Tried Tested recipes from SpicenEasy family kitchen

Sharing our tried and tested recipes with you...

SpicenEasy's Curry Kitchen

Welcome to our recipe page where I’ll share our favourite Indian recipes for you to try at home.

Most of these recipes are included in our Spice n Easy recipe kits but I’ve added a few extra handy hints to make cooking your curry even easier.

Onion Bhaji Upma ( Savory Porridge)
Chicken Tikka Masala Toor Daal Recipe  
Bombay Potatoes Chana Daal Recipe  
Lamb or Beef Roganjosh Daal Makhani Recipe  
Mung Daal Salad Red Kidney Beans Curry  

Onion Bhaji

Crispy onion  fritters to liven up your snack  platter..ideal as a starter  

 Ingredients

 1 large Onion Sliced
 2/3 cup Besan (Chick Pea Flour)
 2  teaspoon Rice flour
 1 teaspoon salt
 2 teaspoon coriander seeds
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1teaspoon Chilli powder 
 3 tablespoon water
Oil for deep frying

Method

Step 1:

  •  Mix Chick Pea Flour, Rice flour , salt and all the herb/spices together to create the batter mix
  • Add sliced onions and mix well.
  • Add water to ensure that the batter covers the sliced inions.
  • Let mix sit for 5 mins.(this will enable juice to be released from the onions and ensure full flavour)

 Step 2:

  • Heat Wok with oil to highest heat level ..
  • Taking small mounds of batter spread onion slices into hot oil ensuring fingers do not touch the oil.
  • Deep fry till golden brown turning regularly.

 Transfer to plate.Serve hot with tomato sauce.

 Handy Hint: Layer plate with paper towel to absorb excess oil


Upma ( Spiced Savoury Semolina Porridge)

 A savory porridge, this dish originates from South India and is used for a healthy breakfast. 

Ingredients

 1 tablespoon oil
 2 teaspoon black mustard seeds
 ½ tsp fenugreek seeds
 1 tsp cumin seeds
 2 tablespoon yellow moong daal
 ½ onion chopped
 ¼  teaspoon chopped ginger.
1 chopped green chilli
 1 teaspoon curry powder hot powder
4 cups water
1 teaspoon salt
5-6 curry leaves
3/4 Cup Semolina
 

Method

  • Heat oil in wok till smoking.
  • Crackle mustard /cumin/fenugreek seeds ( few seconds only).
  • Add moong dhal and sauté till golden brown.
  • Add green chillies ,onions and cook till transparent.
  • Add ginger paste, curry powder and pour in water.
  • Add curry leaves and salt .
  • When water starts boiling pour in semolina; stirring with a whisk continuously taking care that lumps are not formed.

Remove from heat and serve hot . 


 

Chana Daal ( Bengal Gram Lentil) Recipe

My family favorite (keeps kids fuller for longer!!) ….a total knock out

Ingredients

1 Cup

Chana Daal

3 cups

Water

1 tsp

SpicenEasy Turmeric

1 tsp

SpicenEasy Cumin seeds

½ tsp

SpicenEasy Paprika

1 tsp

SpicenEasy Coriander powder

1 tsp

SpicenEasy Garam Masala

1 tsp

Chopped ginger

1 tsp

Chopped garlic

½

Chopped onion

½ tsp

Tomato paste

 

Bunch Coriander leaves garnish

 

Method

Step 1

  • Wash the lentils in cold water.
  • Soak in 3 cups warm water for at least 30 mins.

Step 2

  • In a saucepan boil dhal and skim off froth if any.
  • Add 1 tsp salt, turmeric
  • Simmer for approx 30 mins stirring occasionally until daal is cooked.

For Garnish (Tarka):

  • Heat 1 tbsp oil in a skillet/pan
  • Sizzle cumin seeds.
  • Add chopped garlic and cook till garlic is golden brown.
  • Add chopped ginger,,chopped onion and cook on medium heat .
  • Mix in ½ tsp tomato paste ,coriander powder/garam masala /paprika and pour this garnish over Daal in saucepan.
  • Mix well. Add more water (if required), simmer. Season with salt ( if required).
  • Garnish with Coriander leaves.

Serve hot with rice/favorite naan bread/roti or basmati rice.

(1 tsp= 1 Teaspoon; 1 tbsp = 1 Tablespoon)

 


Red Kidney Beans Curry ( “Rasmise Rajma”)

A traditonally "Sunday Special" lunch in Punjabi households.....

