PHEASANT AND SQUASH CURRY The Curry club has started up again for the chilli winter months at the Oyster and Fish House and the Fox. It’s a great time to make a curry like this with an abundance of pheasants around, and everyone seems to growing squashes now who maybe got a bit keen on gardening during lockdown. I like to keep some different curry sauces and curries in the freezer, flat packed in zip lock bags for a quick decision supper.
MARK HIX
INGREDIENTS • 20 or so pheasant thighs • 300-400g squash flesh, cut into rough 2cm chunks • 4 onions, peeled and sliced • 2 medium green chillies, deseeded and sliced • 1tbsp ghee • tbsp tomato purée • 1 litre chicken stock; a good cube will do
• 1tbsp chopped coriander leaves • For the marinade • 6 cloves of garlic, peeled and crushed • 50g root ginger, scraped and finely grated • A good pinch of saffron • 200g thick yoghurt • 4 cloves • For the spice mix • 1tsp black peppercorns • The seeds from 12 cardamom pods • A small piece of cinnamon or cassia stick • 1tsp cumin seeds • 1tsp fennel seeds • 1tsp ground turmeric • To garnish • 2tsp melon seeds • 1tbsp peeled pistachio nuts • 2 shallots, peeled and thinly sliced Serves 4 - 6
38 The Marshwood Vale Magazine December 2021 Tel. 01308 423031
DIRECTIONS 1. Mix all of the ingredients together for the marinade then mix with the pheasant thighs, cover and marinade for an hour. 2. Meanwhile put all of the ingredients for the spice mix in a cast-iron frying pan and heat them over a medium heat for about 3-4 minutes, turning them regularly with a spoon until they are lightly browned. Transfer to a mortar and pestle and coarsely grind the spices. 3. Melt the ghee in a thick-bottomed pan and gently cook the onions and chillies on a low heat with a lid on for 5-6 minutes, stirring every so often until soft. Add the spices, tomato purée and chicken stock, bring to the boil and simmer for 10 minutes. Add the pheasant and the marinade, cover and simmer gently for about 20 minutes then add the squash and continue simmering for another 25 minutes, topping up with a little water if necessary. Take a ladle of the sauce and blend in a liquidiser until smooth and return to the pan. The pheasant should be tender now and the sauce quite thick; if not continue simmering. Stir in the coriander and transfer to a serving dish. 4. To serve, mix the melon seeds, pistachios and shallots together and scatter on top. Serve with basmati rice.
