Balanced Indian Meal / Chicken Vindaloo

Most Indian meals are not formally structured and there are usually a number of dishes for balance. There may be a meat dish, a seafood dish, at least one vegetable dish and perhaps a lentil dish as well. All would be served with fluffy rice and probably a bread such as chapati.

A typical meal you can cook at home includes Chicken Vindaloo (recipe below) and Shrimp Korma served with Ghee Rice. Serve them with mango chutney and cucumber raita, made from sliced cucumbers in yoghurt with lemon, cumin and fresh mint. A vindaloo is traditionally rather sharp and fiery. The amount of chili used in the recipe below makes a medium-hot curry. You can add more or less, but keep in mind that a chili powder made in India may be hotter than a locally made commercial brand.

Recipe: (Serves 4)

1 kg chicken breasts, skinned
300 ml natural yoghurt
1 large onion, sliced
1 tablespoon honey
1 teaspoon salt

For the spice blend:

1 tablespoon ghee or vegetable oil
3 tablespoons chopped onions
1 tablespoon finely chopped garlic
1 tablespoon grated ginger
1 tablespoon hot chili powder
1 tablespoon ground coriander
1 teaspoon ground cumin
4 cardamom pods, crushed
4 cm cinnamon stick
2 tablespoons tomato paste
1 tablespoon malt vinegar

Method:

Cut the chicken into large chunks. Mix the yoghurt, sliced onion, honey and salt in a large bowl to make a marinade and soak the chicken in it for 2 hours, turning occasionally.

To make the spice blend, heat the ghee or oil in a saucepan and fry the chopped onions, garlic and ginger for 5 minutes. Add the chili powder, then add all the other spices to the pan. Stir-fry for a minute or two.

Add 300 ml of water, plus the tomato paste, vinegar, the chicken and marinade and mix together well. Cover and simmer for 30 minutes until the sauce has thickened. Serve with rice.

Curry Powder and Curry Paste / Shrimp Korma

Both are blends of many spices, but they are used differently. Dry curry powder cannot be fried in hot oil because it burns and turns acrid, so it must be added to foods that are already simmering in liquid.

For fried dishes it is best to use a curry paste. A large variety of good quality Indian curry paste, with regional flavors, is available in leading supermarkets. Experiment with them in casseroles and soups and decide which you prefer.

Southeast Asian curries, which derive mainly from southern India, will often have fresh ingredients such as lemon grass, sweet basil, galangal (an aromatic root of the ginger family) and garlic added to the ground spices.

Recipe: (Serves 4)

12 large green tiger shrimps, peeled
1 teaspoon ground turmeric
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 tablespoons chopped onion
1 teaspoon grated ginger
1 tablespoon seedless raisin
1 tablespoon ground almonds
2 teaspoons sugar
300 ml natural yoghurt
1 teaspoon salt

For the spice blend:

1 teaspoon ground cumin
2 teaspoons ground chili
1 tablespoon ground coriander
3 cardamom pods, crushed

Method:

Devein the shrimps, rub them with turmeric and leave for 30 minutes. Meanwhile, make up the spice blend with a teaspoon or so of cold water and stir to a soft paste. Heat the oil and fry the onion and ginger for a minute until they have just softened. Add the spice blend and fry for a further 2 minutes.

Add the remaining ingredients except the shrimps and simmer for about 10 minutes until the sauce thickens. Add the shrimps and cook for 5 minutes, or until pink.

Balti Chicken in Saffron Sauce

This is a beautifully aromatic chicken dish that is partly cooked in the oven. It contains saffron, one of the most expensive spice in the world, and is sure to impress your guests.

Recipe: (Serves 4-6)

50 g/2 oz/4 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons corn oil
1-1.5 kg/2.5-3 lb chicken, skinned and cut into 8 pieces
1 medium onion, chopped
1 teaspoon garlic pulp
0.5 teaspoon crushed black peppercorns
0.5 teaspoon crushed cardamom pods
0.25 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1.5 teaspoon chili powder
150 ml/0.25 pint natural (plain) yogurt
50 g/2 oz/0.5 cup ground almonds
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon saffron strands
150 ml/0.25 pint water
150 ml/0.25 pint single (light) cream
2 tablespoons chopped fresh coriander (cilantro)

Method:

Preheat the oven to 180oC/350oF/Gas 4. Melt the butter with the oil in a deep round-bottomed frying pan (skillet) or a medium wok. Add the chicken pieces and fry until lightly browned. This will take about 5 minutes. Remove the chicken using a slotted spoon, leaving behind as much of the fat as possible.

