Boxing Day Curry / British Army Mess Curry

This is always made with the left-over turkey so is actually very easy and very quick to throw together, you just make up the ‘gravy’ and then throw in the meat, heat through and away you go.

Ingredients:

Lots of left-over turkey
500ml chicken stock
2 tbsp madras curry powder or paste (or more)
2 onions peeled and chopped
4 cloves garlic, peeled and chopped
1 hot chilli, chopped
2cm square knob of fresh ginger chopped fine
1 tin of chopped tomatoes
1 tbsp tomato puree
100g frozen spinach


In a large heavy casserole dish heat 1 tbsp groundnut oil over low heat. When hot add onions, garlic, chilli and ginger. Fry gently for about 5 minutes and then add the curry powder or paste. Keeping stirring and make sure it doesn’t catch or burn. If you are worried about it add a little water. Cook this for about 2 or 3 minutes until really fragrant.

Add the stock, chopped tomatoes and tomato puree and bring to a simmer, cook over low heat for about 30 minutes with the casserole lid on.

Pour ‘gravy’ into a food processor and whizz to a puree. Pour back into casserole dish, add turkey and frozen spinach, put on lid and stick in oven (375F) for about an hour, or until you are ready to eat.

Before serving you can add 1 tbsp or double cream or natural yoghurt if you want to make it slightly thicker and richer.

In the mess this curry will be accompanied by little dishes of desiccated coconut, chopped banana, raisins and mango chutney. Strange eh?