How to make Father’s Day special in lockdown

Here we go again, Victoria! This time 12 months ago we were gearing up to celebrate our first Father’s Day lockdown style – who would’ve thought we might be doing it all again on Sunday 5 September 2021?

And while we hope we can spend Father’s Day 2021 spoiling Dad at his favourite restaurant or doing his favourite lockdown-free activity, we want to give you a backup idea in the event that those plans can’t go ahead.

You know what they say – the best way to a man’s heart is through his stomach. That’s why we’ve put together a list of our top favourite curry recipes to warm Dad’s soul this Father’s Day. Because whose dad doesn’t LOVE a curry?

Keep Dad out of the kitchen for this spicy cook up. Made with 100% Market ingredients, these curries make for the perfect Father’s Day dinner and can be packaged up for easy door-to-door delivery (within 5km of course).

Curries also pair well with Dad’s favourite grog. We’ve listed the top boozy pairings for each meal below.

So whether you’re celebrating Dad’s day in person, via Zoom or in his honour – we have the flavours for you!

To those who are spending their first or 51st Father’s Day without Dad, we extend our deepest love and dearest sympathies. Being separated from our loved ones on a day like this can be tough. Reach out and connect with relatives and find support in friends and family. We hope these meals help to make this day as special as it should be.

Find our top four Father’s Day curry recipes here:

Classic Butter Chicken

Ingredients

For the chicken:

• 300 grams boneless chicken breast
• 1 tbsp ginger paste
• 1 tbsp garlic paste
• 1 tbsp red chilli powder
• Salt to taste
• Oil to pan fry

For the sauce:

• 500 grams roughly slit tomatoes
• 100 grams roughly cut onions
• 1 tbsp garlic paste
• 50 grams cashew
• 1 tsp kasoori methi
• 1/2 tsp garam masala
• 4 tbsp sugar
• 2 tbsp kashmiri chilli powder
• 5 tbsp butter
• 3 tbsp cream
• 2 tbsp malt vinegar/1.5 tbsp white vinegar 
• Salt to taste

Method

Marinate the chicken with ginger paste, garlic paste, red chilli powder, and salt and keep it aside for 15 to 20 minutes.

In a pan heat some oil then fry the marinated chicken pieces until cooked through and place into a bowl.

In the same pan add oil, onion and a spoonful of butter. Once the onions are cooked, add tomatoes and cashew nuts.

Add some water and garlic paste, salt, malt vinegar, sugar, garam masala powder, and chilli powder. Evenly mix it and let it simmer for 15-20 minutes

Churn the mixture into a fine puree.

Strain mixture back into the same pan and add butter, cream, chicken and kasoori meethi. Simmer for 5-7 minutes.

Garnish with cream and kasoori meethi and serve!

Best drink: Chardonnay!

Pork Vindaloo

Ingredients

Note: The pork needs to be marinated for 12 hours, or overnight!

• 750g leg of pork, diced

For the marinade:

• 5cm cinnamon stick
• 1 tsp black peppercorns
• Seeds from 12 green cardamoms
• 1 tsp cloves
• 8 cloves of garlic, peeled
• 1 tsp cumin seeds
• 25g ginger, roughly chopped
• 1 small onion, roughly chopped
• 2 tbsp tamarind liquid
• 1.5 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp sugar
• 2 tbsp Kashmiri chilli powder
• 1/2 tsp turmeric
• 5 tbsp white wine vinegar

To cook the vindaloo:

2 tbsp vegetable oil

1 small onion, chopped

3 medium, ripe tomatoes, sliced

3 fresh green chillies, halved lengthways, seeds removed

100ml water

Method

For the marinade, grind the cinnamon, peppercorns, cloves, cumin seeds and cardamom to a powder.

Combine the onion, garlic, ginger, tamarind, salt, sugar, chilli powder, turmeric, vinegar and all the ground spices in a food processor and blend into a paste.

Mix the pork and paste together, coating the pork well, and leave for 12 hours.

To cook the vindaloo, heat the oil in a pan (medium heat), add the onion and fry for 10 minutes.

Increase the heat to medium-high, add the pork and paste and fry for five minutes, stirring occasionally.

Stir through tomatoes, chillies and water, cover with a lid and cook for around two hours until the meat is tender.

If the meat looks like it’s sticking or becoming dry, simply add more water.

Best drink: Vodka, lime and soda!

Aloo Gobi 

Ingredients

• 250 grams cauliflower (chopped and washed)
• 2 white potatoes (chopped and washed)
• 1 large onion (chopped)
• 8-10 cloves garlic (chopped)
• 1 green chilli(chopped)
• 4 tbsp cooking oil
• 1/2 tsp turmeric powder
• 1 tsp red chilli powder
• 1/2 tsp cumin seeds
• 1/3 cup coriander leaves
• Salt to taste

Method

Heat oil in a pan, add cumin seeds, green chilli and garlic.

Fry it for few seconds on medium heat.

Add chopped onion and fry it for 2-3 minutes on medium heat.

Add potato, cover the pan and fry the potato for 2-3 minutes.

Add cauliflower, mix and cook for 3-4 minutes on low-medium heat. Stir intermittently.

Add turmeric powder, red chilli powder and salt, mix well.

Cover the pan and cook it for 12-15 minutes on low heat, stirring in between.

Turn off the heat, add coriander leaves and mix.

Serve with roti or paratha.

Best drink: Light beer!

Thai Green Chicken Curry

Ingredients

• ½ bunch coriander
• 1 stalk lemongrass, white part finely chopped
• 2 small red chillies, seeded and chopped (use Thai green chillies if available)
• 2 cloves garlic
• 5cm piece ginger, chopped
• 2 tablespoons peanut oil
• 600 grams chicken thigh fillets, sliced
• 2 kaffir lime leaves, sliced as finely as possible – into threads
• 400ml can coconut cream
• 1 small zucchini, sliced into ribbons
• 50 grams green beans, topped, tailed and sliced
• 1 tablespoon brown sugar
• 2 teaspoons fish sauce
• 2 tablespoons lime juice

Method

Wash the coriander thoroughly. Scrape and chop the roots and the stems. Keep the leaves for serving. Process with lemongrass, chillies, garlic and ginger and grind into a paste.

2. Place ¼ teaspoon peanut oil in a pan over high heat and quickly stir fry ¼ of the chicken until starting to brown. Move to a bowl and repeat with the remaining chicken and oil.

3. Put a few drops of oil in the wok and stir fry the curry paste for 2 minutes. Add the chicken back into the wok and toss to coat in curry. Add kaffir lime leaves and coconut cream.

4. Reduce the heat and simmer for 7-8 minutes or until chicken is cooked through. Add brown sugar, fish sauce and lime juice. In the last minute of cooking, add the zucchini and beans.

5. Serve scattered with coriander leaves.

Best drink: Pinot gris!