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George Chittenden

Homemade curry paste
INGREDIENTS
  • 1  onion, roughly cut 
  • 4  garlic cloves 
  • 2 inches fresh ginger 
  • 3  lemongrass stalks, trimmed at ends 
  • 5  cardamom pods
  • 2 tsp fenugreek seeds
  • 2 tsp black peppercorns 
  • 3 tsp turmeric 
  • 3 tsp ground coriander
  • 2 tsp garam masala
  • 2 tsp mustard seeds 
  • 2 tsp brown sugar 
  • 1 tsp cumin seeds 
  • 1 tsp whole cloves 
  • 1 tsp cayenne pepper
  • 5 curry leaves 
  • 4-8 fresh chillies (dependent on heat requirement)
  • 2 tbsp fish sauce
  • juice of one lime
  • a dash of olive oil 
  • a handful of coriander leaves 
METHOD
  1. Combine all ingredients in a food processor, with a dash of water in order to blend smoothly.
  2. Fry curry paste on medium-high heat until fragrant. Add meat to pan, smear curry paste all over the meat, and brown the meat for a few minutes.
  3. Add liquid to make sauce (coconut milk works splendidly with this, but tomato also good.)
  4. Once meat is cooked thoroughly and sauce is reduced, serve with rice. ​
George Chittenden
George Chittenden
George Chittenden is Domkantor I at Bodø Cathedral in Norway, where he plays the organ for services and concerts, directs Bodø Domkor and Ungdomskoret, and has overall responsibility for the music at the cathedral.

Located in the north of Norway, Bodø is a vibrant city undergoing huge growth in all areas, and surrounded by spectacular Arctic nature. The city, which is scheduled to be the European Capital of Culture in 2024, features the striking, modern cathedral at its core - as a centre for liturgy, music and culture in Northern Norway. The cathedral is home to seven choirs, a song school, and a world-class Eule organ.

Before beginning his position in Bodø in September 2021, George was Organist at S:ta Maria kyrka (St Mary's Church), Helsingborg, Sweden: a basilica-sized church built in the Danish Gothic style, dating from the 14th Century, which included Bach's illustrious teacher, Diderik Buxtehude, amongst its former organists.

Earlier in his varied career, George was Director of Music and Cathedral Organist at St Paul’s Cathedral, Dunedin, New Zealand and he held the post of Assistant Organist to the Cathedral Church of St Andrew in Aberdeen, Scotland and positions at the University of Aberdeen. At the university, George was featured numerous times on BBC broadcasts, both local and international. In 2010, he headed to the USA where he was employed as Artist-in-Residence/Assistant Organist at Christ Church Cathedral, Hartford in the USA, and Organist to the Anglican Singers.

George is active as international concert organist and he is currently pursuing part-time doctoral studies, concentrating on the way in which the Nazi occupation in Scandinavia impacted upon developments within classical composition. He is active as a composer of both sacred music and avant-garde works.

George has been taught by David Flood, Anne Marsden-Thomas, Gerard Brooks, Roger Williams, Nigel Allcoat, Francis Jacob and Ewald Kooimann and, most recently, Peter Stoltzfus Berton.

Away from a hectic musical schedule, George is a keen traveller, a food fanatic (particularly that of Asian origin), a committed fan of football, rugby, Formula One and other sports. He is also a historian, an occasional poker player and a fan of good wheat beers.
George's website
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