MWM Curry – sides and asides

It's confession time – I don't “cook” rice - at least not when I'm in a hurry. I do have an absolute foolproof pilau rice recipe which I will definitely share at a later date but, in the interest of speed, frozen rice is another compulsory staple for your freezer.

You can make it special. I love rice with sultanas and flaked almonds. Soak 110g (4oz) of sultanas in apple juice overnight – they become plump and juicy. Toast 110g (4oz) of flaked almonds.

Depending on the appetites, work on the basis of 180g of rice per person. Whilst your rice is “cooking” in the microwave, heat 1tbsp of vegetable oil in a large wok, add a finely diced onion – a sweet variety is great – add the cooked rice and toss together. Drain the sultanas and add, along with the almonds. My final tweak is to add marrowfat peas – drain a can, rinse, pat dry and add to the rice. You've got colour and texture too. As a guide a small can gives you 180g drained weight. If you're not a lover of marrowfat peas try petit pois or red kidney beans. Serve immediately with your curry.

I said in “MWM Curry – there's more” you don't have to use chicken. Try the “kofta canapés” recipe and add the tiny meatballs to the curry sauce.

If you've not seen what the koftas look like, check out “Canapés, meatballs and burgers” for photos.

“The kit to go with the koftas” will give you an onion salad.

By the way – it's definitely worthwhile making your own raita – check out this photo and the cost!

Look after the pennies ...

MWM Curry - there's more

For your next magic trick – how to pull a rabbit out of a hat, at the drop of a hat!

You can serve the curry on the day you make it.

You can set it aside in a cool place, in the frying pan (covered of course) overnight or long enough for it to cool and, more to the point, to let all those aromats do their thing.

You can “box” the curry into portions to suit and freeze it.

When I made the dish I had half the amount of the chicken fillet but I made the sauce as the recipe states. I separated the chicken and added half the sauce and froze the remaining half to use at a later time. Thank you freezer – again.

You don't have to use chicken. You could use fish or prawns.

You could just make the curry sauce and freeze it – preferably in amounts that will suit you. Don't forget the curry flavours will continue to develop whilst frozen.

That's how you are able to produce a curry, unflustered, at a moments notice, when friends drop by and you invite them to stay for supper – hey presto.

A great recipe for your “back pocket”.

Hope you're not feeling so gloomy!

Post holiday blues …

… feeling gloomy after all the festivities – time for some simple stuff I think!

Indian cuisine is fantastic – each region specialising in its own style – for me the vegetarian food is definitely up there in my top five.

I'll stop waffling – here's my New Year gift to you – basically a creamy chicken curry :

I first came across a version of this recipe years ago by Madhur Jaffrey, here's mine :

Malai wali murghi

(aka MWM)

1.35kg/3lb chicken fillet, diced

*1½ tsp salt

*2 tsps cumin

*2 tsps coriander

*½ tsp turmeric

*½ tsp cayenne pepper

ground black pepper

6/7 garlic cloves or equivalent paste

2.5cm piece of fresh ginger, peeled

and chopped finely or equivalent paste

300ml water

6 tbsp vegetable oil

110g onion, chopped finely

175g passata

1 tsp garam masala

200ml double cream (heavy USA)

If you are using raw garlic and ginger then blitz them in a blender, add a drop or two of the water and blend until smooth. Alternatively mix both the garlic and ginger pastes together.

Mix the spices marked * above.

Using a large frying pan add the vegetable oil and heat. Seal the diced chicken on both sides and set aside.

Fry the onion for 2/3 minutes and add black pepper. Add the garlic and ginger paste then the spices and fry for 2/3 minutes. Mix the passata with the remaining water and add to the mixture. Add the sealed chicken fillet, bring to the boil and simmer gently for 30 minutes.

To complete the dish add the garam masala and the double cream and mix.

There's more ...

The proof of the pudding …

… is in the photos.

Looks ordinary

Looks much better with the sauce

Looks overcooked

I promise you it isn't. It has a crusty top exactly like a brownie and you can see the sauce around the edges.

You can see the glistening pudding – this has been frozen, defrosted and is reading to warm and to add more sauce if you like – your choice!

6 down 3 to go … what to look out for

As has been my routine with previous recipes from this wonderful “Little Book” here's a few hints and tips.

I used unsalted butter and semi-skimmed milk. My sugar was ordinary caster sugar – my brown sugar was the soft dark variety and I used vanilla bean paste.

In a perfect world you'd make this and serve it immediately – it's my preference to be able to prep a pudding ahead but the downside here is that the sauce is absorbed more than one would want. It's the gooey consistency that's crucial.

Here are my suggestions on both counts.

I made the dessert ahead and froze it – the result was good but you might want to add more “goo”.

Defrost the pudding and then warm in a pre-heated oven 180fan/200c/Gas 6 for 15 minutes.

Make an additional quantity of the sauce – it only takes minutes and then divide it equally between the foil containers – you've created a triple chocolate pudding.

Try single cream instead of vanilla ice cream.

The recipe states it serves 6-8 – I'd be inclined to say 4-6 but of course it depends on how greedy your chocoholics are.

I always think that if you're going to indulge you should make a good job of it!

Remember the book … 6 down 3 to go!

Just when you thought I'd forgotten all about it.

This next extract from The Little Book of Chocolat by Joanne Harris and Fran Warde is definitely in the top ten for chocoholics, so, without further adieu :

Marianne's Chocolate Pudding

This rich, double chocolate pudding is named after my editor, a true chocoholic, who can always be relied upon to choose the most indulgent chocolate desserts (while I tend to opt for the cheese board!).

Takes 1 hour/ serves 6-8

butter for greasing dish

75g unrefined caster sugar

40g butter, soft

1 egg

40g cocoa powder

150g self raising flour

120ml milk

Sauce

180 unrefined soft brown sugar

200ml water

40g cocoa powder

1 tsp vanilla extract

Heat oven to 160fan/180c/Gas 4. Rub the inside of a 1 litre ovenproof dish with a little butter.

In a bowl, place the sugar, butter and egg and whisk until blended. Add the cocoa powder and flour along with a little milk and blend until smooth. Add the remaining milk and mix in, then transfer to the buttered baking dish.

To make the sauce, place the sugar, water and cocoa in a small saucepan. Heat gently and mix until dissolved. Add the vanilla extract, pour over the top of the cake mixture, place in the middle of the oven and cook for 30 minutes. Serve with vanilla ice cream.

Hold that thought!

The muddle photos

I know I'm always saying your freezer is your best friend – hopefully the following photos will back me up!

Stating the obvious, the pudding, the ice cream and the rocky road all came out of the freezer.

I love these pots, just the right size for this type of dessert.

You must have heard the expression “the proof of the pudding is in the eating”? Literal meaning, that you can only judge the quality of something after you have tried, used or experienced it.

I think you'll like this “store cupboard” pudding!