Foods of Freedom: South African Vegetable Curry (NEWEST RECIPE)

It is nice to hear and read that even the lands of South Africa had some of their own twist with curry. I'd love to try this new curry recipe that Elizabeth Alpern shared to blogs.forward.com. 

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The early years of Nelson Mandela’s life as an organizer and revolutionary were marked by cross-cultural experiences centered around the table, even when such alliances were frowned upon politically. The Indian South African community, and the solidarity it showed in passive resistance campaigns, deeply influenced Mandela’s later mass actions and encouraged Mandela and his colleagues to work across racial and cultural lines. Among his greatest influencers was Amina Pahad, who became politically active in her teenage years, and welcomed activists of all backgrounds into her home, truly letting “all who were hungry come and eat” and creating a safe haven filled with political debate and good meals.

“I often visited the home of Amina Pahad for lunch, and then suddenly this charming woman put aside her apron and went to jail for her beliefs.…”, recalled Mandela in his autobiography “Long Walk to Freedom.”

This vegetable curry, a vegetarian adaptation of Pahad’s dry chicken curry (dry because the spices form almost a paste coating the ingredients thereby making the flavors extra strong), reminds us of the importance of opening our minds (and our taste buds) to people and flavors that may be unfamiliar, and to the quiet power that food wields in the pursuit of justice.

Vegetable Curry

Adapted from Amina Pahad’s Dry Chicken Curry, in “Hunger for Freedom: The Story of Food in the Life of Nelson Mandela,” by Anna Trapido

1 tablespoon coriander seeds
¼ teaspoon cloves
¼ teaspoon peppercorns
1 cinnamon stick
1 jalapeno pepper, seeds removed and diced
1 teaspoon ginger, grated
3 cloves garlic, crushed
1 teaspoon cumin
1 teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon saffron
¼ teaspoon cardamom
2 tablespoon olive oil
1 large onion, diced
1 large eggplant, peeled and cubed
3 carrots, peeled and cut into ½ inch rounds
Juice of one lemon
1 cup almond milk

1) Combine spices* (first 11 ingredients) in a small bowl.

2) Heat oil in a medium saucepan and add diced onion. Heat over medium flame until onion is translucent, about 5 minutes, stirring frequently. Remove from flame and immediately add spice mixture, stirring quickly to coat onions. Add eggplant, carrots, lemon juice and almond milk and stir to coat vegetables.

3) Return saucepan to heat and keep flame on low. Cover and cook until carrots are soft but not mushy, about 30 minutes. Serve with matzo or quinoa.

*Though the number of spices in this dish may be intimidating, the combination is very important and all can be found at major grocery stores. Also, if you have one available, you may choose to grind spices with a mortar and pestle, though the original recipe does not specify that as a necessary step.

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GOOD NEWS: Birmingham city centre curry cook off raises thousands for soldiers

I was checking the news on the internet when I found this. It feels good to actually hear something good in the midst of all the surmounts the world is facing today and the cool thing is it involves CURRY! Credits to Christina Savvas of birminghammail.net for this wonderful article! 

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A RED-HOT curry cook-off in Birmingham’s Victoria Square sent temperatures soaring as more than £50,000 was raised for serving and former soldiers.

The Lord Mayor of Birmingham Len Gregory was joined by celebrity chef Rustie Lee and music legend Roy Wood at the Big Curry Lunch in aid of ABF The Soldiers’ Charity.

While 150 invited guests savoured a special lunch, passers-by were able to enjoy a range of activities including the Land Rover Terrapod driving experience in Centenary Square, army exhibitions, a full military band and performances from local bhangra groups.

They were also greeted with the smells of freshly cooked curry as the cook-off got under way between local Indian restaurant Itihaas, Army Chefs and University College Birmingham.

In the end two Ghurka chefs came out top in the fiercely contested competition to win the trophy.

Caroline Maddox, from Matrix Creative Marketing, said: “It was an incredible day, not only helping to raise the profile of the charity in Birmingham, but raising a sizeable amount of money.

“The weather was on our side, we had lots of traffic, people stopping by, buying T-shirts wristbands and asking more.”

The lunch took place inside the Council House attended by members of the local business community, Lord Mayors from across the region, MPs and members of the armed forces.

Originally founded in London in 2008, the Big Curry helps raise valuable funds to support thousands of service and ex-service personnel.

Last year ABF The Soldiers’ Charity offered support to more than 100 personnel and their families in the West Midlands.

Colonel Anthony George, chairman of the charity’s Birmingham committee backed the event.

He said: “I’m delighted and privileged to be able to join the Lord Mayor in helping to increase awareness in the West Midlands of the great work that ABF The Soldiers’ Charity is doing to support the men and women who put everything on the line to defend us.”

