Curry is such a popular food these days but can be high in fat, calories and ProPoints. Throw away those jars of sauce mix and after the initial purchase of a few spices you will be able to create healthy, tasty and authentic curries. These recipes are all suitable for Filling and Healthy if it is necessary to add any points the points will be given at the top of the recipe.
BASIC INDIAN CURRY SAUCE The recipe makes between 8 and 9 fl oz of sauce that is enough for 2 main course curries. The recipe doesn't work as well if you try to make a smaller portion. It will double nicely if you're making a number of curries but you will need to extend the cooking time a bit. If you have some sauce left over it will keep in good condition in the freezer but only for a few weeks.
Even small amounts are useful for making a quick one-portion curry, it goes a long way.
Remember to wrap it up well or your ice cream may take on a strange taste!
1 tablespoon olive oil 1 medium onion - finely chopped 4 cloves garlic - peeled and sliced 1.5 inch piece root ginger - peeled and thinly sliced 2 mild fleshy green chillies - de-seeded and chopped ½ teaspoon turmeric powder ½ teaspoon ground cumin seed ½ teaspoon ground coriander seed 5 tablespoons plain passatta
Heat the oil in a heavy pan then add the chopped onion and stir for a few minutes with the heat on high. Add the ginger, garlic and green chilli Stir for 30 seconds then put the heat down to very low. Cook for 15 minutes stirring from time to time making sure nothing browns or burns. Add the turmeric, cumin and coriander and cook, still very gently, for a further 5 minutes. Don't burn the spices or the sauce will taste horrid - sprinkle on a few drops of water if you're worried. Take off the heat and cool a little. Put 4 fl oz cold water in a blender, add the contents of the pan and blend until very smooth. Add the passatta and stir. Put the puréed mixture back into the pan and cook for 20 - 30 minutes (the longer the better) over very low heat stirring occasionally. You can add a little hot water if it starts to catch on the pan but the idea is to gently "fry" the sauce, which will darken in colour. The final texture should be something like good tomato ketchup. Warning - it will splatter over your hob, it's the price you have to pay!
While the recipe above is an authentic tasting Indian curry, if you are looking for a quick, simple and tasty curry sauce this is perfect and knocked up in just 20 minutes - ideal for using up left chicken beef etc. QUICK AND EASY MADRAS CURRY SAUCE. Serves 4
1 tablespoon olive oil 1 onion, peeled and finely chopped 1 tablespoon Madras curry powder 300 ml passatta 1 x beef, chicken or vegetable stock cube made up with 300 ml boiling water 2 tablespoons tomato purée 2 teaspoons sweetener Salt & pepper to taste
Heat the oil in a saucepan over a moderate heat and fry the onion for 2 - 3 minutes, until the onion is softened. Add the Madras curry powder and fry for a further minute. Add the passatta, stock, purée and sweetener and bring to the boil and simmer for 15 minutes until thickened - taste and adjust seasoning to taste.
1 tablespoon rapeseed or olive oil 1 onion finely chopped 3 cloves of garlic finely chopped 1 inch fresh root ginger peeled and finely chopped 1 tablespoon plain flour 1 tablespoon mild curry powder 1 teaspoon sweetener 1 pinch five spice powder Salt to taste Water or chicken stock
Heat oil over a medium heat in a pan or wok and add the onion. Cook until soft and transparent. Add the garlic and ginger and continue to cook for a further 2 minutes. Add the flour and curry powder and cook for a couple of minutes (you should have a paste like consistency) Add the sweetener, five spice powder and salt then add the water or chicken stock if preferred a little at a time until the right thickness is achieved. Simmer for a few minutes on a low heat then remove from the heat and allow to cool slightly. You can now either strain the curry using a fine sieve or blend in a food processor to create a smooth texture before returning it to the pan to simmer gently until reduced slightly.
If you require a hotter flavour add some chilli powder at the start not more curry powder! Use the five spice powder sparingly as it can overpower the other ingredients."
