Potato Curry

Potato Curry

Today has been a day of cold and rain.  Even though it's nearly the end of May the sun has barely been seen here in the UK and spirits are somewhat low to say the least.

Tonight is Friday night and I fancied a curry.  I appreciate that you might not have a full set of spices but it's always worth stocking up on a few because with a tweak here and there you can make a myriad of spicy filling goodness.

This recipe it not one to share with my children, but it makes me feel happy.....

Potato Curry
(All quantities are randomish)

5 large new potatoes (mine were from a bag that was reduced in price but I'm going to guesstimate it might cost 30p for five large new potatoes)
1 can of coconut milk (50p from Home Bargains)
Celery - once upon a time I used to take off one or two sticks at a time but now I just shred through from the far end to the root end....  I'll guesstimate 2 inches of celery at 15p
Fennel - 1/4 costs 25p
Onion - 1/2 costs 10p
Garlic, 2 cloves, 20p
Oil, almost negligible but lets say 5p
Garam Marsala, 5p (I buy Morrisons basic version)
1/2 handful of frozen sweetcorn, 5p
Dried cumin, coriander, turmeric, coriander leaf, salt, cinnamon, 10p

Cooking time, 50 mins, so let's say 25p cooking time.......(always make sure to turn off 10 mins or so before you need to so that residual heat can help things cook for longer without incurring cost.....)

Total cost, £2.00 - will serve 4 portions and if you're anything like me you can eat this carb rich meal with no other carbs.............

First up, cook your new potatoes in boiling water for 20 mins (obviously you will have boiled your kettle and made a cuppa as well as using the water to boil your spuds?)

Drain the potatoes, and add a teeny bit of oil to the pan and add the chopped onion, garlic, fennel and celery.  Remove the pan from the heat every now and again to stop everything burning, then add in the dry spices and herbs.  Once they've fried a little I add in the coconut milk, then the potatoes and frozen sweetcorn and then it all cooks for 5 mins before I turn off the heat on my electric hob where it will continue to cook for about 15 minutes as the heat reduces gradually.  If you're using gas then continue to heat for around 10 mins.

Sprinkle with a little more dried coriander (or fresh if you have some).

I reckon you could serve this with boiled long grain rice for a total of £3.00   If you wanted to add a frugal salad side dish it might take it up to £4.00 for 4 servings.

Introduction: Hey you! Hello!

The year is 2013 and I don't think I'm alone in wanting to get the best out of life.  A great many changes have happened to me and many others in the last few years and despite what the mainstream media says things are not going to be looking up for many of us very soon.

I'm not going to get into a conversation or discussion about who holds the most wealth and where that sits on a scale of fairness, but what I am going to do is talk about what I am doing to make sure that me and my small family can do to make sure that our lives are as positive as possible.

As a practical kind of woman one of the things that means the most to me is being able to feed and clothe my family, make sure that we are warm and safe, and that everyone feels loved.  Some of those things are easier to achieve than others, love being the most awesome and least expensive thing to share.....

But here's the other thing I can do.....share what and how I cook because a full belly is a happy belly, and happy belly is half-way to a happy heart.