Slow cooked pinto bean curry

Serves 8-10

Ingredients:
400-500g dried pinto beans, plus soaking/cooking water

1 tblsp olive oil
2 onions
4-5 garlic cloves
2 bell peppers
1/2 tsp crushed chili flakes
1 tsp cumin seeds
1 tsp turmeric
1 tsp ginger
3 tsp curry powder or garam masala
1/2 tsp salt

1-2 tblsp soft brown sugar
140-180g tomato puree or paste
1 400ml can coconut milk

Method: 

Soak the pinto beans in a large pan overnight, with plenty of water to cover.

Drain well, then fill the pan with water to about 2cm above the beans. Bring to the boil and simmer on a low heat, covered, for about 45 minutes. Turn the heat off but leave the pan covered for another hour or two so that it continues cooking.

Drain the beans (keeping the cooking water if you plan to use it elsewhere) and put the beans in the crockpot.

Now slice or chop the onions, and sauté them in a large frying pan for 5-10 minutes. While they're cooking, chop the peppers into smallish pieces, and peel the garlic cloves. When the onions are soft and starting to caramelise, crush the garlic cloves into the mixture, and add the pepper pieces; stir for a minute or two, then add the cumin seeds and chili flakes and stir again to release the flavour.

Add the other spices, salt and brown sugar, stirring all the time, then add the tomato paste or puree, rinsing the can or packet out, if necessary, with some of the coconut milk.

Stir well, then pour over the beans in the crockpot. Pour the rest of the coconut milk into the pan, and stir well to release anything that's stuck to the bottom of the pan, and then pour that over the mixture in the slow cooker too.

Stir briefly with a large metal spoon to combine; if it seems too dry, add a bit more water, or some of the bean cooking liquid to the coconut milk can and pour over.  Put the lid on, and cook on 'medium' for about six to eight hours, or rather longer on 'low'.

Serve with rice or naan, chopped cucumber, mango chutney and other side dishes as preferred.

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I found the basis for this recipes in Lent 2014 when our family experimented with vegetarian eating. Searching online for bean-based crockpot ideas, I came across something called 'Crock pot coconut curry baked beans.' I was a little dubious, but determined to try a variety of recipes, and I very much like pinto beans.

The only change I made when I first tried it was to substitute dried ginger for the recommended minced fresh ginger, and, as usual, to put in more garlic than suggested. Oh, and full-fat coconut milk. It was delicious! The combination of tomato puree, coconut milk and a little brown sugar make the most amazing sauce, and even my omnivore husband liked it. 

The second time I made it, I added in turmeric, since it's currently considered a super-food, and used garam masala as I didn't have any curry powder. We liked it just as much, but being a bit more picky, I felt that it lacked texture. In addition, I like having at least one or two types of vegetable in a curry, as well as the protein. I had some red peppers that needed to be used up, so I added them, and that made it (in our view) perfect. In the batch I photographed, I happened to have orange peppers so I used those. 

Spices can, of course, be adjusted to taste, and you could use canned pinto beans if you run out of time to soak and pre-boil dried ones. This isn't a particularly hot curry, but if you prefer more of a 'bite', you could add more ginger and/or chili flakes.

Different slow cookers have different settings and I find that the 'low' setting on mine doesn't really cook at all, so I tend to use 'medium'. However, some slow cookers only have two temperature settings. If that's the case, I'd recommend using 'low'. 

Keema

Keema

Makes about 6-8 servings

Ingredients:
1-2 tablespoons olive oil
2 medium onions, finely chopped
6-8 cloves garlic, crushed
2 tablespoons garam masala
2 teaspoons turmeric
2 teaspoons ground ginger
2 teaspoons cumin seeds
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 - 1 teaspoon chili powder
1/2 - 1 teaspoon salt
750-800g minced beef (US: about a pound and three-quarters)
800g canned or frozen tomatoes (US: about 28 ounces)
140-150g tomato puree (US: about half a cup)
300ml stock or water (or leftover wine)

Optional:
100g red lentils, rinsed
200g chickpeas, cooked; or frozen peas


Method
Cook the onions and garlic in a large saucepan in the olive oil until well softened. Add all the spices, and stir for about a minute, then add the mince and continue cooking and stirring, mixing into the onions, until it starts to brown.

If using lentils, stir them in at this stage.

Add the rest of the ingredients and keep stirring until it reaches the boil. 

At this stage you can transfer it to a crockpot and simmer for 4-6 hours on 'medium'; alternatively, cover and simmer gently for about an hour, stirring occasionally to ensure that it does not burn.

