Tom Kha Gai

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Tom Yum yum

Real Tom Yum or Tom Kha Gai soups are supposed to use galangal ( a type of ginger) and Kaffir lime leaves. I didn't have either of these things, however, I did use tamarind and lemongrass and various other delicious things, and I think I got a really good flavour from this makey-uppy version of the Thai classic. It was also really really quick and nice and filling. I'm not sure about the authenticity of using potatoes but I know they are used in some Thai cooking (like in Massaman curry) so its not that off the wall!

Ingredients

1 litre good chicken stock

1 dessert spoon tamarind paste

1 tin coconut milk

1 stalk lemon grass (bashed with a rolling pin to release the oils)

2 red chilies (de seeded and chopped)

about 4 c0riander roots (finely chopped)

2 cloves garlic (finely chopped)

1 inch piece of ginger (finely grated)

2 dessert spoons of fish or oyster sauce

1 dessert spoon soy sauce

1 teaspoon brown sugar

1 large chicken fillet (thinly sliced)

about 6 small new potatoes (sliced)

about 8 cherry tomatoes

mangetout or broccoli or green beans or whatever green vegetable you have

1 lime

a handful coriander leaves

Start by adding the tamarind to the hot stock and stirring well. Drain through a sieve so any of the solid bits of tamarind don't go into the dish. Put the stock in a pot with the coconut milk and add the chillies, garlic, ginger, coriander roots, lemongrass, 2 0r 3 kaffir lime leaves if you have them (I didn't), the soy and oyster sauce, the sugar, potatoes and chicken. Bring all of this up to simmer and cook for about 6 minutes. Add the tomatoes and cook for another minute, then add the green veg and cook for two minutes. Test the chicken and potatoes but they should be well cooked by now if they were sliced thinly. Take the soup off the heat. Roll the lime firmly on a table top to release the juices and make it easier to squeeze. Then cut it in half and squeeze all of the juice into the pot. Remove the lemongrass stalk. Roughly tear up the coriander leaves and add to the pot. Serve immediately

You can vary the vegetables you use, spring onions and mushrooms could go in at the end, but I think it is important to use tomatoes. So satisfying and delicious!

Tomato Dahl

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Tomato on your Roll Dahl?

Dahl is wonderfully satisfying served on top of rice as an accompaniment to curries. I've always had trouble reproducing a good one at home, they seem to vary widely in consistency. From a liquid to something thick and curry like. Because I love lentils I always tend to put too many of them in. This recipe I used only half a cup and this seemed to give a nice consistency, you could add more water if you wanted to serve it poured over the rice.

1 onion chopped
1 carrot small cubed
1-2 green chillies
4 tomatoes cubed (some recipes ask for peeled, but my life is too short to peel tomatoes)
½ cup of red lentils
2-3 garlic cloves crushed 1
inch ginger grated
¼ cup grated coconut (see previous post)
1 teaspoon mustard seeds
1 teaspoon turmeric
1 teaspoon cumin
1/2 bay leaves
some coriander to serve
1-2 tablespoons of toasted almonds (mmmm)
Ghee /Veg Oil

In a pan heat up the oil, when hot throw in the mustard seeds, cumin & chillies. Cook until the mustard seeds start to go ‘pop’ and then you can add in the onions, tomatoes and carrots, as well as some salt and turmeric. Saute them until the onions and tomatoes are soft.

Add in the lentils and cook gently while stirring for 3 mins. Then add in two cups of water and some bay leaves. Bring to the boil and simmer for about 15 mins till the lentils are soft and falling apart. You may need to add in some more water if the lentils start to stick to the bottom – so just keep an eye on it.

After 15mins or so - add the coconut simmer for another 4-5 mins. Sprinkle with coriander and toasted almonds. Serve with spiced rice for warm and satisfying meal, and mango chutney of course. Or as a side dish to accompany butter paneer masala and toasty hot naan breads.

Apologies for the terrible title - I just had to

Coconut Question

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How do you grate a coconut?

A mystery? I have no idea you’re supposed to get inside these things without either a machete or without causing yourself serious damage. My friend Kate is back from London the weekend , so I’m having her over to stay with another friend Ciara - so curry and wine is on the menu. I went to do a shop in Madina on Parnell Street, apart from Asa Foetida and fenugreek – if not here then where?

So two of the recipes included freshly grated coconut – and I picked one up for 69c – bargain. Got it home and opened it by throwing it as high as I could onto the pavings in the garden. Sad, I lost some of the coconut water from inside but I still got a good drink out of it – reminded me of holidays.

Then I tried breaking it apart further with my hands- too hard. Then with a knife – too scary. I proceeded to scoop it out with various knifes and spoons – so any advice welcome. I’ve seen some recipes that include frozen grated coconut, so maybe this is a better option

Massive Man Curry

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Well Delo's not massive by any means he is pretty tall and did cook most of this curry so we'll name it after him

Bank Holiday Monday - Beef and Lime Masaman

Oh to follow a recipe faithfully – you never have all the right ingredients – so there was a level of confusion as to how the lime works with potatoes – that is as yet undecided. Though after working late last night, and running out of the office cause I got scared of vampires, I had the leftovers and for some reason they were extra delicious - must be the fear adrenalin

After looking for time some time for some galangal I had found some so I was excited to use it in a recipe.


We had some left over beef from our stew on Sunday that we got from the local Indian (and everything else) shop down the road. I forget the name of it now – hmmmmmmm Poppy’s? Aula? I’ll get back to you on that one, but I love that shop.


Ingredients
Half pound of beef – sliced thinly (the thinner the more delicious I find)
I onion – cut into little moons
1 large green chilli (de-seeded or not)
I red pepper in 1 inch squares
4 potatoes – cut into 2cm cubes
2 inches of root ginger - grated
3 gloves of garlic – sliced thinly as you can
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon ground coriander
1 ½ teaspoon galangal
1/2 teaspoon turmeric
1/2 teaspoon salt
I teaspoon palm sugar
Zest and juice of one lime
Dash of maggi brand seasoning
3 tablespoons of oyster sauce
2 tablespoons soy sauce
¾ can of coconut milk
lots of black pepper

Marinate sliced beef in 2 tablespoons of oyster sauce and half of the soy sauce ( for as long as you can pref overnight though don’t worry if you can only manage to do it for the time you have to prepare the rest of the dinner) Boil cubes of potato until just tender in some slightly salted water.

Fry up ginger, chili and ginger in a small bit of veg oil, over a med-high heat for 2-3 mins then add in the onion, cumin, coriander, turmeric and galalngal till, cook for a few mins till onion starts to go see through – then add in the beef – cook for 3-4 mins, then add in the peppers and coconut milk, palm sugar, lime juice, potato, seasoning, rest of he oyster and soy sauce. Stir well and leave to bubble for about 2 mins.

Serve with a sprinkle of fresh coriander if you have it. If you want to eat it with rice half the amount of potatoes used in recipe – that’ll make it more authentic!



Lovely pictures of curry also with kind thanks to the massive man! Cheers Delo