winter curry table

Drinks with Spiced Nuts (click here) Mild Vegetable Curry Topped with Cashew Nuts and/or Prawn and Chicken Curry with Jasmine Rice and/or Slow Cooked Lamb Curry with Aubergines ACCOMPANIMENTS Naan Bread and Poppadums Cucumber Raita Beetroot and Yoghurt Sambal Tomato and Spring Onion Sambal Fresh Apple Sambal (click here) Masala Coconut Tipsy Orange Ice Cream with Citrus Segments

Serves 4

2 onions, chopped
2 T (30 ml) canola oil
2-3 t (10-15 ml) Ina Paarman's Masala Spice
2 cloves garlic, finely sliced
2 cups (450 g) cubed butternut, 2cm x 2cm
2 cups (500 ml) boiling water
2 x 25 g Ina Paarman's Liquid Vegetable Stock or 4 t (20 ml) Vegetable Stock Powder
1 x 400 g can lentils, well drained and briefly rinsed in a colander
1 x 400 g can chickpeas, well drained and briefly rinsed in a colander
1 x 200 g Ina Paarman's Creamy Curry Ready to Serve Sauce
1 T (15 ml) canola oil
1 bag (200 g) baby spinach, well washed
2 T (30 ml) Ina Paarman's Coriander Pesto
Ina Paarman's Green Onion Seasoning
fresh coriander to garnish
100 g raw cashew nuts

Sauté the onions in the oil and add the Masala Spice at the beginning of the cooking process. When the onions are soft and glazed, add the garlic and butternut. Stir-fry for 2-3 minutes.
Add liquid or powdered stock to boiling water and add to the vegetables.
Simmer for ± 12 minutes until butternut is soft.

Stir in the drained and rinsed lentils and chickpeas. Add Creamy Curry sauce. In a frying pan, wilt the spinach with the oil. When soft, but still bright green, stir through the Coriander Pesto. Season to taste with Green Onion Seasoning. Gently stir into curry.

Reheat curry if made in advance. Briefly shake the nuts in a non-stick pan to toast them lightly. Serve the curry with the toasted nuts sprinkled on top, with rice and sambals.

Chef's Tip:
The reason for rinsing the chickpeas and lentils is because, often the water in which they are preserved, is very salty.

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Serves 4

500 g tiger prawns in the shells with heads on
Ina Paarman's Fish Spice
¼ cup (60 ml) canola oil
1 t (5 ml) Ina Paarman's Lemon & Black Pepper Seasoning
1 T (15 ml) flour
1 x 400 g chicken mini fillets
1 x 200 ml Ina Paarman's Butter Chicken Sauce
¾ cup (180 ml) coconut milk
4 cloves of garlic, finely sliced and then chopped
¼ cup (60 ml) coriander leaves
grated rind of one lemon

Defrost the prawns in lukewarm tap water. Pull off the heads and slash open along the backs, remove the black vein that runs along the back. Spread each prawn open and secure with a toothpick. Pack prepared prawns out on a platter and season the meaty side with Fish Spice.

Heat the oil in a large wok or frying pan. Swipe the meaty side of the prawns through the oil and lay the prawns down on the sides of the wok. Cook until nicely browned and then turn. Remove the prawns, keep on one side - no need to cover or keep warm.

Shake the chicken mini fillets, in a plastic bag, with a mixture of Lemon & Black Pepper Seasoning and flour.

Cook the strips of chicken in exactly the same way as the prawns. Add the Butter Chicken Sauce and coconut milk (stir coconut milk before measuring, reserve the rest for the rice) to the chicken in the wok, bring to the boil, add the prawns and just heat through.
Mix the garlic, coriander and lemon rind and sprinkle over the dish.
Serve immediately with Jasmine Rice and the sambals of your choice.

Serves 4

Jasmine rice is greatly underrated, it has a lovely delicate aroma which blends perfectly with coconut milk.

1 heaped cup (± 300 ml) jasmine rice
reserved coconut milk and water to make 2 cups
1½ t (7,5 ml) Ina Paarman's Lemon & Black Pepper Seasoning

Place rice in a medium size saucepan, add coconut milk and water mixture. Bring to the boil, cover with a lid. Simmer slowly for 10 minutes. Switch off the heat and leave to stand for 5 minutes. Fork through the seasoning.