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FRESH NEWS: A well phed gai (Thai curry)

Now, let's talk about Thai curries. The story below narrates the uniqueness of Thailand's very own Phed Gai. This is by Rito Paul of dnaindia.com.

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Phed Gai simply means red curry in Thai. When you think of Thai food, the inimitable curry, strong in colour, warm and earthy in flavour, is the first thing pops into mind. It's the signature Thai dish that has travelled far beyond its tropical shores to become a global icon. When I walk into Ren Zen at the Courtyard by Marriot I know that one thing I want above everything else is to experience a good Thai curry, a damn good one if possible.

Specialty Thai chef Praiwan greets me with a smile and a twinkle in his eyes. He seemed like someone who likes to talk, which as a journalist, is fine by me. We move in to the show kitchen. There we have a view of the whole restaurant. Large red lamps, dimly lit, tables laid out with thick rustic crockery, and just a couple of patrons engaged in quiet conversations over lunch. "You're lucky it's not busy today, we'll have time to talk," says the chef as he ladles a mountain of oily red curry paste into a pan.

The popularity of the Thai curry, according to chef, is because only fresh herbs and ingredients are used in it. “No dried spices and other stale ingredients like in your curries,” he says half-jokingly.
Praiwan pulls a large steel drawer open and takes out a motley bunch of leaves and roots. I ask him what they are.

"Lemon grass, kaffir lime leaves and galangle (a kind of root from the ginger family). We have to import the curry paste from Thailand, the pastes that you get here don't have the proper ingredients. But even the imported curry paste is not that fresh, so I use my own special technique to refresh it," he answers.

Refreshing involves mixing a paste of Kaffir lime peel, galangle and coriander root in with the canned curry paste. "The flavour is much stronger this way, and fresher."To my surprise, he takes out a packet of Maggi coconut powder. The chef says it’s the best available in the Indian market. He pours 1 cup of it into a bowl, adds two cups of water and says to me with a wagging finger, "Remember 1 cup of powder in 2 cups of water for red curry and 1 1/2 cups of water for green curry."

While the coconut milk simmers on the flame, I get a chance to ask the chef about food in Thailand. There must be different sorts of Thai food that we don't get to sample in restaurants abroad. "Of course. Thai food is very different in different regions, the food up north is very spicy, they use a lot of vegetables and meat not much coconut milk. Down south the food is quite similar to Malaysian food with a lot of ground spices.

The food that you have at most Thai restaurants comes from the central part of the country, it's Bangkok food."So where does Thai curry from ? "Curry is something that is had all over Thailand. But the Thai curry that is served abroad, the thick, coconutty, not so spicy version comes from the central region," he replies in a matter of fact tone.

I see him scoop some foam off the coconut milk, he anticipates the next question and before I can ask it Praiwan says, "You have to do that to make sure you get a good colour." A sudden loud buzz emanates from the main kitchen, interrupting our conversation. It's from the massive, cement cased burners. "It's so loud. In Thai cooking you don't need such high flames, the food needs to simmer on a medium flame, you need such turbo-charged burners only in a Chinese kitchen," he adds with a grin.

I'm amazed at the fact that he can keep up an incessant chatter while expertly carrying on with the cooking process. He heaps a massive spoonful of the curry paste into the coconut milk and starts whisking it gently with an egg-beater all the while telling me about the time he was in the kitchen of the Intercontinental in Beirut when an explosion shook the city. "The ceiling above my head shook, we ran for our lives. It was terrible."

After a couple of minutes of mixing,Praiwan informs me that the red curry is almost done. "Some jaggery needs to be added. If you want an authentic Thai curry you have use palm sugar or jaggery, never use sugar," he says using his teaching voice. After enquiring whether I'm a vegetarian or not, ("I'll only use soya sauce if you are") chef adds a spoonful of fish sauce and soya-sauce each and finally the curry is ready for tasting. I've tasted many Thai curries in my time, but the thick, creamy, sweet-salt goodness that trickled on to my tongue was something I never experienced before.

The chef stood there with a smile of satisfaction and said "It's all about the process. Follow the correct steps and Thai food is easy to make." I gathered that there was a bit more to it than just the process. However I didn't want to disagree with the man who'd just made the best Thai red curry I've ever tasted.

Later on we sit down for a sumptuous lunch of chicken red curry and steamed rice, prawn pad-thai and sticky rice with alfonso mango. The curry had been reinforced with pea-sized baby eggplants, sweet basil leaves and of course thick slices of juicy chicken breast. I'm a little surprised at the paucity of vegetables, "In Thailand you only put eggplants, baby-eggplants and basil leaves. But over here vegetarians ask me to put all kinds of things, babycorn, cauliflower, mushrooms, I don't mind, it’s fun," explains the chef.

