Beautiful, bother-free Balti

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aubergine, balti, chillipapas, courgette, Curry, garlic, Home, indian, recipe

As you’ve probably gathered by now, I love me a good curry. But having just moved into my own lovely little weasel den, I’ve been a bit pressed for time to actually cook. Those boxes ain’t gonna unpack themselves you know (no they really aren’t, I’ve been sitting watching them and they haven’t moved one inch).

This is why Chilli Papas Balti sample mix came along at just the right time. Through my letterbox, a tantalising little sachet fell, filled with mysterious fresh spices the colour of a blazing Indian sunset.

There was nothing to tell me what was inside (well, they wouldn’t just give away their secrets would they?) but I sniffed out some cumin, turmeric and cinnamon…perhaps?
What the mix did come with was an ingredients list and some cooking instructions. I deviated slightly from the ingredients listed, using aubergine and courgette instead of peppers, and cooking whole chicken legs instead of chopped meat.

Thanks to Rachel for the kind flatwarming gift too, turns out it works even better with ginger!

Oh yes, and I left the seeds in the chilli peppers because I like it hot. The beauty was just throwing everything in a pan, sticking on some rice, and leaving it to cook.

Making sure the chicken legs were cooked through we were ready to dig in, the aromas already making our mouths water.

The curry was lovely. A hearty, warming meal – perfect for the darker, colder nights that are drawing in so quickly. And a great way to celebrate my new hungry weasel den!

Who’s the daddy of blended curry mixes? That would be Chilli Papas.

Curry, bhajis and dosa at Edinburgh Mela

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bhaji, Curry, dosa, edinburgh, edinburgh mela, goan curry, indian food, lamb curry, paneer

Edinburgh’s annual Mela kicked off on Friday night with a stunning fireworks display in Leith Links, along with the story of Rama and Sita told through shadow puppetry. After an enchanting evening, I had one thing on my mind – tasty Indian food. And lots of it.

Leith Links was transformed into a bustling hive of festival activity, with heavenly scents wafting from each stall where chickpeas sizzled and fresh mango lassis were dispensed. Colourful scarfs and traditional Indian dress fluttered in the light breeze, while the infectious low beat of drums topped off the festival atmosphere.

After a little African storytelling it was time for lunch. I made a beeline for the Goan curry stand and opted for a deliciously spiced lamb curry with rice, salad, yoghurt dressing and lime pickle.

My friend picked a paneer dosa – like a pancake with cheese inside – along with some dipping sauces and some veggie bhajis with a yummy mild sauce. Everyone sat around eating on the grass, and the Mela had a really relaxed feel to it, with plenty to see for everyone.

Big tip for the Mela next year? Don’t arrive too late – as we left at around 4pm the queue was enormous!

Coconut Chicken Curry recipe

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Bay leaf, Black pepper, chicken, chicken curry, chillies, coconut chicken curry, Coconut milk, Cook, cumin, Curry, Curry chicken, friends, ginger, indian cooking, Madrid, recipe, Spain, spice, Sundays, turmeric

When I lived in Spain I learnt to cook authentic Indian curry. That’s right, curry. I lived with an American and an English-Indian girl and most Sundays we took it in turns to cook for around 10 other TEFL teachers in our tiny little flat in the suburbs of Madrid. And in a small way it felt just like being at home.

Curry is easier to make than most people think, once you know the basic spices you can play around a little and try out different combinations of spice or different bases – tomato, coconut milk, yogurt or cream – whatever you’re in the mood for.

I love to cook curry for groups of friends, because you can make a big pot and everyone can just help themselves to as little or as much as they like. Here is one of my favourites…

Coconut Chicken Curry
(feeds 4-5 hungry mouths)
What you’ll need…
Around 12 pieces of chicken – ideally a mixture of legs and thighs
Basmati rice
400ml coconut milk
Fresh coriander
2 cloves of garlic
2 chillies (leave some seeds in if you like it spicy, like me)
2cm of grated ginger
1tsp turmeric
2tsp ground cumin
½ tsp black peppercorns
50g butter
Bay leaves

1.) Firstly, pop the garlic, chopped chillies, turmeric, cumin, ginger, peppercorns and some fresh coriander into a bowl and use a hand-held blender to mix into a smooth paste. Alternatively use a food processor.

2.) Put the chicken into a dish and make sure it’s all nicely covered with the paste then pop in the fridge for two hours to soak in all those lovely flavours.

3.) Pop the oven on at 220C and, once heated, stick the chicken in to cook for around 45 minutes. Check occasionally and jiggle about the chicken to ensure it’s thoroughly cooked. For the last 10 minutes, put the chicken under a medium grill to get a nice golden finish.

4.) In the meantime, cook the basmati rice for 7 minutes, then drain. Add two bay leaves plus the butter – place a teacloth over the pot and leave to steam for 20 minutes.

5.) Check the chicken is completely cooked i.e. not pink in the middle, then serve up and garnish with a coriander sprig or two.

A nice, cold Indian Pale Ale straight from the fridge is the best accompaniment to this warming curry – dig in!