The Big Book of Curry Recipes (66 page)

Ema Datshi (Chillies with Cheese) is a traditional Bhutanese recipe for a classic dish of chillies boiled with onions served with cheese in a tomato and garlic sauce that’s typically served as an accompaniment.

Ingredients:

250g (9 oz) chillies (green medium-hot chillies are traditional), cut lengthways into 4 strips each

1 onion, chopped lengthways

2 tomatoes, diced

250g (9 oz) Feta cheese, crumbled (traditionally a Bhutanese cottage (farmer) cheese would be used)

5 garlic cloves, minced

3 tbsp coriander leaves

2 tbsp vegetable oil

Method:

Combine the chillies, onion and vegetable oil in a pan with 400ml (1 2/3 cups) water. Bring to a boil and cook on medium heat for about 10 minutes then add the tomatoes and garlic and cook for a further 2 minutes. Now add the cheese and cook for 3 minutes more. Stir-in the coriander leaves then secure a lid, turn off the heat and allow to steam for 2 minutes.

Serve immediately as a side dish with rice (red rice is best).

Myanmar

Myanmar (Burma) lies at the cross-roads between and there has been communication and trade between the Indian sub-Continent and East Asia through Burma for centuries. It is believed that Indian Buddhist monks of the 7th century were mainly responsible for introducing curries to Burma, however it has been a centre of trade for so long that this is uncertain. In the main, Burmese curries are a blend of Indian and Thai influences

However, unlike Indian curries (which are often based on fried onions), the base for Burmese curries tends to be fresh onion and it is this that forms the base for the curry gravy. In general, Burmese curries can be generalised into two types — there are hot, spicy, dishes that exhibit north Indian or Pakistani influence, and then there are the milder ‘sweet’ curries. Burmese curries almost overwhelmingly lack coconut milk, a feature that sets them apart from most Southeast Asian curries.

Myanmar Beef Curry (Ah Mè Thar Hin)

Ah Mè Thar Hin (Beef Curry) is a traditional Myanmar recipe for a classic curry of beef flavoured with fish sauce, caraway leaves, curry powder, chilli and ginger.

Ingredients:

1kg (2 lb, 3 oz) beef, cut into 3cm (1 in) cubes

120ml (1/2 cup) cooking oil

1 tbsp fish sauce

2 tbsp vinegar

1/4 tsp ground turmeric

1 tsp salt

6 onions, thinly sliced

3 garlic cloves, chopped

2 sprigs of caraway leaves

1 tbsp curry powder

1 tsp chilli powder

1 tsp ginger, finely chopped

Method:

Whisk together the salt, ground turmeric, fish sauce and vinegar in a bowl. Add the beef, toss to combine then cover and set aside to marinate for 20 minutes.

In the meantime, add the oil to a wok. When hot, use to fry the sliced onions until crispy. Remove from the oil with a slotted spoon and set aside. Add the garlic, chilli powder and caraway leaves to the oil and fry until fragrant then stir in the beef and add the fried onions. Cover the wok and cook for 10 minutes then add 1l (4 cups) water.

Bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer and cook for about 60 minutes, or until the meat is tender (add more water, as needed).

Now sprinkle the curry powder over the top and stir in to combine. Take off the heat and serve hot, accompanied by coconut rice and a vegetable salad.

Wethani Kyet (Dry Burmese Pork Curry)

Wethani Kyet (Dry Burmese Pork Curry) is a traditional Myanmar recipe for a classic dry curry of pork pieces in a garlic, onion, ginger and oil gravy flavoured with chilli powder and turmeric.

Ingredients:

2kg (4 1/2 lb) loin of pork, boned and with skin removed

20 garlic cloves

3 onions, roughly chopped

100g (3 12 oz) fresh ginger, peeled and roughly chopped

salt, to taste

2 tsp hot chilli powder

2 tbsp vinegar

180ml (2/3 cup) groundnut oil

60ml (1/4 cup) sesame oil

1 tsp ground turmeric

Method:

Slice the pork into 3cm (1 in) cubes and set aside.

