Everyday Curry - Veggie, Fish or Chicken

This is not an authentic curry from any particular region.  It's a store cupboard and fridge curry that you can rustle up after work in the time it takes to cook the rice.  I make it quite mild as Hannah is more 'Korma' than 'Vindaloo' - but you can add more spice to taste!

Peel and chop 1 large or 2 small onions.  Sweat with some vegetable oil in a large-ish saute pan (or wok).  Add equal quantities of chopped fresh ginger and garlic, or just spoon some garlic ginger paste from a jar (I keep one in my fridge).  Add 1-2 tbsp of curry paste or curry powder (I used Madras curry powder as I didn't have any paste open).  Technically this is a South-Asian-ish curry so Indian curry paste would be good but I often use Thai and get away with it.  The point is that this is everyday curry - so it's made with what you have in the cupboards and the fridge so you don't have to go shopping.

Roughly chop some veg, whatever you have in the fridge, to bulk up the curry, add goodness and niceness.  Tonight I used 3 carrots, 1/2 a small butternut squash and some green and yellow peppers.  I have added potatoes before - especially good if it's a veggie curry.  Green beans and frozen peas work well too, but add them later on so they don't get overcooked.

Pour in 1 tin of coconut milk, fill the empty tin with water and add that too.  Add a tbsp of tomato puree, or a large squeeze of tomato ketchup.  Trust me,  it works.  Season to taste.

Add some protein here if you're using it - chunks of skinless, boneless chicken thighs are our favourite, but breasts are OK.  Turkey chunks is good.  Fish works - tonight we had frozen coley fillets (el cheapo) dropped in whole from frozen and just flaked through at the end (salmon too, but I prefer that in parcels).

Simmer everything until the veg and the meat/fish is cooked, and serve with steamed basmati rice (or value long grain) and chopped coriander.  Mango chutney is essential.

Enjoy.