GF Pork Tagine Style Curry

This weekend we have been quite lazy, we ate out at Wagamamas for lunch on Saturday, and at Nando's for lunch on on Sunday. Wagamamas do two GF recipes, and a lot of other ones they are happy to modify for you, details here. Oh and its very, very yummy, fresh and healthy, lovely atmosphere and great prices.

Nando's is fast food, but we went to a car meet up to see if there was a Clio V6 there, and Nando's was nearby (no V6 though). At Nando's most things are GF, except the following: Portuguese Rolls, Pitta Bread, Kiddies Sesame Seed Buns, Vegetable Burger Patty, Nata, Coconut tart, Crunchy Lemon Pudding, Toffee Cheesecake, Croutons (in Caesar Salad), PERi~PERi powder (on the PERi~PERi chips). But this does mean you can eat all the chicken, rice, sweetcorn, coleslaw and things, so not bad!

So I have only cooked dinner on Sat and Sun. Sat we had a pasta bake, based on a Jamie Oliver's Chicken Tetrazzini recipe from Jamie's Italy, but using GF spaghetti, and bacon instead of chicken, it worked well. Sunday we had a curry. We really enjoy currys, and recently I have started experimenting with more Moroccan favours. This recipe has some sweet flavours from raisins and apricots, warm flavours from ginger and cinnamon, and hot flavours from cayenne pepper, giving the recipe a nice balance. I make this with pork, but would work well with lamb too. This recipe makes enough for two greedy people (as usual!) just increase by adding more meat and tinned tomatoes.

I make a enough spice mixture to fill an empty spice tub, if you want just enough for this recipe, third the quantities below.

To make 1 pot of spice mixture:

• cayenne pepper 1/2 tsp
• ground black pepper 1/2 tsp
• paprika 2 tsp
• ground ginger 1 1/2 tsp
• ground cinnamon 2 1/2 tsp
• garam masala 1/2 tsp
• cumin 1/2 tsp

For the curry:

• pork 2 chops or loins, cubed
• tinned tomatoes 1
• peppers 2, any colours, sliced
• red onion 1, chopped
• fresh ginger 1" piece, grated
• garlic cloves 2, chopped
• dried apricots 10, whole
• raisins or sultanas 1 handful
• chicken stock 1 kallo stock cube, made up as per instructions (use water if casein free)
  

Ok, this is how we make all currys. Soften the onions in a oven proof dish with a little olive oil, brown the meat in a very hot frying pan, lift the pan juice with a dash of water, add to the onions. Add a third of a pot of spice mixture (the rest is for next time!), or more if you want it more spicy, the ginger and garlic and fry for a few minutes. Add the peppers, tin of tomatoes, apricots, raisins and chicken stock. Bung in the oven for an hour covered, and an additional 20 mins uncovered to thicken.

Serve with my fave, basmati rice and some fresh cucumber pickle. This is made with some chopped cucumber and spring onions, a dash of olive oil and red wine vinegar, a squeeze of lime and seasoned with salt and pepper.