INGREDIENTS:
1kg chicken thighs (quartered)
2 teaspoons curry powder
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon ground turmeric
4 tablespoons peanut oil (or vegetable)
1 teaspoon chilli powder
2 teaspoons sweet paprika
2 onions (roughly chopped)
4 garlic cloves (roughly chopped)
1 heaped teaspoon grated ginger
2 tomatoes (chopped)
1-2 tablespoon fish sauce
1 stick of lemongrass (cut to about 15cm and the bulb end lightly pounded to release aroma)

DIRECTIONS:
Sprinkle curry powder, salt and turmeric over the chicken and set aside. In a blender or food processor mix onions, garlic, paprika, chilli powder and ginger into a thick paste.

Heat the oil in a deep pan and fry the paste over a medium heat for about 10 minutes. Add the chicken and turn up the heat stirring for another few minutes. Add the tomatoes and stir for a further 5 minutes. Add 400ml of warm water (enough to cover the chicken), the lemongrass and fish sauce. Stir well and bring to a simmer.

Turn down the heat to low, partially cover the pan and very gently simmer for at least 45 minutes until the chicken is very tender. Remove the lid and simmer for a further 15 minutes to reduce the sauce. Fish out the lemongrass – check for seasoning and serve!

SERVING:
Serve alongside some basmati rice or spoon the curry over some cooked vermicelli noodles.

10. Spaghetti with Cacciatore & Fennel
With the simple replacement of onion with fennel an easy pasta dish is transformed to something quite unique.

09. Chicken in Paprika and Sherry
Paprika is the flavour or the month. This Spanish dish is so delicious I have been known to scoff a pan of it down in one sitting.

08. Osso Bucco Milanese Style
I adore slow cooked casseroles, and this traditional Italian one is one of the best. Delicious.

07. Risotto with Asparagus
I couldn’t quite believe how amazing this one was when I first made it, but after a couple more go’s I think I can.

06. Malaysian Chicken Curry
Malaysian curries are universally my favourites. I love the fragrant but spicy flavours and this one is top dog of the Malay variety.

05. Prawn, Scallop & Chorizo Paella
The moans of approval that went with this offering went some way to describing how fantastic it is. A regular at our table.

04. Lamb Tagine with Preserved Lemons & Cumin
The discovery of the year, preserved lemons, lend this Moroccan dish it’s distinctive flavours. It’s a great dinner party dish.

03. Italian Sausages with Lentils
The surprise of the year, who knew that such a simple dish could have left such an impression? Good old Italy.

02. Lamb Madras Curry
One of the first curries I cooked and still one of the favourites. It’s deep, rich and intense flavour is always a winner at our table.

01. Burmese Chicken Curry
Even after a year full of flavour, nothing can quite live up to the saint-like status of this Burmese treasure. It’s so delicious, all I can say is try it at least once. There will never be another like it.

RECIPE:

INGREDIENTS:
1 green cucumber
1 tablespoons white vinegar
2 large onions (halved and finely sliced)
3 cloves garlic (finely sliced)
3 tablespoons sesame oil
3 tablespoons peanut oil
1 tablespoon sesame seeds
1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder
1/2 teaspoon sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt

DIRECTIONS:
Peel and core the cucumber and cut into batons. Set aside.
Dry roast the sesame seeds in a pan for 1-2 minutes until aromatic. Set aside.
Heat the sesame and peanut oil in the same pan and when fairly hot, add the onions and garlic. Fry until browned and crispy (not burned) 8-10 minutes. Remove and drain on paper towels.
Add the sugar, turmeric and salt to the oil and fry for 1 minute. Add a couple of tablespoons of vinegar. Cool.
Sprinkle the onions over the cucumber then the oily juices from the pan then finally sprinkle with sesame seeds.

SERVING:
Not really great on its own but awesome as an accompanyment to a meat or fish curry together with some rice or bread.

Going for a third day on the trot with another Burmese dish. If you’re not into this Burmese lark, then sorry. This, however will be the last in a while. This dish is absolutely delicious. I got the recipe from an old book from the 60s which warned the dish as “only for those with an aquired taste to Burmese food”. Times have changed… this is fabulous.

RECIPE:

INGREDIENTS:
3 smallish eggplants
200g raw prawn meat (roughly chopped)
2 fresh red chillies (deseeded and finely sliced)
1 teaspoon turmeric
1 teaspoon shrimp paste
1 onion (grated)
6 cloves garlic (minced)
1 heaped teaspoon grated ginger
1 teaspoon salt

DIRECTIONS:
Preheat the oven to 200ºC
In a large pan of boiling water, cook the eggplants whole for 10 minutes. Remove from the pan and leave to cool.
Mix the onion, garlic, ginger, chillies, prawn meat and shrimp paste together. Cut about 5cm from the bottom of the lemon grass and very finely chop it and add to the mix.
When the eggplants have cooled cut in half lengthways. Scoop out the flesh with a spoon and/or a knife leaving about 1/2 cm of flesh intact. Chop the flesh finely and add it to the other ingredients. Mix very well and season with the salt. Divide the mixture into each eggplant half and place on a baking sheet in the oven and cook for 45 minutes.

