Hyderabadi Curry Recipe

I’ve been making this curry for lunch all week using a different headlining ingredient. On Monday I used a pork chop, on Tuesday I used mushrooms, on Wednesday tuna steak, on Thursday I added some mushrooms to wednesdays curry and today (Friday) I used chickpeas. Each day I have adjusted the seasoning a little until today I think we have the perfect hyderabadi curry recipe (although I have run out of coriander (cilantro for our American friends) leaves. So without further ado, here is the secret to my hyderabadi curry recipe.

Ingredients

• About 250g of something you fancy (chickpeas, veg, mushrooms, pork, beef, chicken … whatever)
• 1/2 onion
• 1 fresh tomato – chopped
• 1 tsp ghee or your choice of cooking oil
• 1/2″ ginger & 3 garlic cloves (chopped or mashed into a paste if you have time)
• 1.5 tbsp natural yogurt (more if you want it to be saucy)
• 1/2″ cinamon stick
• 3 cloves
• 1 tsp mustard seeds (optional)
• 0.75 tsp ground coriander
• 0.75 tsp ground cumin
• 0.75 tsp turmeric
• 0.75 tsp extra hot chilli powder (adjust to taste)
• 1 tsp ground cardamom
• 1 tsp of salt (adjust to taste)
• 1 tsp of sugar (optional)
• 1/2 bunch fresh coriander (optional)
• 1/2 tsp garam masala (optional)

Method

1. Heat the ghee or oil on a medium heat and add the mustard seeds, cinnamon stick and cloves
2. After about 30 seconds the mustard seeds should start to pop – add the onion and cook until soft
3. Add the garlic/ ginger paste and cook for about 1 minute
4. Add ground coriander, cumin, chilli, turmeric, cardamom powder, salt and sugar – cook for  4 minutes
5. Add your main ingredient, if this is meat then cook until browned, if not cook for about 5 mins
6. Add the yogurt, stir well and simmer for about 5 minutes  (if it gets too dry and starts to stick add a very small amount of water.)
7. Add the chopped tomato and simmer for another 5 minutes
8. Stir in chopped coriander leaves and garam masala and serve with bread or rice.