EMMA’S TOMATO CURRY

A quick and fresh cherry tomato curry, similar to the Indian Thakkali Kulambu, that celebrates the natural flavour of really good tomatoes.

SERVES FOUR

PREP TIME: 5 MINS

COOK TIME: 15 MINS

2 tbsp olive oil

1 red onion, finely diced

3 garlic cloves, finely diced

3cm (1¼ in) piece ginger, peeled and chopped

1 cinnamon stick

a generous pinch of curry leaves

½ tsp green cardamom pods

1 tsp ground cinnamon

1 tsp ground coriander

1 tsp ground cumin

a pinch of ground cloves

½ tsp chilli powder

¼ tsp turmeric

¾ tsp dried fenugreek leaves

500g (1lb 2oz) cherry tomatoes, halved

½ tsp sea salt

To serve:

chapattis (optional)

Heat the oil in a heavy-based pan and fry the diced onion for a few minutes, then add the garlic, ginger, cinnamon, curry leaves and cardamom and fry until the onion is soft and garlic is golden.

Add the remaining spices, stir for a minute, then add half the tomatoes, the ½ teaspoon of salt and 100ml (3½fl oz) water, and simmer until the tomatoes have broken down into a thick sauce.

Add the remaining tomatoes, simmer for a further 5 minutes and then turn off the heat so they don’t break down too much. This is lovely served with chapattis.

 

CINNAMON QUICK FIXES

images Cinnamon toast – eggy bread with loads of cinnamon! A hit with kids

images Warm a pan of cloudy apple juice with cinnamon and cloves for a spicy winter warmer

images For a warming winter custard add a teaspoon of ground cinnamon

images A stick of cinnamon in a stew brings out the deep meaty flavours of lamb, beef and chicken and adds warmth and depth in the winter

images Cinnamon tea – a broken cinnamon quill steeped in hot water is great for health and very warming in winter

CINNAMON GARAM MASALA

2 tbsp ground cinnamon

2 tbsp ground fennel

1 tsp ground cardamon

1 tsp ground black pepper

1 tsp ground nutmeg

½-part ground cloves

Uses: Add to curries during cooking for extra aroma and complexity; add to mashed potato to make ‘masala mash’; rub onto roast meats or root vegetables; toast and sprinkle over Indian food such as curries, chutneys and salads.

 

CINNAMON RULES

It’s hard to grind your own cinnamon sticks to a fine powder, so best to keep both sticks and powder in the cupboard. If you’re cooking an American recipe, increase the amount of cinnamon to compensate for the stronger cassia cinnamon they use in the States.

STORAGE

Whole: Sticks will last about a year stored in an airtight container.

Ground: In an airtight container out of direct sunlight, ground cinnamon will last about 6 months.