Ingredients:

Vegetables as required and available

• 2 tablespoonfuls olive oil
• 1 onion
• 1/2 apple
• 1 dessertspoon curry powder
• 1 tomato
• Ground cinnamon, a pinch
• 2 teaspoons red currant jelly (optional)
• 1 tablespoon flour
• 1 bay leaf
• Tomato puree
• 2 tablespoons chutney
• Seasoning to taste.
• Rice

Method:

Chop the onion and slice the apple.

Simmer the onion in the olive oil without browning it, after two minutes add the sliced apple and cook for about five minutes.

Add the flour and brown it gently, then add the curry powder and cook slowly for a few minutes.

Add the bay leaf and work in the tomato, tomato puree, cinnamon and chutney, also the red currant jelly if this is being used.

Season to taste adding a few grains of cayenne pepper.

Remove from the heat and very slowly stir in 3qtr pint warm water.

Simmer until the desired consistency is reached.

In the meantime parboil a selection of vegetables, the mixture as you please, such as French beans, diced carrots, sprigs of cauliflower, new potatoes and cucumber.

Drain these and strain the curry sauce over them, finish cooking in the sauce.

Serve with dry boiled rice - placing the curry at one end of a plate and the rice at the other. (This sauce can be used for almost all curries).

This recipe originally appeared in the National Vegetable Society Bulletin