Cooking - Really fast North Indian meal (Image Heavy)

[Autumn]

Wanna impress someone with a nice meal but don't have much money or fancy cooking utensils and don't want to have loads of washing up to do afterwards?

Not a problem.

This dish is VERY loosely based on a lababda variation I've come across. This is my student-budget safe version.

Urk?! Curry powder!

Don't worry, you'll find in India, meals aren't really hot/spicy monstrosities. The amount I use of (medium) pre-mixed curry powder from my local supermarket doesn't add heat, just a tang of flavour.

You'll need some REALLY CHEAP basics:

• Onion (as much as you'd like)
  
• Garlic (one clove)
  
• Mushrooms (optional and howevermuchyoulike)
  
• 1 tin of chopped tomatoes (or carton)
  
• Coriander, ground (about a handful)
  
• Curry powder (whatever strength you like, will NOT make the dish 'hot')
  
• Quorn/Paneer/Tofu/Chicken/whateveryoulike (something to bulk it out)
  

Most Indian meals start with a whole bunch of onion. Chop a load up and finely chop a clove of garlic.

Fry the onion and garlic in a pan till the onion is softened (before they start to go brown, so not very long).

I'm using Quorn. So I'll bung that in. I don't eat meat, but if you're using chicken or other meat, you may need to cook/fry it before the onion.

Add about this much ground coriander and stir it in.

Dump the WHOLE can/carton of chopped tomato in!

I've added a little pepper here. DO NOT add salt (trust me).

Add the Curry power. You can be generous here. It takes ALOT to make something spicy/hot.

Mix well.

Add mushrooms (or whatever you have laying around. fresh/frozen sweetcorn, green peper, anything really).

Note the consistency. This isn't a westernised Indian meal (chunks floating in gravy) the amount of sauce is more akin to the ammount you'd add to pasta. If you find there's not enough Tomato juice to reach this consistency, add a little water.

Let it cook for a couple of mins.

Serve with Rice (I just use the 2min microwave rice packets normally). I use plain but you can use other types/flavours if you want.

Or go authentic and serve with Roties/Chapatis. (not Naam, wrong region).

There, a meal you can tell your loved ones/friends that cooked,

hand-on-heart, yourself from scratch without relying on a jar of pre-made slop/sauce!

[Volt]

Darn, I must admit, I hate onion, but after seeing this, I might just try it sooner or later.

You can be sure I'll provide feedback.

Why did I have to read it when I started feeling hunger...

[Autumn]

Darn, I must admit, I hate onion, but after seeing this, I might just try it sooner or later.

You can be sure I'll provide feedback.

Why did I have to read it when I started feeling hunger...

Take photos if you do!

I'd like to see other people's.

[Volt]

Command acknowledged.

But I predict the recipe will differ slightly. I'll experiment a bit and will see what I'll gain/achieve as a result