Did you know that we’re right in the middle of Cobra’s National Curry Week?!
Well, me neither! For once I failed to spot the excuse to cook something different… Not that I need any, but justification and official validation every now and again come in handy.
Everyone loves a good old curry as a treat every now and again; in fact, it seems that 87% of Brits eat one whether they make it at home or get a take away and at least half of those people have it at least once a week with an average £400million a week spent across the country on one seems to be one of the nation’s favourite meals.
Research commissioned for the event shows that due to the current economic climate more people than ever are cooking curries at home. But, despite the growing number of budding UK chefs, curry represents a tough challenge in the kitchen with less than half of Brits (46%) saying they are confident enough to make their own curry from scratch at home and a quarter (24%) they wouldn't know the ingredients.
Of course we also have the odd person who argues they take far too long to cook – Well, that’s what happens with good food: it isn’t a 5 minute stint in the microwave I’m afraid.
70% of Brits surveyed say they'd be encouraged to cook curry more if they had a quick and easy recipe to follow which is just as good, because I have come up with a tasty, easy and relatively quick vegetable curry to celebrate the week and that could warm anyone up now the cold is settling in!
Serves 3 as a main
1 medium onion finely sliced
1 medium potato, cubed, skin on
300gr aubergine cubed
200gr butternut squash peeled and cubed
3 tomatoes cubed
1 cup frozen peas
¾ pint water
1 tbsp mild olive oil (you can use vegetable oil instead)
2 tsp garam masala
1 tsp cumin
1 tsp turmeric
1 tbsp grated coconut
200gr natural yoghurt
1 cup fresh coriander leaves
In a large and deep frying pan heat up the olive oil and start cooking at a low heat 1tsp garam masala and the onion for 5 minutes or until the onion is soft and translucent.
Add the aubergine, potato, butternut squash, remaining garam masala and ½ of the water, bring to the boil and then let simmer gently for about 30 minutes or until the vegetables are thoroughly cooked.
Please keep an eye on the liquid and add a little of the remaining water if it starts drying up.
Add the cumin and turmeric and simmer for another 10 minutes.
Last, but not least add the remaining ingredients (tomatoes, peas, coconut, yoghurt and coriander) and cook for 5 more minutes.
Serve hot on plain basmati rice or with some lovely naan bread.
Buon appetito!
Oh, and if you fancy your hand at recipes from some top Indian chefs you can go here!
