From Rake To Bake – Cheats Curry for One

Welcome to Baking Blog. Each month will feature an in-season fruit or vegetable dish to make with a little bit of grow-your-own information on the side.

June is perfect for making Cheats Curry for One

With crops sown in late winter now bursting in the allotment, greenhouse or garden, this month, I thought I’d take advantage of some of ingredients available right on our doorstep, along with a way to use up any of last year’s sauces you may have hidden in the freezer.

The list of ingredients used was enough to make just a meal for me as my partner doesn’t like aubergines. Just double/triple etc, the quantities to make extra portions and use up a glut of crops.

Note – I have not used Salt in the list of ingredients as I do not cook with it, however you may wish to use it, therefore just season to taste. You may also add chilli flakes.

Defrost Time 12 Hours. Prep Time 10 minutes. Cooking Time 30 Minutes.

Skills Level Treat as Tender*

Utensils.

• Chopping Board.
• Potato Peeler.
• Vegetable Knife.
• Small saucepan
• Large Saucepan with lid.
• Colander.
• Spatula
• WoodenSpoon.
• Garlic Press/Heavy Handled Knife.

Ingredients.

• 1 Small bowl of defrosted homemade sauce containing onion, red pepper, garlic, red and yellow tomatoes and herbs and spices.
• 1 Small potato.
• 1 Snack sized Sweet Pepper of any colour.
• 1 Small Onion
• 1 Clove of Garlic.
• 1/4 of an Aubergine.
• 3 Dried Apricots
• Handful of Raisins.
• Tablespoon of Olive Oil.
• Garam Masala.
• Curry Powder.
• Black Pepper.

Method.

1.  Defrost the homemade sauce the night before.
2.  Peel the potato, cut into bite size chunks and par-boil in the small saucepan.
3.  While the potato is boiling, de-seed and slice the sweet peppers. Wash and slice 1/4 of the aubergine into identical shaped cubes.
4.  Chop the dried apricots into quarters. Slice and dice the onion and press the garlic. If you don’t have a press just bash the handle of a heavy knife onto the garlic on a chopping board.
5.  Drain the potatoes and leave in a colander.
6.  In the large saucepan, on a low heat mix curry powder, garam masala and black pepper with the olive oil, and allow the spices to infuse.
7.  Add the garlic and onion and fry until translucent. Next add the aubergines. The aubergines will soak up the oil, but don’t add any more, just turn down the heat and keep moving the pieces around with the spatula/wooden spoon.
8.  Add the sweet pepper and fry for about two minutes. Next pour over your sauce, stir well, cover with the lid and heat for ten minutes.
9.  Add the cooked potato, apricots and raisins. Taste and add more spices if needed.
10.  Replace the lid and heat on low for a further ten minutes. If your sauce is getting too thick you can either add some vegetable stock or a splash of boiling water.
11.  When you have the desired consistency and taste, serve immediately.

 

Go traditional and eat with rice and naan bread.

Go British and serve with chips.

Go Lazy and just eat with brown bread and butter.

 

Grow Your Own.

Home-Grown food is on the increase – with more and more people waiting for allotments, but you don’t need a huge area to grow tasty crops. There are many websites, bloggers, books and magazines showing how even the smallest space is capable of producing an abundance of fruit and veg.

Make windowsill propagators out of fruit punnets to grow salad leaves.

Use an un-lidded dustbin to grow potatoes.

The only limit is your imagination!

*Easy Peasy – Basic techniques/Suitable for Children with adult supervision/help.

**Treat as Tender – Intermediate Skills required/Children may need more help with this.

***Seasoned Kitchen Gardener – Confident Baker/Children might not be suited to this.