Add the onion to the same pan, and fry over a medium heat. Meanwhile, mix together the garlic, black peppercorns, cardamom, cinnamon, chili powder, yogurt, ground almonds, lemon juice, salt and saffron strands in a mixing bowl. When the onions are lightly browned, pour the spice mixture into the pan and stir-fry for about 1 minute.

Add the chicken pieces, and continue to stir-fry for a further 2 minutes. Add the water and bring to a simmer. Transfer the contents of the pan to a casserole dish and cover with a lid. Transfer to the oven and cook for 30-35 minutes.

Once you are sure that the chicken is cooked right through, remove it from the oven. Transfer the chicken to a frying pan and stir in the cream. Reheat gently on the hob for about 2 minutes. Garnish with fresh coriander (cilantro) and serve with plain boiled rice.

Thai Vegetable Curry

What is the difference between the curries of Thailand and other Southeast Asian countries and the curries of India? Well, the range of Asian curries is wide. Some use dry ground spice mixtures similar to those used in Indian cooking, but just as many use only fresh ingredients, such as chilies, coriander roots, galangal, garlic, ginger, lemon grass, shallots and sweet basil as in Thai curries.

Some of the best curries use a combination of dried and fresh ingredients, so a korma prepared with dried spices may be given an aromatic top note with fresh coriander, mint and sweet basil. A typical Thai curry that uses fresh spices is the green curry below. It can be made with either chicken, pork or shrimps instead of vegetables.

Recipe: (Serves 2)

6 baby eggplants or 2 zucchini
1 carrot
1 teaspoon sugar
2 green chilies, seeded and roughly chopped
1 small bunch fresh coriander with roots, thoroughly cleaned, pound the whole stalk and leaves
1 large onion, roughly chopped
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1 teaspoon shrimp paste
1 stalk lemon grass
2 thin slices galangal
2 kaffir lime leaves
3 tablespoons vegetable oil
500 ml coconut milk
20 green beans, trimmed
2 tablespoons fish sauce

Method:

Peel and cut the baby eggplants diagonally into slices 2 cm thick; if using zucchini instead, peel and slice them. Peel and slice the carrot diagonally. Finely grind the sugar with the chilies, coriander, onion, garlic, shrimp paste, lemon grass, galangal and kaffir lime leaves in a pestle and mortar, coffee grinder, or food processor (the mixture should be dry).

Heat the oil and fry the spice paste over a low heat for 5 minutes until it smells powerfully aromatic. Add the coconut milk, green beans and other prepared vegetables and bring the mixture to the boil.

Add the fish sauce, then lower the heat and simmer for 8 minutes. Adjust the seasoning and serve the curry hot with plain boiled rice.

Mushroom Paprika

Wild mushrooms are a rare treat. Although they can always be substituted for other mushrooms in recipes, they are best when simply fried in butter with shallots, or in olive oil with garlic.

Button mushrooms make dainty garnishes and have a firm texture that is good thinly sliced and served raw or marinated in salads; however, they can also look attractive when cooked whole in stews.

Large flat mushrooms have a much fuller flavor that makes them the best choice for a breakfast fry-up, or to use in meaty stews or creamy sauces as in the paprika-spiced mushrooms recipe below. This can be served on toast as a snack for four, or with rice as a vegetarian light meal for two, or as a vegetable accompaniment to some plainly grilled meat or fish.

Recipe: (Serves 4)

1 large, white onion, finely chopped
A good pinch of dried thyme, optional
3 tablespoons olive oil
2 teaspoons paprika
250 g field or large flat mushrooms, sliced
Salt and black pepper to taste
300 ml light sour cream

Method:

Gently fry the onion, with the dried thyme if using, in the oil over a very low heat for at least 10 minutes or until the onion is soft and golden, stirring occasionally. Stir in the paprika, sliced mushrooms and salt. Add 200 ml of water.



