Lamb curry

Jan19

Saucy, aromatic, meaty foods are what life is all about. Well, my life, anyway.

Forget chicken soup. This is what your soul needs.

(Yield: 4 large or 6 smaller portions)

Ingredients:

2 tbsp vegetable oil

1 lb lamb shoulder, cut off the bone, fat trimmed and discarded

1 large yellow onion, roughly diced

1 large carrot, sliced

1 orange bell pepper, chopped

3 garlic cloves, minced

8 oz canned tomato sauce

1 tbsp yellow curry powder

1 tbsp (2 tbsp for spicy food lovers) canned Panang curry paste, which looks like this

1 14 oz can unsweetened coconut milk

1/4 c water

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Procedure: Rinse meat and pat dry with paper towels. Cut into 1″ cubes. Heat oil in a large pot or Dutch oven over a high flame and add lamb. Sprinkle with salt and pepper, and cook until browned on all sides, about 3 min, flipping once. Remove meat from pot, reduce heat to medium and add vegetables. Season with a pinch of salt and cook until slightly softened, about 5 min, stirring frequently, making sure to scrape bits from bottom of pot. Next add tomato sauce, garlic and curries. Stir and cook for 1 min. Then add coconut milk and water. Stir, cover pot tightly with a lid and bring to a boil. Once boiling, crack lid, reduce heat to low, and simmer for 20 min, stirring occasionally. Then remove lid and simmer for another 10 min. Turn heat off. Taste and re-season if necessary. Serve hot; over rice, if desired.

Alas! A guide to curry for ignorant people.

Aug27

On many an occasion I have gotten into subtle arguments with people on the ever-contentious topic of curry. “Curry is a type of soup!” will fly out of someone’s mouth, or “Curry is a plant!”, to which I reply, “Guys, curry is actually an umbrella term.” The truth is, I just love the term umbrella term, but in reality, I am just as ignorant as the people I argue with. But alas, the confusion is over. I have finally done the research and am ready to share what I learned with you. Please, for the goodness of humanity, share this post with everyone you know, so that ignorant arguments about curry will be no longer.

What I learned is that ‘curry’ is something to be often found in either Indian or Thai kitchens, as well as in other Asian countries’, and there is no such thing as a curry plant. And contrary to ignorant Western beliefs, not all Indian dishes contain this ingredient.

Curry Powder: This is a yellow seasoning of Indian origin that is available at most US supermarkets. It’s a spice blend that varies by brand, but most include: coriander, turmeric, cumin, fenugreek, and paprika. A pre-packaged mix is a strictly Western phenomenon because in India, the blend is prepared right before it is added to a dish.

Curry Paste: Unlike the dry seasoning described above, a curry paste is usually a blend of: fresh chilis, lemongrass, galangal (a plant of the ginger family), garlic, shallots, kaffir limes, cilantro root and shrimp paste (kapee), that is most popular in Southeast Asian kitchens. It is most often red, green or orange. (source: Temple of Thai) Canned/jarred curry paste can be purchased in most Asian markets. Also unlike the powder, this stuff is very spicy.

Curry as a dish: ‘Curry’ is something you are likely to see on Asian restaurants’ menus. A Thai curry dish, for instance, can be characterized as a soup, and it is usually made with a coconut milk base, along with meat, seafood and/or vegetables, and it is seasoned with a curry paste. An Indian-style curry dish is likely to be thicker, more stew-like, than its Thai counterpart. It is also seasoned differently and often features yogurt as the base for its sauce.

“Curry is too spicy for me…”: Most people of the Western world are unaccustomed to eating spicy foods, which is okay, as most Western countries have mild climates that aid in the preservation of food. South Asian countries are not so lucky. Because their climate is much hotter and muggier, like in Thailand, their food is prone to rotting faster than ours. Ingredients like chili peppers help fight off rot, therefore keeping food fresh longer. Of course most homes today have refrigerators that do a great job of preserving food, but refrigerators are a relatively new development in the history of Asian cuisine.

Well, I hope the ignorant readers out there find this post helpful. I sure do. And please, if you are more educated on this subject than me, share whatever information I missed in the comments section below. Thanks!

Pumpkin Curry w/ Chicken

Dec20

This idea came from… Wait, I’m gonna let you guess…

Why yes, it was Bon Appetit magazine! But I only used it for inspiration this time, the recipe is entirely mine. I should just rename this blog “Bon Appetit-Inspired Recipes by Sasha.”

Also, note this beautiful, asymmetrical serving dish, which was another part of my birthday present. My friends sure do know me well.

(Yield: 4 servings)

Ingredients:

2 tbsp vegetable oil

1 small yellow onion, diced

3 garlic cloves, minced

1 orange bell pepper, diced

1/2 tsp cumin

1 heaping tsp yellow curry powder

Cayenne pepper, to taste

1 15 oz can pumpkin puree

2 1/5 c chicken stock

1 13 oz can coconut milk

1 chicken breast, thinly sliced

A generous pinch of saffron (soaked in 2 tbsp water 10 min prior to use)

Chopped scallions for garnish

Cooked white rice

Procedure: Heat oil in heavy-bottomed pot or Dutch oven over medium-low heat. Add onion, pepper and garlic with a pinch of salt. Saute, stirring frequently, for 10 min. Add stock, pumpkin, curry, cumin and cayenne, and bring to a simmer. Cover loosely with lid and simmer for 5 min. Then take off heat and puree with immersion blender (or food processor, with the chute left open!) until smooth. Return to heat and add coconut milk. When it’s back at simmering point, taste and re-season if necessary. Then stir in chicken and saffron (in its water). Cover loosely and simmer for 10-12 min, until chicken is cooked through, stirring occasionally. Turn heat off and re-season again if necessary. To serve: ladle into bowls and top with rice and scallions.

I’m quite proud of myself for executing this dish perfectly on the first try, considering I’ve never made curry before. I’ve also done some research since my first saffron run and concluded that it should be soaked in a little water 10 minutes prior to use to better release the bright orange color and slightly metallic flavor.

Final words: This dish is easy to make and the flavors and textures are maaahrvelous. Try it!