Grind the sea salt, mustard seeds and peppercorns in a medium size bowl. Add the rest of the spices. Pour in the vinegar and mix well. Heat the oil in a saucepan and when hot add the spice mix. Turn heat low and stirring constantly cook the spices for 5-10 mins. Cool, bottle and refrigerate ready for use with beef, fish, lamb or chicken. For a hotter taste, grind 10 dried birds eye chillies into the paste.Tip: Store dry ginger root in vinegar to return fresh flavour and for easy grating.

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Quick Authentic Hot Beef Curry

Serves 4

600g rump steak, cut into strips

6 tbsp. vegetable oil

5 cardamom pods

1 tbsp. coriander seeds

1 teas. cumin seeds

2 medium onions, chopped

3 teas. garlic granules

1 tbsp. ginger root, grated

1 tbsp. coriander powder

1 teas. turmeric

1 teas. chilli powder

4 birds eye chillies

4 bay leaves

1 cinnamon stick

2 tbsp. vinegar

3 tbsps. natural yoghurt

1 teas. sea salt

3 tomatoes, skinned & chopped

Grind the cardomom pods coriander and cumin seeds. In a large fry pan, heat half the veg. oil and fry the steak strips until brown. Remove steak from pan and set aside discarding left over oil. Using the same pan heat the rest of the oil. Fry ground spices for 1 min. Add the onion, garlic and ginger and stir fry until onions are soft. Add rest of ingredients and cook 3 mins. Return steak to pan. Cook a further 15 mins. Serve with boiled rice and naan bread.

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Beef Madras Curry

600 g topside beef, cubed

3 tbsp. oil

2 large onions, finely chopped

1 tbsp. ginger root, chopped

4 teas. garlic granules

1 teas. black mustard seeds

1 tbsp. curry powder Madras

1 teas. turmeric

1 teas. salt

1 tbsp. vinegar

3 ripe tomatoes, peeled,chopped

1-3 birds eye chillies (optional)

Prepare onions, ginger root and tomatoes. In a large sauce- pan, heat oil on med. heat, stir fry onions, ginger and garlic granules until onions are soft. Add mustard seeds, curry powder, turmeric and stir fry for 1 minute before adding salt, vinegar, tomatoes and chillies. Bring to boil. Mix well then cover and simmer on low heat for 30 mins to make a thick sauce. Remove from heat and mash sauce with a potato masher or let it cool and puree in a blender. Put sauce back on heat, bring to simmering point again and add meat. Cover and simmer on low heat, stirring occasionally for 35 - 40 mins. Serve with Saffron Rice.Tip: The secret for this authentic style curry is in the sauce. Simmer and thicken the sauce for as long as possible (30 - 50 mins) and mash/puree it before adding the meat.

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Curried Fish Cakes

600 g haddock or cod, skinned

125 ml milk

10 black peppercorns

1 bay leaf

1 teas. sea salt crystals

2 large potatoes, chopped small

250mls water

1 green pepper, chopped

1 large onion, finely chopped

2 tbsp. lemon juice

2 tbsp. curry paste

1 tbsp. parsley

100 g fresh white breadcrumbs

50 g flour

oil for frying

Wash fish and cut into pieces. In a large saucepan put fish, milk, peppercorns, bay leaf and salt. Bring slowly to simmering point and cook gently for 10 mins. Drain liquid into a large bowl. Boil potatoes 10-15 mins. until tender, drain. Remove all bones from fish then place into the bowl of liquid along with rest of ingredients except flour and oil. Mix well. With floured hands form the mixture into balls, then flatten into cakes and refrigerate for 1 hour. Heat 1cm oil in a large frying pan and fry fish cakes in batches, 5-6 mins each side until golden. Serve with hot chips and salad. Serves 4.

