Saag Chana

This makes enough for 8 good size portions for two as side dishes or 8 wholesome lunches for one served with a couple of chapatti. Also very tasty with some strong English Cheddar cheese melted in when reheated from frozen - if the calories are not an issue.

Ingredients

For the Saag

2 Kilos fresh spinach
3 fresh chillies
2 tsp garam masala
1 tsp fennel seeds
1 tsp sugar
Half tsp salt

For the Chana

4 x 400g tins chickpea drained
10 tbsp oil
3 tbsp panch puren
3 medium onions peeled and chopped
2 inch ginger peeled and grated
4 cloves garlic peeled and grated
2 x 500g cartons tomato passata
2 tsp garam masala
1 tsp freshly ground black pepper
2 tsp black cumin seeds
Handful freshly chopped coriander
Salt

Spice mix
3 tbsp chana masala
1 tbsp chat masala
2 tsp turmeric
2 tsp ground coriander
2 tsp ground cumin
Half tsp cayenne

Method

Wash spinach in very hot water - helps it start to wilt - heat in a large pan and when fully shrunk down drain of excess water, add all the saag ingredients and simmer for ten mins. Then drain and chop finely and reserve.
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Heat oil in pan until smoking hot add the panch puren for 8 seconds then the onions and fry for about 8 mins until well browned then add the garlic and ginger and fry on for 2 mins. Add spice mix and bhuna for 30 seconds then gradually add all the passata and cook on for ten mins. Add the chickpeas, black pepper and black cumin seeds - cook on for another five mins. Then mix in the chopped spinach, garam masala, fresh coriander, salt to taste and cook on for another 5 mins then portion up and serve garnished with fresh coriander and tomato wedges or freeze.

Coogan 2011

Lamb Seekh stuffed Marrow with spicy Roast Potatoes and a Dhansak sauce


Peel one medium marrow and cut both ends off then de-core/remove the seeds from the middle.

Lamb Seekh Kebab mix

500g mince lamb
75g shallot peeled and finely chopped
2-3 fresh chilies finely chopped
1 tsp garlic peeled and grated
2 tsp ginger peeled and grated
1 tbsp tom puree
1 tbsp freshly chopped mint
2 tbsp freshly chopped coriander
1.5 tsp five spice
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp ground coriander
2 tsp tandoori masala
Half tsp mango powder
Half tsp salt
Half tsp ground black pepper

Mix all the ingredients together thoroughly and leave to marinate for 1 hour in the larder then remove and re-mix again. Stuff the mix into the marrow cavity firmly, brush with mustard oil and cut in half. Roast in oven 200c for 90 mins basting once or twice. Slice and serve.

Spicy Roast Potatoes

3 large new potatoes peeled and halved
1 tsp turmeric
4 tbsp Goose fat, lard or veg oil
1 tbsp mustard oil mixed with 1 tsp each of cayenne and paprika
1 tbsp panch puren

Add the potatoes and turmeric to boiling water and simmer for ten mins. Meanwhile heat goose fat in baking tray in oven at 200c. Drain potatoes and toss in the mustard oil mix. Remove baking tray and place on hot stove, toss in the panch puren and potatoes and return to the oven for 45 mins turning once. Season with salt and serve.

I served this with dry roasted tomatoes and a dhansak sauce that I had spare in the freezer. Ruddy superb.

Dhansak sauce can be found here http://www.curry-recipes.co.uk/curry/index.php?topic=5822.0



Coogan 2011

Tandoori Lamb Rogan Josh

This recipe makes enough for 11 good size portions. I have made a tandoor/ tikka version of the dish but if you wish you can pre-cook the lamb as normal and add to the sauce to cook on at the end. 

Tandoori Lamb

A 3 kilo whole leg of lamb boned and cut into bite size pieces - reserve bone. Put the lamb pieces into a large bowl add two tablespoons of salt and the juice from one large lemon. Give the whole lot a good mix, cover and then leave for about 20 mins whilst you prepare the marinade.

Marinade

300 mls yoghurt
2 inch ginger peeled and chopped         
3 cloves garlic peeled and chopped       
1 tbsp ground black cumin
1 tbsp ground coriander
1 tbsp paprika
1 tbsp tandoori masala
1 tbsp garam masala
2 tbsp mint sauce in vinegar
3 fresh chilies


Place all the marinade ingredients into a blender, blitz until smooth and mix with the lamb pieces, cover and leave to marinate for 3 to 4 days. Rinse of the excess marinade mixture from the lamb and pat dry with kitchen paper. Toss in mustard oil and paprika. Load on to skewers. Cook in fired up nipoori/ tandoor for 6-8 mins.

