What is madras curry?!
Answers: An English invention: "give me some of those spices my man to take back and cook in England!" Inevitably it means with a fair amount of chili spice to counter the effect of too much alcohol. Also coriander seed (ground), cumin, garlic,ginger, any old herbs really: marjoram.thyme,rosemary...make sure there's some fruits in the curry...tomato and apple at least, mangos preferably/
Madras curry is a curry that's made pretty hot. Above this one you have a vindaloo, a really hot curry. But there is another that's hotter than this, called a Phal. I dare you to try it. That's the hottest. Curry's are made hot, or hotter from the amount of chili powder that's put into the meal. The more chili the hotter it gets. But you cant get hotter than a Phal.
something spicys
Madras is a city in southern India. 'Madras curry' is a loose term for spice mixes that are intended to simulate the curries usually made in that region, even though it barely comes close. Like 'curry' itself (which is a British invention), every Indian curry is different, and to unify them all with a common mix of spices destroys its authenticity.
Southern Indian cuisine is typically focused on fewer, bolder spices than its Northern counterpart. Cayenne, cumin, coriander, asafoetida, mustard and fenugreek are common spices, while ginger, garlic, cardamom, cinnamon, cloves and nutmeg are used very infrequently (as opposed to the north).
Therefore, the typical flavors associated with so-called Madras curry are those of coriander and asafetida, while cardamom and cloves often dominate the odor profile of Northern-based spice mixes. Of course,this is only a generalization.
Turmeric is common to both.
Recipe for a typical restaurant type Madras Curry
This one uses chicken but you can make the same recipe using beef, lamb, prawns or vegetables.
Serves 4
650 grams boned chicken breast cubed into bite size pieces
2 large onions coursely sliced (lengthways)
400 grams tinned tomatoes
1 tablespoon tomato paste (puree)
Salt to taste
Ghee or vegetable oil for sauteeing
2 tablespoons Lemon or lime juice
Spices 1
4 red chillies (fresh or dried)
1 teaspoon fenugreek seeds
3 green cardamoms
1 teaspoon cumin seeds
Grind the above spices together and add to it...
Half teaspoon hot chilli powder
Half teaspoon ground black pepper
1 teaspoon turmeric
Spices 2:
1 tablespoon fenugreek leaves (ground) add to this
1 tablespoon garam masala
Heat the ghee or oil in a deep pan or ovenproof casserole. Stir fry the onion until golden, add the chicken pieces and stir again until browned. Add spices 1 and stir into the chicken and onion until well mixed. Add the tomatoes and tomato paste. Cover and leave to simmer gently for about 40 mins or place covered casserole in a hot oven for 40 mins. Remove from the heat and add spices 2, lemon or lime juice and salt to taste. Stir well and return to heat or oven for a further 10 to 15 mins.
Serve with basmati rice.
You can alter the amount of chilli according to how spicy you like your curries.