AN award-winning food blogger has launched his first cookery book.

Dan Toombs, better known as The Curry Guy, has created a recipe book with more than 100 British curry favourites.

The chef, who runs his food website and blog from his home in Low Worsall, near Yarm, has spent the last year working on the project, after previously being turned down by a number of publishers.

“I tried and failed several times and I was about to give up, but then as a last resort I decided to send 20 letters out, and I eventually got a reply from someone who was interested,” said Mr Toombs.

“There are recipes for everything – whether you need a quick 30 minute dish when you come home from work, or something for a weekend that requires slow cooking. I have already sold out my first batch through pre-orders, but more are on their way.”

Mr Toombs was previously named the Best UK Food & Drink Blogger at the Vuelio Blog Awards in London, and has worked in Sri Lanka with Marco Pierre White.

The Northern Echo:

Picture: KRIS KIRKHAM

He has also provided his top 10 tips for anyone looking to serve up some Indian cuisine this weekend:

  • Always use the freshest meat, seafood, vegetables, herbs and spices you can get your hands on.
  • Purchase your spices whole. These add a lot of flavour to your curries. If a recipe calls for garam masala or some other spice blend or powder, gently toast your whole spices in a dry frying pan until warm and fragrant. When cool, grind them using a spice grinder or pestle and mortar. I have many spice powder recipes on my site with step by step instructions. You’ll never go back to store bought blends.

The Northern Echo:

  • Get to know your spices! Know the flavour of each so you can add them to your own tastes. When you do this, you can use recipes as guides while making the curry your own.
  • Here in the UK, meat curries are usually served off the bone. For more flavour, always cook meat on the bone. You’ll be glad you did though it can be a bit messy to eat. When cooking for friends, I usually cook meat cubed off the bone as it is easier for them to eat.
  • Always season with salt to taste at the end of cooking. Salt, used sparingly can add a lot to a curry.
  • Most curries are made with a base of fried onion, ginger and garlic. Get this right and you are on your way to a perfect curry. Fry your chopped onions until soft and translucent. Then add the garlic and ginger. Be careful as garlic burns easily and tastes bitter when it does.
  • Many curry recipes call for yogurt. Add this at the end of cooking one tablespoon at a time while stirring it in. If you add the yogurt to quickly, it will curdle.

The Northern Echo:

One of the dishes in the book. Picture: KRIS KIRKHAM

  • A sprinkle of garam masala on most curries just before serving will really bring them to life.
  • Some popular curries call for curry leaves. Never use dried curry leaves as they have very little flavour. Purchase curry leaves fresh from Asian markets.  If you have any left over, wrap them tightly in a plastic bag and freeze them for up to three months. Just like any herbs, if serving the curry leaves raw, it is essential that you wash them thoroughly in warm water.
  • Never rush things especially with meat curries like lamb and beef. Cook until the meat is nice and tender. If cooking for a crowd, you can even make your curries a day ahead of time. They taste better the next day as the flavours develop.
  • The book is available to pre-order on Amazon, and will be available in bookshops in May.