A quick supper

Since I’ve already told you guys I’m not an Italian mama, not, for that matter, an American mama, I figured this blog post might be dedicated to the fact the I am not an Indian mama.

I figured I could maybe start a series on the things I am not.

Ya know, I’m not mexican but here is my version of guacamole.

Or, I’m not that funny, so I made these whoopie pies because I figured the name would amuse my guests.

But then, I saw the light and realised you WOULD ALL DIE OF TERMINAL BOREDOM.

So I wised up and ate a doughnut.

And realised I am someone with a full-time job who sometimes just needs to come home and use up whatever is languishing in the fridge.

Its not authentic, but this curry used up what was in my fridge during one of those moments last week. It tasted really flipping amazing as well, so its a winner by me.

Its lovely by itself with naan bread, but would also be lovely as part of a wider curry feast, I reckon.

Enjoy!

I started with all my ingredients: potatoes, half a cauliflower, mustard seeds, turmeric, chickpeas, garam masala, coconut cream, ginger, garlic, chilli, oil, vegetable stock, spinach, onion, crikey, these Indian-inspired dishes take quite the ingredients list. I’m going to have to get me a wide-angle lens if I keep this up.

Anyways, no wide-angle lens required for a picture of ginger peeling, and that is how you start.

Peel the garlic, as well.

And hack the stalk off the chilli. If spice isn’t your thing, you could remove the seeds, too.

Then put all three in some kind of electrified chopping device *sings Grease songs about ELECTRIFYING*

Or, you could just use a knife.

Heat some oil in a pan. I used groundnut, but any kind of mild oil works. Promise.

Add your ELECTRIFIED bits and pieces.

Must talk sense. I’ll stop it with the ELECTRIFIED talk now.

ELECTRIFIED.

Clearly I can’t help myself. Sorry.

Add the mustard seeds…

And some turmeric.

Turn down the heat and let that all fry away, while you cut the onion into chunks. Add this to the pan.

Then break the cauliflower into small florets.

And peel and chop the potatoes into smallish dice.

Add both of these to the saucepan, along with some spinach.

I keep frozen spinach because I am actually Popeye, and love the stuff. If you want to use fresh, go right ahead.

Give the whole lot a good big stir….

Before adding some coconut cream…

And some vegetable stock.

Allow the pot to simmer away uncovered untill the vegetables are cooked.

Forget to take a picture.

Oops. Clearly I was not ELECTRIFIED.

Add the chickpeas and garam masala, and cook until the chickpeas are warmed through.

Serve.

Potato, cauliflower and chickpea curry
Serves 4. Cooking time 30 minutes.

5cm piece ginger
3-5 cloves garlic
1 green chilli
2 tbsp oil
1 onion
1/2 cauliflower
500g potatoes
300g frozen spinach
1 carton coconut cream
2 tsp mustard seeds
2 tsp turmeric
2 tsp garam masala
250ml vegetable stock

1. Peel the garlic and ginger and de-stalk the chilli. Chop finely.
2. Heat the oil in a pan and add the garlic, ginger and chilli.
3. Add the mustard seeds and turmeric and turn down the heat.
4. Peel and chop the onion and add to the pan.
5. Break the cauliflower into florets and peel and chop the potatoes.
6. Add to the pan, along with the spinach, coconut cream and vegetable stock.
7. Allow to simmer for about 15 minutes, until the potatoes are tender.
8. Add the garam masala and drained chickpeas, and cook for a few minutes to warm through.
9. Serve.

For during the week

To start my food blog, I decided to use a firm favourite. This is one of the few staples in the pink repertoire, used about once a week, with the leftovers filling plenty of lunch boxes.

It is a sweet, spicy curry with plenty of flavour. I also love it because its easy to pack with veg and pulses for fibre. Sometimes I use lentils, sometimes I throw in a can of chickpeas. Once, i went mad and tried both, but that was protein overload and I needed a lie down in a darkened room to recover. Sweet potato is always in there, pretty much because I LOVE it, but if you want me to sound all professional and fancy, because I also think the sweetness is nice with spice. Sugar and spice, thats how I roll.

To make it you’ll need the following…

A couple of shallots, and then the same amount roughly of ginger and garlic. Please don’t stress too much about the amounts being totally precise, otherwise you end up with a quarter of a garlic clove going to the big fridge graveyard in the sky.

You also need a chilli. I find one, with the seeds in, is just the right amount of heat, but feel free to omit the chilli if you’re a wuss you want to.

What I then do is throw the whole lot into my lovely Magimix, but you can also use either a pestle and mortar or a grater, too. I think pestle and mortar produces the nicest taste, but I’m lazy, and this isn’t exactly haute cuisine, mmkay?

Then you turf the lot in a cold, heavy-bottom pan with a coupla tablespoons of oil. I use mild olive oil, but groundnut or whatever is fine.

Turn the heat on lowish, and keep stirring for about ten minutes until the oil starts separating from the ingredients, like so…

Then, we need to add some of these bad boys, some lovely dried spices

We have cumin, coriander, turmeric, and garam masala. The garam masala isn’t used until later, but it looked lonesome in a picture by itself.

You need to get these in the pan, too and fry them for a few minutes.

Add a splash of water if they start to stick.

After this, you add a couple of tablespoons of mango chutney, a tin of tomatoes, some creamed coconut, and a litre of vegetable stock. I helpfully forgot to take a picture of this part, but I’m only a newbie, so so forgive me, kind readers.

After those treats, you add some lentils…

Some diced sweet potato…

And some shredded spinach…

I add the spinach to the saucepan in gradual handfuls. It wilts down quite quickly and that method stops you needing to use the a cooking pot of monster proportions. I am so nice, giving these handy hints, right?

Bring the curry to bubbling temperature

Let the curry hubble and bubble away, uncovered, for about half an hour, until the lentils are nice and soft and mushy and the sauce is all thick. Do stir occasionally, unless you enjoy cleaning caked on lentils. In that case, burn away my chum.

At the end of the cooking time, stir in the garam masala and cook for just a few minutes.

You will then have something lovely looking, like this, for your efforts.

I like this one with naan bread and plain yoghurt, but feel free to serve with rice or chapatis, too.

Spinach, sweet potato and lentil curry
Serves 4. Cooking time 45 minutes.

Ingredients
2 shallots
5 cloves of garlic
1 chilli
Piece of ginger
2 tbsp oil (I use light olive oil)
1 tbsp cumin
1 tablespoon coriander
1 teaspoon turmeric
2 tbsp mango chutney (Geeta’s premium stuff is da bomb, I reckon)
1 tin tomatoes
100g creamed coconut
1l vegetable stock
1 cup lentils
1 sweet potato
200g spinach
1 tsp garam masala

Method
1. Put the shallots, garlic, chilli and ginger in a food processor, and blitz until finely chopped.
2. Place in a cold, heavy-based pan with the oil.
3. Turn the heat lowish, and fry until the oil separates from the ingredients (about 10 minutes), stirring often.
4. Add the cumin, coriander and turmeric, and fry for about 5 minutes. Add a splash of water if they start to stick.
5. Add the mango chutney, tin of tomatoes, creamed coconut and vegetable stock.
6. Add the lentils.
7. Peel and dice the sweet potato, and add this to the pot.
8. Shred the spinach, and add to the pot a handful at a time, stirring between additions and waiting for each handful to wilt before adding the next.
9. Turn the heat up and bring to boil, then turn it back when and allow to simmer, uncovered for 25-30 minutes.
10. Stir occasionally.
11. Stir in the garam masala, allow to bubble for a few minutes.
12. Turn the heat off, and serve with naan, rice or chapatis.