Intermède #12 : Massaman Curry with Chicken.

How to make MASSAMAN CURRY WITH CHICKEN.

INGREDIENTS :
1 tablespoon soya bean oil
1 heaped tablespoon massaman curry paste
200 grams chicken fillets or tofu cut in 2 cm cubes
1-2 potatoes cut in a 1 cm cubes
1 brown onion sliced
1/2 cup thick coconut cream
1 teaspoon salt
1-2 tablespoons coconut sugar
2 tablespoon fish sauce or soya sauce
4-6 tablespoons dry roasted ground peanuts
1-2 cups thin coconut milk
2-3 tablespoons tamarind paste or lime juice

PREPARATION :
1. Place one tablespoon of soya bean oil into the wok and turn the gas to low.
2. Fry the curry paste until it becomes grafrant.
3. Add the chicken, potatoes and onions. Fry for one minute.
4. Pour in the thick coconut cream and add the salt. Stir for one more minute.
5. Add the thin coconut milk, coconut sugar, ground peanuts and the fish sauce. Turn gas to medium.
6. Stir until boiling, turn gas to low and let it simmer for 10 minutes.
7. Add the tamarind paste.
8. Keep simmering until the potatoes are cooked (approximately 10-15 minutes).

Serve with steamed rice, steamed buns or chapatti bread.

Intermède #10 : Massaman Curry Paste.

How to make MASSAMAN CURRY PASTE.

INGREDIENTS :
1/8 teaspoon of black peppercorns
1/8 teaspoon cumin seeds
1/4 teaspoon coriander seeds
1/4 teaspoon cloves
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon cardamon
1/8 teaspoon salt
3-5 large sundried chillies, seeds removed and soaked in water for 10 minutes
1/4 teaspoon ginza (or ginger), scrape skin off and slice finely
1/2 tablespoon lemongrass, sliced finely
1/2 tablespoon garlic, peeled and chopped
1/2 tablespoon shallots, peeled and diced finely
1/4 tablespoon coriander root, chopped
1/8 teaspoon shrimp paste

PREPARATION :
1. Roast dry ingredients in a wok, no oil, on low heat. Stir until the fragrance has been released (usually 1 to 4 minutes process). Turn the heat as soon as you smell the fragrance of the herbs.
2. Place all of the dry roasted herbs in a mortar and pestle and pound until they reach a fine powder.
3. Add the ginza, lemongrass and coriander roots. Pound again until all ingredients are smooth.
4. Add the garlics, shallots, shrimp paste and sundried chillies. Pound again until smooth.

This recipe makes two tablespoons of paste which is enough to make two currys for two people. It may be stored up to two months by adding half a cup of soya bean oil and placing in an airtight jar in your pantry. Do not store in fridge.

Intermède #9 : Stir fried chicken with cashew nuts.

How to make STIR FRIED CHICKEN WITH CASHEW NUTS.

INGREDIENTS :
2 tablespoons soya bean oil
4 cloves garlic crushed and chopped skin on
250 grams chicken sliced finely in 3 cm strips
1 tablespoon oyster sauce
1 tablespoon salty soya sauce
1 teaspoon white sugar
1 brown onion sliced
4 spring onions cut in 4 cm strips
2 large sundried chillies cut in 3 cm strips
10-15 pre-roasted unsalted cashewnuts

PREPARATION :
1. In a wok on medium, heat the soya bean oil for 30 seconds.
2. Add the garlic and stir until it becomes fragrant.
3. Add the chicken and stir fry until it is three quarter cooked.
4. Add the oyster sauce, salty soya sauce, white sugar, onion, spring onions and sundried chillies. Fry until fully cooked.
5. Switch off gas and stir in cashew nuts.

Serve hot with steamed jasmine rice.

Intermède #8 : Spring Rolls.

How to make SPRING ROLLS.

TEN SPRING ROLL WRAPPERS :
1 cup wheat flour and 4 egg whites stirred until even in consistency.
Fry in wok without oilon low heat, similar to making a crêpe. Use cornflour and water paste or egg to seal the rolls.

DIPPING SAUCE :
Mix together 1 cup of water, 3-5 tablespoons of white sugar, 3 tablespoons of rice vinegar or tamarind paste, 1 teaspoon of salt, 1/2 teaspoon of dried chilli powder, and 4-5 tablespoonsof roasted ground peanuts. Boil for 10 minutes. Cool before serving and garnish with 1 teaspoon of chopped coriander leaves.

FILLING :
1. Fry 4 cloves of garlic (crushed and chopped, skin on) in 2 tablespoons of soya bean oil on medium heat.
2. Add 30 grams of carrot diced very small, 5-6 pre-soaked dried black mushrooms diced very small, 20 grams of cabbage diced very small, 1/4 cup of beansprouts, 3/4 cup of tofu diced very small, 1 egg, 1/2 cup of glass noodles pre-soaked for 15 minutes in warm water and cut into 1 cm lengths. Then add 1 tablespoon of light soy sauce, 1 teaspoon of white sugar, 1/2 teaspoon of salt and 1/2 teaspoon of white pepper. Allow to cool.
3. Place a tablespoon of filling on spring roll wrapper. Fold the sheet about half a turn over the filling. Fold in ends. Smear with egg or paste and roll up tightly to seal.
4. Deep fry in 4 cups of soya bean oil until crispy and golden brown.
5. Serve with sweet chilli or chinese plum sauce.

Uncooked spring rolls may be frozen until needed.