Root Vegetable and Lentil Curry (V)

So I am in this expert patient programme and one of the task I set myself was to cook healthier this week. So here it is a curry with I don't know how many of my fruit and vegetables for the day.

Serves 4

Vegetable Oil
600g Sweet Potato, peeled and cut into chunks
3 Parsnips, peeled and sliced
3 Carrots, peeled and sliced
750ml Vegetable Stock
1 Onion, finely sliced
2 Garlic Cloves, crushed
250 g Low Fat Yoghurt
1 tsp Ginger
1 tsp Turmeric
1 tsp Ground Coriander
1 tbsp Curry Powder (strength- Personal preference)
Naan Bread
150g Red Lentils
Fresh Coriander

1. Fry the onion and garlic in the oil until softened. Add the carrots, parsnips and sweet potato to the pan and fry for about 10 minutes.

2. Add the curry powder, turmeric, ground coriander and ginger to the pan and stir in. Continuously stir over the heat for about 2 minutes. Add the stock and lentils to the pan and bring to the boil. Reduce the heat. Cover and leave to simmer for 20 minutes. The sauce should reduce and thicken and the vegetables should be tender.

3. Add the yoghurt to the pan and heat through for about 5 minutes. Stir in the coriander and serve with the naan bread.

Kedgeree

An indian dish with lots of interesting thing in it. Tweaked the original recipe a bit but tastes fantastic.

Serves 4

600g Smoked Haddock

50g Butter

1 onion, finely diced

1 cup of Frozen Peas

1 tsp Cumin

1 tsp Ground Coriander

2 tsp Curry Powder (Medium or Hot)

2 Green Chillies, finely sliced

1 cup of Basmati Rice

700ml Fish/Vegetable Stock

1 Cinnamon Stick

100ml Double Cream

3 Hard Boiled Eggs, cut into wedges

2 tbsp Fresh Parsley

2 tbsp Flat Leaf Coriander 

1. Poach the haddock in a shallow frying pan, skin facing up, cover with boiling water and simmer fot about 10 minutes.

2. Drain the fish and pat dry the fish with paper towels. Remove the skin and flake the fish into bite size chunks and put aside.

3. Heat the butter in a large pan and add the onion. Fry until golden then add the curry powder, cumin, ground coriander and chilli. Stir for about a minute.

4. Add the rice and stir well. Add the stock to the pan with the cinnamon stick.  Cover and simmer for about 10-15 minutes.

5. Remove the cinnamon stick from the pan and stir in the haddock, egg and herbs to the pan. Season and serve.

Fruity Chicken Curry

I do love a good curry and making it yourself makes it taste all the nicer. This one is fairly simple and has a mild heat but if you want it hotter just use a spicier curry powder and adding some chopped red chillies to the recipe.

Serves: 2

1 Red Onion
2 Chicken Breast, chopped into chunks (1 Chicken Breast per person)
1/2 a mug of Dried Apricots, chopped
150ml Double Cream
500 ml Chicken Stock
1/2 a mug of Sultanas
1/2 a mug of Flaked Almonds
1/2 tbsp Curry Powder
1 tsp Cumin
1 tsp Turmeric
Salt and Pepper

1. Heat a small amount of oil in a frying pan. Fry the red onions for a couple of minutes.

     2.  Add the chicken and fry until you cant pink. Then add the cumin, turmeric and curry powder to the pan and make sure it covers the chicken.

    3.  Add the chicken stock to part boil the chicken. Once the liquid begins to boil reduce the heat so that it simmers.

    4.  Add the sultanas, almonds and apricots. Once the liquid has reduced, add the cream. 

    5. Taste and season if needed. Serve.

Serving Suggestions: Rice and/or Naan bread