Raise the heat a little and bring the sauce to the boil. Cover and cook for 2-3 minutes until the mushrooms collapse, releasing their liquor.



Remove the lid, raise the heat higher still and cook the mushrooms for around 5-6 minutes, shaking the pan regularly (stirring would break up the mushrooms), until the sauce is thick and sticky.



Carefully stir in the sour cream. Season with pepper according to your taste, then spoon the mushrooms over toast for a snack for 4 persons.

Malaysia Satay Sauce

Recipe :

85g roasted peanuts
1 fresh red chili, cored, seeded and chopped
1 clove garlic, chopped
4 tbsp red curry paste
375 ml coconut milk
2 tbsp light brown sugar
squeeze lime juice

Method :
Put peanuts, chili and garlic in a blender. Mix together, then add curry paste, 2 tablespoons of coconut milk and a squeeze of lime juice. Mix to blend evenly. Pour mixture into a saucepan. Stir in remaining coconut milk and sugar. Bring to the boil, stirring then boil for 2 minutes. Lower heat and simmer for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add a little water if sauce becomes too thick.

Vietnamese - Beef Pho

"Authentic South Vietnamese Style Pho. A comforting richly seasoned beef broth is ladled over rice noodles and thinly sliced beef. Add hot sauce and plum sauce to taste and top with cilantro, basil, lime juice and bean sprouts."

Recipe :

* 5 pounds beef knuckle, with meat
* 2 pounds beef oxtail
* 1 white (daikon) radish, sliced
* 2 onions, chopped
* 2 ounces whole star anise pods
* 1/2 cinnamon stick
* 2 whole cloves
* 1 teaspoon black peppercorns
* 1 slice fresh ginger root
* 1 tablespoon white sugar
* 1 tablespoon salt
* 1 tablespoon fish sauce

* 1 1/2 pounds dried flat rice noodles
* 1/2 pound frozen beef sirloin

TOPPINGS:
* sriracha hot pepper sauce
* hoisin sauce
* thinly sliced onion
* chopped fresh cilantro
* bean sprouts (mung beans)
* sweet Thai basil
* thinly sliced green onion
* limes, quartered

Method

1. Place the beef knuckle in a very large (9 quart or more) pot. Season with salt, and fill pot with 2 gallons of water. Bring to a boil, and cook for about 2 hours.

2. Skim fat from the surface of the soup, and add the oxtail, radish and onions. Tie the anise pods, cinnamon stick, cloves, peppercorns and ginger in a cheesecloth or place in a spice bag; add to the soup. Stir in sugar, salt and fish sauce. Simmer over medium-low heat for at least 4 more hours (the longer, the better). At the end of cooking, taste, and add salt as needed. Strain broth, and return to the pot to keep at a simmer. Discard spices and bones. Reserve meat from the beef knuckle for other uses if desired.

3. Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Soak the rice noodles in water for about 20 minutes, then cook in boiling water until soft, but not mushy, about 5 minutes. Slice the frozen beef paper thin. The meat must be thin enough to cook instantly.

4. Place some noodles into each bowl, and top with a few raw beef slices. Ladle boiling broth over the beef and noodles in the bowl. Serve with hoisin sauce and sriracha sauce on the side. Set onion, cilantro, bean sprouts, basil, green onions, and lime out at the table for individuals to add toppings to their liking.

Hawaiian Salad - Lomi Lomi

Recipe:

* 2 cups diced salted salmon
* 6 medium tomatoes, diced
* 1 white onion, chopped
* 1/2 cup chopped green onion
* sea salt to taste
* cayenne pepper to taste

Method

In a medium bowl, stir together the salted salmon, tomatoes, white onion, green onion, sea salt and cayenne pepper. Chill for at least 30 minutes before serving. Serve chilled.

Tip

Sometimes the salmon is salty enough; taste it first before adding any salt. Additionally, if the fish is excessively salty, you can soak it over night and rinse prior to preparing this dish.