400g turkey breast, diced 1 tablespoon olive oil 2 cloves garlic, crushed 1 small red chilli, finely chopped 1 onion, peeled and finely chopped 1 tablespoon Madras curry powder 300 ml passata 1 chicken stock cube made up with 300 ml boiling water 2 tablespoons tomato purée 2 teaspoons sweetener Salt & pepper to taste
Heat the oil in a saucepan over a moderate heat and fry the onion, garlic and chilli for 2 - 3 minutes, until the onion is softened. Add the diced turkey and cook for 5 more minutes, add the Madras curry powder and fry for a further minute. Add the passata, stock, purée and sweetener and bring to the boil and simmer for 15 minutes until thickened and turkey is cooked - taste and adjust seasoning to taste.
PORK JALFREZI Serves 4
Low fat cooking spray 2 medium onions 2 medium red peppers, deseeded & chopped 1 tbsp tomato purée 400g lean pork, cubed 1 green pepper, deseeded & sliced thinly 2 garlic cloves, crushed 5cm (2") piece fresh root ginger, grated 1 medium green chilli, deseeded & chopped finely 1 tbsp curry powder 1 tsp cumin seeds 500g passatta 1 tbsp chopped fresh coriander salt & pepper
Heat a non-stick pan and spray with the cooking spray. Stir fry the onions and red peppers for about 8 minutes until the peppers are soft and the onion is brown. Put the onion and red pepper mixture into a food processor, add the tomato puree and blend until smooth. Set aside. Heat the non-stick pan and spray again with the cooking spray. Stir fry the pork and green peppers for 5-10 mins until brown. Return the onion mixture to the pan with all the other ingredients except the seasoning and coriander. Heat gently until simmering, cover the pan with a tight fitting lid and cook for 10 minutes. Remove the lid and cook for 2-3 mins more until the sauce is reduced and thickened slightly. Season and stir in the coriander leaves.
CUCUMBER AND MINT RAITA This is lovely as a dip for poppadums and is perfect with curries or spicy kebabs.
200ml natural low fat yogurt ½ cucumber, grated or finely chopped 1 handful fresh mint leaves, chopped Salt & pepper to taste
To make the Raita wrap the grated cucumber in a tea towel and squeeze out any excess water.
Mix together all the ingredients and serve chilled.
QUICK AND EASY PORK MADRAS Serves 4
1 tablespoon olive oil 1 onion, peeled and finely chopped 4 lean loin chops diced 1 tablespoon Madras curry powder 300 ml passatta 1 x pork, chicken or beef stock cube made up with150ml boiling water 2 tablespoons tomato purée 2 teaspoons sweetener
Heat the oil in a saucepan over a moderate heat and fry the onion and pork for 2 - 3 minutes, or until the onion is softened and the pork browned. Add the Madras curry powder and fry for a further minute. Add the remaining ingredients, bring to the boil and simmer for 1½ hours or until the pork is tender.
TANDOORI GRILLED CHICKEN Serves 4
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts 250g low fat natural yoghurt 1 tablespoon lemon juice 2 teaspoon ground paprika 2 cloves garlic, crushed ½ teaspoon each of the following ingredients_ salt ground ginger ground cumin Cayenne pepper ground cinnamon
Mix yogurt, lemon juice and spices. Place chicken in shallow glass pan and coat with marinade. Refrigerate for 1-8 hours. Preheat grill , discard marinade and place chicken on grill. Grill for 10 minutes each side, then check to make sure chicken is cooked. May need a couple minutes more if the breasts are thick.
CHICKEN DO-PIAZA Do-Piaza means double onions. Serves 4
400g diced chicken 1 large onion chopped roughly 1 inch cube of root ginger, peeled and chopped 3 cloves of garlic, crushed 2 teaspoons olive oil 1 tsp ground turmeric 1 tsp ground coriander 1 tsp ground cumin ½ tsp of chilli powder 1 tin chopped tomatoes 6 fl oz beef stock water 2 cinnamon sticks, broken up 4 green cardamoms, split open 4 whole cloves 2 dried bay leaves, crumpled Salt 1 large onion finely sliced
Place the chopped onions, ginger, garlic and 2 teaspoons water into a liquidiser or food processor and blend to a smooth paste . Heat oil in a wok or large frying pan fry the chicken for 5 minutes, remove from pan. Add the paste, fry for 4-5 minutes. Add turmeric, coriander, cumin, and chilli powder and fry another 4-5 minutes. Meanwhile add the liquid from the tinned tomatoes a little at a time. Add the chicken, stock, cinnamon, cardamom, cloves, bay leaves and salt and add the tomatoes and sliced onion. Bring to the boil, cover and simmer for 20 minutes.