While I tuck in to the food, Praiwan says, "You know I’ve worked with a lot of people from different nationalities. Indians are closest to the Thai people. We both have strong emotions which are easily noticeable. I like that, which is why I came to workhere." I don’t know if my emotion of pure delight at the food is evident, but I for one am glad that Chef Praiwan decided to make Mumbai his home, at least for a few years.

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A MUST READ: Unlocking the secret to cool and creamy curries

Yes, curries are red, hot, and spicy BUT NOT ALL. This is the common misconception among people. Curries are indeed NOT ALWAYS red, hot, and spicy, I mean, those main elements are essential and shouldn't be absent but because of INNOVATION, the world of curry has taken into different versions which broadens it's delectableness. From columbiatribune.com, Wolfgang Puck gives us another tasty recipe.

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When many people in the Western world hear the word curry, they instantly think of something that’s hot and spicy. And, yes, some curries, especially the notorious vindaloo-style recipes from northern India, can be breathtakingly intense.

But, in truth, many curries, among my favorites, are those that are beautifully balanced stews or sautés, combining hot and mild, sweet and pungent seasonings to provide very pleasing, well-rounded experiences. Most, like the recipe I share with you here for Coconut Curry Shrimp, don’t even require bravery to eat them. It’s a perfect example of a harmonious curry that features something to please everyone.

The secret to its mild but full flavor is coconut milk, which provides a rich, creamy, soothing background for all of the other flavors. Joining it are pungent and biting garlic, ginger, and green onion; a medley of fresh citrus juices plus tangy lemongrass (look for it fresh in ethnic markets or well-stocked food stores, or substitute some lemon zest); and jam-like, tart tamarind paste (you’ll find it in the market among other Indian, Asian, or Latin ingredients; or you can substitute more lime juice). Chopped apple and banana simmering in the sauce add their own fruity sweetness.

And don’t forget the curry powder, of course. My recipe calls for a mild version of this classic blend of Indian spices, but you could substitute medium or hot curry powder if you prefer. Whichever you use, buy your curry powder in small containers, as it loses its punch over several months after opening.

Canned coconut milk is widely sold in well-stocked supermarkets and specialty foods stores; be sure to buy the unsweetened kind rather than syrupy coconut milk sold as a bar drinks ingredient. And don’t confuse coconut milk with the thin liquid you find sloshing around inside whole coconuts, which many people call “milk” but is technically coconut “water.” True coconut milk is an extract made by grinding up the coconut’s flesh with fresh water, letting it steep for several hours, and then straining the mixture. Be sure to shake the cans of coconut milk well before you open them, because their thick cream separates and forms a layer at the top of the can during storage.

Once you taste the wonderful flavor of coconut milk, you’ll want to keep using it to make more delicious curries. But the possibilities don’t stop there. Pick up a few extra cans and try the recipe I also offer here for a Coconut-Honey Granita. If you’ve chosen to make your curry spicy, it’s the perfect dessert to cool off and soothe any heat still lingering on your palate.

COCONUT CURRY SHRIMP

1/4 cup peanut oil

12 jumbo shrimp, peeled and deveined

1 large garlic clove, peeled and smashed

2 tablespoons minced fresh ginger

2 tablespoons chopped organic green onion

1 stalk fresh lemongrass, chopped, or grated zest of 1/2 lemon

1/2 organic green apple, cored and coarsely chopped

1 ripe banana, peeled and coarsely chopped

1/2 teaspoon ground cumin

2 tablespoons curry powder, mild or spicy as you prefer

1/2 lemon, juiced

1/2 lime, juiced

1/2 orange, juiced

2 tablespoons tamarind paste

2-1/2 cups canned unsweetened coconut milk

2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro leaves

2 tablespoons torn Thai basil leaves, or regular basil leaves

2 kaffir lime leaves, or 2 long strips lime zest

Steamed rice, for serving

In a large saucepan, heat the peanut oil over high heat. When the oil is hot enough to swirl easily and starts to turn fragrant, add the shrimp and quickly sauté, stirring continuously, just until they start to turn pink but are not yet cooked through, about 1 minute. Remove from the pan and set aside on a plate.

