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riverheadbooks · 6 years

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Riverhead Table: WHAT IT MEANS WHEN A MAN FALLS FROM THE SKY

Lesley Nneka Arimah has had quite a year! We knew we wanted to do a Riverhead Table with Lesley from the moment she said that one of her favorite things to do in New York is finding new Nigerian restaurants to try with her friends.

That was, oh, over a year ago, before she exploded on to the national literary scene. Her fantastical and revelatory story collection WHAT IS MEANS WHEN A MAN FALLS FROM THE SKY won multiple prizes--most recently the prestigious NYPL Young Lions Award and Kirkus Prize in Fiction--and was named a best book of year by The New Yorker, Buzzfeed, NPR, The Root and dozens more publications.

We were finally able to step into the kitchen with Lesley earlier this month, and the meal she put together was worth the wait. There were no recipes to follow: just Lesley working from memory to teach us how to make a delicious home style Nigerian lunch with a Cajun twist.

Huge thanks to our friends from Well Read Black Girl for joining us!

MENU:

Coconut Rice

Garlic Shrimp

Plantains

Zobo Cocktail

Coconut Rice

3 tablespoons vegetable oil

2 medium onions, finely chopped

5 shallots, minced

3 green bell peppers, diced

4 large tomatoes, diced

6 cups water

2 bay leaves

1 tsp turmeric

1 tsp ground cumin

4 sprigs fresh thyme

salt to taste

1 tsp paprika or ground red pepper

2 tablespoons chicken bouillon powder

2 14.5-ounce cans coconut milk

6 cups of parboiled rice, rinsed

Heat oil in a large, heavy-bottomed pot over medium heat. Add onion and shallots and cook for several minutes, until translucent. stir in all other ingredients except for the coconut milk and rice, bring to a boil, and let simmer, uncovered, for 8-10 minutes. Add coconut milk and return to a boil. Taste for seasoning. Stir in the rice and reduce the flame to low. Cover the pot (make sure it is well sealed) and let the rice cook for approximately 30 minutes without opening. Let stand covered for 10 minutes. Fluff before serving.

Garlic Shrimp

2 pounds unsalted butter

2 heads of fresh garlic, minced

2 4.5 oz jars of minced garlic

1 tablespoon paprika

2 2-oz cans low-sodium Old Bay Seasoning

3 lemons

6 lbs raw, peeled, tail-on shrimp (16/lb or larger)

Melt the butter (yes, all of it) in a large sauté pan over medium heat. When it is bubbling, add all of the garlic, paprika, and Old Bay Seasoning. Stir to combine. Add shrimp, raise heat to medium-high, and toss, making sure all of the shrimp gets coated in the sauce. Squeeze on lemons. Cover and let cook for 6-7 minutes, turning occasionally, until shrimp are fully and evenly cooked. Serve with the rice, topped with the sauce.

What two pounds of butter, garlic and seasoning looks like!

Plantains

15 very ripe plantains (they should be heavily speckled, almost black), peeled, halved lengthwise, and sliced about ¼ inch thick at most

Vegetable oil for deep-frying

Place oil in a deep skillet or wok and place over medium-high heat. Test whether it is hot enough by dropping in a slice of plantain. If the oil starts to bubble around the plantain immediately but does not smoke, it is ready. Add the slices but only as many as you can fit without crowding. Cook until golden brown on one side, then flip and brown on the other. Remove from oil with a slotted spoon and drain on a baking sheet covered with paper towels. Keep warm in a low oven (200 degrees) until serving.

Lesley supervising editor Becky Saletan at the plantain station.

Zobo Mocktail

1 pound of dried hibiscus flowers

1/4 pound ginger, cut into 1-2 inch slices

8 limes

10 cups of water

Cheese cloth

2 cups sugar

Place 8 cups of the water in a large saucepan and bring to a boil. Add the hibiscus flowers and ginger slices. Once the water boils, reduce heat and let simmer for 20 minutes. Remove from heat and let cool. In a small saucepan, make a simple syrup: mix the sugar with the remaining two cups of water, bring to the boil, and stir until the sugar dissolves; let cool. Strain the hibiscus-ginger mixture through cheesecloth, gathering the cloth and squeezing to get all of the juice. Fill a pitcher ¼ full with the hibiscus-ginger concentrate and stir in freshly squeezed lime juice and syrup to taste. Serve over ice in tall glasses, adding vodka to turn it into a proper cocktail!

After cooking we toasted to Lesley and her wonderful book with a couple of bottles of palm wine! Then we dug into the most satisfying meal we’ve had in ages.

#Lesley Nneka Arimah #What It Means When A Man Falls From The Sky #food #cooking #recipes #Nigerian food #riverheadtable

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kerrycookbook · 5 years

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Story

My mom likes it.

Ingredients

Ingredients: for the curry paste:

4 mild peppers, sliced and diced

8 small dried red chilies, chopped after soaking for 30 minutes. (Use fewer for a milder heat!)

A dozen cloves of garlic, finely chopped

A half dozen or so shallots, chopped

1½ to 2 tsp shrimp paste

Ingredients: for the seafood:

500 grams large prawns, scallops, or fish

1 tsp salt

1 cup coconut cream, or use coconut milk if you’re happy with a more diluted taste

2-3 tbsp. fish sauce (adjust according to taste)

1½ – 3 tsp palm or coconut sugar (adjust according to taste)

Up to 10 small kaffir lime leaves, finely cut into slices

¼ cup of coriander leaves

Method

First, start by shelling the prawns, then butterfly and place in a bowl. Add a teaspoon of salt and half a cup of water. Mix well and set aside for 30 minutes. Drain after carefully ensuring the salt has been washed away by rinsing under a tap. For the pastIe, pound the peppers, the chilies, garlic, and shallots in a mortar and add the shrimp paste last. You can also puree them if you have a blender.

Take a spoonful of coconut cream or use the milk from the top of a carton of coconut milk and place in the wok or frying pan and heat over high heat. Once the cream has thickened, immediately stir in the chili paste and stir-fry until the oil has separated from the cream. This is the sign it’s ready. Now add the fish sauce and palm sugar and reduce the mix so that it becomes very thick. Now you can add the prawns/seafood along with the kaffir lime leaves and fold into the mixture.

Keep stir-frying until the prawns/seafood is nearly cooked. Now turn down the heat a little and fold in the chili sauce. Stir until all the ingredients are well distributed in the wok or pan.

#apema #Seemano #thialand #bangkok #Chu Chee Kung

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animatedamerican · 7 years

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Pesach recipes, 4 / 5: Soups & Vegetable Sides

(1. Breads) (2. Pastries) (3. Breakfasts) (5. Random Mix)

Okay, so: most of what’s in here is not Pesach substitutes for anything, but year-round dishes that happen to be free of grains and kitniyot.

Under the Read More: Maror & Karpas Soup, Butternut Squash & Chestnut Soup, Chilled Lemon Soup, Grain-Free Kishka, Celery-Zucchini Medley, Homestyle Hashbrowns, and Toon’s Amazing Disappearing Stuffed Mushrooms.

Celery-Leek Soup I decided I wanted to make a soup using ingredients that are used as ritual items in the Seder. Both fresh parsley and raw celery are frequently used for karpas, and leeks are (rather less commonly) used for maror. I found a recipe here, and adapted it as follows:

1 32-ounce box chicken broth (I used Manischewitz) or vegetable broth

1 large pack of celery, chopped finely -- all of it, including the leaves

2 fat cloves garlic, chopped finely

3 medium-sized leeks, washed carefully and chopped

1/2 bunch fresh parsley, chopped

1 bunch fresh basil, chopped

1 can coconut milk or 1 recipe DIY coconut milk made w/ 2 cups shredded coconut*

olive oil for sauteeing (any flavorful oil will do)

salt, pepper, onion powder to taste

*For some reason, it is really difficult to find coconut milk that is kosher for Pesach -- I suspect it has to do with the stabilizers generally used to keep it from separating. This recipe will separate out in the fridge; if you're using it, don't worry about reintegrating it before use, just put it all in.

Saute the garlic and leek in olive oil over medium-high heat. Add in the celery. Stir-fry until the celery has brightened and gone a little translucent, and then leave on a low heat for about 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Add in the stock, then the chopped herbs and seasonings. Simmer until the celery is soft all the way through.

Allow to cool slightly, then puree. I used an immersion blender; a food processor will work, in small batches. Strain and stir in the coconut milk. Serve hot (though it would probably be pretty good cold, too). Can be refrigerated and reheated.

Butternut Squash & Chestnut Soup

Note: this also works as a recipe for “mashed butternut squash” if you cut the water or broth down to about an inch in the bottom of the pot. While this works as a soup either hot or cold, if you make it a side dish instead I would recommend serving it hot.

