Treat yourself in lockdown with a curry – but try a home-cooked version that’s kind to the waistline

“KEEP korma and curry on” should be the lockdown mantra as a third of the country ordered a curry last week.

But the nation’s favourite take- away isn’t always kind to the waistline, so Dan Toombs, author of the Curry Guy, has been making healthier versions of Indian dishes for 30 years. He said: “It’s more satisfying and nutritious to make them at home.”

Here, Dan shares seven of his favourite recipes.

Andhra chicken curry

(Serves 4)

Prep time: 10 mins, plus marinating time.

Cooking time: 20 mins

YOU NEED:

• 600g chicken breast, cut into bite-sized pieces

For the marinade

• 1 tbsp garlic and ginger paste
• ¼ tsp ground turmeric
• ½ tsp salt
• 2 tbsp lemon juice
• 2 tbsp low-fat Greek yoghurt
• ¾ tbsp Kashmiri chilli powder

For the sauce

• 10 cashew nuts, soaked in water for 30 mins
• 2 tbsp fresh or frozen grated coconut (optional)
• 2 tbsp rapeseed (canola) oil
• 2-3 cloves
• 2 cardamom pods, smashed
• Half a cinnamon stick
• ½ tsp cumin seeds
• 10 fresh or frozen curry leaves
• 3 medium onions, finely chopped
• 1 green chilli, finely chopped
• 2 tsp garlic and ginger paste
• 1 tomato, finely chopped
• 1 tsp Kashmiri chilli powder (more or less, to taste)
• 1 tbsp garam masala
• A handful of mint leaves, finely chopped
• Salt, to taste

METHOD: Place all the marinade ingredients in a large mixing bowl and whisk to combine.

Rub the marinade into the chicken pieces and leave to stand for at least 20 minutes or overnight for best results.

While the chicken is marinating, start working on the sauce.

Blend the cashew nuts and coconut (if using) with a drop of water until you have a smooth paste. Set aside.

Heat the oil in a large frying pan or wok over a medium-high heat until visibly hot.

Add the cloves, cardamom pods, cinnamon stick, cumin seeds and curry leaves.

Allow these ingredients to infuse into the oil for about 30 seconds, then add the onions and green chilli.

Fry for about 5 minutes until the onions are soft, translucent and lightly browned.

Add the garlic and ginger paste and sizzle for about 30 seconds to cook out the rawness, then stir in the tomato and fry over a medium heat for about 3 minutes until the tomato begins to break down in the sauce.

Stir in the chilli powder and garam masala.

Add the marinated chicken and marinade to the pan.

Move it around in the onion mixture to coat, then add just enough water to cover (about 350ml).

Simmer for about 10 minutes until the chicken is cooked through.

To finish, stir in the mint leaves and cashew paste.

Reduce the sauce until you are happy with the consistency and season with salt.

TIP: If you don’t like biting into whole spices like cloves and cardamoms, be sure to count them in and then count them back out before serving.

Mutton Mappas

(Serves 6)

Prep time: 10 mins

Cooking time: 2.5 hours

YOU NEED:

• 3 tbsp rapeseed (canola) oil
• 30 fresh or frozen curry leaves
• 2 red onions, finely chopped
• 2 green chillies, finely chopped
• 5cm piece of ginger, peeled and finely chopped
• 10 garlic cloves, finely chopped
• 2 tomatoes, diced
• 1-2 tbsp Kashmiri chilli powder
• 5 tbsp ground coriander
• 1 tsp ground turmeric
• 1 tsp black pepper
• 1kg stewing mutton or lamb cuts on the bone
• 600ml light coconut milk
• Salt, to taste

METHOD: Heat the oil in a large saucepan over a medium-high heat until visibly hot.

Add about 20 of the curry leaves and infuse them into the oil for about 30 seconds.

Add the onions and fry over a medium heat for about 8 minutes, or until light brown in colour.

Stir in the green chillies, ginger and garlic, then add the tomatoes and the ground spices.