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Serves 4

We have used a slow cooker for this recipe, but if you don't have one do it in the oven at 120°C. To save time we have not browned the meat - the beef stock provides flavour and colour. To get maximum flavour we have used a variety of cooking methods e.g. pan browning (onions) and oven roasting (aubergines)

2 onions, chopped
2 T (30 ml) canola oil
4 cloves garlic, finely sliced
1 T (15 ml) Ina Paarman's White Sauce Powder
2 x 25 g Ina Paarman's Liquid Beef Stock
2 cups (500 ml) boiling water
1 kg lamb shanks, cut into 5cm lengths
Ina Paarman's Masala Spice
2 large or 3 medium aubergines, sliced into rounds and quartered
Ina Paarman's Seasoned Sea Salt
4 T (60 ml) canola or olive oil
1 x 200 g Ina Paarman's Tikka Coat & Cook Sauce
squeeze of fresh lemon juice
1 red chilli, sliced

Brown the onions in the oil, add the garlic when just about done. Sprinkle over the White Sauce Powder. Add the Liquid Beef Stock to the boiling water.

Place lamb shanks into slow cooker, season lightly with Masala Spice. Switch slow cooker onto 'high' and add hot stock and browned onions. Stir, cover with lid and when starting to bubble turn down to a low temperature. Cook for 4 hours until meat is completely tender.

In the meantime season the aubergines lightly with Seasoned Sea Salt and drain in a colander for 30 minutes. Position oven rack on middle position and preheat the oven to 200°C.

Spread aubergines out on a large baking tray. Drizzle with ± 4 T of oil. Bake for 35-40 minutes. Keep on one side.

When the meat is tender, add the roasted aubergines and Tikka Coat & Cook Sauce. Taste for seasoning and add a squeeze of lemon.

Turn to high and cook for a final 15 minutes to heat through. Garnish with sliced chilli.
Serve with rice and sambals.

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Serves 42 cups (250 g) cake flour and extra for kneading
1 t (5 ml) instant yeast
Ina Paarman's Masala Spice
2 T (30 ml) butter
2 T (30 ml) Greek yoghurt
1 egg
± ½ cup (125 ml) milk
melted butter for brushing

Sift the flour, dry instant yeast, 1½ t (7.5 ml) Masala Spice together in a biggish mixing bowl. Melt the butter in a large measuring cup in the microwave. Add the yoghurt, egg and milk, Beat together. Make a hollow in the dry ingredients and add liquid. Stir to blend, you will get a soft sticky dough. Sprinkle with a little flour and knead lightly. Cover with cling film and leave to stand at room temperature for at least an hour or in the fridge overnight.

Position oven rack to middle position. Preheat oven to 200°C. Line two large baking trays with baking paper.

Knead the dough on a well-floured surface for 2-3 minutes until smooth. Divide into 6 and roll each into a ball. Roll out into ovals ± 15 cm long.

Brush ovals with water and put wet side down on lined tray. Brush dry side with melted butter and sprinkle with Masala Spice. Leave to rise for 30 minutes.

Bake for 8-12 minutes until puffy and golden.

TO KEEP WARM:
Layer between napkin folds to keep soft and warm and pliable until serving time.

Chef's Tip:
I prefer the taste of yeast in this recipe, but one can use 2 t (10 ml) of baking powder in place of the yeast.

Poppadums

Pan-fry briefly in a little oil as per pack instructions. We used Mayfair brand plain poppadums, sold in 110 g packs.
Best to fry them just before serving. Be careful not to overheat the oil.

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Serves 4

A lovely textured and flavoured cucumber sambal, it makes a change from the usual grated cucumber.

½ cucumber
Ina Paarman's Green Onion Seasoning
1 cup (250 ml) Greek yoghurt
1 T (15 ml) fresh coriander, chopped
1 T (15 ml) fresh mint, chopped
1 green chilli, seeded and finely chopped
1 t (5 ml) cumin seeds
1 t (5 ml) yellow mustard seeds
fresh mint leaves to garnish

Cut the cucumber in half lengthways and then into 1 cm cubes. Season with Green Onion Seasoning.
Place cucumber cubes in a medium size mixing bowl, add yoghurt, coriander, mint and chilli. Stir to mix. Chill, covered, for 30 minutes or longer.

Meanwhile toast the cumin and mustard seeds in a dry non-stick frying pan over medium heat until they become aromatic and start popping, about 1-2 minutes.

