Any good basic BUDGET curry recipes?

It depends what type of curry you are after? Indian? Thai? Japanese? Carribbean?

My main tip would be to buy your ingredients from international/ ethnic supermarkets. Your speciality spices & ingredient will cost a fraction of what they do from the big supermarkets.

Buy your meat & veggies from the market or special offers from supermarkets. Frozen spinach and canned chickpeas are great curry staples.

Dried pulses are also cheap and keep for a long time (lentils etc)

Rice is also cheap so make biriyani's too.

Here are a few cheap and cheerful curry recipes:

http://www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/7732/pumpkin-curry-with-chickpeas (Use butternut squash or sweet potatoes if you like instead of pumpkin).

http://www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/2027/onepot-mushroom-and-potato-curry

http://www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/1233/fragrant-chicken-curry-with-chick-peas

Use chicken thighs as they are cheaper and more flavoursome than breasts, or turkey. Make meatballs using cheap mince and add those to your curry.

I curries as well!
I buy my spices in bulk so a whole 'jar' only costs me under $1 but even still spices last forevah and I use a lot of them.

you can put whatever cheap meat and veg you want in a curry. I use potatoes, peas, onions, pepper, corn..
I buy frozen veggies b/c they are cheaper

to make basic Indian or thai curry you use coconut milk. I reccommend light coconut milk b/c not only is it less fat/cals BUT it's thinner and you don't have to stir it to use it.

to make the sauce you simmer the coconut milk with curry powder, turmeric, salt, pepper. if you can get it also add some cumin and ginger. adding butter makes it more flavorful but you can just put in more salt.

then you toss in your cooked meat/veg/whatever.

usually I'll cook the onions and meats in the pan, remove them then make the sauce in the same pan - not cleaned - so the flavors all mix.

You can buy pre-made curry sauces and powders but using the spices on your own would prob be most cost effective.

I put those spices in rice while it's cooking too to make more tasty rice.

to make basic Indian or thai curry you use coconut milk. I reccommend light coconut milk b/c not only is it less fat/cals BUT it's thinner and you don't have to stir it to use it.

Sorry but not for Indian food, no coconut milk! For basic North Indian food (I'm guessing ths is what you mean by curry recipe) - you need to make a masala (thats the base, like mirepoix or roux would be). You have to cook diced onions in oil for a while till they brown (not burn), maybe for like 10 minutes. Then puree them in a blender (I do this in huge batches and freeze it) then add that back to the pan, add diced or minced ginger and garlic and brown all that together. This is the masala. Then add chicken or whatever, cook it, add spices (coriander powder, ground cumin, turmeric, salt, garam masala. Please NO curry powder!), then add some tomato paste and water and let it simmer for a while. Done! You can substitute anything for the chicken - meat, paneer, etc, this is just a basic recipe for Indian home cooking.

Sorry but not for Indian food, no coconut milk! For basic North Indian food (I'm guessing ths is what you mean by curry recipe) - you need to make a masala (thats the base, like mirepoix or roux would be). You have to cook diced onions in oil for a while till they brown (not burn), maybe for like 10 minutes. Then puree them in a blender (I do this in huge batches and freeze it) then add that back to the pan, add diced or minced ginger and garlic and brown all that together. This is the masala. Then add chicken or whatever, cook it, add spices (coriander powder, ground cumin, turmeric, salt, garam masala. Please NO curry powder!), then add some tomato paste and water and let it simmer for a while. Done! You can substitute anything for the chicken - meat, paneer, etc, this is just a basic recipe for Indian home cooking.

That's great UL thanks for that. I recall making a recipe once that started with browning onions and peppers then pureeing - never realised it is the foundation for most recipes

No problem! Sorry I don't have exact measurements or anything, I learned to cook just by watching my parents - but for Indian food, always err on the side of MORE spices ,onions, etc, our food is very flavorful . OH and I forgot to mention the red chili powder, this is key!

Chief curry powder makes an excellent carribean curry. I am indo-trini, lots of influences making wonderful fusion style dishes. Check out carribeanpot.com for good basic recipes. I definitely reccomend the curry recipe, roti too :drinker:

I make my North Indian curry the same way except I also add garlic or ginger with the spices. BTW. South Indians do use coconut milk in there curries so it is not incorrect, just different. Like one of the earlier posters mentioned many different curries around the world.

Absolutely. I have some aunties that will use coconut milk judiciously when cooking. Others not so much, my mom included. We also add fresh ginger, chadon beni, and lots of garlic. Tomatoes also add a nice pop of acidity to balance out flavors.

to make basic Indian or thai curry you use coconut milk. I reccommend light coconut milk b/c not only is it less fat/cals BUT it's thinner and you don't have to stir it to use it.

Sorry but not for Indian food, no coconut milk! For basic North Indian food (I'm guessing ths is what you mean by curry recipe) - you need to make a masala (thats the base, like mirepoix or roux would be). You have to cook diced onions in oil for a while till they brown (not burn), maybe for like 10 minutes. Then puree them in a blender (I do this in huge batches and freeze it) then add that back to the pan, add diced or minced ginger and garlic and brown all that together. This is the masala. Then add chicken or whatever, cook it, add spices (coriander powder, ground cumin, turmeric, salt, garam masala. Please NO curry powder!), then add some tomato paste and water and let it simmer for a while. Done! You can substitute anything for the chicken - meat, paneer, etc, this is just a basic recipe for Indian home cooking.

