The Big Book of Curry Recipes (71 page)

Ingredients:

1 oven-ready chicken, divided into 8 serving-sized pieces

1 tbsp lime juice (or tamarind juice)

1 tsp salt

3 tbsp vegetable oil

3 shallots, finely sliced

1 star anise

3 cloves

2 cardamom pods

1 stalk of lemongrass, bruised

2 pandan (screwpine) leaves, shredded lengthways and tied together

6 curry leaves

500ml (2 cups) coconut milk (1 1/2 fresh coconuts will give you this)

3 tbsp grated coconut flesh, toasted until brown and pounded in a mortar

For the Spice Paste:

3 candlenuts, toasted

1 tbsp coriander seeds

1 tsp cumin seeds

1 tsp aniseed

1/8 nutmeg, freshly grated

10 red chillies

6 shallots, peeled

3 garlic cloves, peeled

1 tsp fresh turmeric, peeled and finely chopped

2 tsp fresh ginger, finely chopped

1 tsp salt

Method:

Take the chicken pieces and rub all over with the lime juice and salt. Place in a bowl and set aside for 15 minutes.

In the meantime, separately toast the candlenuts, coriander seeds, cumin seeds, aniseed and red chillies in a dry frying pan until aromatic. Turn into a bowl and set aside to cool. Combine the toasted spices with the other spice paste ingredients in a blender or food processor, add a little water and purée to a smooth paste.

Heat the vegetable oil in a wok and when hot use to stir-fry the shallots until golden brown. Stir in the spice paste. Cook for a few minutes, stirring constantly, then add the whole spices, lemongrass, pandan leaves, curry leaves and the marinated chicken pieces.

Cook for a few minutes, to lightly brown the chicken then add the coconut milk and the pounded coconut flesh. Bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer and continue to cook, stirring occasionally, for about 45 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked and the gravy is thick and the oil has separated out.

Serve hot, accompanied by rice.

Gulai Lemak (Beef Spicy Stew)

Gulai Lemak (Beef Spicy Stew) is a traditional Indonesian recipe for a classic curry-influenced dish of beef cooked in coconut milk flavoured with a hot spice paste.

Ingredients:

500g (2 cups) beef, sliced into bite-sized pieces

1 coconut, flesh grated

1.25l (5 cups) boiling water

6 shallots

3 garlic cloves

6 candlenuts

5 red birds’ eye chillies

10 red chillies

1/2 tsp coriander seeds

1/2 tsp cumin seeds

2cm (4/5 in) length of fresh turmeric, peeled

salt and freshly-ground black pepper, to taste

2 tbsp groundnut oil, for frying

Method:

Heat a dry frying pan over medium heat and use to separately dry-fry the coriander and cumin seeds for about 1 minute each, or until aromatic.

Place half the grated coconut flesh in a bowl and pour over 250ml (1 cup) boiling water. Allow to cool then squeeze the coconut flesh to extract the milk. Repeat this process four more times, so you end up with about 1.25l (5 cups) coconut milk.

In a blender or food processor, combine the shallots, garlic, candlenuts, chillies, coriander seeds, cumin seeds, turmeric and the remainder of the grated coconut. Pulse to chop then add a little of the coconut milk and process until you have a smooth, thick, paste.

Place a wok over medium-high heat and add the oil. When hot scrape in the spice paste mix and fry until fragrant. Season to taste with salt and black pepper. Add the beef to the pan and stir to combine. Now pour in the coconut milk, bring to a boil and reduce to a simmer. Cover the pan and cook for about 50 minutes, or until the beef is very tender, the gravy has thickened and the oil has separated from it.

Serve hot with rice.

Opor Ayam (Java Chicken Curry)

Opor Ayam (Java Chicken Curry) is a traditional Indonesian recipe (from Java) for a classic curry-influenced dish of chicken portions cooked in an aromatically-spiced coconut milk base.

Ingredients:

1 tbsp coriander seeds

2 large red chillies, chopped

6 shallots, peeled and chopped

2 garlic cloves

3cm (1 in) length of galangal, peeled and sliced

5cm (2 in) length of ginger, peeled and sliced

1 stalk of lemongrass, trimmed and crushed

3 tbsp groundnut oil

2 cinnamon sticks

5 kaffir lime leaves

1kg (2 lb, 3 oz) chicken legs and thighs (with skin)

600ml (2 1/2 cups) coconut milk

3/4 tsp sea salt (or to taste)

Method:

Toast the coriander seeds in a dry pan until aromatic then place in a mortar and pound to a paste. Combine the coriander in a blender or food processor with the chillies, shallots, garlic, galangal and ginger. Pulse to chop then process to a smooth paste (add a little coconut milk, if needed).