Ingredients

1 ½ cup

SpicenEasy Red Kidney Beans

3 tbsp

Cooking oil

2

SpicenEasy Bay leaves

2

Finely chopped onions

1 tsp

Ginger paste

2 tsp

Garlic paste

3 pcs

SpicenEasy Cloves

1 inch

SpicenEasy Cinnamon stick

2 tsp

SpicenEasy Chilli powder

1 tsp

SpicenEasy Coriander powder

1 tsp

SpicenEasy Turmeric powder

1 tbsp

SpicenEasy Cumin Powder

2 tbsp

Tomato paste

¾ tsp

SpicenEasy Garam Masala

1 tbsp

Chopped fresh coriander ( for garnish)

1 tsp

Salt ( as per taste)

 

Method

  • Wash and Soak Red Kidney beans in 5 cups of warm water (overnight for best results)
  • Boil Red Kidney beans till fully cooked and soft.
  • Heat oil in saucepan. Sizzle cloves / cinnamon stick .Add bay leaves and chopped onions.
  • Saute till golden brown.Add ginger and garlic paste and cook for a minute.
  • Add red chilli powder/coriander powder/cumin powder/turmeric and stir.
  • Add tomato paste and sauté till oil leaves the masala.
  • Add cooked red kidney beans along with the water and simmer gently for 15 mins.Add more water if required.
  • Add Garam masala and cook for 5 mins till thick and creamy. Garnish with chopped fresh coriander.

Serve hot with steamed basmati rice.

(1 tsp= 1 Teaspoon; 1 tbsp = 1 Tablespoon)

 


 Mung Daal Salad

A simple but nutritious salad and fresh accompaniment to any meal/barbeque.
Gluten free and a good source of protein for vegetarians/vegans.

Ingredients

1 Cup

SpicenEasy Mung Daal
(soaked in 2 1/2 cups water for at least 1/2 hr)

1 tsp

Salt

1 Tsp

Black Pepper Powder

1 Tsp

Sunflower Oil.

1/2

Green Chilli de-seeded chopped (optional)

1/2

Onion chopped fine.

1

Large tomato chopped fine.

½ Cup

Chopped fresh coriander

 

Juice of half lemon.

¼ Tsp

Favourite Tangy seasoning.

 

Method

  • Boil Daal with water, salt and oil until tender (al dente)
  • Approx: 7-8 mins after first boil
  • Gently skim away froth while boiling
  • Remove saucepan from heat.
  • Drain excess water and return Daal to saucepan
  • Cover and let stand to stay warm (do not put back on heat).
  • Meanwhile chop Onion very fine.
  • Slice Tomato in half and spoon out pulp to avoid excess moisture in salad. Chop very fine.
  • Mix together lemon juice, onion; tomatoes; chillies; pepper and seasoning.
  • Mix in warm Daal .Add Coriander to garnish.
  • Serve immediately.

This is our family recipe … and was a favourite in Vibha's cooking classes.

©SpicenEasy NZ 2009

 


Toor Daal ( Pigeon Pea Lentil) Recipe

A classic & traditional daal ..hearty and wholesome.

Ingredients

1 Cup

SpicenEasy Toor Daal

3 cups

Water

1 tsp

SpicenEasy Turmeric

½ tsp

SpicenEasy black mustard seeds

4 pc

SpicenEasy Cloves

1”

SpicenEasy Cinnamon

½ tsp

SpicenEasy Paprika

1 tsp

SpicenEasy Coriander powder

1 tsp

SpicenEasy Cumin powder

1 tsp

Chopped ginger

1 tsp

Chopped garlic

1 tbsp

Tomato paste

5

Curry leaves ( optional)

 

Method

Step 1:

  • Wash the lentils in cold water.
  • Soak in 3 cups warm water for at least 30 mins.

Step 2:

  • In a saucepan boil dhal and skim off froth if any.
  • Add 1 tsp salt, turmeric
  • Simmer for approx 15 mins stirring occasionally until daal is cooked.
  • Mix gently with ladle/whisk.

For Garnish ( Tarka)

  • Heat 1 tbsp oil in a skillet/pan
  • Sizzle black mustard/cloves/cinnamon.
  • Add 1 tsp garlic and cook till garlic is golden brown.
  • Add 1 tsp chopped ginger,1tbsp tomato paste and cook on medium heat .
  • Mix in coriander powder/cumin powder /paprika and curry leaves (optional) and pour this garnish over Daal in saucepan.
  • Mix well. Add more water (if required), simmer.Season with salt ( if required).
  • Garnish with fresh chopped coriander.
  • Serve hot with rice/favorite naan bread/roti. Serve with rice or have it as a soup!

You can add frozen veges to the daal and have it as a lentil soup!

(1 tsp= 1 Teaspoon; 1 tbsp = 1 Tablespoon)

 


Spice n Easy Chicken Tikka Masala

Juicy Chicken in a rich aromatic Tomato Sauce.