Combine the garlic, onions and ginger in a food processor and render to a smooth paste (add a little of the oil, if needed to help this process). Pass the mixture through a fine-meshed sieve (reserve the solids). Add the resultant paste to a wok with the pork cubes, vinegar, chilli powder, salt and half the groundnut oil. Bring the mixture to a boil then reduce to a simmer, cover the wok and cook over low heat for about 90 minutes, or until the pork is tender.

Heat the remaining groundnut oil and sesame oil in another wok. Add the solids from the sieve then stir in the turmeric. Cook for about 10 minutes over low heat (add a little water if the mixture begins to burn). Continue cooking for about 25 minutes, or until all the ingredients are tender.

When the vegetable mix has cooked, stir in the pork mixture. Mix thoroughly to combine and serve on a bed of white rice.

Chin Baung Kaw (Fried Roselle Leaves)

Chin Baung Kaw (Fried Roselle Leaves) is a traditional Myanmar recipe for a classic dry curry of roselle (hibiscus) leaves cooked in a spiced base with onions, garlic, bamboo shoots and shrimp paste.

Ingredients:

6 bunches roselle (hibiscus) leaves (or substitute spinach)

2 tbsp dried prawns, ground to a powder

1 tsp shrimp paste

5 dried chillies

8 garlic cloves, chopped

2 medium onions, chopped

1/2 tsp turmeric

2 tbsp groundnut oil

150g (6 oz) bamboo shoots, shredded

5 green chillies, sliced into thin rings

Method:

Combine the dried chillies, onions and 2 garlic cloves in a mortar and pound until you have a smooth paste.

Strip the hibiscus leaves from their stems, wash well and set in a colander to drain.

Heat the oil in a wok. When hot stir in the onion paste and the turmeric. Stir fry for 20 seconds then add the hibiscus leaves and stir to combine. Mix the shrimp paste with 1 tbsp of water then stir into the contents of the wok.

Now stir in the bamboo shoots along with the prawn powder and the chopped garlic. Stir well to combine, bring to a simmer and cook gently for about 15 minutes, or until the mixture becomes dry.

Add the sliced green chillies on top and cook for 3 minutes more. Serve immediately.

Si Byan (Burmese Fish Curry)

Si Byan (Burmese Fish Curry) is a traditional Myanmar recipe for a classic curry of fish steaks cooked in a spiced onion and tomato base.

Ingredients:

1kg (2 lb, 3 oz) firm white fish, cleaned, scaled and cut into steaks

3cm (1 in) piece of ginger, minced

2 tsp ground turmeric

60ml (1/4 cup) vegetable oil

3 medium tomatoes, finely diced

3 medium onions, minced

5 garlic cloves, minced

2 tbsp sweet paprika

1 tsp hot chilli powder

2 fresh red chillies

1 1/2 tbsp fish sauce

60ml (1/4 cup) fish stock

salt and freshly-ground black pepper, to taste

1 bunch of coriander

Method:

Place the fish in a large mixing bowl, scatter over the turmeric and season with salt and black pepper. Toss to coat then cover and set aside to marinate for 10 minutes.

Heat the oil in a frying pan, add the onion and fry for about 3 minutes, or until golden brown then add the ginger and garlic. Fry for a few minutes more, or until fragrant then add the paprika, chilli powder and the fish. Fry briskly until the fish is seared on both sides then add the tomatoes and stock.

Bring to a simmer, cover the pan and cook for 5 minutes. Remove the leaves from the coriander stems and set aside. Chop the coriander stems finely and add to the curry. Reduce the heat and simmer gently for about 3 minutes more, or until the fish is cooked through.

Turn into a warmed serving dish, garnish with the coriander leaves and serve accompanied by steamed jasmine rice.

Nga Tha Lout Paung (Sour Fish Curry)

Nga Tha Lout Paung (Sour Fish Curry) is a traditional Myanmar recipe for a classic curry of fish steaks cooked in  spiced onion base that’s acidified with vinegar.

Ingredients:

500g (1 lb, 2 oz) fish, cleaned and scaled (remove the heads, fins and tails)

1 medium onion, finely sliced lengthways

5 garlic cloves, finely sliced lengthways

1 tsp fresh ginger, finely grated

5 whole black peppercorns

1/2 tsp salt (or to taste)

1 fresh green chill, shredded

vinegar, to taste

Method:

Arrange the fish in the base of a casserole dish and scatter over the onion, garlic, ginger and black peppercorns. Season with salt then arrange the shredded chilli on top of the fish. Pour in just enough vinegar to barely cover the fins.

