Gordon’s Veggie Korma
Posted: February 6, 2009 at 5:19 pm
Serves 6-8
Ingredients
Veggie korma
- 5cm piece of fresh root ginger, peeled and chopped
- 4 garlic cloves, peeled
- 2 banana shallots, roughly chopped
- 3 tbsp flaked almonds
- 4 tbsp groundnut oil
- 1 tbsp mustard seeds
- 1 medium cinnamon stick
- 1 star anise
- Handful of dried curry leaves
- 1 medium sweet onion, finely chopped
- 2 tbsp ghee
- 1 tsp ground coriander
- 1 tbsp cumin seeds
- 1 tsp fennel seeds
- 1 tbsp Garam Masala
- 1 small aubergine, finely diced
- 1 small butternut squash, peeled, deseeded and finely diced
- 1 small courgette finely diced
- 500ml vegetable stock
- 200g puy lentils (blanched in vegetable stock)
- 3 lime leaves
- 400ml coconut milk
- Juice of 1/2 a lemon
- 100g fresh spinach, finely sliced
- Salt and pepper
- Handful of chopped coriander
Chapatti
- 400g atta flour (a mix of 200g wholemeal flour and 200g plain flour sifted together)
- 2 tbsp groundnut oil
- 290ml tepid water
- 1 tsp fine sea salt
- Plain flour, for dusting
Method: How to make Gordon’s veggie korma
1. Put the ginger, garlic, shallot, almonds and 1 tbsp of groundnut oil into a food processor and blend until you have a smooth paste. Set aside.
2. Pour the remaining oil into a wide, preferably non-stick, saucepan and place over a moderate heat. When the oil is hot, add the mustard seeds, cinnamon, star anise and dried curry leaves. Once the mustard seeds start to pop, add the onion. Stir and fry until the onion starts to turn golden brown.
3. Next add the ghee. Once it has melted, add the remaining dry spices and cook until they release their aroma. Stir in the paste made before, then the butternut squash, aubergines and courgettes. Sauté the vegetables while stirring constantly for a couple of minutes.
4. Once the pan starts to dry out, pour in the vegetable stock, along with the lentils and lime leaves. Cook for 20 minutes to allow the flavours to infuse. Add the coconut milk, lemon juice and spinach and cook for a further 5 minutes. Just before you are ready to serve, check for seasoning then stir in the coriander.
5. To make the chapattis measure the atta flour into a mixing bowl and make a well in the centre. Pour the oil and water into the well then mix to a soft, pliable dough.
6. Turn out onto a floured surface, knead for 5 minutes then place in an oiled bowl. Cover and leave to rest for 30 minutes.
7. Take a small handful of the dough and dust with flour. Roll it out on a floured surface until doubled in size. Heat a dry griddle or a heavy based frying pan over a medium heat. Add the chapatti to the pan and cook on one side until it starts to puff up. Then turn it over and cook on the other side. (Cooking should be quick to ensure that the chapatti remains soft).