Cooking In Ba: Curry In A Hurry

GMXam

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All locally purchased ingredients were used in the following recipe. I usually like to slow cook anything made with curry but lack of time and energy got the best of me tonight. This coconut and cashew curry took me 45 minutes to make. Makes enough for two.

Some advice: I use either canola or coconut oil because they have a higher burn temperature than olive oil, but they both come at a higher price here. Also, right before I get this going, I get the rice started on the back-burner so it can cook on low and be fully cooked and set by the time the curry is done. On the spices, I usually like to have all the good stuff in a curry (mustard seed, tamarind paste, bay leaves, powdered cloves, and all the other variations of spices normally used), but this is the scaled down version with locally purchased and easier to find spices. If you’ve got them or can find them more easily, add what you like. Curry is great because you make it how you like it…and everybody else gets to enjoy it or order take out. Just keep tasting it along the way and make adjustments as you go, if needed.

Ingredients:
Canola oil (enough to cover the bottom of a medium saucepot)
Tofu or chicken or meat (cut into cubes; I use half a package of the organic Soyana tofu from New Garden)
Salt (to your liking)

Onion Half (small, and sliced)

Garlic Cloves – 2 large (minced and chopped)
Locoto – half (chopped – really, this depends on how hot you like your curry, I also add the seeds, yummy)
Coriander – ground – 1 Tbsp
Tumeric – ground – 1 Tbsp
Cumin - ground - 1 tspn
Curry Picante – ground – 2-3 Tbsp (I prefer 3)
Cardamom – whole – 10 pods (I smash these with the side of a knife to get the seeds out and throw the shell away)
Water (adding to keep the mixture from burning)

Can of Coconut Milk – half (I freeze the other half for use the next time)
Salt (1/2 tsp)

Red Bell Pepper – half (small slices)
Green Beans – hand full (ends cut, and cut to inch slices)
Carrot – half (peeled, and cut into cubes)
Batata – size of two fists (whole)

Cashews – 1 handful (toasted and chopped)
Sugar – 1 teaspoon (optional - but adding it is the best option)


Instructions:
Heat the oil in a medium saucepot over a medium low flame. Slice your protein into cubes and salt it up lightly. I use fine salt for this. Add to the saucepot and lightly brown to your liking. Slightly crisp outside is just right for maintaining a good texture after adding to a curry sauce base.

Remove the protein from the saucepot and place on the side to add back to the curry later. Add more oil to cover the bottom of the saucepot, and add the sliced onions. Heat until they’re slightly transparent, just before they reach browning. Add the minced garlic, chopped Locoto (this is a pepper that you can find at most verdulerias, looks like a mini-bell pepper, I try to get them red), and all the ground spices. Stir to coat evenly. Add enough water to make the mixture a gravy-like consistency. Let this simmer while you slice the veggies. Put the veggies aside for later and add the half can of coconut milk and salt to the saucepot. Stir well and let simmer.

This is when I take the batata, pierce it with a fork or slim knife several times all around it, and microwave on high power for 30 seconds. Insert the fork or knife in the batata…it’s done when the knife or fork insert easily. If it’s not done, microwave another 30 seconds, repeating this process until it’s done. I also cut off the ends if they are done before the center is complete. Once the batata is fully cooked (1 to 1.5 minutes) cut it into cubes. Add all veggies and protein to the curry mixture. Simmer for 10 minutes. Spoon this over rice and enjoy.

Bland food in BA? Not in my kitchen...
 
All locally purchased ingredients were used in the following recipe. I usually like to slow cook anything made with curry but lack of time and energy got the best of me tonight. This coconut and cashew curry took me 45 minutes to make. Makes enough for two.

Some advice: I use either canola or coconut oil because they have a higher burn temperature than olive oil, but they both come at a higher price here. Also, right before I get this going, I get the rice started on the back-burner so it can cook on low and be fully cooked and set by the time the curry is done. On the spices, I usually like to have all the good stuff in a curry (mustard seed, tamarind paste, bay leaves, powdered cloves, and all the other variations of spices normally used), but this is the scaled down version with locally purchased and easier to find spices. If you’ve got them or can find them more easily, add what you like. Curry is great because you make it how you like it…and everybody else gets to enjoy it or order take out. Just keep tasting it along the way and make adjustments as you go, if needed.

Ingredients:
Canola oil (enough to cover the bottom of a medium saucepot)
Tofu or chicken or meat (cut into cubes; I use half a package of the organic Soyana tofu from New Garden)
Salt (to your liking)

Onion Half (small, and sliced)

Garlic Cloves – 2 large (minced and chopped)
Locoto – half (chopped – really, this depends on how hot you like your curry, I also add the seeds, yummy)
Coriander – ground – 1 Tbsp
Tumeric – ground – 1 Tbsp
Cumin - ground - 1 tspn
Curry Picante – ground – 2-3 Tbsp (I prefer 3)
Cardamom – whole – 10 pods (I smash these with the side of a knife to get the seeds out and throw the shell away)
Water (adding to keep the mixture from burning)

Can of Coconut Milk – half (I freeze the other half for use the next time)
Salt (1/2 tsp)

Red Bell Pepper – half (small slices)
Green Beans – hand full (ends cut, and cut to inch slices)
Carrot – half (peeled, and cut into cubes)
Batata – size of two fists (whole)

Cashews – 1 handful (toasted and chopped)
Sugar – 1 teaspoon (optional - but adding it is the best option)


Instructions:
Heat the oil in a medium saucepot over a medium low flame. Slice your protein into cubes and salt it up lightly. I use fine salt for this. Add to the saucepot and lightly brown to your liking. Slightly crisp outside is just right for maintaining a good texture after adding to a curry sauce base.

Remove the protein from the saucepot and place on the side to add back to the curry later. Add more oil to cover the bottom of the saucepot, and add the sliced onions. Heat until they’re slightly transparent, just before they reach browning. Add the minced garlic, chopped Locoto (this is a pepper that you can find at most verdulerias, looks like a mini-bell pepper, I try to get them red), and all the ground spices. Stir to coat evenly. Add enough water to make the mixture a gravy-like consistency. Let this simmer while you slice the veggies. Put the veggies aside for later and add the half can of coconut milk and salt to the saucepot. Stir well and let simmer.

This is when I take the batata, pierce it with a fork or slim knife several times all around it, and microwave on high power for 30 seconds. Insert the fork or knife in the batata…it’s done when the knife or fork insert easily. If it’s not done, microwave another 30 seconds, repeating this process until it’s done. I also cut off the ends if they are done before the center is complete. Once the batata is fully cooked (1 to 1.5 minutes) cut it into cubes. Add all veggies and protein to the curry mixture. Simmer for 10 minutes. Spoon this over rice and enjoy.

Bland food in BA? Not in my kitchen...





We have a new Julia Child in our midst or Doña Petrona maybe . Reminds me of the movie classic Like Water for Chocolate
 
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