Adjust seasonings if necessary, and serve over rice or baked potatoes, with a large salad or cooked vegetables.

Chickpeas or frozen peas can be added towards the end of the cooking, for authenticity.

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Keema is a traditional South Asian dish made of mince, often with added potatoes or peas. There are a variety of different ways of seasoning this, so feel free to adjust the spices according to taste. My original recipe only used garam masala, ginger and cumin; I make it a policy to add turmeric to anything like this, due to its health properties, and when I tasted it during cooking, I felt it lacked much 'kick', so I added the chili powder. Some chili powder is much stronger than other forms, so be careful with this.

There still seemed to be something missing, so I added some cinnamon, and it felt just right. However, different people like different spice combinations, so it's worth experimenting. Equally, if you can't stand one of the spices listed, or don't have it in your cupboard, you can leave it out.

Some recipes for keema include 200g yogurt, stirred in at the end; this will add a bit of taste, but obviously makes it unsuitable for dairy-free eaters.

Slightly Spicy Chicken (crockpot)

Crockpot spicy chicken
Makes about 8-10 servings

Ingredients:
2 onions, skinned and chopped
about 1.8kg boneless, skinless chicken thighs (US: 3 pounds)
400g chopped tomatoesor 400g can (US: 14 ounces)
6-8 cloves garlic, peeled and crushed
1 tsp dried ginger
1 tsp ground coriander
1/4 tsp cayenne
2 tsp garam masala
1 tsp turmeric
300g mushrooms, chopped (US: 3/4 pound)
100g dried apricots, quartered (US: 1/4 pound)

Method:
Put the chopped onions at the bottom of the crockpot, and place the chicken thighs on top (if frozen they must be thawed first). Add the tomatoes, then the garlic and spices. Stir slightly to mix, and ensure the chicken is coated. If you like plenty of sauce, you can add more tomatoes, or some water, or leftover wine, but more juices are made during the cooking.

Switch the crockpot on HIGH; cook for about two hours, then remove the lid, and stir in the mushrooms and apricots. Turn the chicken pieces around in the sauce to make sure everything is mixed, and replace the lid. Turn to LOW, and cook for another 6-8 hours. If you're in a hurry, you can cook for less time on MEDIUM, but long low cooking leaves the chicken perfectly shredded and tender.

Serve with rice, pittas or potatoes, salad or vegetables, and top with yogurt and/or raisins if desired.

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When we first bought our slow-cooker, I was searching for crockpot curry recipes, and came across the excellent 'Year of Slow Cooking' blog, which has a recipe called 'Crockpot Indian Chicken recipe'. I wanted to make double their quantities immediately, since my slow-cooker is a large one, and I didn't like the idea of using chicken that was still frozen. Nor did I want yogurt as part of the recipe, since one of my sons is dairy-free, and I thought it would freeze better without. Oh, and I always put in way more garlic than any recipe says.

So that was my first adaptation. Then it seemed rather lacking in texture, so I added the apricots; since we had some mushrooms in the fridge, I added those too. I liked it a lot better that way. I adjusted the spices to suit our tastes, and then put in some turmeric too, since it's apparently one of the best spices around, and cures all kinds of health problems. And although the first time I used two cans of tomatoes, doubling the original, it made so much juice that I just used one. Actually I don't use canned tomatoes any more; I skin and chop inexpensive fresh ones and freeze them in 400g size portions to use instead, but the effect is much the same.

And since the spiciness is actually very mild - you could add more ginger and cayenne to make it hotter if you wanted - it's become known in our family as 'slightly spicy chicken'.

Chicken Curry for the Crockpot

Slow cooked chicken curry

Makes about 8-12 servings depending on appetite:

Ingredients:
1.2 - 1.5 kg boneless, skinless chicken thighs (US: 2 1/2-3 pounds)
150-175g cooked or canned chickpeas (US: 1 cup), optional
3 medium onions
6 large garlic cloves
400-450g mushrooms (US: 1 pound)
2 tblsp olive oil
seeds from 3 opened cardamom pods
1 tblsp cumin seeds
small stick of cinnamon
1 tsp ground ginger
1-2 tsp turmeric
1 tsp cayenne pepper OR chilli powder (or more, if you want it hotter)
1 tblsp garam masala
1 sachet coconut cream or about 100-125ml coconut milk or yogurt (US: 1/2 cup)

Note: you will need a medium or large crockpot or slow cooker for this recipe. If you only have a small one, you will need to halve the amounts of the ingredients.

