Week 5: Community MasterChef

Ingredients:

• 1 tbsp vegetable oil
• 1 tbsp butter
• 2 onions, finely chopped
• 1 pinch salt
• 1 tbsp tikka masala paste
• 2 bell peppers, chopped
• 4 chicken breasts, diced
• 1 can chopped tomatoes
• 1 tsp tomato puree
• 200ml water
• 1 tbsp mango chutney
• 100ml double cream
• 100ml natural yogurt
• Optional: coriander leaves

Method

• Cook Onions: Heat oil and butter in a large, lidded casserole on the hob. Add onions and a pinch of salt, cook for 15-20 minutes until soft and golden. 
• Add Spices and Chicken: Add tikka masala paste and peppers, cook for 5 minutes. Add chicken, stir to coat in the paste, and cook for 2 minutes. 
• Simmer: Add chopped tomatoes, tomato puree, and water. Cover and simmer for 15 minutes until chicken is cooked through. 
• Finish Sauce: Remove lid, stir in mango chutney, double cream, and natural yogurt. Gently warm through. 
• Serve: Scatter with coriander leaves and serve with basmati rice. 

Freezing Tips: 

Cool curry quickly, freeze in airtight containers, ensure chicken pieces are well covered with sauce to avoid freezer burn. Keep for up to 3 months. Defrost overnight in the fridge and reheat gently to avoid yogurt splitting. Ensure piping hot before serving. 

Ingredients:

• 1 tbsp oil
• 2 tbsp curry powder
• 1/2 chopped onion
• 1 tbsp flour
• 1/2 pint liquid stock
• 2 chopped tomatoes (or 1/2 can)
• 400g prawns (fresh or frozen, cooked or uncooked)
• Pineapple (fresh or canned)
• Optional: spring onions, coriander

Method:

• Prepare Curry: Heat oil and curry powder over low heat for 2-3 minutes until aromatic.
• Add Onion and Flour: Add chopped onion and flour, stir continuously, gradually adding stock to form a gravy texture.
• Add Tomatoes and Prawns: Add tomatoes and prawns. If using raw prawns, cook until pink (8-10 minutes). If using cooked prawns, reduce cooking time.
• Prepare Pineapple: Cut a pineapple in half, microwave for 5 minutes to soften, then hollow out the inside. Alternatively, use canned pineapple.
• Serve: Pour prawn curry into pineapple shell (if using fresh pineapple). Sprinkle with chopped spring onions and coriander.

Pineapple Rice

Ingredients:

• 1 tbsp oil
• Cooked rice
• Pineapple chunks (from fresh or canned pineapple)

Method:

• Fry Rice: Heat oil in a frying pan, add cooked rice and pineapple chunks, and stir-fry until heated through.
• Serve: Serve the rice alongside the prawn curry.

Ingredients:

• 1 onion, chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 piece of ginger, minced (or dried ginger if fresh unavailable):
• 2-3 stalks of thyme (fresh or dried)
• Dried chillies (optional)
• 1 cup sweet potato, diced (about 1 medium sweet potato)
• 2 carrots, sliced
• 1 cup potatoes, diced (about 1 medium potato)
• 1 cup spinach (fresh or frozen)
• 1 tin of green lentils
• 1 cup coconut cream
• Salt and pepper to taste
• Oil

Method:

• Chop the onion, mince the garlic, and ginger. Dice the sweet potato and potato. Slice the carrots.
• Heat oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the chopped onion, garlic, and ginger, and sauté until fragrant.
• Add the thyme, dried chillies (if using), sweet potato, carrots, and potatoes. Stir well.
• Pour in enough water to cover the ingredients. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and let it simmer for about 30 minutes.
• Add the green lentils (drained and rinsed), spinach, and coconut cream. Stir well.
• Cook for an additional 10-15 minutes, or until the vegetables are tender.
• Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Serve hot, with optional lime wedges on the side.

