Rose Elliot’s “Butter Bean and Potato curry”

Those don’t look like butter beans…

The mood at Curryclub HQ this week has been excited… Not only was it a balmy 10 degrees centigrade today, but it was also my birthday, and to celebrate we went to this lovely gastropub last night with my parents – http://www.theoxfordnw5.co.uk – and visited Whitstable today for a fishy lunch at this special restaurant –  www.wheelersoysterbar.com. (The colour scheme reminds me of this venerable curry restaurant in Stoke Newington – www.rasarestaurants.com – so I haven’t completely sold out).

Curryclub moved to Thursday as a result so I wanted to make something easy and cheap, instead something high octane and slow cooking. I plumped for the butter bean and potato curry in Rose Eliott’s New Complete Vegetarian cookbook (a lovely wedding present from two of my bridesmaids)… I tried to like this recipe, I really did, but it just wasn’t hugely special. Mrcurryclub could only find borlotti beans in our local supermarket so perhaps my judgement is a little unfair. Palatable, sure. But delicious? Definitely not.

Onwards and upwards for Curryclub as February beckons; normal service should resume next week.

Marks: 5/10. Healthy and cheap but not at all interestingly spiced. This one had me missing my meat.

Gratuitous snow picture

Camden on mute

It’s snowed heavily all day today – big, thick, dandruffy clumps of the stuff. I love the snow. It forces everyone to slow down – a collective exhalation for the city (with the exception of frazzled commuters). My road, which is usually a cacophany of screaming kids, cars, drunks and lorries, is so quiet that you could hear a mouse fart. Bliss.

Madhur Jaffrey’s “Best ever aubergines”

“Best ever aubergines” in all their glory

I walked several (actually quite enjoyable) miles in the snow to assemble the ingredients for this week’s dish so expectations were high. There was a hankering for a veggie curry at Curryclub towers this weekend as Mr Curryclub made an oxtail stew last night and we were feeling a bit flesh-ed out. To say I had high expectations is an undersatement – I would live ona diet of pure aubergine given the change.

When it came to the crunch, the aubergines were creamy and delicious but greasier than Berlusconi’s hair (implants)… The tangy chickpea and tomato sauce (seasoned with dry Mexican chillis from my friend, Erin) and tart cumin yoghurt  provided nice counterpoints of texture and flavour, and I substitued the fiddly-sounding tamarind chutney for shop-bought brinjal (aubergine) pickle for a lip-smacking sweet finish.

We’re going to Whitstable for my birthday next Sunday (weather permitting) so I’m reschudling curry club next week – watch this space.

Marks: 7/10. Very tasty but we don’t think these are quite as special as the name suggests.

Madhur Jaffrey’s “Chicken with Spinach” (Saag Murgh)

Crispy fried onions

Apologies for the tardy write-up this week – the snow has made me quite soporific! We finally made something from Madhur Jaffrey’s Ultimate Curry Bible last weekend. The recipe was a great success. I pureed the spinach so it went a little brown during cooking but still tasted fresh and healthy. The crispy onions added an extra dimension of richness and the dish was far nicer than a takeaway chicken tikka masala – much less cloying. The final 300ml of water made things a bit sloppy though – I’d halve the amount next time. It would be good to find a way to reduce the quantities of cooking oil (I used vegetable oil instead of corn/peanut, for ease) too.

I’m enjoying my education in spice – I used to pour vats of cumin and coriander into my self-invented dishes but see now that it’s all about delicate combinations, not vast quantities. I didn’t realize until this week that cayenne pepper is different to chilli powder – in fact it’s just one of the many components in a good chilli powder! I’m enjoying working our way through the Madagascan cinnamon sticks we bought on honeymoon last October too – they’re delicious! Our flat it definitely taking on the odour of spice…

I also bought some half price asafoetida this week. Wikipedia tells me that it comes from a type of gum produced by a giant member of the fennel family, and “has a pungent, unpleasant smell when raw, but in cooked dishes, it delivers a smooth flavor, reminiscent of leeks”. Could be interesting.

Marks: 7/10. A tasty, easily-made classic. Will retain some crispy onions to sprinkle on top next time. Mr Curryclub also thinks the spinach should be added a little later on in the cooking process.

Life of Pi

Bioluminescent goodness

On Saturday night curryclub made an outing to Camden to go and see Life of Pi in 3D. We even splashed out on “Premier” seats for the first time ever – la di da. I remember very little of the book sadly, which I read when it was first published. The film made a huge impression, however, and is the first one I’ve ever watched that has lingered in my mind like books tend to do. The 3D visuals are incredible – from thimble-sized hummingbirds flitting out of the screen, to breaching humpack whales, thundering skyscraper-sized waves and a tiger whose every whisker seems to very nearly brush against your face. The section based in beautiful Pondicherry (does anyone know if it is still this lovely?) also features delicious-looking thalis – I think I was born on the wrong continent. Life of Pi ponders the meaning of life, the universe and everything and is rich with religious allegories and references to chew over long after you’ve lef the cinema.

Unbeatable lamb curry

Lamb shoulder ready to rock and roll

Curryclub started on a high today with a delicious lamb curry recipe from Mr Curryclub’s 90-year-old great uncle. He is great company and was the original inspiration for this blog, having founded his own long-running Curry Club at home in Gospel Oak (the other members are his grandchildren and we have both  been lucky enough to attend as guests).

Had a good flick through Mafhur Jaffrey’s Ultimate Curry Bible today for inspiration and we’re feeling excited about the weeks ahead – hopinng Curryclub will turn Sunday evenings into an event in our household, rather than just the start of the inevitable decline into the moroseness of Monday. I’m ashamed to have never made anything from this cookbook, despite being given it for my birthday by my lovely ex-colleagues 2 years ago. I bought 5 pairs of trousers in Uniqlo yesterday – excessive I know, but I can never find ones that fit me – here’s hoping they still fit this time next year.

Marks: 9/10. More side dishes required apparently.

Unbeatable lamb curry

Serves 4

• 175ml olive oil
• onions x 2
• lamb 750g
• chopped tomatoes 300–400g
• garlic cloves x 4
• medium potato x 1
• aubergine x 1
• salt x1 flat dsp
• tumeric x 2tsp
• marsala (TRS Hot Madras Curry Powder) x 4 tsp
• cloves x 4
• cinnamon bark x 3″
• fresh ginger x thumb-sized
• fennel seeds x 2tsp
• fenugreek leaves x 40g (fresh leaves don’t taste as good as dried).

Heat oil. When hot, add one chopped onion and fry until golden. Add cinnamon, cloves, marsala and turmeric. After a minute or so add the diced lamb (rinsed first( and salt). Cook vigorously and stir regularly for approximately 1 hour. Top up with boiling water.

When the cubes of meat can be crushed between thumb and forefinger add the ginger, garlic, tomatoes and the second chopped onion. Cook vigorously for 20 minutes, stirring contstantly.

Heat the fennel seeds (souff) in a pan and when brown and just smoking, grind and add the potatoes, aubergine and fenugreek (mehti) as well. Cook for 20–30 minutes or until the potatoes and bringal are cooked. Serve with chopped coriander leaves. This curry freezes well.