My wife recently cooked this dish as her first ever Curry. She usually leaves the Curry cooking to me but the Spice n Easy Chicken Tikka Masala Recipe Kit gave her the confidence to have a go. Now the kids are taking turns to cook their favourite Curries!

Ingredients

400g

Boneless Chicken Thighs

1 tsp

Lemon Juice

1 tsp

Finely chopped Ginger

1 tsp

Finely chopped Garlic

2 tbsp

Natural unsweetened Yoghurt

1 large

Onion

2 tbsp

Vegetable Oil

1 cup

Tomato Puree

1 medium

Green Chilli (optional)

1 tsp

Salt

½ cup

Water

1

Spice n Easy Fish or Chicken Tikka Masala Recipe Kit

 

Method

Step 1:

  •  Preheat oven to 250 degrees Celsius.
  •  Cut Chicken into small even sized cubes.
  •  Mix 1 tsp Lemon Juice with Sachet A – Paprika, 1 tsp Salt and evenly coat Chicken with this mix. Keep aside for 5 minutes.
  •  Finely chop 1 large Onion.

Step 2:

  • Mix together Yoghurt, Sachet 1 – Turmeric, Sachet 2 – Cumin/Coriander and chopped Green Chilli (optional) in a large bowl.
  • Put Chicken in this bowl and marinate for a further 10 minutes.

Step 3:

  • Put Chicken into a roasting dish and roast Chicken in hot oven, 4-5 minutes on each side.

Step 4:

For the Sauce:

  • Heat 2 tbsp oil in wok and temper Sachet 3 – Cardamom until sizzling to release the oils in the seeds.
  • Turn heat down. Add finely chopped Onion and cook for a couple of minutes, add Garlic and  Ginger then continue to cook on medium heat for a couple more minutes until colour starts changing to a light brown. 
  • Add Sachet 4 – Spice n Easy Spice Mix, while stirring frequently.
  • Pour in Tomato Puree, Water and cover.
  • Let sauce simmer for 5 minutes on low heat.

Step 5:

  • Place Chicken into the sauce and mix well.
  • Add Sachet 5 – Fenugreek Leaves.
  • Cover and cook for approximately 5 minutes on medium heat.
  • Serve hot with Rice.

ENJOY!

Preparation time: 45 minutes (includes marinating). Cooking time: 15 minutes.  Serves 3-4.

 Handy Hints

  • Make sure Chicken is roasted only until it begins turning brown on the edges, or else it can turn stringy.
  • Marinate for longer if you want stronger flavour.
  • I use 1 tsp of New Zealandn Garlic paste and 1 tsp of Ginger paste if we don’t have the fresh ingredients in the pantry.
  • Instead of Tomato Puree you can use a can of Tomatoes and blend. I use a stick blender in the tin – no more dishes!
  • I often garnish with fresh Coriander and a side dish of chopped Cucumber stirred into any leftover Yoghurt.
  • To ensure full flavour use the right amount of meat stated in the ingredients.If you want to use more chicken to make a meal for 6-8 people use two recipe kits.
  • You can replace Chicken with Fish to create a delicious Fish Tikka Masala.

  


Spice n Easy Bombay Potatoes

A delightful combination of spices used to liven up the faithful Potato.

My mother makes a delicious Potato Curry so we were pleasantly surprised when this recipe gave her a run for her money! In fact it was the Butter Chicken and Bombay Potatoes meal we first tried from Spice n Easy that proved the authenticity and quality of the recipe kits and convinced us to bring Spice n Easy to New Zealand. Try it, I’m sure you’ll enjoy it as much as we do.

Ingredients

Approx. 600g

Potatoes

1 tbp

Lemon Juice

1/2 tsp

Finely chopped Ginger

1 medium

Chopped Onion

3 tbsp

Vegetable Oil

1 tsp (to taste)

Salt

 

Fresh Coriander to garnish

1

Spice n Easy Bombay Potatoes Recipe Kit

 

Method

Step 1:

  • Wash Potatoes thoroughly.
  • Peel and cut into evenly sized cubes approximately 2.5cm (1 inch).

Step 2:

  • Heat oil in a wok.
  • Temper Sachet 1 – Mustard and Onion seeds so they sizzle.
  • Turn heat down. Add Sachet 2 – Asafoetida, chopped Ginger and chopped Onion.
  • Cook until Onions are transparent and add Sachet 3 – Turmeric, Sachet 4 – Cumin/Coriander and Salt to taste.
  • Add a splash (1-2 tbsp) of Water and cubed Potatoes and stir gently to mix.

Cook covered on medium heat until Potatoes are half done (still slightly firm).

