Never-the-Same-Curry (in a hurry!)

"No one could ever cook the same meal from one recipe. Recipes are suggestions, verbal guideposts. Words can only be a finger pointing toward food on a plate."

- Shauna James Ahern (aka Gluten Free Girl)

That is so true! My recipes hardly ever turn out the same way twice, because I just can't help changing them, tweaking them, trying a couple of different ingredients, and (most often) adding something out of the fridge that needs to be used up!

Today I ended up making a quick curry for lunch, as my husband was working late shift and needed a decent meal. So I quickly thawed out some turkey mince, scrounged out what veges I had, got the leftover rice out of the fridge, and this is what I came up with... by the way, the measurements are only suggestions! :)

Never-the-Same-Curry!

1. Chop in Thermomix on speed 5 for 3 seconds, scrape down sides, and saute for 2 minutes, 100 degrees, speed 1:

- 2 T olive oil

- 1 onion, chopped

- 1-2 cloves of garlic (or garlic powder if you're in a real hurry!)

2. Add and cook at 100 degrees for 2 minutes, speed 1:

- 1 Tblspn lemon juice or vinegar

- 2-4 tsp curry powder (depending on how hot you like it)

I make my own curry powder in the Thermomix, grinding up the spices from whole ones - makes the flavour so good!

3. Add ONE of the following:

- 500g turkey mince or beef mince

- 1000g chicken pieces or 500g chicken breasts cut in 1" chunks

- 500g beef steak, cut in 1" chunks (or stewing beef if you've got plenty of time)

- 500g lamb, cut in 1" chunks

- 1 1/2 cups any leftover cooked, diced meat

OR see variation below for meatball or fish curry using the Varoma...

4. If using uncooked meat, stir fry it first to cook it - 100 degrees, 5 minutes, reverse, speed soft.  If using leftover cooked meat, go on to the next step.

5. Add liquids and veges to bowl and cook at 100 degrees, 20-25 minutes, reverse, speed soft (or until veges and meat are cooked through and tender - depends on what meat you're using):

- 250g tomato juice, or puree, or homemade tomato sauce (ketchup) mixed half and half with water 

- 1 t salt

- 250g broth (vege, beef, chicken - whatever matches) or water and stock paste

- some chopped veges, however many will fit, up to the 2 litre mark. Eg: choko, potato, sweet potato, carrot, peas, pumpkin, tomatoes... whatever you've got. (If you want to add leftover veges, add them towards the end, and stir through to heat.)

6. If you'd like your curry thicker, add a couple of tablespoons of cornflour mixed with a little water and cook another 2 mins on 100 degrees, reverse, speed soft. You can also add some chopped boiled eggs at the end and gently stir them through if you like.

7. Serve over steamed rice.

Meatball or Fish Curry using Varoma:
Instead of placing meat in the bowl, place 500g meatballs or 500g cubed fish into the Varoma tray leaving holes for the steam to get through.  After sauteeing the onion and garlic, add the tomato juice/puree/sauce, salt and veges to the bowl, but add 450g of stock instead of 250g, and cook on Varoma temperature for 20 minutes.  Add the meatballs/fish to the bowl and stir in gently, then serve.

Meatless Variation:

Try making this curry with boiled eggs in it, instead of meat - it's yummy! Just replace the broth or water with more tomato juice/puree, and add about 6 -8 chopped boiled eggs at the end. Or leave out both the meat and eggs and have a vege curry, sprinkled with chopped cashews or sunflower seeds.

Meat Curry:

You can leave out the veges and have just meat (with the onion, garlic and spices) and serve it on rice/quinoa with a salad.