Easy Venison Curry for Cold Winter Days (Or Matar Paneer for Vegetarians & Cheese Enthusiasts)

For Michelle & Ken

Recipe first, story later! I seldom measure when I cook, so everything here is approximate. Adjust to suit your taste.

1 quart tomato sauce (plain or with garlic)

1 pint-1 quart heavy whipping cream (I prefer creamier, please note if you try to substitute milk it needs to be fresh and also high fat so that it doesn’t separate)

1 pound ground venison (you can substitute lean beef or lamb, or use cubed lamb, goat, or stew meat)

OR ~1/2-1 pound of paneer

1 onion (white or yellow)

1-2 tablespoons cumin seeds

1-2 tablespoons curry power (coriander should be one of the first ingredients)

Prairie Fire habanero blend olive oil from Pickle Creek Herbs to taste (nothing compares, but habaneros and jalapeños can do in a pinch)

Salt

Garlic (3-5 cloves minced or 1 tablespoon powdered)

1/4 cup ghee and / or olive oil (I use a 50/50 blend, you can substitute butter for ghee)

Optional: 1/2 pound-1 pound bag of green peas (use full pound for matar paneer)

1. Thinly slice or mince your onions, and garlic if using fresh. If using peas, set aside to begin thawing.

2. In a deep sided skillet or cast iron pan, melt ghee and olive oil.

3. Add onions and fresh garlic. Saute until onions are transluscent.

4. Stir in cumin and curry powder, plus garlic powder if using.

5. Once seasonings are aromatic, pour in tomato sauce and heavy whipping cream, stirring to blend and make uniform.

6. Crumble or chop meat into small chunks. When sauce begins to steam, add meat & stir. Allow to simmer 15-20 minutes or until cooked through and tender.

   OR

   Chop paneer into small cubes or squares. Saute in ghee in a separate frying pan until golden brown on the outside and squishy on the inside. Add to sauce.

7. Add peas ~5 minutes before serving. This will help keep them bright and plump.

Serve over rice or enjoy as a stew. You can also serve with naan or paratha flatbreads.

Southeast Iowa #BuyLocal Tips

I very much enjoy Indian food, and started making deer curry when I lived just outside Houghton in Lee county and EVERYTHING was a long drive, especially in winter. We don’t have many Indian restaurants in southeast Iowa, and sometimes seasoning is toned down for more heat sensitive palates. This recipe helps with the predicament of wanting full flavor, home cooked food with local ingredients. Homemade tomato sauce with ingredients from last summer’s garden or Farmers’ Market is the best.

Many Indian dishes served in restaurants feature lamb or goat, which can be expensive or impossible to find in local grocery stores. However deer meat has a similar lean and gamey quality, and our freezers are often well stocked with it. Lean beef is a good backup option as it’s reliably available.

I especially like the frozen paratha from Taj International Grocery in Coralville, Iowa. It’s both delicious and convenient. Taj International Grocery is also a wonderful place to get a variety of curry powders, teas, and desserts that would take many hours and gallons of milk to make at home.

Pickle Creek Herb’s Prairie Fire infused olive oil is a one of a kind blend of habanero, ghost, scorpion, and other peppers, all grown on a family farm near Pleasant Plain. The layers of flavor and well-rounded heat, plus slow build of warmth, are always delicious and especially comforting on cold winter days. Prairie Fire is really the key to this recipe being outstanding instead of mediocre; the blend can’t be beat. (In fact, Prairie Fire is single handedly responsible for increasing my spice tolerance! I choked and cried the first time I tasted it, but now it’s indispensable in my cooking. A few drops to a few teaspoons in a dish allow you to enjoy the complex flavor with a little warmth or as much heat as you’d like.)

It’s not easy to find paneer in southeast Iowa. Radiance Dairy is probably the most delicious, and the most local option, at Everybody’s Whole Foods in Fairfield. It’s also easy to make at home with whole milk and yoghurt. If you venture to Coralville, you can get a large block of paneer at Taj International Grocery for a very affordable price.

Thanks to Michelle & Ken for inspiring me to write this up! Here’s wishing you a cozy and delicious meal snug and safe at home during the windchills.