National Curry Week: How to Make a Dish Without Store-Bought Mixes.

National Curry Week

According to The Sun: National Curry Week has begun, and it's a great opportunity to make a delicious meal at home tonight.

Avoid ready-made sauces and spice blends, and let your culinary imagination run wild with these simple tips.

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Making the Spices

Mix it all: You don't need a whole cupboard of spices to make tasty curry.

A great basic mix can be made with two parts ground cumin, two parts ground coriander, and one part turmeric.

Instead of store-bought spices, visit a market where you can often find products in larger packages at lower prices.

Toast the spice mix in a dry pan for 30 seconds before adding onions and meat to release their aroma. This is much tastier than ready-made mixes and doesn't require large expenses.

Make Your Pastes

Pasta idea: Forget about store-bought curry paste.

Make your own by blending chopped onions, two cloves of garlic, a thumb-sized piece of peeled ginger, and a tablespoon of tomato puree.

Sauté this mixture over low heat until golden brown, then add your spices as mentioned earlier. It's fresher, tastier, and contains no preservatives.

For fans of spicy curry, consider adding fresh or dried chilies, but be careful as cooking can intensify the heat.

Making Marinade

Make your marinade: Instead of ready-made tikka marinades, mix 150g of natural yogurt with one tablespoon of your homemade spice blend, lemon juice, and a pinch of salt.

Add raw chicken, beef, or cauliflower if you choose a vegetable curry.

Leave the mixture in the fridge for about two hours for all the flavors to meld.

Bake the marinated meat in the oven and serve with rice and lemon for a truly 'fake' dinner.

Add Flavor

Add flavor: Brighten up any curry by using a simple garnish.

Quickly toast a handful of desiccated coconut or almond flakes in a dry pan until golden and sprinkle over the finished dish — this will add stunning texture and aroma that can't be achieved from a packet.

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