Continuing my love for Burmese food, here’s another chicken curry. This one is HOT! and lovely. “Why don’t you just marry Burma?” I hear you mutter.

RECIPE:

INGREDIENTS:
1 kg chicken thighs (cut in half)
1 teaspoon turmeric
2 teaspoons curry powder
1 tablespoon soy sauce
4 dried red chilies (soaked in hot water then chopped – leave seeds in)
3 cloves garlic (roughly chopped)
3 small onions (roughly chopped)
2 cups chicken stock
1 teaspoon salt
1 cinnamon stick
3 bay leaves
30ml peanut oil
30ml sesame oil

DIRECTIONS:
Mix the curry powder, turmeric and soy sauce into a paste and coat the chicken with it. Set aside.
With a hand blender or food processor blend the onions, chillies and garlic into a thick paste.
Heat the oils in a large pan over a medium heat and then fry the onion mix for about 5 minutes until it begins to brown. Add the chicken pieces and fry for a further 5 minutes. Add the chicken stock and mix well. Add the bay leaves, cinnamon and gently bring to the boil. Simmer covered on a very low heat for about 1 1/2 – 2 hours until very tender.

The curry oils may separate in the first part of cooking don’t worry, they’ll all end up blended into a lovely sauce at the end. Pretend you didn’t see it and convince yourself it is very healthy.

SERVING:
Plain boiled rice with some french beans on the side.

I absolutely love Burmese food. It is more fragrant and delicate than indian food and leans more towards Indonesian food, using shrimp paste, fish sauce and a lot of lemon grass. After the continuing success of the Burmese Chicken Curry which is the most regular thing I make, I thought I would give this one a try. The heat can be scaled up or down depending on your taste but as the recipe stands it’s more flavoursome than troublesome.

RECIPE:

INGREDIENTS:
750g lean pork (cut into bitesize chunks)
2 tablespoons peanut oil
4 large onions (roughly chopped)
10 cloves garlic (roughly chopped)
4 teaspoons ginger (grated)
4 dried red chillies (soaked in hot water, seeds removed and roughly chopped)
6 stalks lemon grass (cut to fit pan and the ends lightly beaten with a rolling pin)
2 teaspoons shrimp paste
3 teaspoons hot curry powder
salt

DIRECTIONS:
In a large pan over a medium heat the oil and fry the pork for about 4-5 minutes until brown. Lower the heat and then add the onion, garlic, ginger and chilies and fry for about 4-5 minutes until the onions brown. Add the lemon grass, shrimp paste and curry powder and mix well. Add 2 cups of warm water, stir and gently bring to the boil. Simmer gently with the lid on for 1 1/2 hours until the pork is very tender. Remove from heat, take out the lemon grass and add some salt to your taste.

If you want to give this some heat, then add 1/4 teaspoon of cayenne pepper when you add the other spices.

SERVING:
Plain boiled rice. Delicious.

I’m all for having an entire week of curries. An all out festival of spice. If you love a bit of curry then maybe you should try my 1 week curry detox. It’s guaranteed to shift some dead weight, most likely down the toilet. It’s actually neither a diet, nor a detox but more seven of my favourite curries so far. Go on!

RECIPES

MONDAY: Lahore Chicken
Get the week off to a fiery start with this Pakistani favourite.

TUESDAY: Lamb Balti
Delicious and intensely satisfying.

WEDNESDAY: Chickpea Curry
After 2 nights on the meat, you’ll need a break with this lovely and easy chickpea curry.

THURSDAY: Lamb Madras & Parippu Dal
Can’t beat a Thursday night in with a lamb Madras curry. One of our all time favourites – especially with a bit of dal on the side.

FRIDAY: Beef Musaman Curry
Make this Thursday night, and have it with another beer when you get back from the pub.

SATURDAY: Burmese Chicken Curry
The all time favourite curry! Don’t leave any.

SUNDAY: Goan Fish & Prawn Curry
After week of splurging on curry end it light with this one. Sunday is a day of rest after all.

Mix up your side dishes with either rice, roti bread and don’t forget to have a bit of raita and or some steamed vegetables, such as french beans, broccoli or even turnip.

To make cucumber raita:

INGREDIENTS:
600ml yoghurt
2 Cucumbers, peeled, de-seeded & grated
1 teaspoon cumin powder
salt to taste
2 tablespoons fresh coriander leaves (chopped)

DIRECTIONS:
Combine all ingredients and mix well. Serve on the side. Add sliced onions and tomatoes to the side.