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Muslim curry, often called ‘Masaman’ is a South East Asian dish which pops up all over the region. This one is from Cambodia. It’s a more delicate flavour than that in, say Thailand but the flavours are so complex and delicious that it more than holds it’s own against any other version. It’s got a LOT of ingredients and you might think it would be TOO many, but like me, I’m sure you’ll be surprised by the end result. It’s amazing!

RECIPE:

INGREDIENTS:
Curry Paste:
6 lemongrass stalks (whites only, sliced)
2 teaspoon fresh galangal (chopped – or substitute with ginger)
2 kaffir lime leaves (chopped)
4 garlic cloves (roughly chopped)
2 pieces of lime peel (chopped)
1 teaspoon fresh ginger (chopped)
1 shallot (roughly chopped)
2 coriander roots & stalks (chopped)
1 teaspoon shrimp paste
1 red chilli (chopped – seeds in)
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon pepper
1 1/2 teaspoons turmeric powder

Shallot Paste:
3 tablespoons peanut oil
8 shallots (chopped)
4 cloves garlic (chopped)
1 teaspoon coriander powder

Curry ingredients:
1kg beef (large cubes)
3 tablespoons ginger (chopped)
2 tablespoons coriander roots and stems (chopped)
1 star anise
600ml coconut cream
3 tablespoons chilli paste
1 tablespoon shrimp paste
3 tablespoons sugar
2 tablespoons fish sauce
1 litre beef stock
2 tablespoons curry powder
1/2 lime (juice of)
4 tablespoons unsalted peanuts
Coriander leaves or Thai basil leaves (to garnish)

DIRECTIONS:
Curry Paste:
In a food processor, or with a hand blender combine all the ingredients with 1/4 cup water to form a semi-smooth paste. Set aside.

Shallot Paste:
Heat the oil over a medium low heat then gently fry the shallots and garlic for 6-7 minutes until soft and lightly browned. Remove from the heat, cool slightly then blend together in a food processor or with a hand blender. Stir in the coriander powder and set aside.

Curry:
In a food processor or with a hand blender, blend together the ginger and the coriander roots and stalks. Squeeze the pulp in your hands very tightly and collect the juice. Discard the pulp then pour the juice over the beef and leave to marinade for 30 minutes.

Add 400ml of the coconut cream into a large saucepan or wok. Bring to a boil then cook, stirring for 10 minutes until the liquid has reduced by about a half. Reduce the heat slightly and add the curry paste, shallot paste, chilli paste, shrimp paste, fish sauce, sugar, curry powder and star anise and stir well for about 2-3 minutes. Add the beef and stir for another 2 minutes, then pour in the beef stock. Bring to a boil then reduce the heat to low and simmer gently for 1 1/2 hours, stirring occasionally.

Pour in the remaining coconut milk and simmer for a further 5 minutes before serving. Fish out the star anise of you can be bothered to find it.

In a small frying pan, dry roast the cashew nuts then lightly crush them with the side of a knife. Sprinkle half into the curry and stir in.

SERVING:
Stir in the lime juice then sprinkle over the remaining cashew nuts and a generous handful of chopped fresh coriander or Thai basil. Serve alongside rice or even just bread.

INGREDIENTS:
400 g firm white fish (ling, monkfish, even salmon works but is less traditional) Cut into bite size chunks
1/2 cup coconut cream
2 cups coconut milk
1 egg (beaten)
1 tablespoon fish sauce
3 tablespoon kaffir lime leaves (sliced thinly)
2-3 long red chilli peppers (seeded & thinly sliced)
300 g kale or collard greens or cabbage leaves (combined with 1 tablespoon lemongrass)

The Amok Paste:
2 dried red chilies (soaked and drained)
3 cloves garlic (chopped)
2 tablespoon fresh galangal (chopped) (use fresh ginger as an alternative)
1 tbsp lemon grass stalk
1 teaspoon lime zest
1 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon shrimp paste

DIRECTIONS:
To make the paste, blend all the paste ingredients smoothly in a food processor or with a hand blender. Combine the paste with 1 cup of coconut milk. When dissolved, stir in the remaining coconut milk, egg, fish sauce and fish.
Preheat the oven to 180ºC. Take off any stems from the kale and cut into large pieces and make a thin layer in the bottom of 4 ramekins. Spoon in the fish mixture and cover with another leaf. Cover each ramekin tightly in foil and place on a roasting tin. Pour in 1 inch of boiling water to the tin and carefully place in the oven. Steam for 20-25 minutes until the fish is cooked and quite solid.

Banana leaf bowls:
Add about 3 litres of boiling water into a clean sink. Take about 5-6 banana leaves and plunge them into the water, pressing them down with a wooden spoon. Leave for at least 30 seconds then take them out, one-by one and using a bowl about 15cm diameter, cut around to make discs. When you’ve made about 12 discs that are whole and have no splits in them take the discs and leave them in the hot water. Take out 2 discs and place the first with ribs the facing horizontally then place the other on top with the ribs facing vertically. Tuck up an edge of about 5cm and fold inwards to create the corner of a square – skewer with a toothpick. Continue around the circle to create 4 corners, skewering each corner. You should have a neat little bowl (of sorts). Repeat with the remaining leaves to make 6 bowls.

SERVING:
Boiled rice.

