Keema {dry mince curry}

This is one of my all time favorite dishes, and you get about 8 portions, it improves if heated up for a second time, the roast spices in the curry paste permeate through.

Ingredients

1. 1.5kg mince, extra lean Lamb or Beef mince or 50/50, {do not buy the supermarket stuff it does'nt work with this recipe, a trip to a good family butcher {Cranstons if you live in Penrith area} will be well worth the trouble}, tip, only buy mince that is Crimson and not red in colour.
2. Olive or Sunflower oil to fry mince in, enough to well cover bottom of pan,{Pomace Olive oil is best for indian cooking as it has a neutral flavour, and is healthy}.
3. 1 large onion chopped
4. 1/2 pint yoghurt
5. 2 {400g}cans peeled plum tomatoes{whole not chopped}
6. 2 heaped tbs Goan {if you like it hot} /Tandoori curry paste {if you prefer medium}add more if you like a stronger taste
7. 1 tbs lime pickle {Mr v's is best!}
8. good pinch of salt
9. 250g petit pois or peas

chopped coriander to garnish

Directions.

use a pressure cooker or conventional pan

1. Heat oil until very hot and fry mince until sealed, add onion to pan with curry paste.
2. Add the yoghurt and tomatoes
3. Add salt and lime pickle
4. cook 12 mins in pressure cooker or 1 hour in a conventional pan with a tight fitting lid 5.remove the lid add the peas and cook until the mince briskly stiring well until it is dryish in consistancy, ie most of the juices reduced, this usually take about 5 mins.
5. serve with rice and chopped coriander

Tips

1. you can add fresh Green chillies chopped at the same time you add peas if you like it fiery.
2. Don't break the meat up to much if you like the coarser meaty chunks through the mince.
3. if you want to be really naughty, mix all the ingredients together cold a stick in the slow cooker, come home to the wonderfull smell of what you have created, so simple and it works!

Quick Curry accompniment

Banana and Tamarind relish

Quite simply slice a few bananas add some fresh chopped coriander, bind together with some of Mr Vikkis hot Tamarind chutney, the ultimate curry accompniment that will impress your freinds!

Naughty Indian Pilau Rice

Never mind Delias cheats this is a superb hidden secret, Mr Vikkis rice all done in 12 mins, super fluffy just like you get in the best Indian restaurants! no rinsing, no washing, no steaming just great rice

Ingredients

1. take an teacup or small mug, and measure out 2 scoops of Basmati rice
2. boil the Kettle, place the rice in a microwaveable bowl or cereamic pot
3. pour 3 cups/mugs of boiling water over the rice
4. add seasoning good knob {about a thumb size} of Ghee or butter, and seasoning {optional}, Cassia bark, bay leaf, cloves, tumeric, black or green cardommon, add all or any combination you fancy, if you hav'nt got any don't worry you can get them for next time.spices available from www.spiceworld.uk.com don't buy from supermarlets they are a rip off.
5. cling film over and microwave for 12 mins, take out stir, leave for 5mins with cling film pierced or a tight fitting lid on, do peirce the film or it will suck down and vac seal your rice!!

result perfect rice.

more cheats coming soon

Naughty{Cheats} Cous Cous

Perfect Cous Cous light and fluffy and very easy

4 servings
200g cous cous
2 tbs olive oil
250ml water

Directions

1. place cous cous in a microwavable dish
2. cover with water and leave for 1hr
3. add Olive oil
4. rough the cous cous up with a fork
5. microwave for about 4 mins until hot, a fork before serving

tips

1. add sunblush tomatoes or any combination of the following for flavoured cous cous, sauteed onions,sauteed mushrooms, sliced olives, lemon zest, raisins, sultanans, soaked aproicots or fresh chopped, parsley, coriander, dried Italian herbs, Garlic {cooked or crushed}.
2. you can get trendy by not microwaving the above recipe but add chopped cucumber, mint cherry tomatoes, flat leaf parsley and 1 shredded chilli that's TABOULEH, goes well with Mr Vikkis spiced shoulder of Lamb.

Quick Authentic Indian Curry

sauce for 4 servings..

