As it’s a couple of weeks until our next outing, here’s another recipe, a Madras I made today for Punk Night at the Dev.

The Madras is a staple on nearly all take-away and restaurant menus, noted for hot and strong flavours.

My recipe is a variation and completely not “traditional” but I don’t care as almost everyone who tries it loves it.

Ingredients
2 onions finely chopped
2cm cube of ginger, grated
2-3 garlic cloves finely chopped
400g chopped tomatoes / passata
300ml water
1tsp garam masala
2-4 red chillies finely chopped (I use Bird’s Eye Chillies for hotter)
2tsp ground cumin
1 tsp ground turmeric
1tsp ground coriander
1-3 tsp hot chilli powder
6-8 curry leaves (like Bay leaves, they’re to give a slightly sour taste, optional really and most people don’t notice if you leave them out)
Half a lemon or lime juice
Salt and pepper to taste
Whatever meat / veg you want to cook (I usually use chickpeas and red lentils but for this post I used sweet potato and lentils)
Handful of fresh coriander leaves to garnish if you’re that way inclined.

Heat some oil, just enough to cook onions in, and cook the onions on a medium heat until they soften (5 or 6 minutes) with pot lid on.

Add chillies, garlic and ginger and cook for 2 or 3 more minutes.

Add water, tomatoes / passata.

Add meat / veg ingredient with salt + pepper, lemon / lime juice and all spices and curry leaves except the garam masala.

This many lentils, as with the vindaloo…

Bring back to the boil and reduce to simmer for 30 mins with lid on, stir occasionally, cos I use lentils, got to make sure it doesn’t get too dry and start to burn as the lentils soak up all the liquids!
Stir in garam masala and leave uncovered to simmer for another 10 mins.
Important not to let it dry out too much and start to burn, add little water when needed.
Curry leaves are like bay leaves – throw them away when cooked