Bunny Curry
A recent visit to the ancient and perhaps most disputed rock in the Mediterranean which the Greeks named ‘Melita’ or as we know it Malta, I was naturally drawn to its gastronomy. Occupied by the Romans, raided by Barbary Coast Corsairs, liberated by the Normans, governed by Sicilians, sieged by the Turks, defended by the Knights of St John and shortly before independence the island was protected by the British. As with all invaders and colonists their watermark is still visible in the gene pool, the language and of course the food. Maltese cuisine has artfully re-mixed spices, herbs and citrus into a language which has become recognisable across southern and eastern Mediterranean provinces. Obviously abundant in fish and seafood the islanders have perfected ways to stew, grill, bake, sauté and steam the stuff, perhaps a given when you’re in the middle of the Med. However, my fascination lay in the Maltese speciality of Rabbit stew, gorgeously sticky, slapped around with garlic, soaked in wine and packed with a fist of herbs it got me thinking about using this game meat in an Indian dish. Bunny Curry.
Looking for help and inspiration I turned to the Rabbit Hunter for a little advice, here’s his homily and tip for a British style rabbit korma recipe.
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The Rabbit Hunter is a guest of the Urban Rajah
Rabbit meat may seem a little left field when it comes to 'Indian food' and you might think it has no place in a curry. However, hunting was a favoured sport for Rajasthani princes, often using hare or rabbit as a staple whilst on the hunt for bigger game. During one of my less exciting travels to a restaurant just outside of London, (not an Indian restaurant) I quickly noticed that the staff and diners were mostly all from the Indian sub-continent, an encouraging sign for the all too tempting special, ‘Rabbit Korma’.
My passion for trying unusual food and hunting fell together in this wonderful dish, which once devoured compelled me to master it for myself. Truth be told, Rabbit Korma is a nice and easy one to get right and it’s likely to impress your guests. The hardest part is getting your hands on a fresh rabbit. Being a keen rabbit hunter this isn’t a problem for me, but you should be able to get it through your local butcher and maybe even make a special request!
Serves a cosy two
- 2 tbs oil
- 1 large rabbit, cleaned and cut into chunks
- 1 clove garlic, finely chopped
- 1 large carrot cut into cubes
- 1 large onion, finely chopped
- ½ tsp ground ginger
- ½ tsp chilli powder (for a mild result)
- 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1/2 tsp ground turmeric
- 1/2 tsp ground white pepper
- 250g tinned chopped tomatoes
- 4 tbs chicken stock
- 2 tbs ground almonds
- 4 tbs double cream
- 4 tbs plain yogurt
How to make Rabbit Korma
Heat the oil in a pan and over a low heat fry the rabbit, garlic and onion until the meat has browned. To check if the meat is done, slice one of the largest pieces and check it isn’t pink in the middle. Now add the cinnamon, ginger, turmeric, pepper and chilli powder (which can be moderated according to your taste) and set the heat to medium and coat all the ingredient with each other cooking for 10 mins. Slide in the tomatoes and chicken stock. I use chicken stock because it’s much easier to get than a game stock and gives the rabbit a softer taste. Cook for 60 mins and bring to a simmer, stir in the almonds and carrot allowing for a further 30 mins and add the cream and yogurt and let it cook for another 4 minutes.
Fit for a prince this easy to cook Rabbit Korma curry is delicious served with fluffy basmati rice or Indian flatbread.
For more bunny recipes check out http://www.how-to-hunt-rabbit.com/rabbit-recipes.html
Bunny Curry
A recent visit to the ancient and perhaps most disputed rock in the Mediterranean which the Greeks named ‘Melita’ or as we know it Malta, I was naturally drawn to its gastronomy. Occupied by the Romans, raided by Barbary Coast Corsairs, liberated by the Normans, governed by Sicilians, sieged by the Turks, defended by the Knights of St John and shortly before independence the island was protected by the British. As with all invaders and colonists their watermark is still visible in the gene pool, the language and of course the food. Maltese cuisine has artfully re-mixed spices, herbs and citrus into a language which has become recognisable across southern and eastern Mediterranean provinces. Obviously abundant in fish and seafood the islanders have perfected ways to stew, grill, bake, sauté and steam the stuff, perhaps a given when you’re in the middle of the Med. However, my fascination lay in the Maltese speciality of Rabbit stew, gorgeously sticky, slapped around with garlic, soaked in wine and packed with a fist of herbs it got me thinking about using this game meat in an Indian dish. Bunny Curry.
Looking for help and inspiration I turned to the Rabbit Hunter for a little advice, here’s his homily and tip for a British style rabbit korma recipe.
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