1 large onion, chopped

olive oil or butter/margarine for sauteeing

garlic powder to taste, if desired

1 cup (approx.) roasted chestnuts, peeled and chopped

1 very large or two small-to-medium butternut squash, peeled, de-seeded and cut into chunks

chicken or vegetable broth (or water), plus almond milk to taste

salt and pepper to taste

Sautee the onion in the oil over medium to low heat until golden and starting to brown. Add chestnuts (and garlic powder if using), stir, and cook another few minutes more. Add squash, stir until thoroughly mixed, then add enough liquid (broth or water) to cover the vegetables. Cover pot and simmer until squash is soft enough to break up with the side of a spoon.

Allow to cool slightly, then puree until smooth. If soup is very thick, add almond milk (or more broth or water) until soup reaches desired consistency. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Chilled Lemon Soup

1 small onion, minced fine

2-3 cloves garlic, minced fine

olive oil for sauteeing

fresh thyme to taste

4 cups chicken broth

2 eggs

¼ cup lemon juice, plus grated lemon zest to taste

¼ cup white zinfandel or other white wine

Sautee onion in soup pot over low heat until golden and starting to brown, stirring occasionally. Add garlic and thyme, turn heat to high, and cook another few minutes more, stirring constantly. Add broth and bring to boil, then turn heat down to simmer.

While broth is heating, whisk eggs until frothy, then add wine, lemon juice and zest and whisk to combine. When broth boils, slowly stir two ladlefuls of hot broth into egg mixture. Return broth and egg mixture to pot, stir to combine, and heat through. (Do not heat too vigorously, or the egg enrichment will curdle.)

Allow to cool, puree with immersion blender until smooth, then strain and chill. Taste to adjust seasonings before serving. Ladle into bowls and garnish with more fresh thyme and lemon zest.

Kishka (Gluten Free & Vegan)

2 stalks of celery

2 carrots

1 medium-large onion

1 to 1½ cups almond flour

1 tsp salt

1 tsp paprika

½ tsp garlic powder

¼ tsp black pepper

Puree celery, carrots, and onion together in a food processor until completely smooth. Pour into mixing bowl and add seasonings. (Feel free to adjust seasonings to taste.) Mix in almond flour until the mixture reaches the consistency of stiff dough. If mixture becomes too stiff, thin it out slightly with water or vegetable oil.

Roll dough into a firm log and wrap in parchment paper or foil. The kishka may be cooked in a crock pot on top of a cholent or other stew, or baked on its own and served alongside the main dish (I prefer the former).

Celery-Zucchini Medley

3 to 4 stalks celery, sliced diagonally into half-inch pieces

1 large or 2 small zucchini, sliced likewise

olive oil for sauteeing

3 or 4 leaves fresh sage (or to taste), coarsely chopped

salt and pepper to taste

vegetable broth (optional)

Sautee celery in olive oil over high heat until translucent and fragrant. Remove from pan into mixing bowl and sautee zucchini until soft and beginning to brown. Add chopped sage leaves, salt, and pepper, and stir to combine. Cook another few minutes and add celery back to pan. If desired, add a few tablespoons of vegetable broth. Stir together and cook another few minutes, then remove from heat. Serve hot as a side dish.

Homestyle Hashbrowns

(or, how to use up leftover karpas boiled potatoes)

cold boiled potatoes, diced small

raw onion, finely chopped (about a third to a half of the volume of however many boiled potatoes you have)

to taste: salt, pepper, garlic powder, paprika, dried thyme

olive oil as needed

Fry onion in olive oil over medium to low heat until golden throughout, considerably reduced in volume, and starting to brown. Add seasonings and cook for another few minutes, then add potatoes. Stir thoroughly, increase heat to medium high, and cook until potatoes are beginning to go brown and crispy on the edges. Serve hot.

Toon's Amazing Disappearing Stuffed Mushrooms

Note: this is a very labor-intensive recipe -- allow at least two hours start to finish, and get help if you can. (In fact, I wouldn’t recommend attempting these if you’re preparing an entire meal yourself, but they make an excellent contribution to a group meal.)

2 lbs large fresh mushrooms (plain or cremini)

1 medium-to-large onion, minced

2 medium-sized leeks, minced

1 large or 2 small stalks celery, minced

1 8-ounce can mushrooms, drained and diced finely

2 heads fresh garlic

1 or 2 eggs, beaten

olive oil for sauteeing

salt, pepper, and vegetable or chicken broth/stock to taste

Your best bet is to have all these vegetables cut up in advance, but you may not have the time to plan that far ahead. Also useful is an accomplice to help you with the chopping. If you can't arrange for either of these, be sure to do the sauteeing on a low flame, so you won't wind up cooking faster than you have your ingredients ready. Note also that you're going to need a lot of medium-sized bowls to put your veggies in, smaller ones for the prepped and one larger one for the already-sauteed.

Start with roasting your garlic. (I like to use the following method for roasting; you may have a different one you prefer.) Separate garlic into cloves, but do not peel. With a sharp knife, cut off the tip of each clove (where it joined to the head) to make it easier to remove the cloves from the peel after roasting. Place garlic in a small oven-safe dish and add a few tablespoons of olive oil (enough to coat all of the cloves, with a little extra); if you like, you can add a few sprigs of your favorite fresh herb, such as thyme or rosemary. Put dish in oven at 350-375 degrees until cloves are soft and lightly browned. Check periodically while the rest of the stuff is cooking, and take out before it gets too brown.

While garlic is roasting, start sauteeing your onions in a large and deep skillet or wok, stirring occasionally. While they're sauteeing, take out your mushrooms. Remove and save the stems, and clean or peel the caps. Arrange caps concave-side-up in a large roasting pan. Take the stems (and any mushrooms that came apart when you first took off the stems) and mince them finely, trimming as necessary. Put aside along with the rest of your minced vegetables.

When the onions are starting to turn brown, remove them from the wok into your largest side bowl. Start the leeks sauteeing; once they begin to go soft and translucent, pour the onions back into the skillet. Stir well and continue to cook for a minute or so, then remove all the contents of the skillet into the large bowl. Deglaze the pan with a spoonful or two of stock, then pour the stock into the large bowl and add a bit more olive oil to the pan. Repeat the sautee-combine- remove process for the celery (until translucent and aromatic), the mushroom stems (until the liquid exuded begins to evaporate), and the canned mushrooms (until the liquid is entirely gone and they begin to brown on the edges).

By the end of the process you should have all the vegetables cooking together in the skillet, and the garlic should be done roasting. Let the garlic cool a bit while cooking down the vegetables -- the mixture should smell rich and earthy, and shouldn't have too much liquid -- then squeeze the garlic cloves out of their husks, mash them into a paste, and combine them with the mixture. Remove from heat and allow to cool a bit, while adding salt and pepper.

Add a spoonful of the vegetable mixture to the beaten egg and stir, then pour the egg mixture back into the vegetable mixture and blend thoroughly. (This keeps the heat of the mixture from cooking the egg too soon.)

Using a tablespoon, start scooping the stuffing mixture into the mushroom caps. There should be enough to heap each mushroom cap, possibly with some left over. Spray the top of the stuffed mushrooms with cooking spray, sprinkle with a little parsley, and bake at 350 for about half an hour or until stuffing mixture is set. If you've got leftover stuffing mixture, you can put it into a small oven-safe dish (greased) and bake it on its own.

Serve hot and watch them disappear!

#pesach #recipes #foodie #weird jewish things

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letsanjaliposts · 4 years

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10 Delicious Curry Recipe For Lunch

Pick Your Favourite Curry Recipe From These 10 Curry Recipes To Spice Up Your Lunch

Eating boring old dal chawal every day for lunch with the same rotation of three different vegetables is not exactly the definition of an amazingly delicious meal. Even though it is easier to make but as Bunny said in Yeh Jawani Hai Deewani, “life mein thoda bahut keema pav, tangdi kabab, hakka noodle bhi hona chahiye nah?”. While he was referring to marriage, we are actually referring to your lunch. You need some variety to spice up your life and what is better than taking a trip around Asia with these tasty and healthy curry recipes. Pick out your favourite curry recipe amongst these and enjoy a delicious meal! For each variety of curry, we have offered a vegetarian and non-vegetarian option so you can make whatever suits your tummy. Apart from curry recipes list in this blog we also have a separate

Asian food recipes

page where you can find more such amazing recipes like

noodles recipe

corn cheese balls recipe

etc. Read on to find out how you can spice up your boring and ordinary lunch hour with delectable curry recipe. 1. Paneer Masala In Tomato Curry:

Preparation time: 10 minutes

Cooking time: 20 minutes

Serves: 4-6 people

Ingredients:

2 tbsp Orient Asian Red Chilli Paste

1 tsp ginger-garlic paste

½ tsp coriander powder

½ tsp mustard seeds

1 tsp gram flour

2 tsp curd

1 tsp garam masala

1 cup tomato puree

500 g paneer

4 chopped tomatoes

3 chopped onions

Salt to taste

Method:

The first step to cook this Paneer Masala in tomato curry recipe is to mix the curds, ginger-garlic paste, Orient Asian Red Chilli Paste, gram flour, tomato puree and salt in a bowl and blend well.