Method:
In a large saucepan or frying pan, heat the oil gently, then brown the chicken pieces, a few at a time, turning so that all sides brown - they won't be cooked through, just lightly browned. Remove with a slotted spoon when done, and place in the crockpot, then continue with more pieces.

While the chicken is cooking, peel and finely chop the onions; peel and mince the garlic; wash and slice the mushrooms.

When all the chicken is in the crockpot, add a little more oil if needed. Put the cardamom and cumin seeds in the pan with the cinnamon stick; cook, stirring, for about a minute. Add the chopped onions, mushrooms and garlic, and fry, stirring, until the onions are golden. Add the rest of the spices and chickpeas if used, cook for about 15 seconds, then stir in the coconut cream or yogurt.

Mix thoroughly, turn off the heat, and pour the mixture over the chicken pieces in the crockpot. It looks as if it will be quite dry, but actually creates quite a bit of liquid as it cooks.

I cook for about an hour on HIGH, to ensure the chicken is thoroughly cooked, and then about six to eight hours on LOW. But cooking times depend on your crockpot, and are flexible.

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This recipe is based on the 'Authentic chicken curry' recipe at the Cooks.com site. The first time I made it, I followed their directions fairly closely (other than using chicken pieces instead of a whole chicken, olive oil instead of corn oil, and more garlic than the recipe suggested).

I thought the initial recommendation of blending the yogurt, garlic and onions in a liquidiser was messy and didn't really work well. We liked the resultant curry, but thought the cloves gave too strong a flavour which didn't quite work for our British tastebuds. We also thought the spices could have been stronger, and the whole was too meaty. Using some chick-peas gives more of a balance.

So the second time I made the recipe as above, other than forgetting the mushrooms, and it worked well. It would have been better still with the mushrooms!

We serve it with pitta bread or naan, mango chutney, chopped tomatoes and cucumbers, with raisins, sunflower seeds and dessicated coconut to sprinkle over.

Vietnamese coconut chicken for the crockpot

To serve about 6-8:

2 tblsp olive oil
2 medium onions, finely chopped
4-5 garlic cloves, crushed or minced
about 1kg boneless, skinless chicken thighs
2 tsp turmeric
1 tsp ground ginger
1 tsp cumin seeds
2 small thin green chillies, finely chopped
100g creamed coconut
500ml water
salt and pepper

Method:
Stir-fry the onions, garlic and chicken pieces in the oil for about five minutes or until the onions is softened, and the chicken starting to change colour. Put in the slow-cooker pot (crockpot). Next, put all the spices and the chillies in the same pan, with the coconut and water. Heat, stirring gently, until the coconut has dissolved, the pour over the chicken. Season with a little salt and pepper.

Cover, then cook for about three hours on High, or 6 hours on Low, stirring about half-way through, as the chicken thighs break up into smaller pieces.

Serve with rice or naan, thick yogurt, cashews, chopped cucumber, raisins, etc.

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This recipe was adapted from the excellent book 'Slow Cooking Curries and Spicy Dishes ' by Carolyn Humphries). Although the recipe claims to be sufficient for a 6.5 litre crockpot (which mine is) I felt the quantities were on the small side; for this recipe I have doubled the amount of chicken, and increased one or two other ingredients. It would be fine for a smaller crockpot; however, next time I make this, I will double everything, using 2kg chicken.

This would probably work in a conventional oven, cooked on low heat for about two or three hours, or even on the stove-top, although chicken thighs tend to be much more tender when cooked in a slow-cooker.

The original recipes uses a stalk of lemongrass, something I am unable to find, and fresh coriander which I don't like - so I left both out. It also uses cream, but I always prefer to use Greek yogurt.

The aroma while cooking is incredible!

Lemon chicken with carrots

serves 12-14 people

3kg skinless, boneless chicken thighs
4 large onions, chopped
500g carrots, chopped
500ml lemon juice
250ml tomato ketchup
200g soft brown sugar
250ml water
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper

If using a crockpot (slow-cooker), you'll need one with at least 6.5 litres capacity. Place the onions and carrots at the bottom, then place the chicken thighs over them. Mix the lemon juice, ketchup, sugar and water in a bowl, then pour over. Season. Cook for about two hours on high, then reduce to medium or low, and simmer for around 7-8 hours.

Alternatively, you could brown the onions and chicken pieces in a large saucepan first, then add the rest of the ingredients. Either simmer, covered, for about 2-3 hours, or place in a large ovenproof casserole dish in a low oven and cook for at least three hours. Exact times depend on the oven; you could reduce the time by dividing into two or three smaller dishes.

