Red Thai curry

Ingredients:

• 1 heaped tbsp red Thai curry paste
• 1 large butternut squash
• 1 pack chestnut mushrooms
• 2 tins coconut cream
• 10 or so cherry tomatoes
• 3 spring onions
• 2 bags fresh egg noodles or jasmine rice (75g/person)

Method:

• Peel, clean and then chop the butternut squash into large chunks.
• Place in a pan of water and par boil. This should only take about 5 mins.
• Drain the squash and leave it aside in the colander.
• Using the same pan add the curry paste and the coconut cream and stir well to combine.
• Add the squash to the coconut milk. Simmer on a low heat whilst you slice the mushrooms and spring onions.
• Once chopped, add the mushrooms to the pan. Leave to simmer until the mushrooms have almost cooked.
• Whilst the mushrooms are cooking add the noodles to a lightly oiled frying pan or wok & cook through.
• Add the tomatoes and spring onions and simmer gently for just a couple of minutes until the tomato skins start to burst.
• Serve the noodles into bowls and then serve the curry on top.

Sweet Potato Tikka

We love curries here. This one is a fabulous change from a meat curry and it goes down really well with guests too. Perfect with a bottle of Red (or grape juice for the kids).

Ingredients:

• 1tsp ground cumin
• 1/2tsp cayenne powder
• 1tsp round turmeric
• 1/2 tsp ground ginger
• small sprinkle dried chilli flakes
• 1 1/2tsp garam masala
• 2-3 cloves fresh garlic, crushed or finley chopped
• 4 tins tomatoes
• 300ml creme fraiche
• 1kg sweet potatos
• 100g chestnut mushrooms
• 2-3 big handfuls baby spinach leaves
• Olive oil
• Basmati or pilau rice  - aprox 75g per person.

Method:

• In a large pan, put all the spices and set aside for later.
• Peel sweet potato and cut into bite size chunks. Boil until tender, but not soft.
• Slice mushrooms and set to the side.
• Add a good glug of oil to the spices and stir well to make a runny paste.  Heat on a low to med heat until just starts to sizzle and no more.
• Add drained sweet potato to the warmed paste and then add the mushrooms too. Stir really well and add the tinned tomatoes.
• Leave to simmer for 5 mins while you put the rice on to cook.
• One the rice is on, chop the baby spinach into shreds and add to the curry, but don't stir in yet.
• Once the rice is half done, stir in the spinach and leave to simmer.
• Just as the rice is finishing, add the creme fraiche to the curry and stir well until melted through. Turn to lowest heat and leave while you serve the rice.
• Add your curry to the plate and serve with nanns and papadoms.