Include the paneer blocks, mix well and put aside for 10-15 minutes.

Heat the oil in a skillet, include the curry leaves and mustard seeds.

At the point when the seeds pop, include the onions and saute till they turn translucent.

Include the tomatoes, blend well and cook till the sauce turns out to be thick.

Include the paneer alongside the curd mixture and blend well.

Include the turmeric powder, garam masala and salt, blend well and cook for 2 minutes.

Serve hot sprinkled with coriander.

Your delicious Paneer Masala in Tomato curry is ready.

2. Spicy Chicken Curry Recipe:

Preparation time: 10 minutes

Cooking time: 40 minutes

Serves: 3 people

Ingredients:

3 tbsp Orient Asian Red Chilly Paste

1 tablespoon oil

½ teaspoon turmeric powder

½ teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon chopped coriander leaves

1 onion, finely sliced

6 curry leaves

500 g chicken, cut into small pieces

1 cup (200 ml) water

Salt to taste

Method:

The first step to cook this Spicy chicken curry recipe is to wash and clean the pieces of chicken. Totally drain out the water. In a wide bowl, marinate the chicken pieces with turmeric powder and salt. Cover and put aside for 30 minutes.

In a wide skillet, heat oil on medium flame. Include finely cut onion and fry on a medium to low flame for 5 – 8 minutes until golden coloured and crisp.

Include curry leaves and fry well.

Include the Orient Asian Red Chilli Paste and mix well on low flame for 5 minutes or until the curry proceeds to thicken.

Include marinated chicken pieces, 1 cup water (200 ml), and alter salt to taste (or ¼ – ½ teaspoon). Blend all the ingredients well. Cover tightly and cook on a medium to low flame for 25 – 35 minutes or until done/chicken pieces soften/red coloured curry thickens.

Sprinkle torn coriander leaves and present with rice/pulao/Rotis/rumali roti.

3. Veg Thai Green Curry Recipe:

Preparation time: 15 minutes

Cooking time: 40 minutes

Gluten-free

Vegan

Ingredients:

4tbsp Orient Asian Thai green curry paste

2tbsp vegetable oil

3 shallots, finely diced

1 roughly chopped small bunch of coriander

1 red chilli, remove the seeds and finely dice

1 large red pepper, deseeded and cut into thick slices

5 dried kaffir lime leaves

350g butternut squash, peeled and cut into 1.5 cm cubes

400g can full-fat coconut milk

150g snow peas

100g baby corn- halved lengthways

Cooked rice and lime wedges, to serve

Method:

The first step to cook this Veg Thai Green curry recipe is to heat the oil in a huge flameproof casserole vessel with a tight-fitting top. Include the shallots with a liberal pinch of salt and fry for 7-10 minutes over medium flame until its softened and starting to caramelize.

Add the Orient Asian Thai green curry paste and chilli to the dish and fry for 2 mins. Put in the squash and pepper, then continue to stir in the coconut milk alongside 200ml of water. Include the lime leaves, cover and cook for 15-20 mins or until the squash is tender.

Mix the mangetout and baby corn through the curry, then re-cover, cooking over medium-low flame for an additional 5 minutes or until the vegetable is cooked. Season and mix through half of the coriander. Take out the lime leaves and dispose of them. Spoon the curry into deep bowls, dissipate the rest of the coriander and present with rice and lime wedges for squeezing over the curry. Thus, your delicious meal is prepared.

4.Thai Green Chicken Curry Recipe:

Preparation Time: 25 minutes

Cooking time: 30 minutes

Serves: 4 people

Freezable

Ingredients:

3tbsp OrientAsian Thai Green Curry Paste

1 tbsp palm sugar

1 tbsp fish sauce

800g of canned coconut milk

800 g skinless chicken thigh, each thigh cut into three pieces

25g galangal/ginger, sliced

6 lime leaves stalks removed, shredded

3 lemongrass stalks, finely diced

Handful pea aubergines or ½ aubergine diced

Small bunch of Thai basil

Method:

The first step to cook this Thai Chicken curry recipe is to sweep the thick, greasy part of the coconut milk into a warm wok. Cook it gradually, mixing constantly, until it begins to bubble and sizzle and just starts to split.

Include the Orient Asian Thai green curry paste and cook for 3-4 minutes until the paste begins to give off the genuine smell of South-east Asia.

Include the chicken and mix well, covering it all in the paste. Include the remainder of the coconut milk, lime leaves, lemongrass, galangal, palm sugar and half of the fish sauce. Let the sauce bubble for around 10 minutes, until the oil in the coconut milk begins to come through to the surface and the chicken is cooked.

Include the pea aubergines and the remainder of the fish sauce and cook for 5 mins more. Add sprigs of the Thai basil and present with some jasmine rice.

5.Indonesian Vegetable Curry :

Preparation time: 10 minutes

Cooking time: 25 minutes

Serves: 4 people

Ingredients

2 tbsp Orient Asian Indonesian Curry Paste

3 tbsp Soy sauce

300g basmati rice

50g Cashew Nuts

2 units star anise

2 units of ginger

2 units vegetable stockpot

2 units of onions

2 units of red peppers

1 unit of lime

800 ml of coconut milk

2 packs of green beans

2 bunches of coriander

Method:

To make this Indonesian Vegetable Curry recipe, Heat up the water (amount indicated in the fixing list) in an enormous pot over a high flame. Include the basmati rice, half of the vegetable stock pot and the star anise. Mix to dissolve the stockpot and cover with a lid, bring down the flame to medium and cook for 10 minutes. Remove from the flame and put in a safe spot for another 10 minutes. The rice will complete the process of cooking in its own steam.

In the interim, split, strip and thinly cut the onion into half-moons. Strip and grate the ginger. Divide, then remove the centre from the red pepper and slash into 2cm pieces. Remove the top and base from the courgette. Cut down the middle lengthways then cut into 1cm wide half-moons. Trim the tops from the green beans and cleave down the middle. Chop the coriander (with the stalks ).

Put a drizzle of oil in a griddle on medium flame. Include the onion and cook, mixing, until soft for 5 minutes. Include the ginger and Orient Asian Indonesian curry paste alongside a spot of sugar (on the off chance that you have some) cook, still mixing, for one more minute. Include the remainder of the veggies, alongside the coconut milk and remaining stockpot. Mix to dissolve the stockpot, then stew until thickened for 10 mins.

While the curry cooks, put another skillet on high flame and include the cashew nut pieces (no oil). Toast until golden for 2-3 minutes. Shake the skillet regularly. Pro Tip: Watch your nuts like an eagle as they burn easily! Remove from the dish and put it aside.

At the point when the curry is cooked, mix through the soy sauce and include a sprinkle of lime juice. Taste and include more lime juice whenever wanted. Fluff the rice up with a fork and discard the star anise.

Serve the rice in bowls with liberal bits of Indonesian curry on top. Wrap up by sprinkling over the chopped coriander and toasted cashew nuts. Enjoy!

6.Indonesian Chicken Curry Recipe:

Preparation Time: 15 minutes

Cooking Time: 30 minutes

Serves: 2 people

Ingredients:

2 tbsp of Orient Asian Indonesian Curry Paste

3 tablespoons vegetable oil

1/4 teaspoon of salt or to taste

1 lemongrass, only the white part

1 boneless skinless chicken breast, diced into bite-sized

1/2 cup coconut milk

1/2 cup water

2″ cinnamon stick

pinch of black pepper

Optional: chopped fresh parsley or cilantro

Method:

The first step to cook this Indonesian chicken curry recipe is to heat up 3 tablespoons of vegetable oil on a skillet over medium-high flame. Include Orient Asian Indonesian Curry Paste, lemongrass, and cinnamon stick into the container.

Saute it until it gets fragrant. Include chicken into the container. Sauté the chicken so it is covered with the curry paste.

Cook the chicken until it is completely cooked. Include coconut milk and water into the dish. Cook it until the curry starts to boil. Include salt and pepper. Taste it and include more flavouring if necessary. Cook until the curry is somewhat thickened. Remove from the flame.

Move to a serving plate and sprinkle with crisp cilantro or parsley if you wish to do so. Serve it with warm rice.

7.Malaysian Vegetable Curry :

Preparation time: 20 minutes

Cooking Time: 40 minutes

Serves: 3-4 people

Ingredients:

3tbsp Orient Asian Malaysian Curry Paste

200 ml of coconut milk

1 Potato, boiled and diced

1 Carrot, sliced

5 Baby corn, diced

1 Brinjal, diced

5 Curry leaves

2 Stalks Spring Onion (Bulb & Greens), finely chopped with the leaves

Sunflower Oil, as needed

Method:

The first step to cook this Malaysian Vegetable curry recipe is to boil the vegetables for the Curry.

