Turn up the heat

In case you hadn't noticed, we're midway through National Curry Week. The idea is to celebrate Indian cuisine while raising money for Oxfam's projects in South Asia. There are loads of ways to get involved: have a look at the website to find participating restaurants, enter the recipe competition, or buy tickets to the charity ball.

However, perhaps the easiest way to enjoy Curry Week is to whip up a spicy dish at home, and then make a donation to Oxfam. Here are three great meat, fish and vegetarian recipes to try - if you're feeling adventurous, cook them all as part of a thali.

Vindaloo is a dish made by the descendants of, or those who lived in areas dominated by, the Portuguese. It is primarily made with chillies, garam masala, garlic and vinegar. The word vindaloo comes from a combination of vin for vinegar and aloo from alho, which is Portuguese for garlic. The chillies were introduced into Goa by the Portuguese, and the garam masala spices were those traded in the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries.

This is one of the best vindaloo recipes. You can make it as hot as you want. Phil Mendes from Goa, whose recipe it is, likes her food spicy but not searing hot and therefore she de-seeds the red chillies. Vindaloo in Goa was and is traditionally made with pork. It is best with boiled rice.

Serves 4

15-20 whole red chillies (preferably Kashmiri type) or 3 1/2 tsp cayenne pepper

1 tsp cumin seeds

6 cloves

5cm (2in) cinnamon stick

10 peppercorns

1/4 star anise

1 tsp poppy seeds

5 x 0.5cm (2 x 1/4in) pieces of ginger

6 plump garlic cloves

1 tbsp tamarind pulp

4 tsp cider vinegar

65ml (2 1/2fl oz) oil

3 medium onions, finely chopped

700g (1 1/2lb) stewing lamb, cubed

salt

1/2 tsp jaggery, to taste [or sugar, if unavailable]

15 curry leaves

Soak the chillies in a little water to soften. Then grind all the spices, ginger, garlic and tamarind with the vinegar to make a smooth paste. Rub a little mixture onto the lamb and marinate for 15 minutes.

Heat the oil in a cooking pot and fry the onions for about 15-20 minutes until brown. Add the spice paste and fry for a further 5 minutes, stirring continuously and adding 2 tablespoons of water, if necessary.

Add the lamb and sauté in the spice mixture for 5 minutes. Add 800ml (1 1/3 pints) of water, salt to taste and the jaggery and cook over a low heat until tender. Stir in the curry leaves and simmer for 3-4 minutes; the vindaloo is now ready to serve.

The vinegar and oil in the dish act as preservatives and it freezes extremely well. It can also be kept in the refrigerator for 2 days and will, in fact, be better the day after cooking.

You can also make just the spice paste in large batches and freeze it, using small amounts as and when required.

· Recipe taken from 50 Great Curries by Camellia Panjabi (Kyle Cathie, £14.99). To order a copy for £8.99, visit the Guardian bookshop

Malabar jhinga kadhi (kerala prawn curry)

Serves 4

Preparation time: 35 minutes

Cooking time: 20 minutes

5 tbsp sunflower oil

2 large onions, chopped finely

Masala to be dry-roasted and ground to a powder in a coffee mill:

2 tsp cumin seeds

2 tsp black mustard seeds

1 tsp fenugreek seeds

1 tsp chilli powder

1 tsp tumeric powder

2 tsp ginger paste

2 tsp garlic paste

330g (10oz) raw prawns, shelled and cleaned
4 Kokum [or tamarind, if unavailable]

salt

150g (5oz) fresh coconut, ground to a paste with some water in a liquidiser

Heat the oil in a pan and add the onions. Fry until golden.

Add the ground masala powder, ginger and garlic pastes, and prawns. Fry well.

Add a little water and cook until the prawns are pink.

Add the kokum, salt, coconut paste and enough water to make a thick curry. Simmer for 3 minutes, without allowing the curry to boil.

Serve hot with rice.

· Recipe taken from The Indian Kitchen by Monisha Bharadwaj (Kyle Cathie, £14.99). To order a copy, visit the Guardian bookshop

Nine-jewelled curry (navratan korma)

I have many good childhood memories associated with this dish. Growing up in Bombay, when going out to a restaurant was not such a commonplace thing as it is today, I would always order this dish. Its delightful combination of fruit and vegetables made all the more exciting with a few cherries and cream was for me a dish made in heaven!

Serves 4

Preparation time: 15 minutes

Cooking time: 25 minutes

300g mixed vegetables (peas, carrots, beans and potatoes)

2 tbsp sunflower oil

1 small onion, grated

1 tbsp ginger-garlic paste

3 tbsp tomato purée

3 fresh green chillies, slit down the middle

1 tsp turmeric powder

1 tsp garam masala powder

salt

2 tbsp cashew nuts

2 tbsp tinned pineapple chunks, chopped

100ml single cream

few chopped glacé cherries, to garnish

coriander leaves, to garnish

grated cheddar cheese, to garnish

Prepare the vegetables by peeling and dicing the carrots and potatoes and chopping the beans finely. Boil all four vegetables in water until just tender, drain and reserve.

Heat the oil in a saucepan and fry the onion for a minute or so. Keep stirring to prevent it from sticking and stir in the ginger-garlic paste.

Add the tomato purée and chillies and cook until the oil separates, adding a couple of tablespoons of water to hasten the process.

Tip in the cooked vegetables, turmeric powder, garam masala and salt. Mix gently and cook for a couple of minutes before folding in the cashew nuts, pineapple and cream. Heat through without allowing to boil.

Serve hot, garnished with the cherries, coriander leaves and cheese.

· Recipe taken from India's Vegetarian Cooking by Monisha Bharadwaj (Kyle Cathie, £19.99). To order a copy, visit the Guardian bookshop