turmeric

We got a little peckish while at Kew Gardens (so beautiful!) recently and headed to the Pavilion expecting to tuck into one of their summer favourites from the grill and barbecue. But despite the warm English sunshine there was sadly no barbecue. We didn’t go hungry though: Peyton and Byrne’s indoor restaurant was serving. I went for the Indian veggie curry, which was really quite delicious and inspired me to try out my own. My version has more of a Thai than Indian influence, but its quick and easy to make. I’ll have to go back for the Full of Spice festival for further inspiration!

As well as being beautiful and great for picnics in this weather, there is also lots of fun for the kids. Following lunch we wandered along the Xstrata Treetop Walkway to view all the trees from above. A small warning: the walkway does sway quite a bit in the breeze so probably best avoided by those with Acrophobia! Next we headed to the Treehouse Towers playground: Lentil had a swell time climbing, sliding, walking ropes and of course getting very dirty in the process. Thank goodness for washing machines!

Anyway, back to the curry……here is my veggie version:

The what:

400g chickpeas, rinsed and drained

2 medium-sized sweet potatoes, peeled and chopped

80g peas

80g okra

4 shallots, peeled and sliced

1 garlic clove, finely chopped

400ml coconut milk

1 tsp ground coriander

1/2 tsp cumin seeds

1 tsp garam masala

1/2 tsp turmeric

1cm ginger, finely chopped

200ml stock

For the Riata:

1/2 cucumber, peeled, seeded and chopped

1 slice pineapple, chopped

4 tbsp natural / greek style yoghurt

1/4 tsp of ground cumin (optional)

a handful of mint, finely chopped

The how:

Heat the oil in a heavy-based saucepan and saute the cumin seeds, onion and garlic for a minute. Then add the remaining spices except the turmeric and cook on medium heat for about 5 minutes. Stir in the coconut milk, turmeric and sweet potato, cover and simmer for 20 minutes until the sweet potato is cooked. Add the chickpeas, peas and okra and cook for about 5 minutes until the vegetables are cooked, but still have a bite to them.

To make the Riata:

Put the cucumber, pineapple and mint in a food processor and pulse a couple of times so you have small chunks. Transfer to a bowl and mix in the yoghurt and cumin.

Serve the curry and Riata with some rice. I used brown basmati and wild rice, which works well, but any rice will do.

Enjoy!

OK, I know it’s a contradiction in terms! But you can cook take-away style food at home. It’s quick, much healthier and you can serve in take-away boxes for a really authentic experience! It’s also much cheaper than ordering a take-away.

I wanted to introduce Coco and Lentil to some gentle curry flavours and spices without creating too complex or piquant a first dish. As this recipe is really easy and quick to make it’s perfect for a midweek dinner. The mango chutney adds a refreshing element.

Makes 2 adult and 3 child portions.

The what:

600g chicken fillet, sliced into bite-sized pieces

2 tsp ground cumin

1 tsp paprika

1/2 tsp turmeric

6 tbsp natural yoghurt

60g raisins

2 small red onions, sliced

1 tbsp olive oil

For the mango chutney:

1 mango, skin removed and finely chopped

1 red onion, finely chopped

lime juice

1 clove garlic, finely sliced

2 small apples, peeled and finely chopped

The how:

Add the spices to a large bowl and mix in the yoghurt to make the marinade. Stir in the diced chicken, mix well ensuring all the chicken is coated and place in the fridge for at least 30 minutes.

To make the chutney, simply add all the ingredients to a bowl and mix well. Cover and place in the fridge until needed.

When the chicken is ready to be cooked heat the olive oil in a large saute pan, add the red onion and cook for 2-3 minutes to soften. Next add the chicken and cook on medium heat for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the raisins and cook for a further 10 minutes. Make sure the chicken is cooked through before removing from the heat.

Serve with rice (brown if you’re feeling very healthy) and the mango chutney.

Enjoy!

CocoandLentil

Chickpea, Orka and Sweet Potato Curry

Homemade take-away curry

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