Heat a teaspoon of oil in a wok or a stir-fry wok; include the eggplants, sprinkle some salt and sauté on low to medium flame until soft and cooked. When cooked, move to a bowl and put it aside.

Next in a similar wok, heat a teaspoon of oil and saute the carrots and baby corn till it’s lightly cooked. This will take around 3 to 4 minutes. When done, keep aside.

Heat the oil in a pan. Include the cut spring onions and stir fry until sweet-smelling or light brown.

Add the Orient Asian Malaysian Curry Paste to the onions and mix until you can smell the flavours for about a minute. Next, include the vegetables and potatoes and mix for about a moment.

At last mix in the coconut milk, curry leaves and 1/2 a cup of water. Let the curry boil for around 2 to 3 minutes.

Remove from the flame and serve the Malaysian Vegetable Curry alongside hot steamed rice.

8. Malaysian-Style Chicken Curry Recipe:

Preparation time: 10 minutes

Cooking time: 45 minutes

Serves: 6 people

Ingredients:

6 tbsp Orient Asian Malaysian Curry Paste

2 tbsp groundnut oil

1 tbsp soft brown sugar

2 tbsp light soy sauce

2 tbsp fish sauce

1 kg of chicken thighs

2 onions, peeled and thinly sliced

4 kaffir lime leaves

1 cinnamon stick

3 star anise

400ml coconut milk

100ml chicken stock

400g green beans, trimmed and cut into 5cm lengths

Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

A handful of coriander leaves, roughly chopped

Method:

To make this Malaysian chicken curry recipe, cut the chicken into small pieces. Heat the groundnut oil in an enormous cast-iron pan or heavy-bottomed container. Tip in the Orient Asian Curry Paste and mix over medium flame for a couple of minutes until fragrant. Include the onions and cook, mixing as often as possible, for 5 minutes until they are starting to soften.

Season the chicken pieces with salt and pepper. Add to the skillet and mix to cover them in the curry paste. Include the lime leaves, cinnamon stick, star anise, coconut milk, stock, sugar, soy and fish sauces and let it boil. Diminish the warmth to a simmer and cook delicately for 30 to 40 minutes until the chicken is softened.

Skim off any abundance of oil on the surface of the curry. Taste and change the flavouring. Tip in the beans put the cover on and cook for another 3 to 4 minutes until the beans are tender. Garnish with the coriander leaves and present with the coconut rice.

9. Vegetable Sri Lankan Curry Recipe:

Preparation time: 10 minutes

Cooking time: 35 minutes

Serves: 4 people

Ingredients:

2 tbsp Orient Asian Sri Lankan Curry Paste

3 tbsp Oil for frying

1 tsp of turmeric powder

400g of coconut milk

200g of butternut squash

100g of runner beans

200 ml of vegetable stock

2 onions, halved and sliced

3 green chillies, sliced

1 cauliflower, broken into small florets

2 cloves of garlic, sliced

Method:

To make this Veg Sri Lankan Curry Recipe, Heat 3 tbsp of oil in an enormous container. Include the onions and cook until delicate and golden, around 10 minutes. Include the garlic and chilli and stew for 3 minutes, at that point mix in 2 tbsp of the Orient Asian Sri Lankan Curry Paste and turmeric and continue mixing until you begin to smell the flavours.

Include the coconut milk and stock and bring to a stew. Drop in the squash, cook for 4-5 minutes, at that point include the cauliflower and cook for 3-4 minutes. Include the beans and cook until simply soft.

To serve, heat another 2 tbsp of oil in a dish and fry the curry leaves and mustard seeds until they frazzle and start to pop. Pour over the curry and present with steamed rice.

10. Sri Lankan-style Chicken Curry Recipe:

Preparation time: 10 minutes

Cooking times: 25 minutes

Serves: 4 people

Ingredients:

4 tbsp of Orient Asian Sri Lankan Curry Paste

1 teaspoon Turmeric powder

1 tablespoon Sunflower Oil

250 ml Coconut milk

300 grams Chicken, cut into small pieces

2 Onions, thinly sliced

2 dry red chillies

2 sprig chillies curry leaves

4 cloves garlic, finely chopped

Salt to taste

Method:

The first step to cook this Sri Lankan style chicken curry recipe is to thoroughly rinse the chicken pieces and put it aside.

In a pressure cooker, heat oil on medium flame. Include ginger, garlic, onions, red chillies and curry leaves.

Stir for 4-6 minutes, until it transforms into a profound dark brown colour.

To this include, the Orient Asian Sri Lankan curry paste, blend well.

Include the chicken and 2 cups of water. Cover with the lid and pressure cook the curry for 2 whistles.

Remove from the flame, permitting the pressure to release normally.

When the pressure is discharged, open the top, blend in the coconut milk into the curry and stew on low fire for 5 minutes. When done, remove from the flame and move the curry to a serving bowl and serve hot.

This concludes the list of delicious curry recipes that are easy to make. You can buy our curry pastes from our

OrientAsian Amazon Shop

, Scootsy, Foodhall as well as

BigBasket

.Pick out your favorite curry recipe and cook it today for your lunch! As you can see they require very little time and effort and the pay off is great. So what are you waiting for? Go try out all of these recipes and get some spice in your life. Do let us know in the comments below about your feedback and your favourite curry recipe and curry paste amongst these. Apart from these range of curry pastes we also have

Momo chutney

and

Mexican Sauce

to treat your taste buds with amazing flavours. Happy Cooking!

0 notes

vietnamtour-blog · 6 years

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Vietnamese food: 40 delicious dishes you'll love

Vietnamese cuisine doesn’t win any points for complexity. Many of the most popular dishes can be made just as well on the side of the road as in a top-end restaurant.

But it’s precisely this simplicity, the subtle variations by region and the fresh ingredients, that keep us pulling up a plastic stool for more.

Here are 40 foods from Vietnam you can’t miss:

1. Pho

Cheap can be tasty too.

What list of Vietnamese cuisine would be complete without pho?

It’s almost impossible to walk a block in Vietnam’s major destinations without bumping into a crowd of hungry patrons slurping noodles at a makeshift pho stand. This simple staple consisting of a salty broth, fresh rice noodles, a sprinkling of herbs and chicken or beef, features predominately in the local diet — and understandably so. It’s cheap, tasty, and widely available at all hours.

Just look out for a mass of people on plastic stools — or try a tried and tested favorite: Pho Thin, 13 Lo Duc, Hai Ba Trung District, Hanoi

2. Cha Ca

A food so good they named a street after it.

Hanoians consider cha ca to be so exceptional that there is a street in the capital dedicated to these fried morsels of fish. This namesake alley is home to Cha Ca La Vong, which serves sizzling chunks of fish seasoned with garlic, ginger, turmeric and dill on a hot pan tableside.

Cha Ca La Vong may be the busiest but the service is a bit gruff and the food overpriced. Instead make your way to Duong Than in Hanoi’s Hoan Kiem district, where you’ll find plenty of more affordable but just as tasty options.

3. Banh xeo

A crepe you won’t forget.

A good banh xeo is a crispy crepe bulging with pork, shrimp, and bean sprouts, plus the garnish of fresh herbs that are characteristic of most authentic Vietnamese dishes. To enjoy one like a local, cut it into manageable slices, roll it up in rice paper or lettuce leaves and dunk it in whatever special sauce the chef has mixed up for you.

Banh Xeo 46A has mixed reviews but judging by the crowds that swarm there each night they must be doing something right. Banh Xeo, 46A Dinh Cong Trang, District 1, Ho Chi Minh City (HCMC)

4. Cao lau

Soft, crunchy, sweet, spicy — a bowl of contrasts.

This pork noodle dish from Hoi An is a bit like the various cultures that visited the trading port at its prime. The thicker noodles are similar to Japanese udon, the crispy won-ton crackers and pork are a Chinese touch, while the broth and herbs are clearly Vietnamese. Authentic cau lao is made only with water drawn from the local Ba Le well.

Try Morning Glory, 106 Nguyen Thai Hoc, Hoi An

5. Rau muong

Some might call it river weed — with good reason — but that doesn’t stop the masses from scarfing down platefuls of morning glory, usually stir-fried and seasoned with slithers of potent garlic. Rau muong is common at Vietnamese restaurants and beer gardens.

Chung Den Bia Hoi, 18B Hang Cot, Hoan Kiem district, Hanoi

6. Nem ran/cha gio

Vietnam’s bite-sized crunchy spring rolls might not enjoy the same popularity as their healthier fresh equivalent, but they deserve a special mention. The crispy shell with a soft veggie and meat filling dunked in a tangy sauce gets the gastronomic juices flowing before a main course. In the north these parcels go by the name nem ran while southerners call them cha gio.

