Curry favour

A little spice is the perfect antidote to the colder weather. Here are two delicious and flavourful curries to warm you from the inside out.

Baked chicken curry

Try this modern, baked version for an easy midweek meal.

Recipe, styling & photo: Julie le Clerc

■ 12 chicken drumsticks

■ 1 small onion, coarsely chopped

■ 4 cloves garlic, chopped

■ 5cm piece ginger, chopped

■ 2 long red chillies, deseeded and chopped

■ 2 tbsp vegetable oil

■ 1⁄3 cup tomato paste

■ Juice of 1 lemon

■ 1 tbsp ground cumin

■ 1 tbsp ground coriander

■ 1 tbsp smoked paprika

■ 1 cup liquid chicken stock

■ 2 lemons, halved

■ 3⁄4 cup natural unsweetened yoghurt

■ Sprigs of coriander leaves, to garnish

■ Indian flatbreads or rice, to serve

Slow-cooked mild lamb curry

This is a superb, easy curry that will appeal to those in the family who don’t or can’t eat hot, spicy food (such as children). You can cook it on the stove-top, or in an oven or slow-cooker.

Recipe: Ashia Ismail-Singer Photo: Manja Wachsmuth

■ 2-3 tbsp oil (your preference)

■ 2-3 small/medium onions, finely sliced

■ 700g boneless lamb shoulder (fat removed), roughly diced into bite-sized chunks

■ 1 1⁄2 tsp ground cumin

■ 1 1⁄2 tsp ground coriander

■ 1 tsp ground turmeric

■ 1⁄2-1 tsp chilli flakes (optional)

■ 3-4 cloves garlic, peeled and finely chopped

■ 1 tsp finely chopped fresh ginger

■ 150ml-200ml chicken or beef stock (depending on how much gravy you want)

■ 200ml cream

■ Fresh coriander leaves for garnish (optional)

Heat the oil in a heavy-based saucepan or large frying pan (with a lid, if using the stove-top to cook curry).

Add the onions and cook until pale and just starting to colour. Add the diced lamb and cook until browned. Add the cumin, coriander, turmeric and chilli (if using), garlic and ginger, and cook for a couple of minutes.

Add the stock and cream (except if using a slowcooker – see below), and season with salt and pepper to taste. Bring to the boil, then turn to a simmer, cover and cook for an hour or until the meat is tender.

Alternatively, transfer to a lidded casserole dish and bake in the oven at 150C for an hour or until the meat is tender. If using a slow-cooker, cook on low for 5-6 hours, adding the cream 20-30 minutes before the end of cooking.

Serve with basmati rice and naan or roti. Garnish with coriander and add a refreshing cucumber raita on the side, if desired.