Ching's Xi’an-style Beef Curry

Dinner. Sorted.

“Curry in one form or another is eaten throughout the country, so it is no surprise that it has a place on the Chinese takeaway menu,” says Ching. “Flavours will vary from place to place, but the spices almost always include turmeric, mild curry powder, dried chillies and garam masala.”
-Ching He-Huang


INGREDIENTS
Serves: 2-4 to share
3 new potatoes (400g/14oz in total),
peeled and cut into 1cm ( ½ in) chunks
1 carrot (100g/3 ½ oz),
cut into 1cm ( ½ in) chunks
300g (11oz) beef sirloin,
cut into 2cm ( ¾ in) chunks
1 tsp of turmeric
1 tsp of medium curry powder
Pinch of salt
Pinch of ground white pepper
1 tbsp of groundnut oil
1 white onion, diced
1 star anise
1 tbsp of Shaohsing rice wine or dry sherry
100g (3 ½ oz) frozen peas
For the sauce…
1 tbsp of light soy sauce
1 tbsp of dark soy sauce
100ml (3 ½ oz) cold chicken stock
2 tbsps of corn our

Place the potatoes and carrots in a saucepan of water, bring to the boil and keep boiling for 5 minutes. Remove from the heat, drain and refresh in cold water. Set aside.

Mix the beef in a large bowl along with the turmeric, curry powder and salt and pepper.

Heat a wok over a high heat until it starts to smoke and then add the groundnut oil. Tip in the onion and stir-fry until translucent, then add the star anise and the seasoned beef pieces. As the beef starts to turn brown at the edges, add the rice wine or dry sherry.

Pour in the ingredients for the sauce. Bring to boil, then add the parboiled potatoes and carrot, followed by the peas. Bring back up to boil. Reduce the heat to medium and simmer for 2-3 minutes. Serve immediately with jasmine rice.

Cold & Flu Busting Chicken Madras with Tamarind

Beat the bugs with the goodness of spices!

INGREDIENTS
Olive oil
2 sticks cinnamon
2 tablespoons nigella seeds
1 tablespoon each fennel and
fenugreek seeds
1 whole garlic bulb, nely chopped
4 tablespoons grated (peeled)
fresh root ginger
1 tablespoon turmeric
1 teaspoon ground ginger
2 teaspoons chilli powder
salt, to taste
2 medium onions, nely diced
1 tablespoon tomato purée
1 tablespoon tamarind paste
700g chicken joints, skinned
To season…
1 teaspoon garam masala
25g bunch of freshly chopped coriander
Serves: 4

Pour some olive oil into a deep saucepan. Add the cinnamon sticks, nigella, fennel and fenugreek seeds into the olive oil, and cook over a medium heat until the fennel seeds are a roasted colour – this should take no more than 2-3 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat and allow the oil to cool.

Once the oil-and-spice mixture has cooled, add the garlic and fresh ginger to the pan and cook over a low-medium heat until the garlic is a golden brown colour, stirring frequently – this should take no more than 2–3 minutes.

Add the turmeric, ground ginger, chilli and salt, and mix well and cook for about 20 seconds.

Add the tomatoes, tomato purée, tamarind paste and chicken to the pan, mix well and cook until the chicken is sealed all over, stirring all the time – this should take no more than 10 minutes.

Add enough boiling water to cover the chicken and bring back to the boil. Reduce to a low simmer and cook, uncovered for 45 minutes, stirring from time to time.

Recipe extracted from Indian Superspices. Photography by Nevrus Kaya. More info: www.indiansuperspices.com

Free gift when you subscribe to Chaat!

What do you get the person who loves curry? The UK’s only magazine for lovers of spice, of course!

A unique and brilliantly niche gift idea, Chaat! Magazine celebrates all things spicy with mouth-watering recipes, celebrity chef interviews, cooking tips and travel features.

The new December/January issue is packed full of simple yet flavoursome recipes ranging from nibbles to impressive desserts that will make you feel like a culinary genius in the kitchen. With a large section on the artisan food revolution, bread and pastry recipes from Paul Hollywood and James Morton, inspiration from the UK’s top restaurants and chefs, and travel diaries that will whisk you off to exotic destinations, Chaat! Magazine will give you everything you need to prepare for the festive period.

Don’t miss our regular column with Bill Oddie and playful interviews with Gok Wan, Karl Pilkington and Tom Stade. We also need YOU to vote for your favourite curry for the country’s only Top of the Poppadoms poll.

Better yet, if you subscribe this month you’ll receive a free foodie hamper including Kandula tea, Bart spices and Home Colours cooking utensils. Visit www.chaatmagazine.co.uk/shop to order now.

How to Make Mulled Wine

We love Christmas traditions, especially when they're infused with spices!
Mulled wine has long been associated with celebration, winter and merriment. It may be because this delicious tipple has an added warming zing of oranges and combined spices, so it's ideal for festive parties when you've just ventured in from the cold outside. Here's our favourite recipe for an exquisite mulled wine, courtesy of JustIngredients.

INGREDIENTS
JustIngredients Mulled Wine Spice Kit (includes vanilla, cloves, cinnamon sticks, bay leaves, star anise and nutmeg)
2 bottles of good quality, full bodied wine
2 medium fresh oranges
170g brown or white sugar
Some good friends and family to help drink it!

DIRECTIONS

• Add vanilla (halved and scraped), 1 cinnamon stick, cloves, a bay leaf, star anise, juice of both oranges, 2/3s of the sugar and a generous few glugs of wine to a large saucepan and heat for 3-4 minutes.
• When the liquid is bubbling vigorously, add another cinnamon stick, orange slices and the rest of the wine. Simmer for 10-12 minutes on a low heat.
• Grate in half of the nutmeg. Add the rest of the sugar to taste and continue simmering for 2 minutes.
• Finally, ladle into pretty teacups and serve.

You can get your Mulled Wine Spice Kit by clicking here.