Step 3:

  • Add Lemon Juice, Sachet 5 – Fennel and Sachet 6 – Spice n Easy Spice Mix.
  • You may need to add a little more water (1-2 tbsp) to ensure you don’t burn the Potatoes or Spices.
  • Mix gently but well, cover and cook on low/medium heat until Potatoes are tender. 
  • Garnish with fresh Coriander and serve as desired.

Preparation time: 5-10 minutes. Cooking time: 30 minutes. Serves 3-4.

 Handy Hints:

  • Use Ginger paste if you don’t have fresh Ginger.
  • Stir very gently so you don’t break the Potatoes, especially near the end of the cooking process.
  • Lift the lid and check every 3-4 minutes so you don’t burn the spices and overcook the Potatoes (or they’ll become mushy). Timing is quite important to make a good Potato Curry.
  • This is supposed to be a dry Curry so don’t add too much water, it’s just to aid the steaming of the Potatoes with the Spices to stop it from sticking and potentially burning.
  • We love Bombay Potatoes with a Fish Curry – sort of like Indian Fish and Chips!

 


SPICE N EASY Lamb or Beef Roganjosh

A wonderful bouquet of spices turning lamb or beef into a rich treat.

This is one of my favourite Curries and I like it hot!

 

Ingredients

400g

Boneless Lamb or Beef

1 tsp

Finely chopped Ginger

1 tsp

Finely chopped Garlic

1 cup

Natural unsweetened Yoghurt

1 large

Chopped Onion

2 tbsp

Vegetable Oil

1 small

Green Chilli (optional)

1 tsp

Salt

1½ cups

Water

1

Spice n Easy Lamb or Beef Roganjosh Recipe Kit

 

Method

Step 1:

  • Finely chop Onion and Chilli.
  • Cut boneless Lamb or Beef into even sized cubes (about 2.5cm/1 inch).

Step 2:

  • Heat the Oil in a wok or large non-stick pan (medium heat).
  • Saute Sachet 1 – Asafoetida for 30 seconds. Add Garlic and stir for another 30 seconds.
  • Add the meat and Ginger and continue stirring for a few minutes until the meat is evenly browned (seared). This takes approximately 3 minutes.
  • Add Sachet 2 – Whole Spices, Onion and Chilli and continue stir frying for about 5 minutes or until the Onions are transparent.
  • Remove from heat and add Yoghurt. Mix well. Return to heat and continue to stir fry for another 3 minutes.
  • Add Sachet 3 – Aromatic Spice, Sachet 4 – Cumin/Coriander, Sachet 5 – Paprika and Water.
  • Bring to the boil, mix in Salt and Sachet 6 – Spice n Easy Spice Mix. Cover and simmer for 45-50 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the meat is tender and sauce is thick and creamy.

Step 3:

  • Serve hot with Basmati Rice and Naan bread or Rotis. Beautiful!

Preparation time: 10 minutes. Cooking time: 50 minutes. Serves 3-4.

 

 Handy Hints:

  • For best results dry roast and coarse grind the Whole Spices in Sachet 2 and add to sauce.
  • Use a Red Onion for a sweeter taste.
  • You might want to wash it down with a beer or two!

 


 

Daal Makhani

A celebrated delicacy…A classic dish representing all things Indian.

Ingredients:

1 cup

SpicenEasy Urad whole

1tbsp

SpicenEasy Red kidney beans

1 tsp

SpicenEasy Chana Daal

1 onion

finely chopped

2 tsp

tomato paste

1 tsp

finely chopped ginger

2 tsp

finely chopped garlic

½ cup

full milk( or 1/3 cup cream)

2 tbsp

cooking oil

1 tsp

SpicenEasy cumin seeds

1 tsp

SpicenEasy Garam masala

1 tsp

SpicenEasy Chilli Powder

1 tsp

SpicenEasy Coriander powder

1 tsp

Salt (to taste)

 

Method

  • Wash and Soak Urad Daal / Red Kidney Beans/Chana Daal overnight in 3-4 cups warm water.
  • Cook Daal/Beans with the water on high heat. When it starts to boil ; reduce heat and simmer for 11/2 hour ( or until cooked)

For Garnish (Tarka):

  • Heat 2 tbsp oil in a skillet/pan
  • Sizzle cumin seeds.
  • Add chopped garlic and cook till garlic is golden brown.
  • Add chopped ginger, chopped onion and cook on medium heat .
  • Mix in coriander powder/garam masala /chilli /coriander/tomato paste and sauté( low heat) for another minute.Pour this garnish over Daal in saucepan and add 1 tsp salt( as per taste)
  • Mix well. Add milk ( cream) and simmer for 10 mins until daal is thick and creamy.

Best served with fragrant Cumin Rice

 

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