Bun Cha, 1 Hang Manh, Hoan Kiem district, Hanoi

7. Goi cuon

A healthier choice for spring roll fans.

These light and healthy fresh spring rolls are a wholesome choice when you’ve been indulging in too much of the fried food in Vietnam. The translucent parcels are first packed with salad greens, a slither of meat or seafood and a layer of coriander, before being neatly rolled and dunked in Vietnam’s favorite condiment — fish sauce.

Quan An Ngon, 18 Phan Boi Chau, Hoan Kiem district, Hanoi

8. Bun bo Hue

Central Vietnam’s take on noodles caters to carnivores with its meaty broth and piles of beef and pork. The thick slippery rice noodles also make for a heartier meal than noodles found in the north and south.

You don’t have to go to Hue to enjoy this dish; if in Ho Chi Minh City try Tib Express, 162 NguyenDinh Chieu, District 3, HCMC

9. Banh khot

Bite-size, delightful Vietnamese pancakes.

This dainty variation of a Vietnamese pancake has all the same tasty ingredients but is a fraction of the size. Each banh knot can be scoffed in one ambitious but satisfying mouthful. The crunchy outside is made using coconut milk and the filling usually consists of shrimp, mung beans, and spring onions with a dusting of dried shrimp flakes on top.

Co Ba Vung Tau, 59B Cao Thang, District 3, HCMC

10. Ga tan

Got the sniffles? Opt for ga tan, a broth that’s Vietnam’s answer to the proverbial cup of chicken noodle soup. Sure it’s not quite how your mother used to make it, with its greenish tinge from the herbs and hunks of chicken parts, but it’s worth a try if you’re needing a Vietnamese tonic.

Try this at one of the street stalls on Hanoi’s Tong Duy Tan aka Pho Am Thuc, or “Food Street,” Hoan Kiem district, Hanoi

11. Nom hoa chuoi

Vietnam’s banana flower salad packs a much bigger punch than a typical plate of mixed greens. Banana flowers (thick purple lumps that will later turn into bunches of bananas) are peeled and thinly sliced then mixed with green papaya, carrots, and cilantro along with chicken and a heavy-handed pour of a salty fish sauce dressing and crunchy peanuts.

Highway 4 restaurant, 3 Hang Tre, Hoan Kiem district, Hanoi

12. Bun bo nam bo

One of Vietnam’s most-loved noodle dishes.

This bowl of noodles comes sans broth, keeping the ingredients from becoming sodden and the various textures intact. The tender slices of beef mingle with crunchy peanuts and bean sprouts, and are flavored with fresh herbs, crisp dried shallots, and a splash of fish sauce and fiery chili pepper.

67 Hang Dieu, Hoan Kiem district, Hanoi

13. Hoa qua dam

This chunky blend of fresh tropical fruit in a cup is the perfect local treat when the heat of Vietnamese summer starts to wear you down. It could be considered a healthy alternative to ice cream — if you stick to the shaved ice variation — but for the full experience it’s best had with diabetes-inducing condensed milk mixed in.

14. Pho cuon

Pho cuon packages the flavors of pho and goi cuon in one neat little parcel. This Hanoi take on fresh spring rolls uses sheets of uncut pho noodles to encase fried beef, herbs and lettuce or cucumber.

The best place to find them is on Ngu Xa island on the capital’s Truc Bach Lake — specifically at 26 Nguyen Khac Hieu, Ba Dinh district, Hanoi

15. Ga nuong

This beats KFC any day.

KFC may be everywhere in Vietnam these days, but skip the fast food for the local version. Honey marinated then grilled over large flaming barbecues, the chicken legs, wings and feet served are unusually tender, while the skin stays crispy but not dry.

Viet Ha on Ly Van Phuc, Dong Da district, Hanoi

16. Pho xao

Pho xao may just be a slightly healthier take on my xao — but the beauty is in the details. The flat, smoother pho noodle doesn’t crisp up like its pre-boiled instant cousin. When done well the outer edges acquire a browned crunchiness, whilst the center stays soft and glutinous. This dish tastes best with a fried egg and seasoned with chili or soy sauce.

26 Nguyen Khac Sieu, Hoan Kiem district, Hanoi

17. Ca phe trung

Vietnamese “egg coffee” is technically a drink but we prefer to put it in the dessert category. The creamy soft, meringue-like egg white foam perched on the dense Vietnamese coffee will have even those who don’t normally crave a cup of joe licking their spoons with delight.

In Hanoi, follow the tiny alley between the kitschy souvenir shops at 11 Hang Gai into the clearing, and up several flights of increasingly dicey stairs to pair your ca phe trung with an unbeatable view of Hoan Kiem Lake.

18. Bo la lot

Vietnamese are masters of wrapping their food. Bo la lot is neither raw nor deep-fried, but flamed on an open grill to soften the exterior and infuse the betel leaf’s peppery aroma into the ground beef inside.

3T Quan Nuong, 29-31 Ton That Thiep, District 1, HCMC

19. Xoi

This savory sticky rice is a meal all on its own. (Shen Lu/CNN)

Savory sticky rice is less of an accompaniment to meals in Vietnam, more a meal itself. The glutinous staple comes with any number of mix-ins (from slithers of chicken, or pork to fried or preserved eggs), but almost always with a scattering of dried shallots on top.

Xoi Yen, Nguyen Huu Huan, Hoan Kiem district, Hanoi

20. Banh cuon

Delicious savory pancakes. (Flickr)

These rolled up rice flour pancakes are best when served piping hot, still soft and delicate. Although seemingly slender and empty they have a savory filling of minced pork and mushrooms. Zest is also added by dunking the slippery parcels in a fishy dipping sauce.

21. Ca tim kho to

Eggplant alone tends not to get us excited. Although when it’s diced and sauteed in a clay pot along with tomatoes, soy sauce, sugar, and (depending on the recipe) minced meat, the once bland vegetable redeems itself.

Pineapple Restaurant, 35 Hang Buom, Hoan Kiem district, Hanoi

22. Bot chien

Bot Chien is Vietnamese street food at its best. (PJjaruwan)

Saigon’s favorite streetside snack, bot chien, is popular with both the afterschool and the after-midnight crowd. Chunks of rice flour dough are fried in a large wok until crispy and then an egg is broken into the mix. Once cooked it’s served with slices of papaya, shallots and green onions, before more flavor is added with pickled chili sauce and rice vinegar.

Night-time food vendors sell this at the corners of Pham Ngu Lao and Cong Quynh, District 1, HCMC

23. Bun dau mam tom

This plain-looking tofu and noodle dish is served with mam tom sauce — the Vegemite of Vietnam. The pungent purple dipping sauce is used to flavor the slabs of deep-fried tofu that are at the core of the meal.

24. Banh goi

These pockets of deep-fried goodness are often described as the equivalent of a Cornish pasty or as a Vietnamese samosa, depending on the nationality of the person explaining. Inside the crispy exterior you’ll find that it’s similar to neither description, with its filling of finely minced pork, mushrooms and vermicelli noodles.

25. Com suon nuong

This simple meal is the Saigonese equivalent of bun cha — with rice in place of noodles. A tender pork cutlet is barbecued over hot coals to give it a rich, smoky flavor, and laid over the fluffy white “com” or broken rice.

Com Tam Cali has a number of branches across HCMC. Try Tam Cali 1 at 32 Nguyen Trai, District 1, HCMC

26. Chao

With its thick and creamy texture Vietnam’s rice porridge is the best pick when your queasy stomach can’t handle much else. If you want to jazz it up you can always add slices of chicken, fish, beef, duck or pork ribs, along with a sprinkling of herbs and shallots.

Chao Ca specializes in fish chao, 213 Hang Bong, Hoan Kiem district, Hanoi

27. Bo luc lac

Cubes of beef are tossed around a steaming wok with garlic, pepper, and some vegetables to make shaking beef. There’s nothing special about the beef that makes it shaking. The name is just a literal translation that refers to the process of mixing the beef around while cooking.

Nha Hang Ngon, 160 Pasteur, District 1, HCMC

28. Hat de nong

The smell of chestnuts roasting on an open fire can bring back fond memories of Christmas carols — until a moped transporting a giant blow-up Santa whizzes by. Pick the street vendor with the most enticing smell.

29. Banh uot thit nuong

It’s all about the marinade when it comes to the grilled pork in fresh rice paper rolls that are popular in Central Vietnam. The typical mixture coats the meat in a blend of sugar, salt, chili, lemongrass and fish sauce. Cilantro, basil and mint are added when it’s served up to add some green to the appetizer.

Morning Glory, 106 Nguyen Thai Hoc, Hoi An

30. Bun cha

The perfect lunchtime treat. (flickr)

Pho might be Vietnam’s most famous dish but bun cha is the top choice when it comes to lunchtime in the capital. Just look for the clouds of meaty smoke after 11 a.m. when street-side restaurants start grilling up small patties of seasoned pork and slices of marinated pork belly over a charcoal fire. Once they’re charred and crispy the morsels are served with a large bowl of a fish sauce-heavy broth, a basket of herbs and a helping of rice noodles.