Heat the oil in a wok, when the oil is almost smoking add the spice paste and stir-fry for about 5 minutes, or until golden brown and aromatic. Reduce the heat, add the lemongrass, cinnamon and kaffir lime leaves to the pot. Cook for 1 minute more then move the spice mix to one side of the wok and add the chicken pieces. Increase the heat and turn the chicken until browned.

Now add half the coconut milk, salt and 300ml (1 1/4 cups) water. Stir well to combine, ensuring that you scrape the bottom of the wok. Bring the mixture to a simmer (do not boil), then reduce to a gentle simmer and cook, uncovered for about 45 minutes, or until the chicken pieces are cooked through and tender and the gravy has thickened.

Stir in the remaining coconut milk and allow to heat through. Adjust the seasonings to serve and serve hot, accompanied by rice.

Malaysia

Malaysia lies at the crossroads of the ancient sea-based spice trade. As such, the Malaysian population is a mix of Malays, Chinese and Indians. It was Indian traders who first brought curries to Malaysia, and you will still find classic Indian-style dishes made here. Rendangs came from Indonesia and both styles of curries are popular and made with many regional variants.

Malay curries tend to be based on coconut milk and turmeric, with shallots, ginger, belacan (shrimp paste), chilli peppers, and garlic. In a similar way to Indian curries, tamarind is frequently used as a souring agent.

Malay Chicken Kurma

Chicken Kurma is a traditional Malaysian recipe for a classic coconut milk based curry of chicken breasts with chillies and spices.

Korma (Qorma, Kurma) is a dish originating in Bangladesh that uses milk or yoghurt (or coconut milk) as a base ingredient. Indeed any curry-style dish incorporating coconut milk as a basic ingredient could be considered as a korma, as this version from Malaysia demonstrates.

Ingredients:

4 garlic cloves

6 shallots

4 tbsp
Malaysian kurma powder

600g (2 1/2 cups) chicken breasts

250ml  (1 cup) coconut cream

500ml (1 cup) thin coconut milk (extracted from 1 coconut, if making fresh)

120ml (1/2 cup) oil

seeds from 4 green cardamom pods

2 star anise

2 red chillies

3cm (1 in) piece of cinnamon stick

3 cloves

3cm (1 in) piece of ginger, peeled

salt, to taste

1 large onion, finely sliced

2 red chillies, split and de-seeded

Method:

Combine 3 shallots and 2 garlic cloves in a food processor chop finely then add the kurma powder and 1 tbsp water. Blend to a smooth paste.

Slice the remaining shallots and garlic then add the oil to a wok and use to fry the sliced shallots and garlic, along with the spices, until fragrant. Stir-in the kurma powder paste made above and continue frying until the oil separates.

Add the chicken and 250ml (1 cup) water. Bring to a simmer and cook for about 25 minutes, or until the chicken is tender. Pour in the coconut cram and slowly bring to a boil before adding the thin coconut milk.

Season with salt, to taste, and continue simmering gently, over a low flame, until the sauce has thickened. Add the sliced onion and split chillies. Stir to combine then take off the heat and serve on a bed of rice.

Rendang Daging (Malaysian Beef Rendang)

Rendang Daging (Malaysian Beef Rendang) is a traditional Malaysian recipe for a classic aromatic curry of beef served in a chilli, tamarind, coconut cream and soy sauce which is traditionally served with rice or roti bread.

Ingredients:

1.5kg (3 1/3 lbs) beef, cut into bite-sized pieces

2 garlic cloves, minced

3cm piece of ginger, grated

1 tbsp
Chinese five-spice powder
blended in 2 tbsp water

2 tbsp ground cumin seeds

2 tbsp ground coriander seeds

2 tsp galangal powder (Laos powder)

120g (4 1/2 oz) desiccated coconut (or freshly-grated coconut) toasted in a dry non-stick pan then allowed to cool and pounded in a pestle and mortar

120g (4 1/2 oz) shallots, minced

20 dried red chillies

8 tbsp oil

1 tbsp shrimp paste

2 tbsp
tamarind paste

120ml (1/2 cup) coconut cream

1 tbsp soy sauce

1 tbsp palm sugar

1 tsp salt

2 stalks lemongrass, finely sliced

Method:

Cut the beef into bite-sized chunks then combine in a bowl with the garlic, ginger, cumin, coriander, galangal and five-spice powder. Cover and set aside to marinate in the refrigerator over night.

