CONTENTS Title Page Preface How to Use This Cookbook Starters Street Food Authentic Curries Curry-House Preparation Recipes British Curry-House Recipes Balti, Karahi and Handi Dishes Grilling, Barbecue and Roasting Bread, Rice and Sides Pickles, Chutneys and Sauces List of Ingredients Suppliers and Classes Index Acknowledgements Copyright Page About the Author PREFACE I didn’t eat my way around curry houses in the UK and street-food places in the Indian subcontinent to find shortcuts to making Indian food. I wanted the whole shebang, and since starting my blog in 2010, I’ve acquired a massive catalogue of authentic and British-style recipes. Many made it into my first three cookbooks, whereas others had to be held back until the time was right. That time is now! I have also come across some good shortcuts, which are explained here as well. I’m happy to now give you The Curry Guy Bible: a collection of more than 160 of the most popular recipes from my first 3 books and 50 new mouthwatering recipes that will get you the results you’re looking for – and perhaps a few tasty surprises. I’ll warn you that some of my new recipes could be considered to be way out there and even unhealthy by some! Being a big believer that everything is fine in moderation, I couldn’t bring myself to give you watered-down versions of spectacular recipes. I have given you the most authentic versions, but you can easily adjust the recipes to your personal preferences – just read the following few pages for how to do this. Think of this as a greatest hits cookbook. If you already have one or both of my first two books (The Curry Guy and The Curry Guy Easy), you will now have all of the most popular curries, starters and sides in one place along with new, previously unpublished recipes to top up your recipe library. If you also have a copy of my third book, The Curry Guy Veggie, you will not only see a few of the recipes from there but also some exciting new veggie options. Choosing which recipes to feature in a cookbook called ‘The Bible’ wasn’t a job to be taken lightly. I revisited recipes from my blog as well as my larger collection of recipes and started cooking. What made this task easier was all the fantastic feedback I received from the readers of my blog and subscribers to my YouTube channel. I enjoyed putting new recipes out there to see how they were received. I was sent new recipes, advice and tips from home cooks and chefs all around the Indian subcontinent, the UK and the rest of the world, which is a great advantage of living in the times we do. Connecting with, and learning from, people like this just wasn’t possible even a couple of decades ago, and I feel so lucky to be able to learn and progress as a cook in this way and pass that knowledge on to you. In the four years that I’ve written five books, I have been asked a lot of questions and also learned so much about the food I love. I cook these recipes so often that I have been able to stand back and think about what I like about them and how I can introduce new ideas that will keep my recipes fresh, unique and interesting. Many of the questions I received about recipes in my previous books have been answered in this book. I’ve also reread my books and made changes where necessary to ensure that the instructions are super-clear. I love doing what I do and hope you enjoy this new collection of recipes. The idea behind this book was to give you one large collection of all the most-loved curries, starters and sides, and I think I’ve done it here. Cooking should be fun, so get in there and start cooking! People love a good curry feast and you really can make meals that are just as good as, if not far better than, going out or picking up a takeaway. You might even find you save a lot of money if you’re a curry-head like me. Of course, I still love going out to a great Indian restaurant – what curry fan doesn’t? But there’s something really satisfying about knowing that you can stay in and make your own takeaway for friends and family. I enjoy shopping for new ingredients and really getting to know how to use them, and it is my hope that you will find that almost as enjoyable as cooking the actual recipes. If you have any questions about any of the recipes in this book or my previous cookbooks, please get in touch. Getting to know the people who read my books is one of the things I enjoy the most. I manage all my social accounts, so when you ask a question it will be me who answers. I’m @TheCurryGuy on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram, and would love to hear from you. I can also be contacted by email at [email protected]. Don’t forget to look me up on YouTube too, as I am in the process of filming each of the recipes from my books, so that not only can you read them but you can also cook along with me. HOW TO USE THIS COOKBOOK To help you more easily find the recipes you want to try, each recipe has been labelled with one or more badges: Gluten-free: I am always asked which of my recipes are gluten- free. Most are. Just look for this badge. Vegetarian: Look for this badge for vegetarian recipes. Most other recipes can easily be made vegetarian. Substitute veggies, legumes, lentils and/or the veggie kebabs as you see fit. Vegan: Most of the recipes can be made vegan, but look for this sign for those that are already vegan. BIR: Along with the British Indian Restaurant (BIR) section, you will also find recipes throughout this book that are favourites at UK curry houses, and they have all been labelled with this badge. 30 minutes or less: Look for this when you want to whip up something quickly. Fermenting, marinating or soaking time: Just follow the preparation instructions and let nature take its course. I have included this badge so that you know you will need to do a little forward preparation. Low and slow: Longer cooking times are required for these recipes. Consume at your own risk: There are two reasons you will see this badge. Usually it’s because a lot of oil or other fat is used to make it authentic. If you prefer, you can simply reduce the amount of fat you use in these recipes and you will still get an amazing flavour, although the end result will be different. The other reason you may see this badge is when the curry is really spicy. Again, that is in your hands. You can reduce the amount of chillies or chilli powder to your liking. There’s no point making a curry that’s too spicy to eat – even if it is the authentic way of making it. ABOUT THESE RECIPES Whether you’re a fan of British Indian Restaurant (BIR) food, authentic Indian cuisine or both, the fun is about to begin. In this book I have featured all of the most popular recipes from my previous books and also added more of my favourite authentic Indian and BIR recipes. As I love being in contact with so many readers of my books and blog, I have been in an excellent position to really think about which recipes to feature. I have taken requests and also answered the questions asked of me to write a book that I hope you will turn to again and again for recipes for the dishes you love. As authentic as the following recipes may be, please don’t feel like you have to follow them to the letter. They are a good starting point, but everyone’s tastes are different. How much time you have to spend on cooking is also a big factor in how much you will enjoy cooking the recipes. For this reason, I have given alternatives to making all the preparation ingredients, such as curry house-style base sauce and pre- cooked meats. Spending a little time making these is time well spent if you want to make BIR food like you get at your local curry house, but I have offered alternative cooking methods should you just want to whip up a chicken tikka masala without the need to make a base sauce. Although the forward preparation does take some time, you will actually be able to recreate your curry-house favourites in minutes once you’ve made them. If you are new to my books, I should explain how these recipes came to be and how you should use them. I developed the majority of these recipes after watching them being made many times at restaurants, taking notes and photographs and, of course, through a good deal of experimentation. I found the experimentation the most enjoyable. Like me, you will learn not only the famous recipes but how to tailor them to your own tastes and dietary requirements. With this in mind, please feel free to adjust the recipes to your own personal tastes. If you want more coconut or sugar in your chicken korma, add it.