This is a busy time of year for a lot of people, so I have two delicious aromatic curries that can be batch cooked ahead and will keep in the fridge for a week. Ideal for the beginning of autumn, these recipes are great for those of you who love to get organised as the evenings begin to draw in.
This Sri Lankan chicken curry is one of my favourites, and I had the pleasure of tasting it in its home country while on my travels. I make this with chicken thighs, and for me, the slow-reared chicken from Noone Poultry on their family farm in Clonmany on the Inishowen Peninsula is some of the best I have ever tasted. There are lots of delicious spices in this recipe, and I use the Simply Better range at Dunnes Stores. They are excellent.
If you prefer a thicker curry, simply stir in a teaspoon of cornflour mixed with a little cold water and simmer for an extra few minutes to cook it out.
I pair these curries with couscous or basmati rice.
I adore lamb shoulder, and this lamb rogan josh is a wonderfully robust curry filled with punchy flavours. We’ve recently added Connemara Hill Lamb back on our menu at MacNean House, and the customer feedback has been superb.
This curry improves with time, so if you’re making it for a special occasion, try to do it a couple of days in advance. A nice accompaniment would be a little mango chutney, or if you prefer something sweeter, Filligans in Glenties Co Donegal produce a delicious handmade apricot chutney.
Ingredients: Serves 4-6
2 tbsp rapeseed oil, plus a little extra
2 onions, halved and thinly sliced
4 garlic cloves, finely chopped
2 green chillies, deseeded and quartered lengthways
2.5cm piece of root ginger, peeled and finely grated
1 cinnamon stick, broken in half
4 whole cardamom pods
3 whole cloves
2 tbsp curry powder or paste (use mild, medium or hot depending on how hot you like it)
1 tbsp garam masala
4 boneless, skinless chicken breast fillets or 8 boneless, skinless chicken thighs, cut into bite-sized pieces
2 tbsp tamarind paste (or if unavailable, use 2 tbsp lime juice mixed with 1 tsp soft brown sugar)
400g coconut cream
150ml chicken stock
4 spring onions, very finely sliced
1 tbsp chopped fresh coriander
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
Fragrant yellow rice with cashew nuts and peas, to serve
Method
1 Heat the oil in a large pan set over a medium heat and add the onions, garlic, chillies and ginger. Once they start to colour, add the cinnamon stick, cardamom pods, cloves, curry powder and garam masala and fry for another minute, stirring.
2 Increase the heat and add the chicken, then season with salt and pepper. Add an extra drizzle of oil if you think it needs it. Stir-fry for 2-3 minutes, until golden brown. Stir in the coconut cream, stock and tamarind paste or lime juice mixture, then bring to a gentle simmer and cook for another 8 -10 minutes, until the chicken is completely tender and the sauce has slightly reduced and thickened.
3 Scatter over the spring onions and coriander and serve on warmed plates with the fragrant yellow rice with cashew nuts and peas.
Ingredients: Serves 4
4 tbsp rapeseed oil
675g lamb shoulder or neck fillet, well trimmed and cut into bite-sized pieces
6 whole cloves
1 small cinnamon stick
2 bay leaves
2 large onions, thinly sliced
4 garlic cloves, crushed
1 red chilli, deseeded and finely chopped
5cm piece of root ginger, peeled and finely grated
1 tbsp bunch of ground coriander
2 tsp ground cumin
2 tsp paprika
¼ tsp ground cardamom
15g bunch of fresh coriander, finely chopped, reserving enough to garnish
200ml thick Greek yogurt, plus extra to serve
1 x 400g tin of chopped tomatoes
100g red lentils
300ml chicken stock
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
Fragrant steamed rice, garnished with toasted sesame seeds, to serve
Poppadoms, to serve
Mango chutney, to serve
Method
1 Heat 2 tablespoons of the oil in a large pan. Add half of the lamb and stir-fry until nicely browned all over. Transfer to a plate and fry the rest of the meat. Set aside.
2 Add the remaining 2 tablespoons of oil to the pan, then fry the cloves, cinnamon stick and bay leaves for a few seconds. Add the onions and stir-fry for 6–7 minutes, until nicely browned. Add the garlic, chilli and ginger and fry for 2 minutes, then add the ground spices with the fresh coriander and fry for another minute, stirring. Add the yogurt a tablespoon at a time, frying for about 30 seconds between each addition and stirring it constantly.
3 Return the lamb to the pan and stir in the tomatoes with the lentils and stock. Season to taste, cover and simmer very gently for about 1 hour, until the lamb is meltingly tender but still holding its shape and the sauce has reduced and thickened.
4 Spoon the lamb rogan josh onto warmed plates with the fragrant steamed rice and add a dollop of yogurt to each one, then garnish with the coriander leaves.
5 Hand around poppadoms and mango chutney separately.
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