It’s national curry week so it’s time to spice up your life (and your palette). From national favourites like a rich Tikka Masala and creamy Korma, to less common dishes like a spicy Jalfrezi and a fragrant Dhansak- the list is endless!
From eating out to cooking your own spicy creations, we’ve compiled our top tips as a guide to help you embrace National Curry Week to the max.
Top Tips:
Eating out? Go on a curry crawl!
Leeds is a top place for a great curry as there is an abundance of Asian restuarants ranging from Thai, to Sri-Lankan, to Indian. We’ve compiled our favourite restaurants to give you the best well-rounded curry experience…
Mommy Thai, 7 Duncan St, Leeds LS1 6DQ
If you love Zaap, then you’ll go crazy for this place. Situated right next to the Corn Exchange, it has a cute traditional, street-food feel to it. The curries are bursting with fragrant flavours fit enough for royalty but for a student budget- you can get 2 course for under £8 with their lunch time deal!
Hansas, 72-74 North St, Leeds LS2 7PN
This is probably the least well-known restaurant in this list but is so under-rated. They specialise in Gujarati curries and as this is a predominantly Hindu state in Indian, they have a completely vegetarian menu- but the flavours are so great that even the most dedicated meat-eaters will leave satisfied. They also offer a cooking school if you fancy learning from the best!
The Cat’s Pyjamas, Eastgate/Headingley
If you fancy Indian but with a modern twist along with some craft beer, then The Cat’s Pyjamas is the place to be. They offer classics like rogan josh, and saag paneer but also less traditional dishes like crispy okra fries, a spicy chickpea salad, and the infamous Yorkshire cheese naan. My personal favourite is the Chana Dal; a rich spicy lentil stew which when ordered alongside a garlic and coriander naan to mop up the sauce.
Cooking your own:
Pack your curry with Plant Based Protein
Given that traditionally the majority of people in India are vegetarian or vegan for religious reasons, curries are one of the best options for a meat-free meal because they pack a punch of flavour and go so well with plant based sources of protein like chickpeas and lentils. The can of chickpeas is a tiny fraction of the price of chicken breast too so you won’t be breaking the bank with a veggie curry either! If you are still missing a meaty texture you could add meat alternatives like Quorn or you could try frying some tofu which goes perfectly in a Thai red curry.
Forget Uncle Ben’s
Yes, packet rice is super convenient and great for those emergency dinners when you need food ASAP. But on other days when you could spare an extra ten minutes in the kitchen, boiling your own rice will save you a lot of money in the long run. The secret to perfect rice? Add water to rice in a 2:1 ratio- so for one portion you would add 1 cup of water to half a cup of rice. Then once the water has boiled, cover the pan with a lid and simmer for about 15 minutes; all the water will have been absorbed by this point, leaving you with perfect fluffy rice.
Pack your curry with old veg!
Curries are a perfect way to use up vegetables that have lost their crunchiness so you’ll be reducing your food waste too!
The recently founded LUUFood4Change society went curry crazy for their first social last week at Rainbow Junktion Cafê in Hyde Park. As part of their pledge to reduce food waste, they collected ingredients that had passed their sell by date from the Real Junk Food Project Warehouse and cooked up a huge lentil curry for all the members that attended. This event was hugely successful with all those who attended asking for the recipe at the end! If you want to hear more about this society’s sustainability projects and future events visit their Facebook page:
https://www.facebook.com/groups/127658201239258/
Fancy making your own curry? Check out our creamy chickpea korma recipe here: http://www.thegryphon.co.uk/2018/10/25/recipe-of-the-week-chickpea-coconut-korma-curry-with-bombay-potatoes/
Andri Neocleous
Image: Andri Neocleous