The word ‘curry’ originated in Britain to describe spicy Indian meat dishes whose sauce was flavored with curry powder.
There are many different curry types, as countries throughout the world have come up with their favorite versions. Curries contain fish, poultry, meat, all vegetables, or a mixture.
This recipe uses wild game: in this case, venison. This curry is one that will delight your taste buds and wow your guests.
You can prepare this curry using just one pot if you’ve got a large cast-iron pot such as a Dutch oven (see this link).
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons groundnut oil (or peanut oil)
- 2 medium onions, diced
- 1 inch fresh ginger, finely diced
- 1 tablespoon red curry paste (or make your own)
- 1 tablespoon maple syrup
- 1 pound cubed meat, e.g., venison (if you don’t have venison, you can use goat, beef, or lamb)
- One 14-ounce can coconut milk
- 1 handful fresh basil, chopped
- Cooked rice, couscous, quinoa, or buckwheat, for serving
Method
- Heat all of the oil in your Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the chopped ginger and onion, and sauté for 1 minute.
- Drizzle the maple syrup and red curry paste into the pan and stir until the sauce bubbles. Add the cubes of venison to the pan and brown them. Turn the meat regularly to brown it on all sides.
- Turn the heat to low. Pour in the coconut milk. Let the curry simmer gently for about 45 minutes, or till the meat is tender.
- Remove the curry from the heat. You can bring the dish to the table directly, and sprinkle the chopped basil over the top.
- Serve the cooked rice, couscous, quinoa, or buckwheat on the side and let everyone serve themselves.
- Don’t forget to soak up the compliments!
Other ingredients of wild game curry
If you want to experiment with flavors a bit more for this recipe, you could add any of the following:
- A teaspoon of other spices, such as cinnamon, turmeric, saffron (for the rice), or garlic powder.
- Half chicken stock and half coconut oil. This will give you a lighter yet still flavorful curry.
- Other vegetables, such as peas, carrots, diced butternut squash, green beans, turnips, potatoes, peppers, winter greens, broccoli, or cauliflower. Anything goes here!
- A bit of fruit, such as raisins, tomatoes (yes they are fruits), apricots, or currants.
- Different creams, such as yogurt or half and half (instead of the coconut milk).
Wild game curry Q&As
Can you use pheasant with this recipe?
Yes pheasant will work too. Any meat is delicious in this curry.
What can I serve with curry instead of rice or couscous?
In addition to the earlier suggestions, you could serve your curry with flatbread. Be sure to make extra sauce so that everyone can go dipping! You can increase the sauce’s quantity by doubling up on the coconut milk and/or adding an equivalent amount of chicken, vegetable, or beef stock. Then increase the spices – though try not to double them as that will be too much. Just add half again of whatever spices you are using, e.g., instead of 1 teaspoon turmeric, add 1 1/2 teaspoons.
You could also serve your curry with riced cauliflower or broccoli. Or serve boiled potatoes on the side. Or add extra vegetables to the sauce and serve your curry as a stew.
What can I use instead of maple syrup?
You can use brown sugar, molasses, or honey. Any liquid sweetener would work well in this recipe.
If you need to use something grainy like xylitol, add a bit of water or stock to the pan when you add the sweetener.
Can I freeze this curry?
Yes, you can freeze any leftover curry in a tightly sealed and appropriate container. Your curry will keep in the freezer for up to 2-3 months.
How long does this curry keep in the refrigerator?
Leftover curry will keep in the refrigerator for 2-3 days.
How long does homemade curry paste last?
Homemade curry paste will keep in the refrigerator for up to a week or in the freezer for up to 6 months.
What other types of curry are there?
If you are hungry to learn more about curries worldwide, take a look at these curries. There are curries from Goa, Indonesia, India, Burma, and more.
Any curry that uses lamb or beef can work with wild game. Happy experimenting!