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Dhal Soup

350g red lentils washed and drained

1 tbsp. olive oil1 medium onion, finely chopped

3 cm (1") piece ginger root, grated

2 teas. garlic granules

2 teas. coriander powder

1 teas. cumin powder

1 teas. turmeric powder

1 tbsp. lemon juice

1.2 litres (2 pints) hot water

1 teas. salt and freshly ground peppercorns

fresh coriander leaves to garnish

Heat the oil in a large saucepan, fry onion, ginger and garlic until onion is soft, stir in coriander, cumin and turmeric. Add drained lentils and stir well into spice mix. Add juice, hot water, salt/pepper. Stir well, cover and bring to boil. Simmer on low heat for 20 mins. Garnish with chopped coriander leaves. Tip: Store Island Spice dried ginger root soaked in vinegar in an airtight jar so that it is soft and ready to slice or grate when needed.

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Thai Fiery Beef Curry

600 g topside beef, thinly sliced

3 tbsp. oil

1 large onion, finely sliced

2 teas. garlic granules

1 tbsp. ginger powder

1 tbsp. palm or brown sugar

1 tbsp. dark soy sauce

3 cups coconut milk

1 tbsp. dried lemon grass

8-12 dried birds eye chillies

6 small mushrooms, sliced

2 tbsp. Thai fish sauce

2 tbsp. cornflour mixed into 6 tbsp. water

2 tbsp. fresh coriander leaves

4 spring onions, cut lengthwise

Mix together the onion, garlic,ginger, sugar and soy sauce in a large bowl, mix beef strips in and let stand. Prepare other ingredients. Heat oil and stir fry beef until it changes colour. Add coconut, lemon grass,and chillies and bring to boil, simmer uncovered for 10 mins. Add mushrooms, Thai fish sauce and cornflour mixed with water. Reheat and let sauce thicken for a few mins. Remove from heat and toss in spring onions and chopped coriander leaves. Serve with plain boiled rice. Tip: Place lemon grass in a muslin bag or mesh infuser for easy removal after cooking.

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Vindaloo Pork/Beef or Chicken

1 kg (2lb) pork, beef or chicken, cubed

1 teas. cumin seeds

2 teas. coriander seeds

4 whole cloves

10 black peppercorns

10 cardamom pods, bruised

12 birds eye red chillies

1/2 cup vinegar

1" dried root ginger, grated

4 teas garlic granules

1 teas. salt

2 medium onions, chopped

3 tbsp. ghee or vegetable oil

In a large frying pan dry roast the cumin and coriander seeds for 1 minute on medium heat. Mix the cloves peppercorns, cardamoms, chillies, vinegar, ginger, garlic and salt in a blender or pound together with a pestle and mortar. Put all the spices in a large bowl and rub well into the meat.Marinate the meat for 5-6 hrs.

In the same frying pan fry the onions gently till soft. Turn heat up and add the meat from the marinade. Stir until meat is brown all over. Reduce heat and add the marinade, cover and simmer for 1 - 2 hours.

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Tandoori Chicken or Fish

1.2kg (21/2lb) chicken portions or 4 medium whole fish

2 teas. garlic granules

1" dried ginger root, grated

1/2 teas. chilli powder

2 teas. paprika

1 teas. cumin powder

1 teas. garam masala

1 tblsp. coriander powder

1 tblsp. lemon juice

1 cup natural yoghurt

1 teas. salt

Make deep slits in flesh of meat. Mix all ingredients and rub into flesh. Marinate 5-6 hrs or at least 2 hrs. Roast in tandoor or oven 200�C(400 �F) 30-40 mins, grill or barbecue till meat is tender.

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Chicken Curry

1.5kg(3lb) chicken portions

3 tbsp. ghee or vegetable oil

2 large onions, chopped

4 teas. Garlic granules

1" dried ginger root, grated

1 teas. fennel seeds

1/2 teas. fenugreek seeds

1 tbsp. coriander powder

2 teas. cumin powder

1/2 teas. chilli powder

1/2 teas. cinnamon powder

4 whole cloves

2 tbsp. dried lemon grass

1 teas. salt

Tie lemon grass together or place in muslin bag & soak 1 hr. Reserve water. In a dry pan gently roast the seeds then grind them. Heat ghee or oil in a large pan and fry onions, garlic and ginger for a few mins. add all of the spices, fry 2-3 mins. Add chicken, lemon grass, salt & reserved water. Cover & simmer on low heat 50 mins. Remove lemon grass before serving.

Tip: To bring Dried Ginger Root back to life, soak in vinegar overnight or store permanently in a jar of vinegar.

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