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An asian style omlette cooked in a super healthy way and unlike anything I’ve ever tasted before. It’s a really delicious and easy way to eat eggs. Well worth a try.

RECIPE:

INGREDIENTS:
5 eggs
115g small fresh prawns
handfull of beansprouts
2 spring onions (finely sliced)
2 teaspoons shrimp paste
2 tablespoons fresh coriander (chopped)
1 teaspoon vegetable oil
chilli oil (for drizzling)
1 small red chilli (seeded and finely sliced)
salt & pepper

DIRECTIONS:
Beat the eggs in a bowl, stir in the prawns, beansprouts, spring onions, shrimp paste and coriander. Season with salt & pepper. Bring a pan, 1/3 filled with water to the boil. Sit a heatproof bowl with a slightly wider width on top. Lightly oil it, then pour in the egg mixture and steam it for 5-10 minutes until it’s firm. Turn out the egg to a board and slice.

SERVING:
Arrange on a plate and drizzle with the chilli oil and sprinkle over red chillies and coriander. Serve hot or cold.

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This is an essential accompanyment with many East Asian cuisines. It’s a fiery little devil and should only be used in small quantities. But don’t be too afraid, it can really lift the simplest of dishes from a clear soup, to spring rolls, to a fried rice or noodle dish and EVERYTHING in between.

RECIPE:

INGREDIENTS:
4 red chillies
1 tablespoon shrimp paste
1 lime (juice of)
1 teaspoon sugar
2 kaffir lime leaves
1/4 teaspoon salt

DIRECTIONS:
Cut each chilli in half and remove and keep the seeds. Chop the chillies and set aside. In a dry frying pan, heat the shrimp paste till it becomes crumbly and dry. Add this to the chillies. Cut off and discard the stems from the lime leaves. Chop the remaining leaves and add to the chillies. With a hand blender, in a food processor or with a pestle & mortar blend the chillies into a smooth paste. Add the sugar and half the seeds and blend a little more. Add the remaining seeds, lime juice and salt and stir well. Leave for at least an hour to let the flavours settle together.

SERVING:
As an accompanyment to anything Malaysian, Thai, Vietnamese, Cambodian, Laoation, Indonesian etc…

I’ve been looking for something to do with some minute steaks we bought on a whim about a month ago. Other than… fried minute steaks, I was at a loss. Until I happened upon this recipe. It calls for thin strips of beef so was ideal. It’s another Cambodian curry, this time it’s a quick to prepare, no fuss curry. It’s a tasty combination of citrus flavours without being too tart. Yum.

RECIPE:

INGREDIENTS:
1 1/2 level tablespoons tamarind pulp
450g casserole beef (cut into thin strips)
2 large green chillies (chopped)
1 tablespoon fresh coriander
2 teaspoons ginger (minced)
1 stalk of lemon grass (chopped)
2 tablespoon peanut oil
1 onion (chopped)
2 garlic cloves (minced)
2 tablespoons fish sauce
1 teaspoon sugar
1 x 400g can coconut milk
150g eggplants (cut into 2.5cm cubes)
1 tablespoon lime juice
1 teaspoon lime zest

DIRECTIONS:
In a small mixing bowl, combine the tamarind pulp with 150ml boiling water and set aside. Meanwhile, in a food processor or with a hand blender, blend the chilli, coriander, ginger and lemon grass to form a paste.
Heat the oil in a large pan or wok over a moderate temperature and fry the onion and garlic for about 3-4 minutes until soft and lightly browned. Add the paste and continue frying for a further 3-4 minutes. Add the beef and stir fry for another 3-4 minutes. Add the fish sauce, sugar, tamarind water and finally the coconut milk and stir well. Bring to the boil, reduce the heat slightly, and simmer gently for 25 minutes. Add the eggplant, lime juice and lime zest and simmer for 5-7 minutes until the eggplant has softened. Remove from heat.

SERVING:
Serve with plain boiled rice.

I’m very excited about my trip to Cambodia in December, so much so, that I’ve already started to look at what I’m going to be eating when I’m there. This is a lovely delicate curry which is their most popular dish. The original recipe didn’t contain any heat so I added a little chilli powder to make it more memorable.

RECIPE:

INGREDIENTS:
1 kg chicken thighs
1/2 cup fresh ginger (thinly sliced)
1/4 cup fresh lemongrass (chopped)
1 teaspoon chilli powder
1 1/2 tablespoons fish sauce
1 tablespoon white wine vinegar
1 teaspoon grated lime zest
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 teaspoon ground turmeric
5 garlic cloves (chopped)
2 shallots (roughly chopped)
4 tablespoons peanut oil
1 cup chicken stock
1 cup coconut milk
1 teaspoon sugar
1 tablespoon fresh lime juice

DIRECTIONS:
In a food processor or with a hand blender, blend the ginger, lemon grass, chilli powder, fish sauce, vinegar, lime zest, salt, pepper and turmeric into a smooth paste.
Heat a large pan or wok over a medium heat and fry the paste for 2-3 minutes. Add the chicken and stir continuously for 4-5 minutes. Add the stock, sugar and coconut milk. Bring to the boil, reduce the heat to low and simmer gently for 45 minutes until the chicken is tender. Remove from heat.

SERVING:
Serve with steamed rice.