THAI FISH SKEWERS Makes 12 skewers Serves 4 as starter Free on F & H or 11 PP for whole recipe 3 PP per portion
3 slices WW bread, made into breadcrumbs 1 clove garlic, crushed 1 ½ ” piece ginger, finely chopped 1 small green chilli, de-seeded and finely chopped 300g skinned white fish (coley, Pollock, cod, haddock etc.) 1 teaspoon sweetener Bunch fresh coriander, chopped 1 egg white 6 lemongrass stalks (halved lengthways to make 12 skewers)
In a blender whizz together the breadcrumbs, garlic, ginger and chilli. Add the fish, sweetener and coriander and whizz until all mixed together. Add the egg white and whizz together one more time. Preheat the grill and spray a baking tray with low fat spray. Divide the mixture into 12 portions and shape each portion around a lemongrass skewer and squeeze into shape. Place the kebabs on the baking tray and grill for 5 – 7 minutes (turning occasionally.
CHICKEN SHASHLIK Serves 4
2 tablespoon natural low fat yoghurt 2 garlic cloves, crushed 1 teaspoon root ginger, peeled and finely grated ½ teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper 1 teaspoon ground coriander A pinch of chilli powder 1 teaspoonground cumin ¼ teaspoon salt 2 teaspoon tomato purée 4 skinless and boneless chicken breasts, chopped into 2cm cubes 1 onion, cut into chunks 2 tomatoes, cut into quarters 1 green pepper, de-seeded and cut into chunks 1 tablespoon olive oil
8 bamboo skewers, soaked in water
In a bowl, mix together the yoghurt, garlic, ginger, black pepper, coriander, chilli powder, cumin, salt and tomato purée. Add the chicken and mix well, coating all the pieces. Cover and refrigerate for 2-3 hours. Thread the chicken onto the skewers, alternating the meat with chunks of onion, tomato and green pepper. Brush with oil, then grill for 15 mins until cooked through and golden brown.
QUICK & EASY BEEF MADRAS Serves 4
1 tablespoon olive oil 1 onion, peeled and finely chopped 500 g pack cubed braising steak 1 tablespoon Madras curry powder 300 ml passatta 1 x beef stock cube made up with 300 ml boiling water 2 tablespoons tomato purée 2 teaspoons sweetener
Heat the oil in a saucepan over a moderate heat and fry the onion and beef for 2 - 3 minutes, or until the onion is softened and the beef browned. Add the Madras curry powder and fry for a further minute. Add the remaining ingredients, bring to the boil and simmer for 1½ hours or until the beef is tender.
CHINESE CHICKEN KEBABS Serves 4 or 8 as a starter or accompaniment
Mix yogurt, garlic and spices. Marinate in refrigerator at least 6 hours, turning occasionally. Soak bamboo skewers for 1 hour. Drain and discard marinade. Thread chicken on skewers. Cook 8 to 10 minutes on grill, turning twice. Serve with brown rice.
CHICKEN KATSU CURRY Serves 4 2PP for full recipe - zero per portion
4 chicken breasts, skinless and boned 3 slices WW bread made into breadcrumbs 1 beaten egg & 2 tabs skimmed milk.
