A simple, tasty dish with root veg and some spices, feeds two people for just under £3.
The recipe uses neeps (the Scottish word for turnips/swedes/rutabaga); you could do it with parsnips, carrots, potatoes, sweet potatoes... you get the idea. Root veg is cheap, and in their various forms, you can be seasonal about it - maybe local too. A lot of them are easy to grow, so perhaps as local as the back garden? As an afterthought - what about gourds? Treat a pumpkin or butternut squash the same way and you’ll get the same, tasty results.
The paneer - Indian curd cheese - is a lovely addition, but if you’re cooking vegan, you can leave that out. Perhaps substitute it with cubed potatoes or even firm tofu. You won’t be missing out - with our without paneer, this is a tasty, easy curry dish.
INGREDIENTS
CURRY
1/2 neep
1/2 onion
3 cloves garlic - or more - or less - it depends how much you like garlic
fresh coriander (cilantro)
1/2 fresh chilli - how much depends how much you like a bit of heat.
1/2 block paneer
a bit of chopped creamed coconut
yoghurt
flaked almonds
ground cumin, chilli flakes, coriander, turmeric, mustard seeds, fennel seeds, cumin seeds salt to taste
rape seed oil or other - not olive oil
ROTI
175g atta flour
175g yoghurt
1 tsp baking powder
ground cumin, garlic salt, sumac
Watch the video
METHOD
CURRY
Heat the oven to 180ºC
Peel the neep and dice into large cubes.
Spread them on a baking tray and sprinkle lightly with the oil, turmeric, salt, cumin seeds, ground cumin and chilli flakes
Pop them in the oven for 35 minutes
Meanwhile...
Heat some oil in a frying pan and add ground cumin and coriander, as well as the fennel and mustard seeds. Heat them gently and enjoy the aroma.
Add the onion, garlic and chillies and cook through till they soften.
Add a little hot water and stir in the creamed coconut until it dissolves.
Add the roasted neep and the coriander leaf.
Add more water if you think it needs it; don’t leave it swimming, but don’t let it dry out
Stir through a large tablespoon or - if you’re being technical - dollop of yoghurt
Add the paneer and turn down the heat a bit.
Just before serving, sprinkle with flaked almonds.
ROTI
You can make the dough earlier in the day.
In a bowl mix the flour, yoghurt and baking powder until they come together
Work the dough on a floured surface until it is smooth and elastic - you don’t need to knead/knead to need it as long as you would for a loaf; a minute or two should do it.
Flatten out the dough and add the spices - you can add anything you fancy at this point, even some fresh garlic and parsley.
Fold the spices into the dough
Cover in cling film and store in the fridge for a few hours - or 30 minutes
Unwrap the dough and cut into 4 equal blocks.
Heat oil in a pan on a high-but-not-raging heat
On a floured surface with a floured rolling pin, roll the blocks into thin, flat pancakes.
One at a time, pop them in the pan for about 30-40 seconds a side.
Maybe serve with lime pickle and mango chutney as condiments?