Turn up the heat with these spicy and delicious curries. These comforting, flavour-packed dishes are the ultimate cure for winter gloom. 

Sweet potato brinjal curry

Serves 4-6

Ingredients

½ cup olive or canola oil
600g baby brinjals, roughly chopped
1 onion, chopped 
1 tsp cumin seeds 
5 cloves garlic, chopped 
2cm knob grated ginger
1 chilli, deseeded and finely chopped
1 tsp ground coriander
½ tsp chilli powder
½ tsp turmeric
1 can (400g) peeled and chopped tomatoes
1 Tbsp sugar
2 large, sweet potatoes, peeled and cubed
1 cup water
½ lemon
Salt and milled pepper
Handful chopped coriander
Bread, for serving    

Method 

1. Heat half the oil in a heavy-based pot over medium heat. 
2. Add the brinjals and fry on both sides until golden brown. Remove and set aside. 
3. Heat remaining oil in the same pot and sauté onion and cumin seeds until fragrant and soft, about 5-8 minutes.
4. Add garlic, ginger, chilli and spices, then saute for about 3 minutes. 
5. Tip in tomatoes, add sugar and simmer for 8-10 minutes.
6. Add sweet potatoes and water, cook for another 15-20 minutes. 
7. Stir in fried brinjals and cook for 10 more minutes, stirring occasionally and adding extra water if needed. 
8. Add a generous squeeze of lemon juice and season. 
9. Stir through coriander and serve with bread on the side. 

Cook’s note
Sop up with buttery garlic naan or parathas for the ultimate ‘utensil’. 

Photography: Fresh Living magazine 

 

Coconut fish curry with rice and baked wraps 

Serves 4

 

Ingredients 

1 Tbsp coconut oil
1 onion, finely chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 red chilli, thinly sliced
1 tsp finely chopped ginger
1 tsp fennel seeds
1 Tbsp curry powder
½ tsp ground turmeric
½ cup vegetable stock
1 tin (400ml) coconut milk
1 tsp fish sauce
3 hake fillets, cut into chunks
1½ Tbsp lemon juice  

To serve 

½ cup fresh coriander
1½ cups cooked brown rice
2 multi-seed wraps, torn in half 

Method 

1. Heat the oil in a deep pan over medium heat. Add the onion and cook until soft and translucent, about 5 minutes.
2. Add the garlic, chilli, ginger and fennel seeds and stir fry for 1-2 minutes.
3. Add the curry powder and turmeric and fry until fragrant, about 1 minute.
4. Pour in the stock, coconut milk and fish sauce, reduce the heat and simmer for 5 minutes until slightly reduced.
5. Add the fish and simmer until cooked through, about 5 minutes. Remove from the heat and stir through the lemon juice.
6. Garnish the coconut fish curry with fresh coriander and serve with rice and oven baked wraps on the side.

Recipes & styling: Kate Turner
Photography: Andreas Eiselen // HMimages.co.za 

 

Traditional Indian chicken korma curry 

Serves 6  

 

Ingredients 

For the curry 

3 Tbsp vegetable oil
12 chicken pieces
6 dried rose petals
2 Tbsp chopped ginger
4 cloves garlic, crushed
2 Tbsp garam masala
½ tsp paprika
2 tsp ground cardamom
1 tsp salt
1 tsp turmeric
1 cup almonds
3 Tbsp butter
2 onions, finely sliced
4 Tbsp tomato paste
1½ cups Greek yoghurt
½ cup cream  

To serve 

¼ cup flaked almonds, toasted
2 tsp dried rose petals
6 rotis, warmed
Wedges of 2 lemons  

Method 

1. Heat 2 tablespoons of the vegetable oil in a pot over medium heat. Brown the chicken in batches, until almost cooked through. Remove from the pot and set aside.
2. Add the rose petals, ginger, garlic, garam masala, paprika, cardamom, salt, turmeric and almonds to a food processor. Blend until smooth.
3. Add the remaining vegetable oil and the butter to the pot. Add the onions and cook until caramelised, about 5 minutes.
4. Add the blended spice mix and fry for 2 minutes, until fragrant.
5. Reduce the heat and mix in the tomato paste and yoghurt. Simmer for 3 minutes, then add the chicken.
6. Lower the heat and cook for 10 minutes, until the chicken is done. Remove from the heat, stir in the cream and season with salt and pepper.
7. Top your chicken korma with flaked almonds and rose petals and serve with warm rotis and lemon wedges.

Recipe & styling: Kate Turner
Photography: Andreas Eiselen // HMimages.co.za 

 

Durban curry bunny chow  

Serves 4

Ingredients 

For the Masala spice mix   

¼ cup chilli powder 
1 tsp cayenne pepper 
1 tsp ground cumin 
1 tsp ground coriander 
½ tsp ground ginger 
½ tsp ground cardamom 
½ tsp ground cinnamon 
½ tsp fenugreek (optional) 
Pinch of ground cloves     

1kg mutton, on the bone
Salt and milled pepper 
¼ cup canola oil 
2-3 sprigs curry leaves 
1 bay leaf 
1 cinnamon stick 
1 star anise 
3 onions, chopped 
1 Tbsp garlic and ginger paste 
2 Tbsp medium curry powder 
1 tsp ground turmeric 
3 salad tomatoes, grated 
5 potatoes, peeled and cut into large chunks 
2 cups water 
Handful coriander, chopped + extra for serving 
2 whole loaves of bread, halved and hollowed out    

Method 

1. Combine spice mix ingredients in a bowl.  
2. Season meat and toss with 2 Tbsp of the garam masala spice mix. Set aside.  
3. Add oil to a large pot and fry curry leaves, bay leaf, cinnamon stick and star anise for 2-3 minutes over medium heat.  
4. Add onions and sauté for about 3-5 minutes or until lightly golden.  
5. Stir through garlic and ginger paste, curry powder and turmeric and fry for 1 minute.  
6. Add another glug of oil, stir in meat and brown for about 6-8 minutes.  
7. Tip in tomatoes and use a wooden spoon to scrape all the bits stuck to the bottom of the pot (the acidity of the tomatoes will help loosen this).  
8. Add potatoes and cook for 5 minutes.  
9. Pour in water, add coriander, cover with a lid and simmer gently for about 45-60 minutes until meat is tender and sauce has thickened.  
10.  Adjust seasoning and ladle curry into bread halves, making sure to serve with enough of the rich sauce.  
11. Serve topped with chopped fresh coriander.  

Recipes & styling: Chad January
Photography: Zhann Solomons   

Also read: 4 Fake-away recipes for cosy weekends at home