Britain’s love of a good curry is well-known. Whether it’s an anglicised version or a more authentic recipe, people up and down the country are regularly tucking into this popular type of dish. From the 2nd to 8th October 2023, National Curry Week celebrates what has become an integral part of the British dining scene.
To mark the occasion, we asked Minal Patel, chef-owner of the Drighlington-based Indian restaurant Prashad, for one of her favourite curry recipes. The recipient of a Michelin Bib Gourmand, Prashad is a tremendously good value, generous operation that delivers a range of Indian dishes that are big on flavour.
This is what Minal had to say about her recipe:
“Our potato and coconut curry is a wonderfully warming recipe that we serve as part of our masala dosa. It’s a firm favourite with our customers, whether it’s filling the full sized dosa or plated up for the tasting menu, where it’s topped with sambar (a lentil broth), kopru (coconut chutney) and a mini rolled dosa (an Indian pancake made from broken grains). It’s a dry curry, so I recommend enjoying it with a homemade chutney, as well as your favourite Indian breads.”
This recipe, like everything on the Prashad menu, is vegetarian. It’s something that comes very easily to Minal:
“Vegetarianism is common in Gujarat, where I grew up, so I cook the food that I love to eat. Prashad has been vegetarian since the beginning, and there’s a surprising number of vegan dishes on our menu too (around 90% of our menu is vegan or can be made vegan), including our masala dosa.
“I’m a big believer that vegetarian food doesn’t need a faux meat substitute to be brilliant. You just need to put the time and care into getting the most out of your ingredients. Paneer and tofu bring fantastic texture to veggie dishes. Go for in-season vegetables for the freshest, tastiest starting point, then balance the flavour profiles with umami from mushrooms. Vegetables like cauliflower are super versatile and really absorb the flavours you pair them with, so marinade them and give everything time to marry together.
“If you aren’t used to cooking vegetarian food, the best thing you can do is start practising. Experiment in the kitchen and discover what works for you.”
Minal’s potato and coconut curry might be the perfect place to start…
Ingredients
2 medium onions, cut into 1cm cubes4 medium red-skinned (or other waxy) potatoes, cut into 2cm cubes
¼ small fresh coconut, finely grated in long strands
3-5 fresh green chillies, trimmed but not de-seeded
4cm root ginger, peeled and roughly chopped
1 handful fresh coriander, rinsed and finely chopped
10 fresh curry leaves, washed
1 tsp cumin seeds
1 tsp brown mustard seeds
Pinch of turmeric
1 tsp garam masala
¼ tsp asafoetida
1 tsp sugar
100ml sunflower oil
Method
Step 1Crush the chillies and ginger together with a pinch of salt with a pestle and mortar (or in a blender) to make a fine masala paste.
Step 2
Heat the oil in a large pan for a minute over a medium heat before adding the cumin seeds and mustard seeds. When the mustard seeds start to pop, add the asafoetida and reduce to a low heat.
Step 3
Stir in the curry leaves – be careful as they may spit when they touch the hot oil – followed by the onions and potatoes.
Step 4
Cook for a minute uncovered, stirring to coat the vegetables in the oil, then stir in the masala paste and the remaining ingredients, bar the garam masala and fresh coriander.
Step 5
Increase the heat to high and cook for 3-4 minutes, stirring regularly.
Step 6
Reduce the heat to low, cover and cook for 10 minutes or so until the potato is cooked through, still stirring regularly to make sure that nothing is sticking or scorching.
Step 7
Stir in the garam masala and fresh coriander, then remove from the heat. Leave to rest to allow the flavours to infuse.
Step 8
Gently reheat until steaming hot. Serve with sambar (aromatic vegetable and lentil soup), a generous spoonful of kopru (a spiced coconut dip), and top with a mini dosa (a crispy rolled pancake) to recreate Prashad’s deconstructed masala dosa.
Minal’s Top Tips
– When it comes to cooking curry at home, there’s no compromise when it comes to fresh ingredients. All those ready-made jars and pastes might save a minute or two, but they just won’t give you the result you’re looking for. Grab your base ingredients like chilli, garlic and ginger, and blitz them in a blender until smooth to create a fresh masala.– If you’re peeling ginger, use the back of a teaspoon rather than a knife to reduce waste. For garlic, soaking it in warm water for 10-15 minutes first makes it super easy to peel.
– To get the best out of whole spices, like mustard seeds and curry leaves, allow them to simmer in hot oil to release their flavours and aromas. You can check your oil is hot enough by adding a little of the mustard seeds. If the oil starts to bubble and the seeds start to pop, you’re all set.
– Don’t be tempted to try the same with dry, powdered spices. It’s best to add dry spices between the midway and end point of cooking, so you don’t overcook them and lose the flavour. For the likes of garam masala, I like to stir it in when I'm almost done cooking, and then give it some time off the heat for the flavours to infuse.
Hero image: The tasting menu version of Minal’s potato & coconut curry, with sambar and dosa