Reduce the heat slightly, add the garlic, ginger, green onion, lemongrass or lemon zest, apple, and banana to the pan, and sauté, stirring continuously, until they start to turn soft but have not yet colored, 3 to 4 minutes. Add the cumin and curry powder and sauté, stirring, 1 minute longer. Add the lemon, lime, and orange juices along with the tamarind paste, coconut milk, and cilantro. Raise the heat, bring to a boil, and then adjust the heat to a simmer and cook, uncovered, for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Strain the sauce and return to the heat. Stir in the basil and kaffir lime leaves. Return the shrimp to the pan and cook it until just heated through and thoroughly cooked, about 3 minutes longer. Spoon some rice onto each serving plate. Place 3 shrimp on top of each plate. Spoon the sauce over and around the shrimp and rice.

Servings: 4

COCONUT-HONEY GRANITA

1 cup low-fat milk

3/4 cup honey, plus extra as needed

1-1/2 cups unsweetened coconut milk

Put the milk and honey in a saucepan. Stir over low heat until the honey has dissolved completely in the milk. Stir in the coconut milk. Taste the mixture and, 1 tablespoon at a time, stir in more honey as needed until the mixture tastes just a little bit sweeter than you like.

Pour the mixture into a 13-by-9-inch stainless-steel baking pan and put the pan in the freezer. When ice crystals begin to form — in about 30 minutes to about 1 hour, depending on your freezer — remove the pan and, with the tines of 2 forks, scrape up the crystals evenly. Return the pan to the freezer and repeat the process every 30 minutes to 1 hour, until the mixture is frozen completely, with an icy, granular texture. If not serving immediately, transfer to an airtight freezer container.

Before serving, scrape up the crystals again. Use a large spoon or ice cream scoop to transfer to individual chilled serving dishes.

Servings: 4

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Tomato Bath

I was searching for some tomato dominated curry recipe when I stumbled upon this very interesting recipe. By just reading the recipe's name, TOMATO BATH, I clicked it without any hesitation. It sounds like it's mudded with a lot of tomato and spices and so I tried it... Oh my! I think this is the best Tomato Curry recipe ever so I would thank Shama Pullabhotla for sharing this at ivu.org. 

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TOMATO BATH

• 2 cups Suji (Bombay Rava)
• 3 ripe tomatoes
• One big onion
• Few green chillies
• One potato
• A small piece of ginger
• Few curry leaves
• Coriander (Cilantro)
• Seasoning ingredients (Few mustard seeds, cumin seeds, split chana dal, urad dal, curry leaves and 2-3 red chillies)
• 1-2 Tblsps of oil
• Salt as required

Chop onion, ginger and green chillies into small pieces. Peel and cut the potato into small pieces. Chop the tomatoes.

Keep a deep non stick vessel on low flame and add 1 Tblsp oil to it. When the oil is warm, add all the above mentioned seasoning ingredients to it.

Once the mustard seeds start spluttering, add chopped onions, ginger and green chillies to the vessel.

When the onions turn golden brown in color, add potatoes to the mixture and fry the mixture stirring it frequently.

When the potatoes become tender, add chopped tomatoes to the mixture and fry the mixture further till the tomatoes are well done.

Add chopped coriander to the mixture and fry it till the coriander loses it color.

Add water to the mixture in 1:2 proportion, (i.e. for one cup of suji put two cups of water. In fact, you can add slightly more water for a more liquid consistency)

Add salt as required

Meanwhile, add suji to another frying pan and fry it dry on a low flame till the suji turns a little golden brown but take care not to burn it. Once the water added to the mixture begins to boil, add the fried suji to the mixture by stirring the mixture well avoiding the formation of any lumps.

Just before turning the flame off, add one more tblsp of oil to the dish and stir it well. The dish is done

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2 FOR 1 OFFER AT CURRY HOTLINE

         

         Enjoy eating your favourite curry in a very reasonable price! In case you don’t know this yet, CURRY HOTLINE BRISTOL is showcasing their NEWEST 2 FOR 1 OFFER!

       Starting last March Curry Hotline launched their ever affordable treat to all through the 2 FOR 1 OFFER. If you are asking what this 2 FOR 1 OFFER is? It’s an offer in which if you order two main dishes from the numerous list we have in our menu you will get a second dish for FREE! There’s more! If you spend the amount of £10 or more you will get a FREE portion of Bombay Potato or a sparkling bottle of wine (restaurant’s choice) but if you want to choose between a portion of Bombay Potato or a red wine or a white wine then you can get it by simply spending £20.

            We are also giving you special set meals for 2 person vegetarian or not, please check out our menu. If you are too busy to visit our restaurant you can always give us a quick call by just dialing 0117 908 6611 and we will deliver it to you as fast as lightning!!

           We are OPEN EVERYDAY 6pm 12 midnight so visit us at 72 Stapleton Road, Eastville, Bristol BS5 0RB. If you want to keep updated, join our mailing list at www.dailyspecialls.com!!

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