Add the meat and enough water to cover the meat (about 750ml) and simmer for one and a half hours or a little longer the meat is ready when it’s ready, so don’t rush this!

You could add a little more water if needed to cook the meat until tender.

It needs to be super-tender, which takes longer with mutton than it does with lamb.

Stir in the coconut milk and season with salt.

TIP: If you don’t like the idea of picking up the saucy meat on the bone with your hands, you could just use cubed lamb or mutton off the bone.

Goan coconut rice

(Serves 6)
Prep time: 30 mins, plus soaking.

Cooking time: 45 mins

YOU NEED:

• 370g basmati rice
• 2 tbsp coconut oil
• 1 cinnamon stick
• 3 cardamom pods, smashed
• 2 cloves
• 2 x 400ml cans light coconut milk
• Salt, to taste

METHOD: Place the rice in a mixing bowl and cover with water.

Using your hand, swirl the rice around in the water until it becomes milky in colour.

This is the starch that you need to get rid of before cooking.

Carefully pour the water out and refill.

Repeat this process several times until the water runs almost clear.

Leave the rice to soak for 30 minutes, then drain completely.

Melt the coconut oil in a large saucepan that has a tight-fitting lid.

Add the whole spices and temper them in the oil over a medium heat for about 30 seconds.

Tip in the rice and coat it well in the seasoned oil.

Pour in the coconut milk, cover and bring to a boil over a high heat.
When the coconut milk boils, turn off the heat and leave for 40 minutes.

Do not be tempted to lift the lid.

After 40 minutes, lift the lid and gently stir the rice with a fork to separate the grains.

If you do this too vigorously, the rice will turn to mush, so be careful.

Season with salt and serve immediately.

Baked onion bhajis

(Makes 20)

Prep time: 10 mins, plus sitting.

Cooking time: 35-45 mins

YOU NEED:

• 3 large onions (about 600g)
• 1 tsp fine sea salt
• 1 tsp cumin seeds
• 2.5cm piece of ginger, peeled and julienned
• 1⁄4 tsp ground turmeric
• 3⁄4 tsp ground coriander
• 3 tbsp finely chopped coriander (cilantro)
• 2 green bird’s eye chillies, finely chopped
• ¼ tsp Kashmiri chilli powder
• 100g chickpea flour
• 1½ tbsp rapeseed (canola) oil
• Chutney or raita of your choice, to serve

METHOD: Peel and finely slice the onions.

Cut each slice into 3cm pieces.

Place the onions in a bowl and sprinkle with the salt, mixing very well with your hands.

Allow to sit for at least 30 minutes or up to 3 hours.

When ready to form the bhajis, squeeze the onions with your hands to release the water into the bowl.

Add the remaining ingredients up to and including the chilli powder to the bowl and give everything a good stir.

Now sift the chickpea flour over the onion mixture and mix well.

There should be enough water released from the salted onions to form a batter that sticks the onions together like you would expect a bhaji to stick together.

If too dry, you could add a drop of water, but I have never found this to be necessary.

If you add too much water, just sift in a little more flour.

Mix in the oil with your hands so that the onions are evenly coated with the oil.

Preheat the oven to 200C/400F/Gas 6).

Place a sheet of parchment paper on a baking tray (do not use foil as the bhajis will stick to it).

Using a spoon or your hands, make 20 equal-sized onion balls and place them on the parchment paper.

Bake for about 40 minutes, or until nicely browned.

Remember, ovens vary, so check the bhajis from time to time.

Serve with a good chutney and/or raita.

Light tandoori chicken curry

(Serves 6)

Prep time: 10 mins, plus marinating.

