Steve Haywood Health & Fitness

Curry is a great British favourite -consistently being voted amongst the top ten meals for the last ten years. The most popular is Chicken Tikka Masala. Here’s a healthy recipe for curry using any flavour paste you like.

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
• 1 onion, chopped
• Crushed garlic
• 2 tablespoons curry paste (any flavour)
• Selection of your favourite vegetables (chopped) e.g. courgettes, peppers, carrots, mushrooms, potato, spinach
• 600ml vegetable stock (or an oxo cube)
• 2 x 400g cans chopped tomatoes
• Freshly ground black pepper
• Diced meat (optional) -lamb, beef, turkey or chicken.

Method

Heat the oil in a large pan and fry the onion and garlic (and optional meat) gently for two minutes. Add the curry paste and fry for two minutes more. Then, add the tomatoes, stock and seasoning. Add the chopped vegetables and bring to the boil. Put the lid on the saucepan, reduce the heat and simmer for 15 or until the vegetables are cooked. Prepare the accompanying rice, naan bread or chapatti.

Tips

Try marinating the meat in curry paste and yoghurt overnight. Then, instead of frying the meat, grill it before adding it to the curry along with the vegetables.

Mango chutney and yoghurt make a great accompaniment to curry.