Hanoi’s most famous bun cha outlet is 1 Hang Manh, Hoan Kiem district, Hanoi

31. Banh mi

The world-famous banh mi sandwich. (SAUL LOEB)

The French may have brought with them the baguette, but Vietnam takes it to a different level. How exactly depends on what end of the country you’re in.

In the north, chefs stick to the basic elements of carbohydrate, fat and protein — bread, margarine and pata — but head south and your banh mi may contain a more colorful combination of cheese, cold cuts, pickled vegetables, sausage, fried egg, fresh cilantro and chili sauce.

One of the better baguette vendors in Saigon sets up shop beside the Cherry mini-mart on DoQuang Dao, District 1, HCMC

32. Lau

Eating this hodgepodge hotpot dish is a communal affair with everyone digging in to the oversized boiling pot. We’ve found that just about anything can (and will) go into this soup from tofu to frogs. It’s best to stick to one main protein rather than opting for the mix of meat, poultry and seafood together.

On the northern edge of Hanoi’s Truc Bach lake you’ll find a number of restaurant staff crossing the street to deliver lau to lake-side diners

33. Banh bao

The Vietnamese take on steamed pork burns. (Courtesy Edsel Little)

Steamed pork buns aren’t traditionally Vietnamese, but that doesn’t stop the spongy rolls from being sold by street vendors and in traditional Vietnamese restaurants. The best buns have a hard-boiled quail egg buried within the minced meat, while the cheaper ones come without any filling at all. Remember the lower the price the less stuffing, so you might not be getting the good deal you thought you were.

Often sold by wandering vendors patrolling Hanoi’s Old Quarter at all hours. In the south try Banh Bao Tho Phat, 78 Nguyen Tri Phuong, District 5, HCMC

34. Com rang

Fried rice may not be the most adventurous option, but sometimes you just want some familiar grub done right. Baby-sized chunks of meat and colorful vegetables are mixed with soy and fish sauce in a wok streetside to create a rice dish that is still moist but slightly smoky. Make it Vietnamese by supplementing with Bia Hanoi.

Try one of the vendors on Tong Duy Tan aka “Food Street,” Hoan Kiem district, Hanoi

35. Bo bit tet

Vietnam’s equivalent to steak and eggs fills the void when you’re hankering for some greasy pub tucker. The thin flank steak is usually served with eggs, thick potato wedges, and Vietnamese meatballs on a sizzling cast iron plate.

36. Com chay

Com chay refers to two things in Vietnam: vegetarian food, or Vietnam’s homemade rice crispies that are popular with children. Unlike the sweet treats in the United States, Vietnam’s version of a crispy comes with meat instead of marshmallows. Vietnam’s vegetarian restaurants use mock meats to create all the traditional dishes and usually do a pretty good job. Although some places include artificial creations we would rather not try. Fake rubbery snails anyone?

Try Hoa Dang vegetarian restaurant, 38 Huynh Khuong Ninh, District 1, HCMC

37. Che

This dessert can be served in either a bowl or a glass. The latter is the more enticing option with the visible layers of bean jelly, coconut milk, fruit, and ice. Best had when you’re craving something sweet on a scorching day in Saigon.

Nha Hang Ngon, 160 Pasteur, District 1, HCMC

38. My xao bo

Mix noodles with a dollop of oil, then add beef, onions, garlic, morning glory and some tomato for color and you have a platter of my xao bo. The whole dish takes about as long to make as instant noodles — but oh so much more flavor.

Any bia hoi establishment serves this dish, but the eateries on Tang Bat Ho, Hoan Kiem District, Hanoi, have perfected it

39. Dau phu sot ca chua

The English translation of “tofu in tomato sauce” doesn’t really do this dish justice. The slabs of deep-fried soy are doused in a rich fresh tomato and spring onion coating, and seasoned with a speckle of fresh herbs.

Chim Sao at 65 Ngo Hue, Hai Ba Trung district, Hanoi

40. Canh bun

Another hearty soup that’s high on the lunchtime agenda, this is a crab and morning glory noodle soup. Canh bun is similar to the more well-known bun rieu crab soup, but has a small handful of variations — including the type of noodle used.

Look for street food vendors with Canh Bun on handwritten signs surrounded by lunchtime crowds, or visit Bun Saigon at 73 Ly Tu Trong, District 1, HCMC

Editor’s note: This article was previously published in 2011. It was reformatted and republished in 2017.

Source: http://blog.evivatour.com/vietnamese-food-40-delicious-dishes-youll-love/

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freethinkingmom-blog · 7 years

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Being of Indian descent, curry played an important part of my diet growing up in the UK. Curry is considered a national dish in the UK; in fact they celebrated the 20th anniversary of national curry week earlier this month 9-15th Oct 2017. Many Indians immigrated to the UK between 1950s and 1970s following the Second World War and the break up of the British Empire; they came to fill the labor shortage and with them, brought their cuisine!

What is Curry?

Curry generally refers to a variety of dishes from the Indian sub-continent. Curries are versatile, tasty, nutritious and healthy which makes them perfect for family meals or entertaining. They can be made in bulk and frozen down into smaller portions.

Common Misconceptions about Curries

Curries are oily, greasy and fatty

I only use a small glug of extra virgin oil when cooking curries. Ghee (a form of clarified butter originating from India) is also fine but should be used sparingly. When cooking meat, use lean versions and trim off any excess skin and/ or fat. Worst-case scenario you can always skim off surface layer fat using a spoon after cooking.

Curries are too spicy/ hot for me and kids

Spice adds flavour; chilli adds heat. By omitting all forms of chilli (chilli powder, chilli flakes and fresh green or red chillies), you remove the heat. I do not add any form of chilli to my cooking because of the kids but I do keep dried red chilli flakes handy for myself. A word of warning regarding chilli powder and cayenne pepper; it can be pretty lethal so use sparingly i.e. just a pinch (and make sure you wash your hands afterwards!).

Curries are complicated and time consuming to make

Not so! Curries follow the same basic principles and can be cooked as quickly as a stirfry. Below you will see the main components of a curry, the basic equipment needed and some handy tips to help you get it right first time.

Main Components of a Curry

Base + Spices + Main Ingredient(s) = Curry

Base

For most curries, the base usually consists of onions. For wet curries, tomatoes also form part of the base. Other regional curry bases might include cream, coconut milk and yoghurt. Garlic and/or ginger are key components for all curry bases; frozen or paste forms also work great.

Spices

Spices add flavor to curries; they can be used in whole or ground/ powdered form. Here are the main spices I use and recommend for your pantry cupboard:

Garam Masala powder (blend of spices toasted and ground)

Ground Cumin

Ground Coriander

Tumeric powder (for yellow color)

Cumin seeds

Coriander seeds (optional)

Dried bay leaves (optional)

Cardamom pods (optional)

Chilli powder (optional)

Main Ingredient(s)

The main ingredient might include meat, vegetables, pulses (peas, beans, lentils) and Indian cheese (paneer).

Garnish

Typically chopped coriander is used to garnish a curry after cooking. Slices or wedges of lemon also work well.

Wet vs Dry Curries

As illustrated below, curries can be wet (with sauce or gravy) or dry (no sauce). Wet curries need more onions and tomatoes since these make up the sauce.

Wet Curry

Dry Curry

Base Ingredients (approx.)

2 Onions 1 Tin of tomatoes Few cloves of garlic Thumb sized ginger 1 Onion 1 Tomato (or 6 cherry tomatoes) Thumb sized ginger

Meat

Chicken (thighs) curry Lamb (leg, neck, shoulder pieces) curry Keema* (Ground Lamb, Peas)

Vegetables

Saag Aloo (Spinach, Potato) Aloo Gobi (Potato, Cauliflower) Mixed Vegetable Bombay Potatoes Bhindi (Okra)

Pulses

Channa Masala (Chickpeas) Dhal (Lentils)

Paneer (Indian Cheese)

Saag Paneer (Spinach, Cheese) Mutter Paneer (Peas, Cheese)

*Keema curry is an exception and requires the same tomato base as a wet meat curry.

Equipment

Wok: For dry curries, I tend to use a wok and cook food on a low to medium setting.

Pan with Lid: For wet curries, I use a medium to large stainless steel pan with lid.

Fine Grater/ Shredder or mini food processer/ chopper: Use for chopping onions, garlic and ginger, tomatoes and herbs.

Hand Blender (optional): An electric hand blender will enable you to create smooth and professional looking curry sauces.

Pestle & Mortar (optional): Handy for roughly crushing coriander seeds.