Ingredients:

Makes 2 burgers (multiply as needed)

• 250 g (8.75 oz) Beef mince
• 1 tablespoon Garlic and ginger fresh or paste
• 1  teaspoon Cumin
• 2 teaspoon Ground coriander
• 2 teaspoon curry powder
• 2 tablespoon Mango chutney
• 1 pinch Sea salt and ground black pepper
• 4 tablespoon Vegetable oil
• Burger buns

Optional extras to serve:

• Lettuce
• Tomato
• Raita
• Mango Chutney

Method:

• In a bowl, combine beef mince, Cumin, Ground coriander, curry powder, Garlic and ginger fresh/paste, 4 g and 1 tablespoon Mango chutney. Season with 1 pinch Sea salt and ground black pepper.
• Using your hands, mix well so that everything is combined.
• Form into two patties. We recommend chilling the patties for at least 30 minutes.
• Heat 2 tablespoon Vegetable oil in a pan over a low to medium heat.
• Fry the burgers for 5-6 minutes each side for medium or 8-9 minutes for well done.
• Build your burgers with Burger buns and option Lettuce, Tomato, Raita, Mango chutney and Caramelised onions (all optional).

Ingredients:

• 450g Chicken thighs
• 2tbsp oil
• 1tsp garlic fresh/paste
• 1tsp curry powder
• 1tsp turmeric
• 1tsp cumin
• 1tsp salt

Serve with:

• Salad
• Naan bread
• Mango chutney

Method:

• Place the chicken thighs into a bowl along with the oil, garlic, curry powder, turmeric, cumin and salt and stir well, then cover and leave to marinade. Over night is great but even an hour will do wonders for the flavour.
• When ready to cook place chicken on skewers.  Placing all thighs on 1 or 2 skewers will keep the moisture in the meat.
• Set you air fryers/ oven to 180 degrees.
• Cook for 35 minutes
• Serve with salad and naan breads.
• If you would like to make the naan breads from scratch please see separate basic naan bread recipe.

Ingredients:

Serves two people (multiple as needed)

• 2 medium potatoes, approx. 400g, peeled and sliced into chips
• ¼ tsp paprika
• ¼ tsp ground coriander
• ¼ tsp ground cumin
• ¼ curry powder
• ¼ tsp turmeric
• oil

• 1tbsp mango chutney

Method:

• Preheat the oven to 200°C.
• Place the potatoes in a pan and cover with boiling water.
• Boil for 4 minutes until the chips are soft but holding their shape.
• Drain the potatoes and place them in a large bowl.
• Coat with oil and add the paprika, ground coriander, ground cumin, curry powder and turmeric.
• Toss them in the bowl to make sure they’re evenly coated.
• Add the chips to a baking tray and spread out evenly.
• Cook in the oven for around 20-25 minutes. Halfway through cooking, flip the chips over so they brown evenly.
• Heat up the left over Chicken Tikka
• Once the chips and tikka topping are cooked, you’re ready to assemble. Split the chips in half and add them to two serving plates. Add half of the tikka topping to each plate.
• Drizzle with mango chutney and serve!

Ingredients:

• 1 teaspoon sugar
• 1/2 cup warm water
• 1/4 oz. (10g) active dry yeast (2 1/4 teaspoons)
• 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup plain yogurt
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 tablespoon oil
• some oil (for greasing the skillet)
• 3 tablespoons melted butter or ghee

Method:

• Activate Yeast. In a small bowl, add the sugar, warm water, and yeast together. Stir to combine well. The yeast should be activated when it becomes foamy, about 10 minutes. Transfer the flour to a flat surface and make a well in the middle.
• Making Naan Dough: add the yeast mixture, yogurt, salt, and oil, and knead the dough until the surface becomes smooth and shiny, about 10 minutes. Cover the dough with a damp cloth and let it rise in a warm place (for example: beside the stove top or warm oven). The dough should double in size in about 1 hour.
• Roll the Naan Bread: divide the dough into 8 equal portions. Roll the dough to an 8” (230g) circle using a rolling pin.
• Cook the naan bread: heat up a frying pan, over high heat and lightly grease the surface with some oil to avoid the dough from sticking to the pan. Place the dough on the pan. When it puffs up and bubbles, and burnt spots appear, flip it over and cook the other side. Repeat the same until all the dough is done.
• Serve and enjoy!

Ingredients: 

• 1 cup rice 

• 1 can kidney beans, drained 

• 1 cup coconut milk 

• 1 cup water 

• 2 cloves garlic, minced 

• 1 tsp thyme 

• 2 spring onions, chopped 

• 1 tsp allspice 

Method: 

• Cook Rice: Combine all ingredients in a pot, bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer until rice is cooked and liquid is absorbed. 

• Serve: Serve alongside the jerk chicken.