1 tablespoon olive oil 2 garlic clove, chopped 2 small chillies, finely chopped 1 onion, chopped 2 Granny Smith apple, peeled, cored and diced 400ml boiling water 2 bananas, sliced 1 teaspoon honey 1 tablespoon turmeric 1/2 teaspoon hot Madras curry powder 2 tablespoon tomato purée 400ml chicken stock Salt & black pepper, to taste 1 tablespoon corn flour
Heat a large pan over high heat and heat the oil. Sauté the garlic, chilli and onions then add the apples, boiling water, bananas, turmeric, curry powder and purée Bring the sauce to the boil and add the chicken stock, blended corn flour and honey. Cook for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally Taste and season if needed. Meanwhile cut each chicken breast into 2 or 3 portions; dip each piece in egg and breadcrumbs and grill until cooked and serve with the curry sauce and brown rice
CHICKEN TIKKA MASALA LOW FAT STYLE Serves 4
4 skinless chicken breast fillets 1tablespoons tandoori spice blend powder Juice of half a lemon 100ml 0% Greek style yoghurt 2 teaspoons olive oil 1 onion, slice 1 tablespoon garlic paste (or crushed fresh garlic) 1 tablespoon ginger paste (or chopped fresh ginger) 1 green chilli, chopped 1 small pinch salt 1 teaspoon cumin powder 1 teaspoon curry powder 3 tablespoon tomato purée 1 finely chopped tomato 2 teaspoons garam masala Fresh coriander, to garnish Rice, to serve
Cut the skinless chicken breasts into bite-size pieces and put in a glass or china dish. Mix the tandoori powder, lemon juice and yoghurt together. Add this to the chicken and stir so that all the pieces are coated. Cover with cling film and refrigerate for 1 to 2 hours to let the flavour develop. Put the oil, onion, ginger, garlic, chilli, cumin and curry powder in a large pan and heat gently for about 2 mins, stirring all the time. Add the marinated chicken, 150ml water, tomato and tomato purée to the pan. Stir to mix well, bring to the boil, then cover, reduce heat and simmer gently for around 25 mins. Stir in the garam masala and cook uncovered for a further 10 mins. Sprinkle with coriander to garnish, and serve with rice.
CHICKEN LIVER PIRI PIRI Serves 4 Chicken livers are SO cheap; don't be put off from trying them - this is a lovely recipe to try them for a first time!!
2 tubs chicken liver (226g each) 1 onion finely chop 4 cloves garlic finely chopped 2 bay leaves (optional) 2 red or green chillies remove seeds or half teaspoon of dried chillies. 1 tomato chopped 1 teaspoon of piri piri powder or cayenne if you can't get piri piri A dash of Worcestershire sauce 1 tablespoon of tomato purée 100ml chicken stock Salt & pepper to taste Fry light
Spray pan with Frylite, add livers salt & pepper. Sauté until chicken livers are cooked do not overcook should be a bit pink in middle as they will be finished off later. In same pan and juices fry garlic chillies and onion until soft, add tomatoes fry for a couple of more minutes then add rest of ingredients. Simmer for about 5 minutes if sauce is too thick add a little more stock. When sauce is done check taste, add more chillies if you like it hot. Now add chicken livers to sauce and let it simmer for a minute or two.
Serve with salad for s lovely starter.
SHISH KEBABS Makes 8 kebabs - freeze well Make these smaller for a lovely starter or accompaniment
400g extra lean minced beef 1 medium sized onion finely chopped 2 cloves crushed garlic 1 ½” piece root ginger, grated Juice of 1/2 lemon or lime 1 tablespoon natural low fat yogurt 1 teaspoon garam masala 2-3 green chillies very finely chopped (optional) Salt to taste
Put all the ingredients into a blender and blitz until they are well blended (just a few minutes). Place in a bowl and cover with cling film. Put into the refrigerator for 1 hour. Soak bamboo skewers in water to prep for the kebabs. Remove from fridge and divide the mix into equal portions. Take each portion and form it into a long sausage-like kebab while pressing on to a skewer. Do this till the mix has firmly adhered to the skewer. These can be grilled, baked or cooked on a barbecue = cook until firm to the touch, turning during cooking.
SPICED INDIAN ONIONS Serves 4 (IPP for full recipe free for 1 portion) 1 onion, finely sliced 1 teaspoon chilli powder 2 dessert spoons tomato ketchup Juice of ½ lemon 1 teaspoon mint sauce 4 dessert spoons water 1 pinch salt
Add lemon juice to your chopped onion in a bowl, then add the other ingredients and mix well.
Season to taste. Serve with a pappadum; use ready to cook pappadums and cook in microwave for 1 PP each.
HEALTHY ONION BHAJEES
Makes 8 @ 1 PP each
4oz self-raising flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon turmeric
1/4 teaspoon extra hot chilli powder
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon garam masala
1 medium onion, finely sliced
Water to mix
Frylight spray
Mix the dry ingredients into a bowl and mix well
Add the sliced onions and mix well
Add water until a soft mixture is formed and mix well
Spray a frying pan with Frylight and drop heaped spoons of the onion batter into the pan. When set turn then place on a baking tray, repeat with all mixture and finish bhajees off in a hot oven for around 10 minutes.