Food AND THE City: Curry 1

Curry! #1

I've been roped into make curry for a bunch of friends and I'm a little worried. After one of them raved about my cooking a while ago, I'm now group chef. The truth is I'm not that experienced in making currys ( I plan on remedying this though). The curries that I do make are not the overly spicy, creamy fare that you get from most restaurants, but a more simple and quite likely more authentic curry that's based on what "me mum" makes. The stuff that Asians, (Pakistanis) eat day to day... the equivalent to the British hot-pot or casserole. This isn't a bad thing, not for me anyway and I hope my guests agree with me! Of course I could use my 'Asian credentials' and tell them that this is Indian haute cuisine, but unfortunately for me, curry being the nations favourite food, my guests may be more educated on the subject then me!
This is a little altered every time I make it because I have never written it down.
1 tsp cumin
1 tsp coriander seeds
2 tbs oil
1 onion sliced
3 cloves garlic minced
nob of Ginger, skinned and minced
2tsp salt
¼ tsp turmeric
½ - 1 tsp chili powder
4 cloves
6 whole black pepper corns
1 star anise
1 large black clove
2 tomatoes chopped or half a can
Water
Chicken whole chopped into small pieces
1tbs of cumin powder
1 tbs of coriander powder
Hand full baby potatoes
Garam masala
rice or chapattis to serve

fresh coriander
serves 3-4

First I fry some whole spices in a clean pan, 1 tsp of cumin and about the same quantity of coriander seeds. When they start to give off a lovely aroma take off the heat and set aside. Heat 2 tbs of cooking oil in the pan and fry the onion until golden, add the garlic and ginger. Fry on a low heat for about 5 minutes more then add the salt, turmeric and chili powder depending on how much heat you like. This is the humble beginnings of many a curry. Add the remaining whole spices (cloves, pepper corns etc) and fry for a couple of minutes. Adding a splash of water to stop the spices sticking to the pan. Throw in two diced tomatoes or half a can of tomatoes, if using. Fry on a medium high heat. When the spices begin to come together and the oil begins to separate from the mixture, drop the meat into the pan and mix and coat it into the 'masala'. Fry this way for a few minutes until the meat is sealed and then add 1 tbs of coriander powder and another of cumin powder (sometimes I use whole, freshly crushed garam masala instead). Fry for further 5 minutes adding a little more water if the meat begins to stick or looks dry. Then add enough water to cover the chicken and give you plenty of gravy in the finished dish. Cover the pan and cook for 15 minutes on a low heat. After this point I like to add some quartered large potatoes or whole baby potatoes to the pan, cover again and cook for a further 15 minute or until the potatoes and meat are tender, towards the end of this time add a tea spoon of gram masala. When the cooking time is over sprinkle the curry with chopped coriander.