For Boxing Day Lunch Mum followed Delia Smith’s recipe for English Colonial Turkey Curry and it was a classic, absolutely perfect for Boxing Day or any other lazy day with the Family for that matter and uses up the turkey giblets and spare meat.  We served ours with the classic English curry accompaniments sliced banana, desiccated coconut, chopped tomatoes, onions and mango chutney.

Delia Smith English Colonial Turkey Curry

Delia’s English colonial curry with turkey

Serves 4

There is something about an uncomplicated, old-fashioned curry-powder curry after all the Christmas feasting. Its sheer simplicity offers a much-needed change of gear. It is also equally good made with leftover chicken or beef.

Ingredients:-

• 600g cooked turkey, chopped into chunks
• 1 tablespoon turkey dripping
• 1 large onion, finely chopped
• 2 sticks of celery, chopped
• 1 clove garlic, crushed
• 1 heaped tablespoon plain flour
• 1 teaspoon turmeric
• 1 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1 heaped tablespoon Sharwood’s
• Hot Curry Powder (for Madras)
• 725ml hot stock (made with Marigold bouillon)
• 1 medium dessert or Bramley apple, cored and chopped (no need to peel)
• 25g sultanas (we left these out, yuck!)
• 1 heaped tablespoon mango chutney
• 2 tablespoons grated creamed coconut (missed this out as well)
• a squeeze of lemon
• seasoning

Method :-

1. Heat the dripping and fry the onion and celery over a medium heat, tossing them around till softened and well browned at the edges, then add the garlic and toss that around for a minute.
2. Now stir in the flour, turmeric, ginger and curry powder to soak up all the juices, and after that gradually stir in the stock. When the sauce begins to bubble add the apple, sultanas, mango chutney and grated coconut, plus some seasoning.
3. Turn the heat down to a gentle simmer and let it cook for 30 minutes.
4. After that, add the turkey pieces and a squeeze of lemon juice, stir well, put a lid on and simmer gently for a further 10 minutes to reheat the turkey. Serve with basmati rice, poppadoms, mango chutney and lime pickle.

© Delia Smith 2009