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Tips

Here are some tips that could spell the difference between a good curry and a great curry (in chronological order from cooking start):

If using, add cumin or coriander seeds, bay leaves or cardamom, to a pan with hot oil (oil should be hot but not smoky). You should hear them pop or fizzle; then after a few moments, you can add the onions.

For wet curries, the onions should be sautéed (with a pinch of salt to speed up cooking) in a pan with lid on. The onions should be softened to the point of disintegrating (think caramelized onions for hot dogs). You can achieve this by cooking on low to low-medium heat and stirring every so often. Often, I use a slow cooker for this stage. As a cheat, I add whole cloves of garlic which soften just like the onions to avoid grating and adding later.

Again for wet curries, when adding tomatoes to sautéed onions, cook the tomatoes for at least 5 to 10 minutes to allow some water to evaporate thus creating a thick, rich sauce.

Don’t panic if your curry starts to stick to the base of the pan. For dry curries, simply reduce heat to the absolute minimum. For wet curries, you can do the same and/ or add some liquid in the form of tomatoes or water. In either case, the sediments at the pan base will loosen and come away. If the base of the pan seems burnt, you might like to consider transferring the curry to a fresh pan.

Add a dollop of butter (to dry or wet curry) or heavy cream to a wet curry towards the end of cooking time for a richer finish.

Rice & Breads: A variety of rice dishes (plain boiled, ‘Jeera’ cumin rice, rice with peas, biryani) and breads (roti or chapatti, pita, naan, paratha or even tortilla wraps) can be served with curries.

Other Accompaniments: Mango, lime or mixed indian pickles served alongside poppadoms (thin, crispy round flatbread also known as papadum or papad). Yoghurt based dips such as raita and mint yoghurt chutney.

Finally, there is no shame in buying shop bought curry sauces. Many off the shelf products are really quite good; always check salt/ sodium levels as some can be overly salty.

Curry Guide Being of Indian descent, curry played an important part of my diet growing up in the UK.

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rodrigohyde · 7 years

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10 meals to build muscle on a low-carb diet

Courtesy Brittney @ Exploring Healthy Foods

You've probably heard that eating a low carb diet can be helpful when you want to lose weight and add muscle. Here's why it works: When you consume foods low in carbs your insulin levels drop, which causes your body to burn stored body fat, resulting in weight loss. If following a low carb diet be sure to load up on low carb veggies like broccoli, cauliflower, spinach, and lean proteins like chicken and shrimp. But don’t cut carbs out completely—incorporate some amount of “good carbs” like whole grains, nuts, and legumes into your diet as well.

Here, 10 quick, easy, and delicious low-carb recipes that are packed with protein that will get your body summer-ready in no time.

10 meals to build muscle on a low-carb diet

1 of 10

BLT Summer Rolls with Avocado

Serves 4

Ingredients

8 slices bacon

1/2 - 1 large tomato

1/2 - 1 avocado

4 rice paper wrappers

4 large butter lettuce leaves

8 teaspoons mayonnaise

Instructions

1. Cook bacon in pan until crispy. Drain on paper towels.

2. Fill large bowl with warm water and dip rice paper rolls in water until soft. Place on plate in front of you.

3. Layer lettuce, tomato, avocado, 2 slices bacon, and mayonnaise on the rice paper roll.

4. Keeping the ends open tightly roll the rice paper away from you. Slice in half.

5. Repeat with remaining rice paper wrappers.

Recipe and photo courtesy Vicky Berman @ Avocado Pesto

Low Carb Cauliflower Risotto Recipe

Serves 4 servings

Ingredients

2 tablespoons olive oil, divided

1 cup sliced mushrooms (4 ounces)

½ cup diced yellow onions, ¼ inch

2 cloves garlic, minced

4 cups grated or finely chopped cauliflower (about 1 large head)

¼ cup dry white wine

½ cup chopped asparagus, cut into ¼ inch coins

1 cup grated zucchini

½ cup green peas, fresh or frozen

½ cup vegetable broth

½ cup milk (dairy, cashew, or almond)

½ cup parmesan cheese

½ teaspoon kosher salt

¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Zest of 1 lemon

¼ chopped Italian parsley

¼ cup thinly sliced basil leaves

Instructions

1. In a large Dutch oven or wide deep sauté pan, add 1 tablespoon olive oil and heat over medium-high heat. Add mushrooms and saute until tender, about 3 minutes. Transfer to a plate and reserve.

2. Reduce the heat to medium. Add 1 tablespoon olive oil. Add the onion and garlic, and cook until they are soft and translucent, 2 to 3 minutes. Add the cauliflower and stir thoroughly to make sure it is coated with the olive oil and onions. Cook the rice for an additional 1 to 2 minutes. Deglaze the pan with the white wine, stirring and scraping the pan until the wine has evaporated, about 2 minutes.

3. Add the asparagus, zucchini, and peas, stirring to combine. Turn heat up to medium-high.

4. Add the broth and milk, frequently stirring so the vegetables cook and the liquid begins to evaporate. Cook for about 6 to 8 minutes, until the cauliflower is tender and just a small amount of the liquid is left on the bottom of the pan. Turn off heat and add cheese, ½ teaspoon salt and ¼ teaspoon black pepper. Add cooked mushrooms and lemon zest, stir to combine.

5. Taste the risotto and add more salt and pepper as needed. Serve and garnish with parsley, basil, and more cheese on top if desired.

Recipe and photo courtesy Jessica Gavin @ Jessica Gavin Culinary Scientist

Smoky Mexican Stuffed Bell Peppers

Serves 4-6

Ingredients

1 lb ground beef

3 bell peppers (red, yellow, orange), sliced in half

1 cup red onion, diced

1 jalapeno, minced, seeds removed (or not!)

2 garlic cloves, minced

2 tbsp Chipotle seasoning

1 tsp cumin, ground

2 tbsp chipotle tomato paste (or regular)

1 tsp Himalayan pink sea salt

2 tbsp ghee butter

1/2 cup cheddar, shredded

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350F degrees. Place all but one bell pepper halves in a baking dish and sprinkle with pink s+p. Bake for about 5 minutes. Remove and set aside.

2. Meanwhile, dice the remaining bell pepper half, set aside.

3. Heat skillet over medium heat, add 2 tbsp ghee and then ground beef. Season with chipotle, cumin, pink s+p, and brown beef, stirring occasionally. Add diced red onions, diced bell pepper, and jalapeno and cook another 3-4 minutes. Next, add chipotle tomato paste and minced garlic, cook another few minutes.

4. Spoon meat mixture into bell pepper shells and bake for about 10 minutes. Then add shredded cheese and cook another minute or just until melted.

5. Garnish with avocado, cilantro and lime juice if desired!

Recipe and photo courtest Natasha @ Fiesty Kitchen

Easy Zucchini Noodles

Serves 2

Ingredients

3 zucchinis

1 cup mushrooms, sliced

2 cups of pasta sauce

2 tbsp nutritional yeast

Instructions

1. Begin by cutting an inch off each end of the zucchinis and begin spiralizing them into noodles

2. In a large skillet, combine the zucchini noodles, pasta sauce, and mushrooms for about 10 minutes until mixture is warm

3. Remove from skillet, add to a bowl and top with nutritional yeast.

Recipe and photo courtesy Brittney @ Exploring Healthy Foods

Strawberry Banana Protein Pancakes

Makes 6-8 pancakes

Ingredients

¼ cup Nutiva Butter flavor coconut oil + 2 tbsp

3 large eggs

⅓ cup dairy-free milk (almond, flax, cashew, etc).

1 tsp vanilla extract

1 ripe banana, mashed

¼ cup coconut flour 3 tbsp vanilla protein powder

1 tsp baking powder

½ tsp sea salt

1 cup chopped fresh strawberries

3 tbsp maple syrup (optional)

Instructions

1. Heat a large skillet to medium - medium high heat. Add 1 tbsp coconut oil to the pan to coat.

2. Melt ¼ cup coconut oil, and mix together in a large bowl with eggs, milk, vanilla, and mashed banana. Combine all ingredients until smooth.

3. In a smaller bowl, mix together dry ingredients: flour, protein powder, baking powder, and sea salt. Add dry ingredients to wet and continue to mix until well combined. Batter will be thick.

4. Spoon batter onto pan to and shape into 3- 4-inch diameter discs or circles. Cook for approximately 2 minutes per side, or until golden brown and cooked through. You may need to continue adding more coconut oil to pan, after each batch of pancakes.

5. Top with fresh strawberries and a drizzle of maple syrup (optional)

Recipe and photo courtesy Amy @ Wholesomelicious

French Roasted Chicken

Serves: 4

Ingredients

1 4½-5 pound roasting chicken

¼ cup herbes de Provence

4 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened slightly

2 tablespoons olive oil

3 cloves minced garlic

1 tablespoon kosher salt

¾ teaspoon black pepper

1 whole organic lemon, pierced all over with a knife or fork

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 475 degrees F.