Cooking time: 10 mins
YOU NEED:

• 1kg (2lb 4oz) skinless, boneless chicken breasts, cut into bite-sized pieces
• Juice of 2 lemons
• 3 tbsp garlic and ginger paste
• 1 tsp flaky sea salt
• Red food colouring powder (optional)

For the marinade

• 250g fat-free Greek yoghurt
• 1 tbsp ground cumin
• 1 tbsp ground coriander
• 2 tbsp tandoori masala
• 1 tsp amchoor (dried mango powder)
• 1 tsp ground turmeric
• 1 tsp Kashmiri chilli powder
• 1 tbsp green chilli paste or 2 green chillies, finely chopped
• 20g (three-quarters oz) coriander (cilantro), finely chopped
• Salt, to taste

METHOD: Place the chicken in a large mixing bowl and drizzle the lemon juice over the top.
Mix in the garlic and ginger paste, salt and red food colouring (if using).

Allow to stand while you make the marinade.
Place the yoghurt in a large mixing bowl and whisk in the remaining ingredients except the salt until creamy smooth.
Add the chicken pieces and rub the marinade into the flesh.
The chicken needs to marinate for at least 30 minutes, but a few hours or overnight will get you tastier results.
Preheat oven to 200C (400F/Gas 6).
Place the chicken tikka on a rack in the middle of the oven and cook for about 20 minutes, turning once, halfway through cooking.
The chicken is ready when the juices run clear when pricked with a fork.
You can also get that grilled, charred look by placing the cooked chicken under a hot grill for a couple of minutes.

Light lime pickle

(Makes one small jar – easily serves 4)

Prep time: 5 mins plus pickling time

YOU NEED:

• 12 limes or more, if needed
• 4 tbsp salt
• 1 tsp ground turmeric
• Chilli powder, to taste
• 1 tsp ground fenugreek

METHOD: Thoroughly wash and dry the limes.

Cut six of them into very small pieces.

If, like me, you prefer your lime pickles with larger chunks of lime, you could just quarter them.

If using larger pieces, I recommend steaming them for about 15 minutes.

If you’re not sure, I suggest using finely chopped limes the first time you make this as it will appeal to more people and it’s quicker to make.

Place the lime pieces in a clean glass bowl and cut and squeeze the juice from the remaining limes over the top.

The limes should be completely covered in the juice, so if they are not very juicy, you may need to squeeze a few more.

Stir in the remaining ingredients.

For best results, refrigerate the pickle for at least one week before serving.

Butternut squash curry

(Serves 4)

Prep time: 10 mins.

Cooking time: 20 mins
YOU NEED:

• 1½ tbsp rapeseed (canola) oil
• 1 tsp black mustard seeds
• 1 tsp cumin seeds
• 10 fresh or frozen curry leaves
• 1 red onion, finely chopped
• 2 green chillies, finely chopped (more or less, to taste)
• 1½ tbsp garlic and ginger paste
• ½ tsp ground turmeric
• 1 tsp chilli powder (more or less, to taste)
• 1 tsp ground coriander
• 1 medium butternut squash, peeled, seeded and cut into 1.5cm cubes (roughly 700g)
• 400ml low-fat coconut milk
• 200g fresh or frozen peas
• Salt, to taste
• ½ tsp garam masala
• 3 tbsp coriander (cilantro), finely chopped

METHOD: Heat the oil in a large frying pan or wok over a high heat until visibly hot.

Add the mustard seeds and when they begin to crackle (after about 30 seconds), reduce the heat to medium–high and toss in the cumin seeds and curry leaves.

Let these flavours infuse into the oil for about 30 seconds.

Stir in the onion and fry for about 5 minutes until soft and translucent.

Add the green chillies and garlic and ginger paste and stir to combine.

Fry this base masala for about 1 minute, then stir in the ground spices, followed by the squash and fry for about 5 minutes, or until the squash is about half cooked through.

Add the coconut milk and the peas and cover the pan.

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Simmer for about 5 minutes until the squash is soft and the peas are cooked through.

You might need to add a little water, but remember that this is a dry curry, so don’t add too much unless you prefer a soupier curry, which is fine.

Season with salt and garnish with the garam masala and coriander.

• Curry Guy Light, by Dan Toombs, is available now (Quadrille, Hardback & eBook)

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