Turkey Madras with Potatoes and Spinach

Gluten Free – Egg Free – Dairy Free

Turkey Madras with Potatoes and Spinach but before we begin if you are NEW to my blog and love recipes and blog posts then I upload three times a week on a Monday, Wednesday and Friday at 7 am (GMT). So don’t forget to like this blog and follow me on here for loads of FREE recipes and more.

Curries are a great way to heat the body up from the inside. Especially as the cold weather has decided to make a reappearance recently. The UK is experiencing freezing temperatures which I have to admit I was not expecting. So on Saturday night I decided it was time to warm the family up with this delicious madras.

In the UK, curries are a favourite dish and they have been enjoyed in this part of the world since Queen Victoria ruled. Victoria became Empress of India in 1877 and although she never visited the country she was fascinated by the food. She had been given two Indian servants who were able to cook her favourite dishes.

When people discovered that the Queen was eating curry for her dinner naturally they wanted to follow. As a result a large amount of Indian cookery books started to appear during the later half of the 19th Century. The books were aimed at the middle classes who wanted to emulate the higher classes.

Also there were a few enterprising individuals who started to produce curry powders for use in the home. These were popular in middle class homes who saw curries as a great way to use up leftover meat. Curry remained a dish that only the middle and upper classes ate well into the 20th century.

It was only after the second world war when more immigrants from India came to this country did the dish start to grow in popularity. Nowadays, it is hard to think of Britain without curry and thank goodness as it’s a great winter warmer for the whole family. Well worth a try.

Serves 4

Equipment needed

• Sharp Knife
• Chopping board
• Small mixing bowl
• Tablespoon
• Teaspoon
• Garlic Press
• Large Saucepan
• Saucepan
• Plastic brush
• Stirring Spoon
• Olive oil or sunflower oil
• Colander

Ingredients needed for the sauce

• Turkey mince x 500g
• Onion x 1 large
• Garlic x 2 cloves
• Tomatoes x 1 400g tin
• Chicken Stock x 250mls
• Spinach x 1 bag
• Salt and pepper to taste
• New potatoes x 500g

Ingredients needed for the madras paste

• Ground black pepper x 2 tsps
• Chilli powder x 1 tbsp
• Garam masala x 2 tsp
• Ground cinnamon x 1/2 tsp
• Ground tumeric x 2 tsp
• Ground coriander x 8 tsp
• Ground cumin x 8 tsp
• Ground ginger x 2 tsp
• Garlic x 3 cloves
• Apple cider vinegar x 2 tbsp
• Sunflower oil x 5 tbsp

Method for the madras paste

• Start by putting all the madras ingredients into the small bowl.
• When you put the garlic into the mix crush it in the garlic press.
• Once all the ingredients are in the bowl mix them together and set aside.

Method for the sauce

• Peel and slice the onion and garlic.
• Put the large saucepan on a high heat.
• Add the oil by spreading it across the base with a plastic brush.
• Once the pan is hot add the onions.
• Then a few minutes later add the garlic.
• Fry until the onions become translucent.
• It should take around three to five minutes before this starts to happen.
• Then add the turkey mince.
• Continue to fry these ingredients together.
• Wait until there is no pink left on the turkey mince and it’s beginning to brown.
• Now add in two – three tablespoons of madras paste to the saucepan.
  • Any leftovers can be stored in a jar in the fridge for up to a week.
• Keep frying for two minutes or until all the turkey is covered in the paste.
• Now add in the tomatoes and chicken stock.
• Add salt and pepper to taste.
• Bring to the boil and then leave to simmer.
• Meanwhile, put the other saucepan on the hob.
• Fill with boiling water from the kettle.
• Put the new potatoes into the water and add a little salt.
• Cook for around 10 – 15 minutes or as per the packet instructions.
  • To test if they are cooked put a fork into one of the potatoes and if it falls off it’s cooked.
  • If it doesn’t, cook for a further few minutes until the potatoes start to fall of the fork.
• Once the potatoes are cooked, drain through the colander and leave in there until ready to serve.
• Finally add the spinach to the turkey madras.
• Stirring it into the curry until it has wilted.
• It should take a few minutes.
• Once the spinach has wilted, serve with the potatoes and enjoy.

Turkey Madras is quite a spicy curry and I did serve it to my son Ted who is four years old. However, I added a tablespoon or two of yogurt to his meal. We all loved this dish and it was so good eating it on a freezing cold evening in February. I also made enough to freeze and have as a deliciously quick mid week meal. As the colder weather is set to continue I think we are going to need quick warming meals during the week. However you decide to eat this curry, as always, enjoy.

What’s your favourite curry and what do you like to eat it with? Potatoes, rice, naan bread? Let me know in the comments below and please don’t forget to like and follow me.