2. Remove giblets from chicken, pat dry. (This will enable the herb butter to stick to the bird better). Mix herbs, butter, garlic, olive oil, salt and pepper together in a small bowl. Slide your hand under the skin, between the breast meat to loosen, and rub herb butter all over, including some under the skin of the bird. Insert the whole lemon into the cavity of the chicken, and truss legs together with twine.

3. Place chicken on a wire roasting rack set inside a pan.

4. Roast chicken until skin turns brown, about 30-40 minutes. Baste with any herb butter in the roasting pan, reduce heat to 350 degrees F. and continue to cook until a thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the thigh reaches 165 degrees F, about 30-35 minutes more.

5. Let chicken rest on platter, covered loosely with foil for 15 minutes before serving.

Recipe and photo courtesy Cynthia McCloud Woodman @ What a Girl Eats

Sushi Rolls with Smoked Salmon and Avocado

Serves 2

Ingredients

small package smoked salmon, sliced into thin strips

2-3 small English cucumbers, cut into matchsticks

handful of green onions cut into long strips

1/2-1 avocado, thinly sliced

2 full nori seaweed sheets

1 teaspoon sesame oil

Instructions

1. How you cut the ingredients will depend on the length of the nori seaweed sheets. Since I was using thin seaweed strips I cut everything into small pieces so they would just stick out of each roll. If you are using a full nori sheet then this will not be an issue as you will be able to slice the rolls individually later.

2. Place salmon, cucumbers, avocado, and green onions on the top 1/3 of the nori sheet. Tightly roll the seaweed over the filling and use a bit of oil to help seal it.

3. Repeat with remaining sheets. Cut each roll of seaweed into the size you want.

4. Dip into soy sauce (or gluten-free tamari) with wasabi, or your favorite Japanese salad dressing

Recipe and photo courtesy Vicky Berman @ Avocado Pesto

Shrimp Fried Cauliflower Rice Bowl

Serves 4

Ingredients

8 ounces uncooked small shrimp, shelled and deveined (26/30 count shrimp)

½ teaspoon kosher salt, plus more to season the rice

¼ teaspoon freshly ground pepper, plus more to season the rice

2 tablespoons vegetable oil, divided

3 eggs, beaten

2 garlic cloves, minced

¾ cup carrots, diced in ¼-inch cubes

¾ cup peas, fresh or frozen

1 head cauliflower, shredded into very small pieces (about 4 cups)

2 tablespoons soy sauce

¼ teaspoon sesame oil

2 stalks green onion, thinly sliced

Instructions

1. Using the largest holes on a cheese grater, grate each cauliflower floret into small pieces, similar to the size of a grain of rice or to the size of a pea. Set aside.

2. In a medium-sized bowl, season shrimp with ½ teaspoon of salt and ¼ teaspoon black pepper.

3. Heat a wok or large skillet over high heat. The pan is hot enough when a bead of water instantly sizzles and evaporates. Once this happens, add 1 tablespoon of vegetable oil to the pan, swirl to coat.

4. Add the shrimp to the pan in one even layer. Allow the shrimp to cook for 30 seconds, and then flip over and cook for another 30 seconds. The shrimp should be pink and cooked through; be careful not to overcook. Transfer shrimp to a large plate and set aside.

5. Reduce the heat to medium, and pour in the beaten eggs. Use a quick stirring motion to cook and break the eggs into small scrambled pieces. Once the eggs are almost fully cooked, transfer them to the plate with the shrimp.

6. Carefully wipe the pan clean. Increase the heat to medium-high and add one tablespoon of oil.

7. Once the oil is hot, add the minced garlic and stir-fry for 30 seconds, until fragrant but not browned. Insert the carrots and cook for 2 minutes, until tender. Add the peas and cook for 1 minute. Add the cauliflower, stir to combine. Spread the cauliflower mixture out evenly in the pan so that it has more area to fry, allow to cook without stirring for about 2 minutes. Mix the rice and lower heat to medium, cover the pan and cook until the cauliflower rice is tender, about 5 to 7 minutes or longer if needed. Add the soy sauce and sesame oil, stirring to combine.

8. Taste the rice and add more soy sauce, salt and pepper as needed. Insert the eggs and shrimp, stir, and cook for a few more minutes. Garnish with sliced green onions. Serve hot and enjoy!

Recipe and photo courtesy Jessica Gavin @ Jessica Gavin Culinary Scientist

Mexican Cauliflower Crust Pizza

Serves: Serves 4

Ingredients

Crust:

1 medium head of cauliflower

½ cup shredded jack cheese

1 clove garlic, minced or pressed

¼ teaspoon sea salt

¼ teaspoon dried oregano

1 tablespoon almond meal (optional, if needed to help bind)

1 egg

Pizza:

¾ cup refried beans

1½ cups shredded jack cheese

½ cup halved cherry tomatoes

2 tablespoons chopped black olives

Salsa, for serving

Guacamole, for serving

Instructions

1. Trim the stem and outer leaves off the cauliflower. Cut into small florets. Place cauliflower in a food processor and pulse until it forms a snow-like consistency, scraping down sides as needed. You should have 2-3 cups.

2. Scrape cauliflower snow out into a microwave safe bowl. Heat for 4 minutes then dump out onto a clean kitchen towel. When cool enough to handle, use the towel to squeeze out as much water as possible. Pour the cauliflower back into the bowl.

3. Preheat the oven to 450 degrees. Line a baking dish with parchment paper. Add cheese, garlic, salt, and oregano and stir to combine. Add egg and stir to combine, forming a dough-like consistency. If needed, add a tablespoon of almond meal to bind.

4. Press the dough together into a round ball and scoop out onto the baking sheet. Press down, forming a crust about ¼th of an inch thick. Place in the oven and bake 8-11 minutes until the crust is browned and starting to crisp around the edges.

5. Remove from the oven and carefully spread the beans over the crust. Top with cheese, tomatoes and black olives. Place back in the oven and bake another 5-7 minutes until the cheese is melted. Remove, let cool a couple minutes (this will help it stay together after cutting), then dollop with salsa and guacamole and serve.

Recipe and photo courtesy Rachael Hartley, RD, LD, CDE @ Avocado A Day

Thai Turkey Lettuce Wraps with Peanut Sauce

Serves 8

Ingredients

For the Peanut Sauce:

½ cup natural creamy peanut butter

2 tablespoons reduced-sodium Tamari (or soy sauce)

2 tablespoons honey

1 lime, juiced

2 teaspoons grated fresh ginger

1 teaspoon sesame oil

Pinch of red chili pepper flakes

¼ to ½ cup of warm water

For the Wraps:

½ pound ground turkey breast

½ pound ground turkey thigh

½ pound fresh green beans, trimmed and cut into thirds

1 tablespoon olive oil

2 Butter or Bibb lettuce heads (for about 16 leaves)

3 cloves garlic, minced

1 large shallot, diced

3 teaspoons grated fresh ginger

1 red bell pepper, diced

1 cup shredded carrots (plus more for garnish)

2 tablespoons reduced-sodium Tamari (or soy sauce)

1 teaspoon brown sugar, packed

2 teaspoons sesame oil

1 small bunch cilantro, chopped

salt and pepper, to taste

red chili pepper flakes

Instructions

1. Make the Peanut Sauce: Combine peanut butter, Tamari, honey, lime, ginger, sesame oil, and chili flakes. Whisk well. Slowly pour in warm water while mixing to reach your desired consistency. You will need about ¼ to ½ cup of water. Add it a little at a time. Set aside.

2. Wash and dry your lettuce leaves and set 16 aside.

3. Trim green beans, cut into thirds, and cook in a shallow layer of boiling water. Cover and steam until crisp-tender, about 5-6 minutes. Shock in an ice bath (or run under cold water) and set aside.

4. Cook the turkey in a lightly oiled skillet, breaking up meat, until browned and no longer pink, about 3-5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Drain, discard leftover fat from pan, and set aside.

5. Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil until hot. Add in garlic, shallot, red pepper, and ginger. Cook until softened, but not browned, about 3-5 minutes. Season with salt, pepper, and a pinch of red chili pepper flakes. Return turkey to the pan along with the green beans. Mix the Tamari with the brown sugar and drizzle in. Cook mixture until heated through and bubbly. Add in shredded carrots in the last 1-2 minutes.

6. Remove from heat and gently stir in a large handful of chopped cilantro and 2 teaspoons of sesame oil.

7. Serve wraps assembled and drizzled with peanut sauce or as a Build-Your-Own set-up. Sprinkle wraps liberally with shredded carrots and cilantro. Serve with lime.

Recipe and photo courtesy Tiffany La Forge @ Parsnips and Pastries

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Diet friendly recipes

from Men's Fitness http://www.mensfitness.com/weight-loss/diet-friendly-recipes/10-meals-build-muscle-low-carb-diet

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