Any leftovers will freeze and re-heat very well.

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I searched for crockpot recipes online, having recently bought the Morphy Richards 6.5 litre slow cooker. One of the ones that sounded appealing was Crockpot Lemon Chicken with Carrots at the busycooks.about.com site.

Unfortunately, the quantities given were far too small for our slow cooker - it has to be at least half full, preferably more. Moreover, frozen lemonade concentrate is one of those American things that I've never seen anywhere else. However, since lemonade in American is simply lemon juice and sugar in water, I thought I might as well use freshly squeezed lemon juice, since lemons are widely available and inexpensive in Cyprus. Not having a sweet tooth, I didn't add any extra sugar to compensate.

Nor do I know how baby carrots differ from regular carrots, if at all. It took quite some time to peel and chop 500g carrots, but seemed to work.

Finally, since I don't like the feel of cornflour-thickened sauces, I left that part out of the recipe entirely. And rather than multiplying everything by three (assuming the original served four people), I looked at what felt right. This did rather fill the crockpot more than I had expected, but it didn't boil over. When it was cooked the chicken was beautifully tender, and it was more than sufficient for the eleven people sitting around our table that evening, with about three portions left at the end, which I froze.

Stove-top barbecue chicken

Serves 4
1 tsp vegetable oil
1 finely chopped onion
1/3 cup tomato ketchup
1/3 cup water
4 tsp vinegar
4 tsp dark soft brown sugar
1.5 tsp worcestershire sauce (optional)
.5 tsp chili powder
600g skinned chicken or turkey pieces

Method:
Heat the oil in a large non-stick pan, and cook the onion until soft. Stir in all the other ingredients except the chicken and bring to the boil. Add the chicken, spoon the sauce over. Bring to the boil again then reduce the heat; cover and simmer for 30 minutes. Turn the meat, to coat in the sauce, then simmer for 20-30 minutes more.

Alternatively, if you have a slow cooker, you can leave out the oil; double the ingredients and place the onions and chicken on the bottom of the crockpot (make sure the chicken is fully thawed if it was frozen) then mix the other ingredients together and spoon over. Cook for an hour on 'high' and then simmer on 'medium' for 6-8 hours. This works well with boneless, skinless chicken thighs which become very tender when cooked in the crockpot.

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I'm not entirely sure why this is called 'barbecue' chicken, since it's not cooked anywhere near a barbecue. Maybe the sauce tastes somewhat like some barbecue sauces (nicer, though, as there are no artificial taste-enhancers). It's a simple meal to make in a short time, and tastes good. Worcestershire sauce unfortunately has some additives that may be migraine triggers, but if this is not a problem, add it to taste.

We usually serve this with baked jacket potatoes or potato wedges, but it would probably go equally well with rice or pasta, or even bread. Broccoli and sweetcorn go particularly well with this, but you could serve any vegetables or salad.

Chinese savoury beef

Serves 4

1 tblsp oil
500g beef, cubed
1 onion, chopped
1 clove garlic, crushed
1/2 tsp ginger
1/4 cup soy sauce
1 tblsp brown sugar
pinch of black pepper
2 1/2 cups water

Method:
Quick-fry beef in oil until brown, then add and quickly fry the onion, and garlic. Add the rest of the ingredients, and bring to the boil. Reduce heat, cover, and simmer for about 3 hours, adding extra water if needed. Serve over rice.

If you have a crockpot/slow-cooker, just put all the ingedients inside (doubling or tripling if necessary, so the crockpot is at least half full), then cook on High for a couple of hours, followed by 8-10 hours on low (or 5-6 on high if you don't have all day).
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If you have a bit of leftover wine in the fridge, you can add it with the water. You can also add in some sliced red or green bell pepper with the onion, if you wish. The amounts used are approximate - and I usually leave out the black pepper. Do remember to check the pan frequently while it's cooking, and top up with extra water when needed. It can cook for more than three hours if you wish.

We eat this with brown basmati rice, and stir-fried vegetables. If there's a vegetarian in the house, I serve something else oriental that can be eaten with the rice and vegetables.

French stew

(serves 4)

750g stewing steak, chopped
150ml stock or water and marmite
1 large peeled, sliced carrot
1 cup french beans (optional)
1 onion, chopped
1 can chopped tomatoes
1 cup water or wine
2 tblsp vinegar
2 tsp brown sugar
1 tsp salt
pinch pepper
1 tsp mixed dried herbs

Method:
Mix all ingredients in a suitable-sized ovenproof dish with a lid. Bake in a slow oven (140C) for 4-6 hours, adding extra water if needed. Alternatively cook in a slow-cooker/crockpot for 8-10 hours on low. Excellent served with baked jacket potatoes and more veggies. Freezes well.