Wait, what's wrong with curry powder?

Trader joes sells a curry masala sauce in jar. Put in a pot with chicken breast cut small. Simmer for about 40 minutes on low heat. So tasty, easy, and cheap.

Sorry but not for Indian food, no coconut milk! For basic North Indian food (I'm guessing ths is what you mean by curry recipe) - you need to make a masala (thats the base, like mirepoix or roux would be). You have to cook diced onions in oil for a while till they brown (not burn), maybe for like 10 minutes. Then puree them in a blender (I do this in huge batches and freeze it) then add that back to the pan, add diced or minced ginger and garlic and brown all that together. This is the masala. Then add chicken or whatever, cook it, add spices (coriander powder, ground cumin, turmeric, salt, garam masala. Please NO curry powder!), then add some tomato paste and water and let it simmer for a while. Done! You can substitute anything for the chicken - meat, paneer, etc, this is just a basic recipe for Indian home cooking.

That's great UL thanks for that. I recall making a recipe once that started with browning onions and peppers then pureeing - never realised it is the foundation for most recipes

No problem! Sorry I don't have exact measurements or anything, I learned to cook just by watching my parents - but for Indian food, always err on the side of MORE spices ,onions, etc, our food is very flavorful . OH and I forgot to mention the red chili powder, this is key!

Thanks for sharing your curry basics with us! I LOVE CURRY! :flowerforyou: :flowerforyou: :flowerforyou:

Sorry but not for Indian food, no coconut milk! For basic North Indian food (I'm guessing ths is what you mean by curry recipe) - you need to make a masala (thats the base, like mirepoix or roux would be). You have to cook diced onions in oil for a while till they brown (not burn), maybe for like 10 minutes. Then puree them in a blender (I do this in huge batches and freeze it) then add that back to the pan, add diced or minced ginger and garlic and brown all that together. This is the masala. Then add chicken or whatever, cook it, add spices (coriander powder, ground cumin, turmeric, salt, garam masala. Please NO curry powder!), then add some tomato paste and water and let it simmer for a while. Done! You can substitute anything for the chicken - meat, paneer, etc, this is just a basic recipe for Indian home cooking.

Wait, what's wrong with curry powder?

Most pre-mixed curry powders use turmeric as the primary ingredient as a filler. Pretty, but turmeric itself doesn't have a lot of flavor. Making your own curry powder (roasting and grinding everything fresh) will allow you to get the right spice ratios and it will have a ton more flavor than anything you could get out of a pre-mixed jar or powder.

Silly me, I've been doing it wrong all these years :laugh: I'm aware that roasting and grinding spices fresh each time is supposed to be better, I don't always have time or the inclination. I guess it comes down to personal preference.

I understand a mixture too heavy with tumeric makes a bitter blend. Since my curries are tempered with other flavors, (coconut milk, tomato, green seasoning, etc) I've never found chief curry powder off putting enough to grind my own.

Well it's more because curry powder is something that was made up by the Brits, it's not an Indian thing - we just use spices separately for authentic Indian food & isn't the same spices anyway. You don't need to roast & grind each time - I make them and store them in spice jars for years, or just buy the spices at an indian store. It's more to get the actual flavoring you want rather than using a pre-made mix you know? If you just want some vaguely Indian tasting dish, use away - but if you want actual Indian food you need the spices. It's kind of akin to using some random "stir fry sauce" or something instead of making your own - premade stuff is for inauthentic food ya know? And curry powder is misleading since people think hey you just add that to anything and you have "curry" lol.

Bump

also, the same sauce recipe I already posted can be adapted to make other curries, by adding the protein, e.g. meat, fish (a kind that will survive being in curry, prawns, egg (boil them, then cut into chunks and stir in the curry), baked beans (just pour a tin of them into it) - you can even add tuna mayonnaise, and it goes really well for a creamy tuna curry

if you're cooking meat from raw, then put it in right at the beginning when you cook the garlic, onions and paste, and ensure it's cooked for long enough to be cooked through. If you're using precooked meat (I usually keep boiled chicken breasts in the fridge for a protein food I can just grab for salads and sandwiches) then cut it into the right sized pieces and stir it through at the end.

many, many variations...

Thanks for sharing, I've been craving curry lately and have some new ideas here. Lentils are a big favorite, they're tasty and cheap. Here's what I'm having for lunch today:

http://www.food.com/recipe/egyptian-red-lentil-soup-94673

My go-to recipe is pretty affordable, if you can get fish sauce and Mae Ploy from an Asian market where the prices are lower.

Combine crunchy peanut butter, mae ploy, (sweet chili sauce) a dash of fish sauce, fresh minced garlic, and curry powder. Whisk until mixture becomes a paste, or add a bit of water to make sauce. When I run out of curry powder I do it the longer way and use a combination of spices (someone listed them above.) If your curry powder doesn't have much spice you might want to add some sriracha or red chili. Makes a great simmering sauce for chicken and veggies. Add a squeeze of lime right before eating.

I change the proportions a little every time depending on what flavor and consistency I'm going for. (Fish sauce is really the only thing you can overdo) Mae Ploy has a lot of sugar so I try not to go too crazy with it. This is also tasty with coconut milk, but then you have to up all the spices to keep it flavorful.