For National Curry Week, one writer shares her family's treasured recipe for an authentic Indian curry, passed down from her Irish grandmother who learned from her Punjabi husband of over 30 years. The dish, a staple of her childhood, evokes fond memories of home and the simple joy of a home-cooked meal.
The writer recalls a time when she complained about the lingering smell of curry before meeting friends, only to later miss those small, familiar comforts after moving away. The recipe's core ingredients remain constant, but variations include mince meat, vegetarian cauliflower, aubergine, lentil, or chicken curry.
A recent craving led her to call her mother for a step-by-step guide via FaceTime. The resulting curry was so delicious she made enough for the next day, noting that curry often tastes better 24 hours later as it marinates in its juices.
The key ingredients include two brown onions, five cloves of garlic, cumin seeds (jeera), garam masala (preferably fresh, ground from masala leaves), turmeric (haldi), fresh coriander, a tin of chopped tomatoes, chilli flakes, and a choice of protein or cauliflower. For vegetarians, cauliflower florets and fresh leaves are used; for meat, chicken or mince is partially cooked separately before adding.
The method involves frying onions, garlic, and cumin seeds until golden, then adding tomatoes, water, salt, garam masala, turmeric, and optional chilli flakes. After blending, add cauliflower (or meat) and simmer covered for 20–30 minutes until tender. Finish with fresh coriander and let sit for five minutes. The writer also suggests adding courgettes for extra flavour.