This can also be done in a slow-cooker (crockpot), doubling or trebling ingredients if necessary so the crockpot is at least half full. Place the carrots and onions at the bottom and the stewing steak on top, then the rest of the ingredients poured over. Cook for about an hour on high, then simmer on low all day. Even the cheapest stewing steak becomes tender with this method.

Stifado

(Serves 2-3)

500g (1lb) stewing beef, in chunks
2 large onions, roughly chopped
2 tblsp olive oil
1 clove garlic, crushed
1 tblsp vinegar
300g (10 oz) can or pack chopped tomatoes or puree
1 tsp cinnamon
wine and/or water
salt and pepper

Fry the meat and onions gently in the oil until the meat is sealed and the onions are soft. Add the garlic and vinegar; boil well for about a minute. Add the tomatoes, seasonings, and enough wine or water to cover the meat. Cover and cook the stifado very gently for about three hours, adding extra liquid as necessary.

This can also be made in a crockpot (slow cooker), though you may need to double or treble the ingredients, depending on the size, so that it is at least half full. No need to do the initial frying, unless you wish to; I just put the onions at the bottom of the crockpot, the stewing steak on top, and then the rest of the ingredients. I cooked on high for about two hours, then reduced to low and simmered for around eight hours more, and it turned out very well. But the cooking times do depend, somewhat, on the slow cooker.

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This is a very easy version of a traditional dish served locally in Cyprus. It's more correct to use tiny onions for stifado: frying them at the start, removing them, and adding them back towards the end, but we prefer it with regular chopped onions and it's simpler this way. It's best to have reasonably lean stewing beef, but any type will do; the long, slow cooking ensures it should be very tender. If you're in doubt, cook for even longer.

If we happen to have some wine leftover in the fridge I pour it in, and then top up with water. Otherwise I just use water, and the taste isn't much different. If you like garlic, you can add more than one clove, but it's a bit bland if you leave it out altogether.

We like to serve stifado with baked jacket potatoes and some veggies such as broccoli and peas, but it can be eaten with bread, pittas, rice, potato wedges, even pasta. It's an excellent dish to serve when guests are expected, since the time schedule is approximate; if they're late, it's all the better.

If there is any left over it freezes well, and the meat is even more tender after thawing and reheating.

Chili con Carne

Chili con Carne

(serves about 4)

500g mince - meat or vegetarian
1/2 cup red lentils, washed and drained (optional)
1 large onion, chopped
1 clove garlic, crushed, or 1 tsp garlic powder
1 chopped green or red bell pepper
400g can crushed tomatoes, or equivalent fresh/frozen

200g (approx) can or packet of tomato puree
¼ - ½ tsp chili powder, depending on strength
1 tsp turmeric 

1 tsp cumin seeds
125g (4 oz) dried pinto or other red beans (or 1 medium can, drained)

Method:
If using dried beans, soak them overnight in cold water. Drain, and boil rapidly for at least ten minutes, then simmer gently for half an hour or so until softened.

Cook the mince with the pepper, onion and garlic in a large pan, stirring until the mince is brown and the onion transparent. Add the lentils, with a little water if it starts to stick, or a tablespoon of olive oil. Stir in the rest of the ingredients with the drained beans, and a little extra water if the mixture looks too dry. Simmer for about half an hour, adding extra water if necessary.

Alternatively, use a slow-cooker. If you have a large one, you may need to double the ingredients, but this freezes well in individual portions. You can do the pre-cooking as in this recipe, or you can simply dump everything in the slow-cooker, stir well, and leave to simmer on medium for 5-6 hours or longer. The photos shows it cooking in two small crockpots, which is how I usually make it nowadays.

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This is a quick and easy recipe for the whole family which is almost infinitely flexible. You can adjust the ingredients to suit your family's tastes. We usually serve with baked potatoes although rice is more traditional, and perhaps some cabbage and peas.  It can also be used in enchiladas. 

Use any kind of mince: chicken is my preference nowadays, as I try to avoid red meat. But other kinds can work. You could even use vegetarian mince, although it's not then 'con carne' (with meat). The lentils are optional, but we find they make the consistency better, and they add to the protein and fibre content inexpensively. Use more, if you like them. 

Use chili powder sparingly, as a small amount goes a long way, particularly if the container is new. If you leave it (and the beans) out altogether, this makes a basic mince and tomato meat dish that can be used in many ways.