Roshan's Curry

(Source: Roshan Seth, Newcastle on Tyne, 1968/9)

for 1lb meat
2 tbsp oil
3 medium onions
3 tomatoes
1 bay leaf
1 tsp coriander (dhanya)
½ tsp turmeric (haldi)
⅛ tsp garlic (1 fresh clove)
1½ tsp cumin seed (gira)
¼ tsp ginger (few pieces if fresh)
salt, black pepper, chilli to taste
garam masala: 2 cloves, 2 – 3 black cardamoms, ¼ tsp cinnamon

Chop onion fine and fry until pale yellow. Add coriander, turmeric, garlic, ginger, chilli, cumin and bay leaf. Fry together until all becomes a deep brown. Add tomato, chopped.
If mixture sticks to bottom of pan add minute quantities of water. Keep frying and adding water until mixture becomes a paste. You can tell when this happens because the oil begins to bubble on the surface (generally takes 15 min.).
Add meat, salt & pepper and garam masala. Fry together until meat is braised. Add water (this will depend on how much gravy is required, bearing in mind that too much water will also dilute the sauce). Simmer until meat is cooked (30 – 40 min.).
Serve with rice and salad.

NB. Above is how I got the recipe but I would now brown the meat first and cook for longer. Also increase quantities of spices. Nice with home made chappatis.

Chappatis (Peter Thornton, Wales 1970's)
Make dough with chappati flour, water and a little salt. Leave in fridge overnight. Roll out chappatis, seal both sides in hot pan, cook directly over gas flame (I use a grill rack) so that chappati puffs up (don’t cook too long or will become hard). Serve.

Also nice with yogurt flavoured with garlic and chopped spearmint or ginger and chilli