Monday dinner #2 - Rogan Josh with lemon pickle and mint yoghurt

I got this recipe from the Jamie Oliver 30 minute meals cookbook. It actually took me around 40 min to do, and I modified it a bit, by removing cauliflower and adding beef and other things (otherwise dad wouldn't have been happy). Actually, it is pretty different. It made heaps of food, at least two nights of dinner and one set of lunch - winning!

Pappadams, lemon pickle, and curry with yoghurt...mmmm!

Rogan Josh with Pickled Lemons and Mint Yoghurt

2 onions - diced

4 cloves garlic - crushed

1 fresh red chilli - sliced

400-600g beef (I got the cheap stuff) - cut into cubes

1/2 butternut squash - cut into cubes

1 bunch fresh coriander

1/2 a 283g jar pataks rogan josh paste

1 tin chickpeas

1 large (or 3 small) zucchini - sliced

1 packet baby spinach (the $3 coles packs)

Rice and pappadams to serve.

Lemon Pickle

1 lemon

2 tspn mustard seeds (or seeded mustard if you're like me)

1 tspn tumeric

1 small fresh chilli

Mint Yoghurt

500g tub natural yoghurt

1 bunch mint leaves

Dash of olive oil

First, get your yoghurt started. 

Empty the yoghurt into a coffee filter and sit in a sieve over a small bowl. Place in the fridge.

This lets all the excess moisture out of the yoghurt.

Leave in the fridge for <1 font="" hour.="">

Remove yoghurt from filter, put into clean bowl. Add the mint leaves and a dash of olive oil. Mix well.

Next, lemon pickle.

Put the pan you will use to cook the curry onto the stove to heat up.

Cut lemon into eights, then deseed and slice thinly.

Slice the red chilli finely.

Add a dash of olive oil to the pan, followed by the mustard seeds, tumeric and chilli. Stir well to avoid burning.

Once it starts to sizzle, add the lemon and stir for around 10 seconds before removing everything from the heat and leaving in a small bowl to cool.

Leave the pan on to cook curry.

Now, curry.

Place the diced onion, chilli and garlic in the pan. Cook, stirring frequently, until onion is soft.

Add beef and continue to cook until outside is brown.

While this is happening, loosely cut the coriander (including stalks) - save some for garnish.

Add the squash, coriander and chickpeas (with juices). I also added another half tin of water. Stir, and cover pan with lid. Let the curry simmer, stirring occasionally.

Check the curry after about 10 minutes - add more water if needed.

When squash is almost cooked (after 15-20 minutes), add zucchini.

Cook for a further 5 minutes - or until zucchini is soft.

Remove from heat, add spinach and stir through.

Serve curry over rice with coriander ontop and pappadams, yoghurt and lemon pickle on the side.

ps. this was dessert - fresh raspberries, cream and meringues. WINNING!

Tips

Mix the lemon pickle into leftover curry - the flavours will develop and taste amazing!

Add more vegetables (cauliflower, capsicum, tinned tomatoes) for a healthier/larger meal.