Weekend Foodie: An adaptable korma recipe you can count on to suit all tastes

Sat, 16 Aug, 2025 - 06:59

I do love a good curry and this weekend, I’m giving you an easy recipe for one which is fast to cook and can be adapted to suit your tastes.

My curry is veggie-based. If you crave meat, then you could add diced chicken or even lamb, but be aware that the cooking time, especially for the lamb, will be longer.

In India, curry makers often add a spoonful of sugar to the sauce to soften up the intense curry spices. I use honey and it really does round off the tastes beautifully.

I’ve used some coriander from the garden here in light of some of the recent issues with certain batches of the green leafy ingredients. Some batches of potted coriander have been recalled due to the possible presence of Listeria monocytogenes.

Cherries are almost as coveted as our locally grown strawberries for their wonderful flavour and juiciness. They are still in the shops, but will need poaching if you want to use them in these Chocolate Cherry Sundaes.

I’ve made life easy by using canned cherries for these ice cream baked desserts. There’s no harm in cheating sometimes!

VEGGIE COCONUT KORMA

Ingredients (Serves 4)

Bunch of scallions, trimmed and chopped
2 shallots, peeled and finely chopped
1 fat finger fresh rootginger, grated
2 cloves garlic, peeled and crushed
Pinch of dried red chilli flakes, to taste (optional)
500g baby potatoes, halved and cooked
200g Chestnut mushrooms, wiped and sliced
2 red peppers, seeded and chopped
2-3 tbsp Korma paste
2 x 400mls cans of coconut milk
Good squeeze lemon juice
1 tsp honey 
100mls cream
2 tbs fresh coriander, torn (optional)

Method

Heat oil in a pan and add scallions, shallots,  ginger and garlic and dried chilli flakes if using. Cook for two minutes, stirring.
Add potatoes, mushrooms and peppers and cook for a further few minutes, till beginning to soften.
Stir in curry paste to coat the veggies well and cook gently for two minutes, then add a splash of water and let it bubble and evaporate.  Add coconut milk and stir.  Bring to bubbling, then simmer gently for about 20 minutes or until  all the veggies are tender. Stir occasionally to prevent sticking and burning.
Add lemon juice, honey and cream. Stir to mix.
Serve with basmati rice, naan breads and Indian pickles to accompany.

CHOCOLATE CHERRY SUNDAES

Ingredients (Serves 4)

For the sauce:

75g best-quality dark chocolate
300mls water
1 tsp cocoa powder
50g caster sugar

For the sundaes:

400g can black cherries, drained and juice reserved 
150mls cream
1 ltr chocolate ice cream

Method

First make the chocolate sauce: melt chocolate in a pan with half the water, cocoa powder and sugar. Stir smooth as it melts.
Add remaining water, then bring to a boil and bubble till sauce is reduced, shiny and glossy. Remove from heat and reserve.
Whip the cream thick.
Layer the chocolate ice cream with cherries and a little reserved  juice in four sundae glasses, drizzling chocolate sauce between layers.   Finish with whipped cream and chocolate sauce.

THE WEEKEND GARGLE

Beer and curry are always a good match. I’ve found large bottles of pilsner that come in at much less than the price of a pint in a pub, which will be a great match with this dish. Staropramen Czech Pilsner is made with local hops, giving a regional identity to this refreshing lager-style beer. The hops make their mark on the taste, but so do fruity slants and dry, crisp citrus notes. Just what you want for a curry with  a mild disposition, but which still has richness from the coconut milk and a slight spike of heat from the chilli flakes if you’re using them. This huge 660ml bottle is a generous pint and a bit more, coming in at a special offer price of  €3.25 until 20/08/25 at Supervalu stores.

RECEIPT

Main

Scallions: 89c

Shallots net: €1.49

Garlic net x 3pce: 99c

Fresh root ginger 100g: 55c

Baby potatoes 1kg: €1.49

Chestnut mushrooms 200g: 99c

Peppers x 2 pack: €1.69

Korma Paste 290g jar: €3.50

Lemons net x 3 pce: €1.45

250mls cream: €1.59