Cooking Corner: Klatchian Curry

by Dobbin

The exact recipe of Klatchian curry seems to be lost in the mists of time. Arguments abound about what 'real curry' should or shouldn't have in it, ranging from sultanas to turnips and including beetroots and pine cones. Death is said to be partial to a good curry now and then, and the Klatchian style is tastier than the Ankh-Morporkian recipe.

My recipe uses chicken as the meat, however feel free to substitute fish, prawns, beef, pork, lamb or whatever. You could even skip the meat and use cauliflower florets. There is a recipe for a dish called 'Klatchian curry' in Nanny Ogg's cookbook, but mine is different.

Serves 4

Ingredients:

4 chicken breasts, chopped into cubes of about 1 inch (2.5 cm)

6 tablespoons of tandoori paste

2 onions, finely chopped

2 cloves of garlic finely chopped (cloves and not bulbs!)

a dash of olive oil

3 tablespoons of natural yoghurt

2 teaspoons of garam masala powder

2 teaspoons of curry powder

1 stick of cinnamon

8 cardamom seeds

4 teaspoons of grated freshly peeled ginger

2 teaspoons of ground cumin

2 teaspoons of ground coriander

2 teaspoons of turmeric

juice of 1 lemon

1 tin of peeled chopped tomatoes (use a 400g / 14oz tin)

1 chicken stock cube.

Method

1. Marinate the chicken in the tandoori paste and yoghurt for a minimum of 12 hours. Stir from time to time and keep in a fridge.

2. Heat the oil in a big wok or frying pan, cook off the onions for 5 mins. Add the cinnamon and cardamom. Cook for 3 mins. Add the ginger, garlic, cumin, coriander, turmeric, cayenne pepper and cook for 1 minute.

3. Add the marinated chicken. Cook for 5 mins and add the tomatoes and the stock cube, the garam masala and the lemon juice. Simmer for 20 minutes. Take out the cinnamon stick at the end of the cooking.

Serve with basmati rice or a plain naan bread and a green salad.

This dish is even better the next day heated up. Serve with a Rose wine.

For extra heat add more cayenne pepper. Those of you attached to your taste buds may think twice though.

Next month 'Dibbler's meat pies'.