Curries are well balanced combinations of spices added to food to enhance and balance taste and to aid digestion and absorption of nutrients.
Basic Curry Recipe
- 3 tbs oil or ghee
- 1 tsp each of cumin, coriander, fennel and mustard seeds
- 1 inch piece of freshly chopped ginger
- Pinch of asafoetida
- Two or three vegetables of your choice, chopped (adjust quantity as needed, but approximately 300-400g of each type)
- Cumin, turmeric and cinnamon powder to taste
- Coconut milk (optional)
Heat the oil or ghee in large pan. Fry in high heat the cumin, coriander, fennel and mustard seeds until brown and releasing a delicious smell. Add the ginger and asafoetida. Add chopped vegetables. Sauté until the vegetables are coated in the spiced oil. Add a little water and simmer on low heat for about 15 mins or until done. Add cumin, turmeric and cinnamon to taste. Add any ‘quick-to-cook’ vegetables such as spinach and peas at the end for 3 minutes. You can also add coconut milk to make a creamier sauce.
Pumpkin Curry
- 2 cups peeled and cubed pumpkin
- ½ tsp each of mustard seed
- fenugreek
- cumin seed
- ginger powder & turmeric
- 1 tbs ghee or sunflower oil
- 2 tsp desiccated coconut
- 1 tsp ground peanut
- ½ tsp garam masala
- 2 tsp jiggery
- fresh coriander
- salt
Heat the ghee in pan and add the mustard seed, fenugreek, cumin seed, ginger powder, turmeric and stir well until mustard seeds begin to pop. Then add pumpkin and mix for 1-2 minutes or until pumpkin is nicely coated. Next add some water to cover pumpkin. Then add salt, desiccated coconut and ground peanut and garam masala. Stir, cover and leave to cook on medium to low heat for about 20 minutes. Towards the end add jaggery and fresh coriander.