#11 - Almond Curry, Sausage and Bean Paprikash + my favourite dim sim spots
Some healthy-ish January recipes to soothe you
Welcome back to another newsletter from me! A massive thank you to you for your continued support of my work. I hope you enjoy this fortnight’s instalment.
Before we get into the recipes, I am thrilled to say that my first supper club of the year will be happening on 14th February at one of my favourite shops, Mother Superior in Nunhead. It’s the Palentines edition, because Valentines can be a bit mean and exclusive, and really I want you to bring anyone you love to dinner. You can find all the details and purchase tickets here. I can’t wait to feed you!
The Recipes
Eating healthy dinners does NOT mean compromising on flavour in my house, no siree. All the usual comforting suspects still feature on my table in healthier times, but I just make an effort to load them up with veg, protein and healthy fats. I’m not a nutritionist, so it’s an imprecise art. No macros are being measured or calories counted, but in my books, if you just make an effort to eat more of the good stuff, you are probably going to end up feeling better for it.
So, here are two/three healthy-ish dinners that hit the comfort food spot we all so need at this time of year, but also contain lots of goodness to fuel you.
Almond Chicken/Cauliflower Curry
A bit like a korma, which we all know is actually a fabulous curry, despite the haters insisting on it being basic. There is absolutely a time and place for a mild curry, and that time and place is a cold day in January, on the sofa. I’ve done a meaty and a veggie version here, so you can cook whichever floats your boat more.
Both versions serve 4
For the sauce:
1 onion
3 cardamom pods
4 cloves garlic
1 tsp tomato purée
1 ½ tsp coriander
1 ½ tsp cumin
½ tsp mild chilli powder
½ tsp turmeric
3 tbsp almond butter
150ml thick full fat yoghurt, plus more to serve
lots of fresh nutmeg
100g whole leaf kale
salt, pepper, sugar and vegetable oil
Peel and finely slice your onion. Heat a sauté pan over a medium heat, and add 1 tbsp vegetable oil. Toss in your onions and cardamom pods, and cook them for about 15-20 minutes until they are soft and caramelised - you may need to add occasional splashes of water to stop them from sticking to the base of the pan.
Add another 1 tbsp of vegetable oil, then grate your garlic into the pan. Add your tomato puree, coriander, cumin, chilli powder and turmeric, and cook these out for 2 minutes.
Add the yoghurt, 350ml of water and your almond butter to the pan. Simmer the mixture for 2 minutes.
Pour it all into a blender, and whizz it up to a smooth sauce. Pour it back into the pan.
Tear your kale leaves into bite sized pieces, and get these into the sauce pan. Cook it all over a gentle heat for 5 minutes until the kale has wilted.
Grate in a load of nutmeg and ½ tsp sugar, then season the sauce to taste with salt and pepper.
The Chicken Version
6 chicken thigh fillets
60g yoghurt
1 tsp ground coriander
lots of fresh nutmeg
salt and vegetable oil
Cut your chicken thighs into chunks, then toss them in a bowl. Add your yoghurt, coriander, fresh nutmeg, 1 tbsp veg oil and 1 tsp of salt. Give it a good mix.
Tip your chicken into an air fryer, and pop it on the grill setting on a high heat. Cook it for 4 minutes on each side, turning it halfway. Alternatively, grill it. Heat your grill to high, then pour your chicken onto a tray lined with foil. Grill it for 5 minutes on each side.
Tip your chicken into your curry sauce, and simmer it for 2 minutes. Season it to taste, then serve it up with brown rice and a dollop of yoghurt.
The Cauliflower Version
For the cauliflower:
1 cauliflower
1 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp turmeric
salt and vegetable oil
Heat your oven to 200°C fan.
Cut your cauliflower into large florets, and chop the stalks into equal sized pieces. Toss this all in a bowl with your ground cumin, turmeric, 1 tbsp vegetable oil and 1 tsp of salt. Give it a good mix
Pour your cauliflower onto a baking tray, and cook it for 30-40 minutes, turning it over occasionally so that it cooks evenly. It should be nice and caramelised when it’s done.
Get your cauliflower into your curry sauce, and simmer it for 2 minutes. Season it to taste, then serve it up with brown rice and a dollop of yoghurt. I also like it with lime pickle and some nigella seeds, if you want to really push the boat out.
Sausage Paprikash Stew
There is a Hungarian dish called chicken paprikash which is a glorious thing, and I wanted to take those flavours and turn it into a different kind of stew. Meet my sausage and bean paprikash, loaded up with soft butter beans, smoked paprika and sour cream. Pork and paprika are really good buds, so it felt only natural to get sausages involved. I don’t know if they would technically count as being healthy, but they are good for the soul, so there you have it.