How to cook a good Curry?

[polo53]

Hey folks,

First post here so please excuse me if this is in the wrong section!

Me and the missus both enjoy a good curry and have tried to cook them at home with little success. Neither of us are cooks by trade but like to think we have some ability!

We both enjoy Korma's, Masala's, Bhuna's and various other curries!

Has anyone got any recommended cook book, recipes or tips on how to get a quality, thick and tasty curry?

Cheers

P

 

[Steve Kroll]

Here is a recipe I posted here sometime back. It's delicious!
http://www.discusscooking.com/forums/f21/lamb-and-potato-curry-79546.html

One of my favorite curry cookbooks is this one (Amazon UK link):
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Great-Curri...753&sr=8-1&keywords=50+Great+Curries+of+India

 

[taxlady]

This site has some great videos: Titlis Busy Kitchen. Titli is a bit strange, but her videos really show you what to do.

 

[GotGarlic]

I found this book in a used bookstore and didn't realize how famous she is I love cookbooks like this with stories and menu suggestions as well as recipes: http://www.amazon.com/Madhur-Jaffrey-Indian-Cooking/dp/0764156497

 

[Caslon]

I might as well chime in with my lamb curry recipe I posted years ago.

http://www.discusscooking.com/forums/f51/lamb-curry-easy-and-delicious-45167.html

 

[jennyema]

I found this book in a used bookstore and didn't realize how famous she is I love cookbooks like this with stories and menu suggestions as well as recipes: Madhur Jaffrey Indian Cooking: Madhur Jaffrey: 9780764156496: Amazon.com: Books

Yes. Madhur Jaffrey is the queen of Indian cooking. I like her books.

 

[chrismcphee]

You should try anything by Pat Chapman. This is his latest http://www.amazon.co.uk/New-Curry-Bible-Pat-Chapman/dp/184358087X/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1394813703&sr=1-1&keywords=pat+chapman. He founded the Curry Club in the UK and his recipes are easy to follow and rarely go wrong. He also produces recipes that the English palate will be familiar with, which is not always what a traditional Indian might be. He and Madhur Jaffrey are my go-to sources for curry.

 

[Caslon]

For lamb or curry recipes requiring chutney, I highly recommend this brand. It can be bought online and at some major chain stores. When I couldn't get Sharwoods, I tried many other brands of chutney, all awful. None of them came close to Sharwood's excellence.

 

[Mad Cook]

I can join in endorsing Madhur Jaffrey. She's good for the beginner as she makes it fairly simple for the home cook - no arcane equipment required and ingredients available in any Morrison's/Sainsbury's (name your own supermarket) and good greengrocers. A lot of the recipes come from her childhood.

Pat Chapman has been at the curry "game" for donkeys' years. He has run the Curry Club since the 1980s.
Here's the CC website - Home - Pat Chapman's Curry Club

Cyrus Todiwala gets some good reviews (from "real" Indian contributors to Amazon.) but I haven't tried any of his books, however, some of the reviewers say he's not for the beginner - whatever that's supposed to mean.

(If you want to cheat or need curry-in-a-hurry Patak's sauces aren't bad. Not the real home-made stuff but passable - I have an Indian friend who keeps them in for emergencies)

 

[CraigC]

Strictly Indian or are you interested in Thai?

 

[CWS4322]

Welcome to DC! I really like this vegetarian curry:

Indian Spiced Chickpeas with Rhubarb and Spinach Recipe « Chef Marcus Samuelsson

Other recipes you might want to try of his:

chickpea curry « Search Results « Chef Marcus Samuelsson

I use homemade curry powder or homemade curry paste. A friend blends the curry powder for me. I use Snip13's curry paste. She was/is a member of DC and lives in S. Africa. Her curry paste is to die for.

 

[salvatore16]

This one is good. http://www.discusscooking.com/forums/f21/lamb-and-potato-curry-79546.html

 

[mummyfrancy]

pasta with curry and whipped cream and bacon

Hi guys!
I'm Francesca and live in Italy ...yesterday I cooked the pasta with curry ,whipped cream and bacon. It's delicious and fast for family....
enjoy ypur mealt!

 

[Steve Kroll]

This one is good. http://www.discusscooking.com/forums/f21/lamb-and-potato-curry-79546.html

Thanks - glad you liked it!

Although I no longer eat potatoes, this is still one of my favorite curry dishes.

 

[Milan]

It's very important if you are making indian curry to also use some garam masala and then curry masala. Use very little garam masala and you can increase the curry masala as much as you like. typical curry masala's have over 11 spices...if you can't get all the curry seasonings use a pre-made one. suggest to get something organic.

 

[Capt Lightning]

I haven't read any of Madhur Jaffrey's books, but I've seen some of her recipes and I had the feeling that they were "Westernised" rather than authentic Indian.

I recommend a book called "Curry" by Mridula Baljekar. This seems to be somewhat closer to the 'real thing', although some of her other books seem 'tweaked' for the western market.

Relatively few recipes I have seen use Garam Masala and I have been told that it does not keep too well, so should only be bought in small amounts. Other spices seem to keep pretty well. I'm not familiar with the term 'Curry masala' - possibly this is equivalent to "Curry powder" in the UK.
Again, not many of my recipes use it.

 

[GotGarlic]

I haven't read any of Madhur Jaffrey's books, but I've seen some of her recipes and I had the feeling that they were "Westernised" rather than authentic Indian.

I recommend a book called "Curry" by Mridula Baljekar. This seems to be somewhat closer to the 'real thing', although some of her other books seem 'tweaked' for the western market.

Relatively few recipes I have seen use Garam Masala and I have been told that it does not keep too well, so should only be bought in small amounts. Other spices seem to keep pretty well. I'm not familiar with the term 'Curry masala' - possibly this is equivalent to "Curry powder" in the UK.
Again, not many of my recipes use it.

Well, I actually own and have read one of Madhur Jaffrey's books and it's strikes me as pretty authentic. Regarding the "real thing" - throughout history, people around the world have tweaked traditional recipes with newly available ingredients and techniques. That's pretty authentic, too

Garam masala simply means spice mix. I'm sure there are as many recipes for that as there are recipes for Italian seasoning. I see no problem with starting with a commercial blend to make dinner simpler to prepare.

 

[Milan]

one other thing to note about good curries, let them cook long and slow. rushing a good curry doesn't let the spice oils reach their full potential.

 

[Lance Bushrod]

This recipe is good and one can add lamb or chicken for personal preferences. I prefer a hotter curry, though.

Vegetarian Korma Recipe - Allrecipes.com