1. 1lb {500g}onion
2. 1 large can tomatoes
3. 4 table spoons olive oil plus 2 ve g oil
4. chopped fresh coriander
5. 1/2 tea spoon salt
6. Mr Vikkis Tandoori/Goan Curry paste to taste {start with 1 tbsp}
7. 1/4 pnt water
8. 1/2 stock cube {optional}

method..

1. chop onions in a food proc esser, UNTIL... SMOOTH...
2. heat oil until hot add onion...
3. add all the other ingredie nt s, place a tight...
4. lid on and boil then simmer for 1/2 hr...
5. liquidize {HA ND BLENDER IS OK}...

Any excess oil c an be skimmed of at the..
end of coo king...
Two options for step 5

option one

5 just add your.., cooked meat or veg..
and heat through, try cooking your meat..
with a little curry paste and water!!..

option 2

Place 1/2 the cooked sauce in a pressure cooker, add 2 tablespoons natural yogurt, 1lb of meat {chicken, lamb{Halal on the bone is best}, pork or beef} and pressure cook, when ready add the other half of the sauce and serve with rice.
Chicken usually takes about 6mins, Beef 15mins, Lamb and Pork 10mins, follow the instructions for cooking times. Pressure cookers are widely used in India and use less power than conventional cooking methods, the results are quite astounding.
Garnish with chopped coriander..

Morrocan Lamb Tagine {in a pressure cooker}

Don't be put off by the elaborate list of ingredients, Julian Graves stock all the spices {even better buy from an Asian grocer} and they last forever as long as they are stored in airtight jars or bags.
This is a very simple dish and well worth the effort

4 portions

4 Lamb leg steaks diced {ask butcher to do it or buy leg lamb Steaks and DIY}
1 large red onion, grated
2 garlic cloves, crushed
1 oz coriander seeds freshly groung in a coffee grinder
1 Cassia bark or cinnamon stick
1 tbs cumin seeds
1 tbs paprika
1 teaspoon saffron thread
1 teaspoon salt
1 orange and 1 lemon zest {fine grated zest} or 3 slices of Mr Vikkis preserved lemons, only available from Keswick market or any brand preserved lemon
400g toms cut into 1/4s or 1 tin chopped tomatoes
2 tablespoons tomato paste
3/4pnt chicken stock from cube
1 bay leaf
2 tbs flour
A Really good lashing of Olive oil to fry in, I use 1/4 pnt {you can skim of at the end if you don't like to much, but it helps in browning at the beggininig
1/2 jar honey
2 Tsp Mr Vikkis Harissa paste {or any brand Harissa}
3oz pitted prunes

Directions

This is one good reason to go out and buy a pressure cooker

Put Olive oil in the pressure cooker on the stove and raise the heat, when it is nice and hot, stick the lamb in and stir until it starts to brown, add onions keeping the heat up.

Add flour and tom paste brown evenly, then stir in the stock, stir well, then quite simply stir all other ingredients in and pressure cook for 15 mins, fab!!

Serve it in your Tagine if you have one, with a bag of your favorite pre pack salad mix, with chopped mint {optional} or your own salad, and cous cous. see recipe cheat.
Great for a dinner party.

Authentic Pork Vindaloo

The real deal Curry in a hurry.!!!

ingredients for 4 people
500g Diced Pork {Cranstons is the best if you can get it}
2 desertspoonfulls of Mr Vikki's Goan curry paste, or more if you like it crazy hot.
1 400g plum tomatoes
Fresh coriander {optional}
Pinch salt
6 cloves of garlic crushed
Vegi oil
1 carrot peeled and cut in half and chopped in 1/4 inch peices
1 red pepper sliced or frozen sliced peppers
a cold jacket potato {cling film and keep in fridge} again optional

method

1. slit open the packet of pork season with a large pinch of salt and cover with vinegar, put back in fridge and forget about it for 24 hrs, drain well. {this is of course optional but does give the pork a real tender authentic taste}.
2. cover bottom of your pressure cooker with oil about 2mm depth.
3. fry the garlic until toffee colour, then simply add everything else, stir well to break up the tomatoes
4. cook under pressure for 15mins, or 11/2 hrs in a casserole or pan with tight fitting lid
5. add potato {option} at this stage if you wish, peeled and in chunks
6. add chopped coriander and serve, my favourite

serve with Mr Vikkis rice recipe