Heat the oil in a wok or pan and use to fry the shallots and dried chillies for about 2 minutes. Add the beef chunks (reserve any marinade) and fry until evenly browned all over then stir-in the tamarind paste and shrimp paste. Stir continually until the meat is covered then remove from the pan with a slotted spoon and set aside.

Add any remaining marinade to the oil left in the wok and stir-fry for 2 minutes then add half the coconut cream and fry until the oil separates. Add the soy sauce, palm sugar and salt and stir to combine before returning the meat to the pan. Now stir-in the toasted coconut and the lemongrass and stir-fry for 10 minutes. Add 500ml (2 cups) water, bring to a simmer then cover and cook for about 45 minutes, or until the meat is tender and the sauce has reduced to 1/3 its volume.

Stir-in the remaining coconut cream and simmer for 5 minutes to heat through. Serve hot, with boiled rice or a roti (Roti Jala [see below] is particularly good).

Roti Jala

Roti Jala is a traditional Malaysian recipe for a classic flatbread made with flour, milk and an egg that’s fried to cook and which is traditionally served with curries.

Ingredients:

210g (1 1/2 cups) plain flour

80ml (1/3 cup) water

240ml (1 cup) lukewarm milk

1 large egg

1/2 tsp sea salt

1/2 tsp ground turmeric

a little cooking oil (about 1/2 tsp per roti)

Method:

Beat the egg in a bowl then add the milk and whisk to mix. Sift together the flour, salt and turmeric into a separate bowl then beat-in the water until you have a batter. Now whisk in the egg and milk mixture beat until smooth.

Strain the resultant batter to remove any lumps. Heat about 1/2 tsp oil in a non-stick pan over medium heat. Pour the batter into a Roti Jala mould (or a condiment bottle) and drizzle the batter into the pan. This should be done using a swirling motion extending from the centre of the pan to the edges. Once the surface of the pan has been covered this way repeat the pouring in a diagonal pattern until you have a netting effect.

Allow the roti to cook on one side for 3 minutes then fold in half and in half again, so that you have a wedge shape. Take a large spatula and press down on the roti for 10 seconds then remove from the pan and set aside. Add more oil in the pan and cook more of the batter (the recipe should yield about 12). This makes an excellent accompaniment to Rendang Daging (see above).

Malaysian Beriani

Malaysian Beriani is a traditional Malaysian recipe for a classic biryani-style curry of beef or lamb cooked in coconut milk with spices, chillies and nuts that’s served in a ring of rice.

Ingredients:

900g (2 lb) beef or lamb, cut into bite-sized pieces

1 tbsp poppy seeds

1 garlic clove

150g (1/3 lb) shallots, sliced

1 tsp curry powder

2 tsp salt

2 hot chillies

400ml (1 3/4 cups) coconut milk, made from 1/2 coconut (or tinned diluted 50:50 with water)

5cm (2 in) piece of ginger, grated

4 tbsp ghee

5 cloves

5cm (2 in) length cinnamon stick

10 cashew nuts

10 almonds, blanched

450g (1 lb) long-grain rice

Method:

Combine the garlic, ginger, chillies, poppy seeds, cashew nuts and almonds in a coffee or spice grinder and render to a powder.

Add the oil to a wok or pan and use to fry the cloves, cinnamon and shallots for about 6 minutes, or until the shallots have softened. Add the meat, half the salt, the ground ingredients and curry powder. Stir well to combine then cover and cook for 10 minutes.

Add the coconut milk to a separate pan, along with the remaining salt. Wash the rice thoroughly 2 or 3 times then stir into the coconut milk. Bring to a simmer, cover and cook for about 25 minutes, or until the rice is tender and has absorbed all the liquid.

Form a well in the centre of the rice and place the meat mixture in this. Cover and allow to cook for about 20 minutes over a very low fire, or until the meat is tender. Serve hot.

Laksa

Laksa is a traditional Malaysian recipe for a classic breakfast dish of chicken, prawns, noodles and beansprouts cooked in a mix of coconut milk and chicken stock flavoured with laska paste.

Ingredients:

2 chicken breast fillets

1 tbsp groundnut oil

1/2 batch
laksa paste

550ml (2 2/5 cups) coconut milk

750ml (3 cups) chicken stock

400g (1lb, scant) medium king prawns (raw), peeled

pinch of salt

500g (1 lb, 1 oz) noodles