Experiments with spice box(ing)

Thanks, everyone, for indulging me during my month of crazy travels. S&H will now be up to normal operating speed!

One of the first things I did once I got back to London was to check on my kitchen, which I had really missed. There is really nothing quite like cooking in your own space – you reach for ingredients instinctively and the whole process feels more organic.

So it is perhaps not surprising that my first night back – a rainy miserable night at that – we decided to have curry for dinner and I spent the late afternoon hours experimenting with my spice box (which if you recall, I’d gotten from P for my birthday).

For this spicy prawn curry, I ended up using the red chili spice I was cautioned about using sparingly (it’s kicky!) and stained my hands with lovely, full-flavored tumeric. You’ll also need cinnamon, cloves, coriander seeds, ginger, bay leaves and fresh coriander so if you’re not cooking in your own well-stocked kitchen, it’s best to be prepared in advance! Spicing below is done to my taste – try everything as you cook and make it stronger or milder if you like!

All in all, you’ll need:

• About 10 to 12 medium-sized prawns
• 1 medium white onion
• 2 large tomatoes
• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• two tablespoons fresh cut ginger
• 2 teaspoons cinnamon, mixed with 1/2tsp ginger
• 3 bay leaves
• 1 tsp red chili powder
• 2 tsps tumeric
• 1/2 tsp coriander seeds
• 1 tsp cloves
• a handful or more of fresh coriander leaves (leave some more for serving)
• salt

1. Prep the vegetables by chopping the onions finely and doing the same to the tomatoes and the fresh ginger.

2. Heat oil in a large deep pan or pot. Brown the onions first then add in bay leaves, cinnamon-ginger mix and cloves. Let cook for 3-5 minutes.

3. Add fresh ginger, tomatoes and cook for about 5 minutes.

4. Now add salt, to taste, and the rest of the spices, tasting and adjusting as you go along. The curry should have a full, round and almost slightly sweet flavor which ends on a nice spicy kick.

5. Add about 1/2 water (or light stock, if you prefer) and turn the heat down to a low simmer. Cook for about 15-20 minutes as it thickens.

6. Add coriander leaves, chopped roughly, and prawns and continue to cook slowly at low heat until prawns are cooked through and you’re ready to serve. Take out the bay leaves and garnish plates with coriander before serving.