Spiced Grilled Shrimps

Recipe: (Serves 4-6)

18 large cooked shrimps
4 tablespoons lemon juice
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon chili powder
1 teaspoon garlic pulp
1.5 teaspoons soft light brown sugar
3 tablespoons corn oil
2 tablespoons chopped fresh coriander (cilantro)
1 fresh green chili, sliced
1 tomato, sliced
1 small onion, cut into rings
Lemon wedges

Method:

Peel the shrimps and rinse them gently under cold water. Using a sharp knife, make a slit at the back of each shrimp and open out into a butterfly shape. Put the remaining ingredients, with the exception of the chili, tomato, onion and lemon wedges, in a bowl and mix together thoroughly.

Add the shrimps to the spice mixture, making sure they are well coated, and leave to marinate for about 1 hour. Place the green chili, tomato slices and onion rings in a flameproof dish. Add the shrimp with spice mixture and cook under a very hot preheated grill (broiler) for a few minutes or until the shrimps is cooked, basting several times with a brush. Serve immediately, garnished with the lemon wedges.

Balti Chicken in Saffron Sauce

This is a beautifully aromatic chicken dish that is partly cooked in the oven. It contains saffron, one of the most expensive spice in the world, and is sure to impress your guests.

Recipe: (Serves 4-6)

50 g/2 oz/4 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons corn oil
1-1.5 kg/2.5-3 lb chicken, skinned and cut into 8 pieces
1 medium onion, chopped
1 teaspoon garlic pulp
0.5 teaspoon crushed black peppercorns
0.5 teaspoon crushed cardamom pods
0.25 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1.5 teaspoon chili powder
150 ml/0.25 pint natural (plain) yogurt
50 g/2 oz/0.5 cup ground almonds
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon saffron strands
150 ml/0.25 pint water
150 ml/0.25 pint single (light) cream
2 tablespoons chopped fresh coriander (cilantro)

Method:

Preheat the oven to 180oC/350oF/Gas 4. Melt the butter with the oil in a deep round-bottomed frying pan (skillet) or a medium wok. Add the chicken pieces and fry until lightly browned. This will take about 5 minutes. Remove the chicken using a slotted spoon, leaving behind as much of the fat as possible.

Add the onion to the same pan, and fry over a medium heat. Meanwhile, mix together the garlic, black peppercorns, cardamom, cinnamon, chili powder, yogurt, ground almonds, lemon juice, salt and saffron strands in a mixing bowl. When the onions are lightly browned, pour the spice mixture into the pan and stir-fry for about 1 minute.

Add the chicken pieces, and continue to stir-fry for a further 2 minutes. Add the water and bring to a simmer. Transfer the contents of the pan to a casserole dish and cover with a lid. Transfer to the oven and cook for 30-35 minutes.

Once you are sure that the chicken is cooked right through, remove it from the oven. Transfer the chicken to a frying pan and stir in the cream. Reheat gently on the hob for about 2 minutes. Garnish with fresh coriander (cilantro) and serve with plain boiled rice.

Shrimp Tempura

"Serve these crisp, fried shrimp with a hot mustard sauce or sweet & sour sauce. The tempura batter may be used for other recipes. Try it with vegetables."

Recipe:

* 1/2 cup rice wine
* 1/4 teaspoon salt
* 1/2 pound fresh shrimp, peeled and deveined
* 2 quarts oil for deep frying
* 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
* 1/3 cup ice water
* 1/4 cup cornstarch
* 1 egg yolk
* 1/4 teaspoon salt
* 1/4 teaspoon white sugar
* 1 teaspoon shortening
* 1/2 teaspoon baking powder

Method:

1. In a medium bowl, mix rice wine and salt. Place shrimp into the mixture. Cover and marinate in the refrigerator at least 20 minutes.

2. Heat oil in deep-fryer or large wok to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).

3. In a medium bowl, mix together all-purpose flour, ice water, cornstarch, egg yolk, salt, white sugar, shortening and baking powder.

4. One at a time, dip shrimp into the flour mixture to coat. Carefully place a few shrimp at a time in the hot oil. Deep fry until golden brown on all sides, about 1 1/2 minutes. Use a slotted spoon to remove from oil. Drain on paper towels. Serve warm.