Post: Vindaloo

Ingredients:

• 4 tbs rapeseed oil
• 6 cloves
• 1 star anise
• 20 black peppercorns
• 8cm cinnamon stick
• 2 tsp cumin seeds
• 6 cloves of garlic, crushed
• 4cm ginger, peeled and grated
• 5 tbs white wine vinegar
• ¾ level tbs chilli powder (or to taste)
• 2 medium onions, finely sliced
• 1 tsp salt 1 tsp sugar
• 1 x 400g tin of plum tomatoes
• 1kg sweet potatoes, peeled and chopped into 3cm chunks
• Yoghurt, to serve

Method:

Put a tablespoon of oil into a large lidded frying pan over a medium heat and, when hot, add cloves, star anise, black peppercorns, cinnamon stick and cumin seeds. Stir-fry for two minutes, until the peppercorns and cloves swell and you can smell the spices, then take it off the heat. /Tip the spices into a spice grinder or pestle and mortar, and grind them up. Add the garlic, ginger and vinegar, grind some more until you have a smooth paste, then mix in the chilli powder. /Put the remaining oil into the same pan over a medium heat and, when hot, add the onions. Cook until brown and caramelised, add the spice paste, salt and sugar. Cook for a couple of minutes, add the plum tomatoes. Fill the tomato tin half full with water and tip into the pan. /Put the lid on the pan and cook for five minutes, then add the sweet potatoes. Bring the curry to a boil, reduce to a simmer and cover with the lid again. Cook for 20 to 25 minutes, until the sweet potato is tender. /Serve with yoghurt and basmati rice.

Enjoy! This recipe is only slightly adapted from the incomparable Meera Sodha, Financial Times, 29/12/2016

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