Jalfrezi Paste Recipes

JALFREZI PASTE

Steps:

• First peel the garlic and ginger.
• Put a frying pan on a medium to high heat and add the spices for toasting to the dry pan. (Cumin, mustard seeds, fenugreek seeds and coriander seeds)
• Lightly toast them for a few minutes until golden brown and smelling delicious, then remove the pan from the heat.
• Add the toasted spices to a pestle and mortar and grind until fine, or put them into a food processor and whizz to a powder.
• Either way, when you've ground them, whizz the toasted spices in a food processor with the rest of the ingredients until you have a smooth paste.

CHICKEN JALFREZI

Steps:

• Heat the oil in a large deep skillet over medium-high heat. Add onions and garlic, and cook for about 2 minutes. Add the chicken, and season with turmeric, chili powder and salt. Fry gently, scraping the bottom of the pan frequently and turning the chicken.
• Pour in the tomatoes with their juice, cover the pan, and simmer over medium heat for 20 minutes. Uncover, and simmer for another 10 minutes to let the excess liquid evaporate.
• Add the ghee, cumin, ground coriander, ginger and cilantro, and simmer for another 5 to 7 minutes. Serve the chicken pieces with sauce spooned over the top.

CHICKEN JALFREZI

Steps:

• Take 2-3 diced chicken breasts and coat in 1 tsp cumin, 1 tsp coriander and 1 tsp turmeric then leave it to marinate in the fridge while you make the sauce.
• To make the sauce, fry ½ roughly chopped large onion, 2 chopped garlic cloves and 1 finely chopped green chilli in a large pan with a little vegetable oil, for around 5 mins, until browned.
• Add 300ml water to the onion mixture and simmer for around 20 minutes.
• Meanwhile, put a 400g can plum tomatoes in a food processor and give it a good whizz (aim for a smooth consistency).
• Heat another large pan and gently fry 1 tbsp coriander, 1 tbsp cumin and 1 tsp turmeric in a splash of oil for about a minute. Add the tomatoes to this pan and simmer for around 10 minutes.
• Next, whizz your onion mixture in the food processor and add it to the spiced tomato sauce. Season generously, stir, then simmer for 20 minutes. You can make large batches of this sauce and freeze it for later use.
• Fry the marinated chicken in vegetable oil and stir continuously. After a few minutes, turn down the heat and add the remaining ½ sliced onion, 1 chopped red pepper and 2 finely chopped red chillies. Stir until the onions and pepper soften.
• Add the sauce you prepared earlier to the cooked chicken and simmer for around 10-20 minutes, adding a splash of water if it gets too thick.
• Just before you dish it up, stir in 2 tsp garam masala and handful of chopped coriander leaves. Serve with basmati rice or naan bread.

VEGETABLE JALFREZI

Steps:

• Heat the oil in a large frying pan. Add the onions and cook over a low heat for about 8-10 mins until soft, stirring them often and adding a splash of water if they start to stick. Add the paste and mix well, then add the squash, cauliflower, stock cube, coriander stalks, passata and 500ml water. Simmer for 20 mins, adding some more water if it gets too thick.
• Add the peppers and chickpeas, and cook for 15-20 mins more, until all the veg is tender. Stir in the yogurt and most of the coriander leaves. Serve scattered with the rest of the coriander and the sliced chilli, with rice and naan bread on the side.

VEGETABLE JALFREZI

Steps:

• TO MAKE THE CURRY PASTE:.
• Firts peel the garlic and ginger.
• Put a Frying pan on a medium to high heat and add the spices for toasting to the dry pan.
• Lightly toast them for a few minutes until golden brown and smelling delicious, then remove the pan from the heat.
• Add the toasted spices to a pestle and mortar and grind until fine, or put them in a food processor and whizz to a powder.
• Either way, when you've ground them whiz the toasted spices in a food processor with the rest of the ingredients until you have a smooth paste.
• TO PREPARE YOUR CURRY:.
• Peel, halve and roughly chop your onion.
• Finely slice the chilli.
• Peel and finely slice the ginger and garlic.
• Pick the coriander leaves and finely chop the stalks.
• Halve, deseed and roughly chop the peppers.
• Break the green leaves off the cauliflower and discard.
• Break the cauliflower into florets and roughly chop the stem.
• Quarter the tomatoes.
• Carefully halve the butternut squash then scoop out the seeds with a spoon and discard.
• Slice the squash into inch size wedges, leaving the peel on but removing any thick skin, then roughly chop into smaller pieces.
• Drain the chickpeas.
• TO COOK YOUR CURRY:.
• Put a large casserole-type pan on a medium to high heat and add a couple of splashes of oil and the butter.
• Add the onions, chilli, ginger, garlic and coriander stalks and cook for 10 minutes, until softened and golden.
• Add the peppers, butternut squash, drained chickpeas and jalfrezi curry paste.
• Stir well to coat everything with the paste.
• Add the cauliflower, the fresh and tinned tomatoes and the vinegar.
• Fill the 2 empty tins with water, pour into the pan and stir again.
• Bring to the boil, then turn the heat down and simmer for 45 minutes with the lid on.
• Check the curry regularly to make sure it's not drying out, and add extra water if necessary.
• When the veg are tender, taste and add salt and pepper - season carefully! - and a squeeze of lemon juice.
• TO SERVE YOUR CURRY:.
• Serve with poppadums or fluffy rice, and with a few spoonfuls of natural yoghurt, a sprinkle of coriander leaves, and a few lemon wedges for squeezing over.