Curry flavour
COCONUT CHICKEN CURRY BY AYSHA BORA (Serves 4)
INGREDIENTS
1 large chicken, jointed into 8 pieces, excess skin trimmed away; 1 large ripe tomato, roughly chopped; 1 onion, quartered; 15g fresh root ginger, peeled; 4 garlic cloves, peeled; 6 serrano chillies, stems removed and de-seeded (fewer for a milder curry); 2tsp ground cumin; 1tsp ground coriander; 1tsp ground turmeric; 2tbsp coconut oil; 2 x 400ml tins coconut milk; 3 eggs, hard-boiled, peeled & halved; juice of ½ lemon; salt and pepper; 10g fresh coriander, chopped. Rice, chapatis or flatbreads, to serve
METHOD
1. Score each piece of the chicken in two or three places, slicing about 1cm into the meat.
2. Put the tomato, onion, ginger, garlic, chillies, cumin, coriander, turmeric and some salt and pepper into a food processor and blend to a rough paste.
3. Rub one third of the paste over the chicken, into the cuts and under the skin; reserve rest of the mixture.
4. Refrigerate chicken for at least one hour, or up to five hours.
5. Preheat grill to the highest setting, and line a large baking tin with foil.
6. In a large pan, melt the coconut oil on a medium heat; add the paste and cook, stirring occasionally, for 20 minutes or until the moisture evaporates. Increase the heat slightly and cook for three to five minutes until the paste is thick and dark.
7. Add coconut milk and simmer for 25-30 minutes until the sauce is thick.
8. Meanwhile, put the marinated chicken, skin side up, in the lined baking tin and grill for 15 minutes, until well coloured and charred, then turn the chicken over and grill for another five minutes to make sure it is cooked through.
9. Stir the chicken and any juices into the curry pan, bring to a simmer, cover and cook for five minutes until the flavours have combined.
10. Taste and adjust the seasoning if necessary.
11. Add the boiled eggs and the lemon juice to taste.
12. Sprinkle with the chopped coriander and serve with rice, chapatis or flatbreads.
INGREDIENTS
1 potato, about 150g; 3tbsp vegetable oil, extra for brushing; 1tsp mustard seeds; ¼tsp fenugreek seeds; ½tsp cumin seeds;
1 onion, finely sliced; ½tsp ground turmeric; ½tsp ground cinnamon; 120g white cabbage, finely sliced;
1 large carrot, 120g, peeled and grated; 100g mixed red and green peppers, cored, de-seeded and finely chopped; 50g frozen peas; ½tsp granulated sugar; 12 spring roll pastry wrappers, 25 x 25cm; 1 egg, lightly beaten; salt
METHOD
1. Boil the potato in salted water for 30 minutes until soft. Drain and leave to cool, then peel and dice.
2. Heat the oil in a large frying pan on a medium heat. Add spice seeds and fry for 30 seconds, until fragrant.
3. Add onion, salt and cook for two minutes.
4. Add turmeric and cinnamon and stir for a few seconds until the onion is coated. Add the cabbage, carrot and peppers and cook over high heat for four to five minutes or until soft.
5. Add the diced potato, peas, half a teaspoon of salt and the sugar and stir for two minutes. Taste and adjust seasoning if needed.
6. Transfer to a large plate and leave to cool.
7. Cut each pastry square in half to make two rectangles. Keep the pastry covered with a clean, damp tea towel to stop it drying out.
8. Working with one strip of pastry at a time and with a long edge facing you, fold the bottom right-hand corner of the strip to meet the top edge, forming a triangle, then fold the top right-hand corner over to meet the top left-hand corner of the strip, forming a square. VEGETABLE SAMOSAS BY MUNIRA MAHMUD (Makes 12)
9. Brush the single layer of pastry (bottom left) with beaten egg and fold over to form a triangular pouch.
10. Open the pouch and fill with three tablespoons of the samosa filling. Brush wrap with beaten egg and fold over to seal the pouch. Place on a tray and cover while making the rest of the samosas.
11. Preheat the oven to 200°C and put the samosas on a baking sheet lined with baking paper. Brush tops with a oil and beaten egg.
12. Bake for 10 minutes, then turn them over, brush the other side with oil and egg and bake for another 10 minutes.