Refuel

KANGAROO CURRY WITH COCONUT CREAM AND SPINACH

Getting a bouncer in the mouth can be painful in an Ashes year. But if that bouncer is a roo, and curried, everyone wins!

Words: Ashleigh Butler

MY FAMILY LOVES this flavourful, aromatic Indian-inspired curry,” says culinary star Ash Butler, whose book, The Small Kitchen Cook, is the result of a decade of nomadic life lived in campervans across two continents. “It’s nourishing, warming and great for young ones. This dish takes time, so I usually prepare it when we’re parked up for the afternoon.

The Recipe

Serves: 4–6

Prep time: 30 minutes

Cooking time: 1-3 hours

INGREDIENTS

SPICE MIX

• 1 tsp ground cumin

• 5 cloves

• 7 cardamom pods

• 1/2 tsp garam masala

• 1/2 tsp coriander seeds

• 1/2 tsp ground turmeric

• 1 bay leaf

• 2 tsp flakey sea salt

THE REST

• 2 tbsp butter or ghee

• 1 small brown onion, finely diced

• 3 cloves of garlic, finely diced

• 4cm piece of ginger, grated

• 1/2 cup of coriander, root, leaf and stem, chopped

• 400 to 500g of kangaroo steaks, diced large

• 350g of spinach, beetroot leaves, silverbeet or chard, finely chopped (a combination will also be fine)

• 1.5 cups of veg or chicken stock

• 400ml of coconut cream

• 2 potatoes, roughly chopped

METHOD

1. On medium heat in a dry medium-sized pot, quickly fry off the spices and salt until they’re fragrant. This will allow the flavours to be released. Stir it constantly to make sure it doesn’t burn.

2. Next, throw in some butter or ghee along with the onion, garlic, ginger and fresh coriander and sauté until they have softened and become fragrant.

3. Now, add the roo and sear it to brown off the meat for one to two minutes. This will enhance the texture and add extra depth to the sauce. Add the greens and stock. It will seem like a lot of greens, but they will cook down.

4. Once the greens have reduced by half, add the coconut cream and simmer the curry on low heat for about 90 minutes. Add the potatoes and cook for a further 30 to 45 minutes until the potatoes and kangaroo are tender. The fat from the coconut cream will help tenderise the lean kangaroo meat.

5. Serve with rice, plain yoghurt and naan or papadams.

PRO TIP: No roo? No worries. You can use any meat. Reduce the cooking time for chicken, which you’ll only need to simmer until the chicken has cooked through. For red meats, it’s ready when the meat is fall-apart tender and juicy.