Misty Mountain Curry

You can, actually, make this with any veg you have to hand, but as I had picked up a reduced-price green spiky cauliflower from Morrisons the other day, (hence the name) and had some spuds in the cupboard threatening to sprout, I used those.

Fry an onion in oil (or butter...) and then add some garlic, and a decent dollop of your favourite Patak’s* paste. I used a scoop of brinjal pickle, a teaspoon of tikka paste, and a lump of Rogan Josh paste (simply because they were the only ones in the fridge). If you want to extend the Ring aspect of this dish, add chilli to taste....mmm, explosive! Add water to the mix, along with the cauliflower and potatoes, which should be cut into uniformly sized pieces so they cook through in about the same time.

Pour this little lot into a round based balti dish, so that you have the potatoes and the base of the spiky cauliflower pieces sitting in the curry sauce, but also leaving the spikes above the surface (as these will take a lot less cooking). Now do you see the mountainous quality?

Cover the dish – if using foil, make sure that it doesn’t come into contact with the food, as curry and foil do not, I have found, make the best of companions. Bung it in the oven and wait until it’s done. Having first made sure that the oven is on.

I’ll be serving mine with my rather fabulous pillau rice, which I have to say I’m rather proud of.

I haven’t bothered to clean the frying pan as there is only a curryish residue in it. Add oil, then fry another onion and some garlic, then add turmeric (I like a lot of this for colouring), cumin to taste, ginger if you’ve got any, paprika ditto, a bit of salt (about the only time I ever use salt in cooking), and black pepper. And any other spices you might like to use.

Then stir in cashews and basmati rice.

I will also be frying leeks with my onion because I’ve got one that needs using. This is also good made with fried up mushrooms, but I forgot to buy them when out shopping. Never mind.

Once the rice is in, add water to only just cover the rice and then – tada!! – the essential ingredient, a good scattering of fenugreek leaves. I like to add loads but be warned, it IS very strongly flavoured.

Bring it quickly to the boil then put the lid on the pan and turn the heat right down. And LEAVE IT ALONE. It won’t stick, and if it does look like it needs a bit of water, you can always add some more. Hot out of the kettle is better to keep the temperature up. Doesn’t take long, about ten minutes, but if you don’t need it right at this minute you can either leave it in the pan, or decant it into an oven proof dish, cover and keep warm in the oven.

I can quite honestly say this is yum, but then I do like a good curry. Sorry there aren’t any weights and measures – I don’t bother with any of that nonsense, just pile in and get on with it.

 

 

 

 

*Other curry pastes are of course available, but I think Patak's are about the best. Avoid Sharwood's like the plague....unless you know different....