Korma curry from scratch.

Are you scared of making curry paste from scratch?

I am too.

Lets hold hands and do it together.

Its nearly valentines day after all. So we can do that.

There are two things I love:

1. Holding hands (I remember distinctly the first time I ever held hands with a boy. I was fourteen. He was sixteen it was bliss.)
2. A good curry. I love a really well made one, but I always get intimidated by all the spices. Its not hard.

Last night I made a curry from scratch and was left thinking "Well that wasn't scary at all," because its not. I hate having to buy all the spices, and I don't have a little grinder. Its not required. It makes it easier, but don't panic if you don't have one.

Cherrys Super Vegetable Korma Curry:

You will need:

• Vegetables. Any you like really. I used potato, pumpkin, and cauliflower, and thats it.
• 4 diced tomatos

Spice mix:

• 1 tsp of cardamon pods
• 1 tsp of cumin seeds
• 1 tsp of black pepper (like the sort you put in your grinder)

Toast these bad boys in a little pan for about two minutes. They will go a little bit brown and smell amazing. Take them out of the pan and grind them up. I just cut them with a knife. This takes much longer, but it works. You could use a food processor.

Add:

• 3 cloves of garlic
• A small piece of ginger (about the size of a twenty cent coin)
• 1 tsp of smoked paprika
• 2 tsp of ground coriander
• 1 tsp of garamasala
• 1tsp of turmeric
• 1 tsp of salt
• 1 tablespoon of minced coriander
• 1 green chilli.
• 2 tsp tomato paste
• 1/4 cup ground almonds (this makes it thick and delicious)

Still with me here? It hasn't got scary yet. So cut up your garlic, ginger and chilli super small. Add it to your toasted spices. Keep cutting it until its like a paste. You want it to be nice and fine.

Lets get started!

• 3 onions diced small.

1. Take out a pot and add some olive oil. On a low heat add your onions. Cook them until they go see through.
2. Add your spice mix and all the dried spices. Stir it on a medium heat for two minutes until is smells good.
3. Add your tomato paste, coriander, and almond meal.
4. Stir it all around.
5. If it starts to stick turn down the heat.
6. Add the tomatoes. This will provide some moisture so it doesn't burn.
7. Add your vegetables. Stir stir stir.
8. Add one cup of vegetable stock.
9. Put the lid on. Let it simmer for about an hour. Check on it from time to time. Its ready when the vegetables are tender.
10. Serve it with rice and flatbread. Maybe add some yoghurt on top.

That wasn't hard was it? And we got to hold hands on the sly. This was my plan all along.