Secure a tight-fitting lid on top then seal the lid shut with a thick flour and water paste. Place in an oven pre-heated to 115ºC (240ºF) and cook gently for 6 hours (the slow cooking and vinegar helps soften the fish bones). Serve hot, accompanied by rice.

Fried Brnijal Sambal

Fried Brnijal Sambal is a traditional Myanmar recipe for a classic spiced vegetarian relish or accompaniment of aubergines (eggplants) cooked with prawns and spices in a shrimp paste base.

Ingredients:

6 large aubergines (brinjals)

500g (1 lb) cooked prawns, minced

2 large onions, minced

3 green chillies, minced

1 tsp ground turmeric

1 tsp balachong (shrimp paste)

300ml (1 1/4 cups) cooking oil

6 garlic cloves, cut into thin slices

juice of 4 lemons

Method:

Bring a pan of lightly-salted water to a boil. Add the aubergines and boil for about 30 minutes, or until soft. Drain the aubergines and when they can be handled halve them lengthways, scoop out the flesh, place in a bowl and mash until smooth.

Mix the onions, chillies and prawns in with the mashed aubergine pulp.

Heat the oil in a frying pan, add the garlic slices and fry until browned. Now add the aubergine mixture and fry for about 10 minutes, or until thoroughly cooked. Turn into a serving dish an pour over the lemon juice.

Serve hot with rice, or accompany with puris or naan bread.

Southeast Asian Curries.

There are a range of curries and curry-like dishes throughout the nations of Southeast Asia. In the main, the basic cooking style was introduced by Indian traders, though many of the dishes have evolved separately over time. The most well-know curries of the region are Thai and Malay (where there is a large Indian population)

In this chapter, the curries of each country in the region are examined in some detail.

Laos

In general, Laotian curries are very similar to their Thai counterparts and many of the dishes are shared in common between the two countries. In particular, both cuisines use red curry paste and noodle curry pastes as a base. However, Laotian curries tend to use less turmeric than Thai curries.

Lao curries are often served with glutinous (sticky) rice.

Shin Ngoa Lap (Spicy Beef)

Shin Ngoa Lap (Spicy Beef) is a traditional Laotian recipe for a classic dish of beef coated in rice flour and cooked in a spiced fish and anchovy sauce.

Ingredients:

3 tsp glutinous rice

450g (1 lb) beef (eg topside), cut into 3 pieces

1 tbsp fish sauce (Nam Pla)

2 tsp anchovy paste (ie anchovy fillets pounded to a smooth paste)

1 tbsp dried galangal soaked in hot water for 1 hour before being finely chopped

1 tbsp coriander leaves, chopped

1 tbsp spring onion (green part only), shredded

To Garnish:

1 red chilli, sliced into fine rings

juice of 1/2 lime

Method:

Fry the rice in a hot, dry, wok or frying pan until brown then transfer to a coffee grinder and grind to a paste. Meanwhile, arrange the beef in a roasting tin and cook in an oven pre-heated to 200ºC (390ºF) for about 15 minutes. Remove from the oven and set aside until cool enough to be handled. Shred the beef into strips and dredge in the powdered rice.

Mix together the fish sauce and anchovy paste in a pan and cook over medium heat until you have a smooth paste. Add the beef along with the galangal, coriander and spring onion and stir well.

Arrange the meat mixture on a warmed serving dish and garnish with the chilli. Squeeze the lime juice over the top and serve.

Glutinous (Sweet) Rice

Glutinous (Sweet) Rice is a traditional Laotian recipe for the classic staple of steamed glutinous rice.

Glutinous rice is the main staple in Laos, Northern Thailand and Cambodia. To cook, it is simply placed in a bamboo steamer and cooked. It is then served in the steamer. If you don’t have an oriental steamer (and they’re well worth buying) then line a normal metal steamer with muslin or cheesecloth and add your rice to this before cooking.

Ingredients:

50g (2 oz) glutinous rice per person

Method: