beef – Add the beef and every scrap of marinade into the pot with the pureed sauce;
Stir and bring to a simmer;
Slow cook – Then transfer to the oven and cook for 2 hours. This is the length of time needed to make 3cm / 1.2″ cubes of chuck beef “fall-apart-tender” and for the sauce to thicken, develop flavour and darken in colour to the signature vibrant red colour.
The oven temperature is 190°C/375°F (170°C standard) which sounds higher than you might expect. But this is the temperature that replicates a low heat on the stove. If you take a peek in the pot midway through cooking, you’ll see that the surface of the liquid is barely bubbling – if at all – which is exactly what you want. I use this same temperature for other slow cooked stew-type things such as Beef Bourguignon, Massaman Lamb Shanks. For other dishes, I will cook for longer at a lower heat where they benefit from the longer cook times.
Ready to serve! When you take it out of the oven, the sauce should be a deep red colour (as long as you didn’t skimp on the kashmiri chilli!), thickened so it coats the beef pieces, and the beef should be tender enough to cut into with a fork. If not, just cover and stick it back in the oven!

Close up of fresh cooked Vindaloo Beef Curry garnished with coriander
This is what I mean by “fall-apart” beef!

What to serve with Vindaloo curry

Serve over basmati rice which is the traditional rice for Indian food, though any type of plain rice will work fine here (white, jasmine, brown, or low-carb cauliflower rice). Add a dollop of plain yogurt which will cool the spiciness and a sprinkle of coriander/cilantro (for freshness).

Complete your Indian menu!

And if you’re going all out, complete your Indian feast with:

Samosas to start. Golden parcels of crispy pastry filled with spiced potato, this Indian street food is a popular starter in Indian restaurants around the world. This recipe is fun to make and ridiculously good!
Parkoras – Another starter option. Vegetable fritters – the Indian way!
Homemade Naan (it’s naturally no knead!) – The whole RecipeTin team got involved coming up with what we think is the best possible naan that a home cook can make on the stove, just in case you happen not to have a tandoor sitting in the middle of your kitchen! It’s fluffy with the signature chewiness just like you get at restaurants, and you’d never mistake this for another basic flatbread. No yeast? Make this simple No Yeast Flatbread instead!

Samosas
Homemade Naan – incredibly fluffy, bubbly & chewy!
Dipping pakora into Minted Yogurt Sauce

Interestingly, Indian food doesn’t have side salads like we do in Western countries. My theory is because vegetarian food is so prevalent in Indian cooking. However, here are some vegetable sides that I think work well with Indian themed menus:

Creamy Cucumber Salad with Lemon Yogurt Dressing

Cabbage & Carrot Thoran-style Indian Salad

Indian Tomato Salad with Mint Dressing

Shredded Red Cabbage, Carrot and Mint Salad

So, fellow curry lovers, what do you think of my latest addition to my Indian curry collection?? Will you give it a go? Think you can handle the heat?? 🌶🌶🌶 – Nagi x

Watch how to make it

Vindaloo

Recipe video above. Vindaloo is a traditional Indian curry that's not for the faint hearted! Big, bold curry flavours. Deep, vibrant red colour. Chunks of beef slow cooked to fall apart perfection. And yep, it's spicy! For serious curry lovers, it's hard to top this.

As with all curries, use fresh spices for the best results (yes, spices fade in flavour over time). And no, unfortunately this won't work in a slow cooker, pressure cooker or instant pot (Note 7).

Serve with naan for mopping and yogurt for cooling.

** SPICE WARNING!!! Read Spiciness note below. **

Course curries, Main

Cuisine Indian

Keyword beef curry, indian curry, spicy curry, vindaloo, vindaloo curry

Prep Time 20

Cook Time 2 30

Marinating 2

Servings – 5 people

Calories 441cal

Author Nagi

Ingredients

800g / 1.6 lb beef chuck , cut into 3cm / 1.2″ cubes (Note 1)
1 1/2 tsp salt

Curry paste:

6 tbsp Kashmiri chilli powder – TEST spiciness before using! (Note 2)
2 tsp coriander seeds
3 tsp cumin seeds
4 cloves
4 cardamom pods (green)
2 tsp cinnamon powder
1/2 tsp black peppercorns
2 tbsp fresh ginger , roughly chopped
10 garlic cloves (yes, 10!)
1 tsp brown sugar
1 tsp fenugreek seeds (Note 3)
1/4 tsp turmeric powder
7 tbsp white vinegar
2 cups water

Curry sauce:

50g / 3 tbsp ghee or unsalted butter (Note 4)
1 onion , finely chopped (brown, yellow, white)
2 tsp ginger , finely grated
4 garlic cloves , finely minced
1 1/2 tsp black mustard seeds (Note 5)
2 tbsp tomato paste
10 curry leaves , fresh (Note 6)
2 cups beef stock , low sodium (if using homemade, add 1/2 tsp salt)

Garnish:

2 tbsp coriander/cilantro leaves , roughly chopped

Cups – Metric

Instructions

Salt beef: Toss beef in salt.
Check spiciness of kashmiri chilli powder and adjust if desired. See Spiciness Note below.
Curry Paste: Place Curry Paste ingredients in a Nutribullet or small food processor with 1 cup of the water. Blitz until smooth. Pour over beef. Pour remaining 1 cup water into Nutribullet, shake (to clean out remaining curry paste), then pour/scrape over beef.
Marinate beef: Mix beef in curry paste, cover, then marinate 2 hours. (Note: marinade is fairly thin – the water cooks down during slow cooking.)
Preheat oven to 190°C/375°F (170°C fan).
Curry sauce: Melt ghee over medium high. Cook onion, ginger and garlic until they become translucent – about 3 minutes.
Mustard seeds: Add black mustard seeds then cook until onion is tinged with gold. Stir in tomato paste, cook 1 minute.
Puree sauce: Add beef stock, stir. Transfer into a jug then use a stick blender to puree until smooth. Pour back into the pot.
Add beef: Add beef and curry leaves, stir then bring to boil.
Slow cook: Cover with a lid, then place in the oven for 2 hours or until beef is fall apart tender and the sauce has darkened in colour and thickened. (See Note 7 if sauce hasn't reduced enough).
Serve: Garnish with coriander, then serve over basmati rice with a side of naan!

Notes

Spiciness of this dish – 7 to 8 out of 10 on the spiciness scale! Not blow-your-head-off but it’s pretty spicy!

SPICE CONTROL: Spiciness in this comes from Kashmiri.Strongly advised to taste the Kashmiri chilli before using because not all kashmiri is created equal, some is spicier than others and brands DO NOT specify spiciness. Kashmiri chilli typically available in Australia is medium level of spiciness (about 1/4 to 1/3 strength of black pepper) BUT sometimes outliers are extremely spicy. If it is very spicy and you’re worried, reduce spiciness per directions below.

Reduce spiciness by reducing Kashmiri. For every 1 tablespoon for Kashmiri you reduce, replace with 1 teaspoon of SWEET/REGULAR paprika + 1 teaspoon of SMOKED paprika (not spicy, has a smoky flavour like Kashmiri chilli). Stir in chilli powder (pure chilli, not US chilli powder mix) or cayenne pepper at the end if you want it spicier. Note: curry colour won’t be as red as redness comes from Kashmiri. Can compensate with a drop or two or red food colouring, if desperate!

1. Beef – Beef chuck works well because it’s a tough cut that becomes “fall apart tender” after slow cooking. Boneless ribs will also work as would beef osso bucco (use 1.2kg / 2.4lb inc bone, keep them whole, the meat will fall off in pieces once slow cooked). If you can get well marbled brisket, that will also work but I find a brisket a bit stringy cooked in stew-like form.

Other proteins – Lamb shoulder and pork shoulder will work too. For chicken, use about 1 kg / 2lb bone in chicken thighs but remove the skin. Cut in half along bone (equal size pieces). Make recipe as written except cook in oven for 50 minutes. Remove chicken pieces (make sure they are pretty tender), then simmer sauce on stove (very low heat) to reduce and thicken sauce (see video for how it should look, ~ 30 min I think). Return chicken into pot, serve!

2. Kashmiri chilli – TASTE IT before using quantity per recipe. Wet finger, lightly press into Kashmiri and taste. Super spicy? Start with less – you can always add more at the end. The one I get is about 1/4 to 1/3 the spiciness of black pepper.

Kashmiri is a spicy, smokey Indian chilli powder that gives this curry the red colour plus spiciness. Sub with 4 tbsp smoked paprika + 1 tsp chilli powder (not US Chili Powder which is a blend) or cayenne pepper. Pretty close flavour but, you won’t get quite the same red colour. Find at Indian store (I go to Indian Emporium in Dee Why, Sydney).

Also used in: Goan Fish Curry, Tandoori Chicken

3. Fenugreek seeds – Available at stores that carry a decent range of spices. I found it at Harris Farms (Australia). Also, of course, at Indian grocery stores! Use leftover for Palak Paneer.

4. Ghee is clarified butter, one of the traditional fats used in Indian cooking. It is simply butter without the water and milk solids, so you have pure butter fat, it has a more intense flavour than butter. Either buy it, make it (easy and keeps for months) or just use normal butter!

5. Black mustard seeds – key ingredient for authentic flavour. Look like poppyseeds, wasabi bite, Indian aroma! ~ $1.50 in small packs at Indian grocery stores (my local is Indian Emporium in Dee Why, Sydney). Also sold in the Indian food section at some Woolworths (Australia) $1.70, otherwise try online. Also used in: Eggplant Curry, Dal, Vegetable Samosa Pie, Cabbage Thoran

Substitutes (starting with best): Brown mustard seeds, yellow mustard seeds, 1/2 tsp mustard powder*, 1 1/2 tsp Garam Masala (different flavour, but is intended to make up for absence)

6. Fresh curry leaves – key ingredient for authentic flavour! Sub dried curry leaves. Fairly accessible nowadays for Sydney-siders, sold at Harris Farms, most Coles and Woolworths. Store leftovers in fridge (weeks) or freezer (months). Also used in: Eggplant Brinjal Curry, Vegetable Samosa Pie, Cabbage Thoran (seriously good!), Lentil curry

Substitute: dried curry leaves, 1.5 tsp Garam Masala powder (add it with rest of spices, different flavour but compensates).

7. Sauce thickness – If the sauce is not darker and thicker at the end of the slow cooking time, then just reduce on the stove on low heat with the lid off. This can happen if you didn’t use a heavy based pot like a dutch oven (heat retention is better = sauce cooks as intended).

8. Slow cooker / pressure cooker / Instant Pot – Won’t work for this, I’m afraid. Really need the oven to caramelise the edges and surface of the sauce which makes it darken and adds flavour, plus some evaporation which helps thicken the sauce. Slow cooker just won’t taste as good.

9. Storage – Leftovers will keep for up to 5 days in the fridge. But I find with curries (unlike Western stews) they are best eaten on the day, or the next day. After this, the intensity of the spice flavours will start to fade.

10. Nutrition per serving, assuming 5 servings. Excludes rice.

Nutrition

Life of Dozer

Still waiting for the one in a million moment that a slab of beef hits the floor.

The post Vindaloo appeared first on RecipeTin Eats.