Having been a curry addict (the anglicised version à la London NW1, Southall and
neighbouring) for 40 years I would like to be able to produce a reasonble
facsimile before I die - I've tried so often and without success.

I'm looking for a relatively straightforward recipe - not too much prep - for
chicken or lamb at medium heat.

Any votes for the all-time winner here (you mustn't vote for you own recipe)

******
Curried Cauliflower & Potatoes - Aloo Gobi
4-5 Servings as side dish.

Use a thick-based saucepan with a tight-fitting lid - this should be cooked with
almost no water (1 tblspn max).

1 large onion finely sliced
2 Hot small green chilies, very finely chopped.
1" piece of ginger root chopped very finely or grated
1 tsp ground cummin
1/2 tsp Turmeric
1.5 tsp Coriander
1/2 tsp chili powder (not necessary if using fresh chilies).
1 ts black mustard seeds
2-3 cardamoms deseeded and ground
2-3 tblspns Ghee/vegetable oil
3/4lb new Potatoes diced - same weight of cauliflower cut into florets
1 heaped tsp tom puree (optional if using fresh toms)
1 tsp Salt

to finish:-

2 tblspns chopped coriander.
2 md Tomatoes, skinned and finely chopped
1/2 ts Garam masala (optional)


Fry onion in oil till golden .
Add all the ground spices (not the ginger) and fry gently for further 1 minute.
Bring diced raw potatoes to the boil and drain off then add immediately - hot
but raw - to onions and add remaining ingredients except fresh coriander toms
and cauli and ginger. Add a tablespoon of water and cover tightly cooking on low
heat. (Add additional tablespoon boiling water if spices are burning on bottom
of pan.)
Bring cauli quickly to boil in water then drain and add immediately along with
the ginger cooking for further 10-15 mins or till the florets and potatoes are
cooked but not overcooked.
Finally add chopped fresh coriander, tomatoes and optional garam masala. Stir
and serve (the fresh toms don't need cooking)

This is a 'slow-cooked' dish so to avoid the spices sticking and burning to the
bottom of the pan, keep heat to absolute minimum preferably over a simmering
ring turning at least once to distribute the heat. Also, allowances are made
above for cauli which normally cooks much faster than potato. If you decide you
want a nuttier crunchier potato you may decide to pop the cauli in at the same
time as the pots.

*****************************

Make up the spice mixture in quantity.

3 heaped dsrtspns ground cummin
4 heaped dsrtspns ground coriander
3 heaped dsrtspns turmeric (haldi)
1 heaped teaspn chili powder
1 oz dark mustard seed
12 cardamoms husked and ground

mix well - use 1 very heaped dsrtspn of mix for above quantity of veg.