Autumn Curry Recipes
National Curry Week runs from 7th to 13th October, and there’s no better way to celebrate than with a cosy, flavourful curry on a chilly autumn evening.
To help you enjoy this tasty occasion, we've put together a collection of our favourite curry recipes for you to try at home.
Not in the mood to cook? Why not visit one of our hotels with Indian restaurants and let them serve up some delicious curries for you instead?
PODS By Clay Oven at Denham Grove, Uxbridge, Greater London
The Park Grill at Park Hall Hotel & Spa, Wolverhampton
The Clove Canal View at Warbrook House Heritage Hotel, Eversley, Hampshire
Cauliflower, Paneer & Pea Curry
Serves 4
INGREDIENTS
2 tbsp sunflower oil
225g pack paneer, cut into cubes
1 head of cauliflower broken into small florets
2 onions, thickly sliced
2 garlic cloves, crushed
2 heaped tbsp tikka masala paste
500g carton passata
200g frozen peas
small pack of coriander, roughly chopped
basmati rice or naan breads, to serve
raita or your favourite chutney, to serve
METHOD
Heat 1 tbsp of oil in a large non-stick frying pan, add the paneer and fry gently until crisp. Remove with a slotted spoon and set aside. Add the remaining oil and the cauliflower to the pan, and cook for 10 mins until browned. Add the onions, and a little more oil if needed, and cook for a further 5 mins until softened. Stir in the garlic and curry paste, then pour in the passata and 250ml water, and season. Bring to a simmer, then cover and cook for 18-20 mins or until the cauliflower is just tender.
Add the frozen peas and crispy paneer to the pan and cook for a further 5 mins. Stir through most of the coriander and garnish with the rest. Serve with basmati rice or naan bread, raita or your favourite chutney.
Sweet Potato & Peanut Curry
Serves 4
INGREDIENTS
1 tbsp coconut oil
1 onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves, grated
thumb-sized piece ginger, grated
3 tbsp Thai red curry paste (check the label to make sure it’s vegetarian/ vegan)
1 tbsp smooth peanut butter
500g sweet potato, peeled and cut into chunks
400ml can coconut milk
200g bag spinach
1 lime, juiced
cooked rice, to serve (optional)
dry roasted peanuts, to serve (optional)
METHOD
Put 50g butter, 100g milk or dark chocolate, broken into chunks and 3 tbsp golden syrup in a saucepan or microwavable bowl. Put 100g cornflakes in another large bowl.
Melt the butter, chocolate and golden syrup in the saucepan over a low heat or briefly in the microwave. Allow to cool a little before pouring over the cornflakes.
Stir the ingredients together gently using a wooden spoon. Spoon the mixture into 12 cupcake cases arranged on a muffin tray (or baking sheet, if you don’t have one). Put in the fridge to set.
Katsu Curry
Serves 4
4 tbsp rapeseed oil or vegetable oil
2 x 200g pouches cooked rice (we used brown basmati)
½ large cucumber, peeled into ribbons
handful mint leaves or coriander leaves, or both
lime wedges, to serve
1 tbsp rapeseed oil or vegetable oil
2 onions, chopped
2 large carrots, chopped, plus 1 peeled into ribbons
2 garlic cloves, crushed
thumb-sized piece ginger, peeled and grated or finely chopped
1 tbsp curry powder, mild or medium depending on your spice tolerance
½ tsp ground turmeric
400ml can coconut milk
2 tsp maple syrup (or use honey if not cooking for vegans)
8 chicken mini fillets, or a 280-300g block firm tofu, or half and half
200g breadcrumbs (gluten-free if necessary)
METHOD
First, make the curry sauce. Heat 1 tbsp oil in a pan, cook the onions and chopped carrots until the onions are soft and starting to caramelise, about 8 mins. Add the garlic and ginger and sizzle for another 30 secs, then stir in the curry powder and turmeric. Once the spices are warmed through, add the coconut milk, maple syrup or honey and 100ml water. Season well, cover and simmer over a low heat for 20 mins.
Now make the katsu. In a wide bowl, mix the cornflour with 4 tbsp water and some seasoning. Dip the chicken or tofu into the flour mixture (if cooking for both vegans and meat eaters, make sure you dip the tofu first to avoid mixing it with meat). Place the breadcrumbs in another bowl and dip the chicken or tofu in it, turning until well coated.
When the onions and carrots in the curry sauce are soft, blitz using a hand or table-top blender. If the sauce is too thick, add a little more water, check the seasoning, adding more salt, maple syrup or some lime juice, if you like. Keep warm.
Heat the oil in a frying pan and cook the chicken or tofu for 4-5 mins on each side until golden and cooked through. Warm the rice and divide between bowls. Top with the curry sauce, katsu chicken or tofu, and serve with the cucumber, carrot ribbons, herbs and lime wedges.
Beef Massaman Curry
Serves 4
85g unsalted peanuts
400ml can coconut milk
4 tbsp massaman curry paste
600g stewing beef steak, cut into large chunks
450g waxy potatoes, cut into 2.5cm chunks
1 onion, cut into thin wedges
4 kaffir lime leaves (available from Thai shops or dried from supermarkets)
1 cinnamon stick
1 tbsp tamarind paste
1 tbsp palm or soft light brown sugar
1 tbsp fish sauce
1 red chilli, deseeded and finely sliced, to serve
jasmine rice, to serve
METHOD
Heat oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6, then roast the peanuts on a baking tray for 5 mins until golden brown. When cool enough to handle, roughly chop. Reduce oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4.
Heat 2 tbsp coconut milk (use the cream on top if there is any) in a large casserole dish with a lid. Add the curry paste and fry for 1 min, then stir in the beef and fry until well coated and sealed.
Stir in the rest of the coconut with half a can of water, the potatoes, onion, lime leaves, cinnamon, tamarind, sugar, fish sauce and most of the peanuts. Bring to a simmer, then cover and cook for 2 hrs in the oven until the beef is tender.
Sprinkle with sliced chilli and the remaining peanuts, then serve straight from the dish with jasmine rice.