Jamie Oliver’s Christmas Curry

makes 6 servings

1 1/2 teaspoons fennel seeds

1 1/2 teaspoons coriander seeds

1 tesapoon chilli flakes

1 medium cauliflower

groundnut oil

15cm piece of ginger

9 cloves of garlic

20 finger aubergines

3 medium onions

2-3 fresh green chillies

1 kg ripe tomatoes

1 cinnamon stick

150 g cashews

100 g coconut shavings

1 pomegranate

Spice Blend

1 teaspoon cardamom pods

2 teaspoons turmeric powder

3 dried Kashmiri red chillies

7 cloves

1 tablespoon fennel seeds

1 teaspoon cumin seeds

1 teaspoon black peppercorns

Indian Tempeh

3 cloves of garlic

1 small handful of fresh curry leaves

1 tablespoon brown mustard seeds

Method

• Preheat the oven to 200ºC/400ºF/gas 6.

• Grind the fennel and coriander seeds, and chilli flakes until fine.

• Place the cauliflower on a sheet of tin foil, rub in half of the ground spices and 1 tbsp of oil, and season with sea salt and black pepper.

• Wrap the cauliflower in the foil, pop it on a roasting tray and bake for 30 minutes, or until tender, removing the foil for the last 15 minutes to give it a gnarly crust. Remove and set aside.

• Peel and finely grate the ginger and 6 cloves of garlic.

• In a bowl, combine two-thirds of the ginger, the grated garlic and the remaining half of the spice mixture.

• Make an incision in each aubergine with a small sharp knife, then rub the ginger mixture into each one, along with a drizzle of oil.

• Place the aubergines in a small roasting tray and cook in the oven for 15 to 20 minutes, or until softened and starting to split. Set aside.

• Make your spice blend. Split the cardamom pods, add the seeds to a mortar with all the other ingredients, then grind well.

• Peel and finely chop the onions, then deseed and roughly chop the chillies and tomatoes, keeping them separate.

• Peel and finely slice the remaining 3 cloves of garlic.

• Place a large pan over a medium heat and toast the ground spices for 1 minute, or until aromatic.

• Stir in 1 tbsp of oil, followed by the onions, green chillies, sliced garlic, and the remaining ginger. Cook for 10 mins, until the onion and garlic are soft and coloured.

• Add the tomatoes, cinnamon stick and 200ml of water and let it simmer over a low heat for 30 minutes.

• In a blender, blitz the cashews with 4 tablespoons of water until you have a smooth paste, then stir this into your curry. Cook for 5 minutes, or until thick and fragrant.

• For the tempeh, peel and finely slice the garlic, then add to a frying pan over a medium heat with a splash of oil, the curry leaves and mustard seeds.

• Fry for 1 minute, or until crisp, then drain on kitchen paper.Chop the roasted cauliflower into florets and stir into the curry along with the aubergines.

• Top the curry with the tempeh and shaved coconut.

• Halve the pomegranate and bash it, cut side down, with a wooden spoon so the seeds come tumbling out.

• Scatter the seeds over the curry, and serve with chapatis.