This base sauce I find is a great all rounder. It is basically a modified, enhanced and simplified adaption of the KD1 base. I consider that I have differentiated and improved enough from the original to be able to put my own name to this base without fear of being accused of plagiarism.

You can vary the amount of fresh chillies used to suit the strength of your final batch - 1-2 chillies for a Masala or up to 20 for a Madras.  The fresh chillies used at this stage are essential, I find that they impart a certain taste, fragrance and heat that just can not be replicated by the use of powdered cayenne.

Makes enough to make 12 final portions

Coogans Base Sauce

1 kilo sliced onions
50g each finely grated peeled ginger and garlic
3 pints water
1tsp salt
500g tomato passata
8 tbsp oil
1tsp tandoori masala - any good brand
1tsp turmeric
1tsp paprika
2-3 Fresh green Chillies
Stalks from Large bunch of coriander


Simmer the onions in the boiled water for 40 mins. Meanwhile fry garlic and ginger in hot oil until browned, add and bhuna the spices for 20 secs then add the passata and fry on for ten mins.  Add to the onion mix plus the salt, coriander stalks, chillies and cook on for five mins. Then blend, bring back to the boil and simmer for another 20 mins skimming of any scum that accumulates on top.

Coogan 2011

Bon curry

Hello all,

Definitely by far the best hot, sweet and sour dhansak that I have made or tasted from anywhere ? to die for.

Chicken Tikka Dhansak

To make the chicken tikka I used my recipe for 2.5 kilo of chicken marinated, prepared and cooked as listed in tikka and tandoori section. http://www.curry-recipes.co.uk/curry/index.php?topic=5586.0  I used a nipoori oven but any other tandoor or  other apparatus capable of creating the high temperature charcoal cooking environment should suffice.

 For the curry base I used KDs sauce ingredients and method accept for the addition of 1 tsp of tandoori masala, changing the tin toms for passata and by grating and frying the ginger/garlic before adding to the boiled onions - I also fried the spices in the g/g mix.

 
Ingredients
350g red split lentils
350g yellow split peas soaked over night
450g parsnip peeled and quartered
3 onions peeled and quartered
5 cloves of garlic peeled whole
1 inch cube ginger peeled and grated
12 tbsp oil
2 tsp ginger powder
2 tsp turmeric
3 tbsp cumin seeds
1 tbsp black mustard seeds
540g tin pineapple pieces pureed.
2 tbsp tamarind concentrate
1 tbsp ground black pepper.
4 tbsp garam masala freshly made.
100g chopped fresh chillies
Bunch chopped fresh coriander
Salt, sugar

Spice mix
1 tbsp ground coriander
1 tbsp ground cumin
1 tbsp ground paprika
1 tbsp cayenne
1 tbsp chana masala

Method

Cook the red lentils in 3 pints of water with 1tsp each of ground ginger, turmeric and salt for 30 mins boil for ten then simmer skimming of any scum on top - do not drain.  Cook the yellow split peas in 2 pints of water in the same way but drain when done and reserve the stock.

Toss the parsnip, onions and garlic in oil with a little sugar in a baking tray and roast in a hot oven 200c for about 50 mins until nicely caramelized. Then puree the whole lot in a blender with the reserved stock from the yellow split peas.

Heat 12 tablespoons of oil in large pan and when smoking hot add the cumin and black mustard seeds for 10 seconds until popped then add the grated ginger and fry for about 1 min until brown. Then add the combined spice mix ingredients for 30 seconds - I cool the oil with a spoon or two of the curry base to help prevent the spices from burning. Add the rest of the curry base sauce and fry for 10 mins on a high heat.

Add the red lentil mix, yellow split peas, pureed pineapple and the blended parsnip, onion and garlic mix. Keep on high heat until back on the boil and then turn down to a simmer. Add some boiling water if the sauce appears to thick ? I added about a pint and a half. Now add the chillies, concentrated tamarind, fresh coriander, black pepper and the garam masala. Salt to taste and leave to tick over quietly with the lid on for an hour or two ? whilst sorting out the tikka.

Portion up the tikka, pour on the sauce and serve garnished with a lemon, coriander and bay leaf garnish or freeze.

Here's some pics.

Base sauce
Roasted onions, garlic and parsnip
Dhansak sauce
Marinated chicken


   

Bon Dhansak