Transfer yoghurt mixture into one large or several smaller serving bowls. Sprinkle with toasted seeds. Garnish with fresh mint leaves.

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Serves 4

This sambal was a real hit with my guests. As it stands, the beetroot 'bleeds' into the yoghurt giving the sambal great colour contrasts.

6 cooked baby beetroot
Ina Paarman's Chilli & Garlic Seasoning
½ cup (125 ml) Greek yoghurt
1 t (5 ml) sugar
fresh chives to garnish, snipped

Cut each beetroot into 6-8 wedges and arrange on a serving plate and season with Chilli and Garlic seasoning. Cover and chill, ready for later.

Mix yoghurt with sugar and ½ t (2,5 ml) Chilli & Garlic Seasoning. Blob yoghurt mixture over beetroot and sprinkle with snipped chives.

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Serves 4

A delicious accompaniment. The Lime & Coriander Dressing is a must!

400 g baby tomatoes, cut lengthways into tiny wedges
6 spring onions, cut on the diagonal into 2 cm pieces
1 green or red chilli, seeded and finely sliced
Ina Paarman's Green Onion Seasoning
½ cup (125 ml) Ina Paarman's Low Fat Lime and Coriander Dressing

Place tomato wedges in a medium mixing bowl with sliced spring onions and chilli. Cover and chill before serving. Season and dress with Lime & Coriander Dressing.

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Serves 4

2/3 cup (160 ml) medium desiccated coconut
2 t (10 ml) Ina Paarman's Masala Spice

Rub the Masala Spice into the coconut between the palms of your hands , work on a piece of greaseproof paper. Decant into a smallish bowl and pass at the table for sprinkling over curry.

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Serves 8

This is a stunning palette cleanser after a curry meal. The smooth richness of the ice cream contrasts beautifully with the fresh citrus.

ICE CREAM

1 x 250 g Ina Paarman's Lemon Cheesecake
1 cup (250 ml) water
2 cups (500 ml) fresh cream
Grated rind of one orange
¼ cup (60 ml) orange liqueur e.g. Triple Sec or orange juice

Mix according to package instructions. Add orange rind (zest) and liqueur. Freeze in a loaf tin lined with a double layer of cling film.

Segmenting an orange, grapefruit or lemon:
	Cut the ends from the fruit and position it on a flat surface. Trim off all the peel and white pith using a large chef's knife.
	Work over a bowl to catch the juices. Insert the blade of a paring knife between the membrane and the pulp of each segment and cut towards the centre.
	Flip the cutting edge away from you so that the blade is now parallel to the next membrane. Push out to remove the segment.

CITRUS SEGMENTS

3 oranges
3 pink grapefruit

SYRUP

1 cup (250 ml) orange and grapefruit juice
½ cup (125 ml) sugar
1 tot of orange liqueur (Triple Sec or Van Der Hum)

GARNISH

flaked salt

The fruit can be segmented, covered and chilled. The juice is used in the syrup.

TO MAKE SYRUP

Boil orange and grapefruit juice and sugar for one minute. Chill and add liqueur.

TO SERVE
Place slices of ice cream on serving plates. Top with segments of fruit - spoon syrup over. Sprinkle with a little flaked salt just before serving.

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This month's wine sponsor: Van Loveren

Van Loverenare giving away five bottles of their 2009 Cramond Cabernet / Merlotto this month's lucky winners!

CELLARMASTER’S NOTES:

The 2009 Cramond Cabernet / Merlotis a powerful blend of 60% Cabernet Sauvignon and 40% Merlot. The wine gained elegant Christmas pudding and tobacco notes from 15 months maturation in 100% French Oak barrels. Beautiful aromas of Cigar box, dark chocolate, eucalyptus and mint, together with the smoothness of the Merlot ensure a complex full bodied red.

We suggest the following wine pairing for this month's menu:-

Mild Vegetable Curry Topped with Cashew Nuts - Van Loveren Pinot Grigio 2011
Prawn and Chicken Curry with Jasmine Rice - Van Loveren Chardonnay 2011
Slow Cooked Lamb Curry with Aubergines - Van Loveren Cramond Cabernet/ Merlot 2009
Tipsy Orange Ice Cream with Citrus Segments - Van Loveren Red Muscadel 2010