123 lines
4.5 KiB
Plaintext
123 lines
4.5 KiB
Plaintext
FOODCURRIESCURRYTHAIRICEHERBSHEALTHVEGETARIANEASTERNRECIPE
|
||
HERBAL CURRIES
|
||
|
||
|
||
|
||
Herbal Curries
|
||
--------------
|
||
|
||
Herbs of course are not just for medicine. They are used all over
|
||
the world for their colours and flavours and are an indispensible
|
||
part of a fine meal. Here's a chance, courtesy of Nettie Cronish
|
||
(the Vegetarian Gourmet!), to try an authentic Far Eastern
|
||
recipe. Good luck!
|
||
|
||
Curries
|
||
|
||
We consider curries native to India and do not realize how many
|
||
different types there are. There seems to be many misconceptions
|
||
about curries in general. Curry is a fashion of cooking: a
|
||
process whereby meats, fish, vegetables or even fruit are cooked
|
||
in varying combinations of ground herbs and spices, (known as
|
||
curry pastes), to produce a stew like dish. All dishes that are
|
||
hot and spicy are not curries, nor are all curries fiery hot.
|
||
Curry powder is an amalgam of some "Indian" spices best applied
|
||
to the flavorings of curry dips and dishes where a hint of curry
|
||
influence is desired.
|
||
|
||
In a Thai curry, the proportion of solids to liquid is small. As
|
||
they are always eaten over large mounds of steamed rice, just a
|
||
few solids suffice and the flavour of the spicy, highly flavored
|
||
gravy is extended by the bland rice.
|
||
|
||
Curry pastes should be a marvelous, aromatic mixture of freshly
|
||
ground herbs and spices. When preparing a curry paste, it is
|
||
preferable to first use a mortar and pestle with the hard fibrous
|
||
ingredients rather than including them with other ingredients in
|
||
a food processor or blender. The pounding of the pestle crushes
|
||
the husks and fibers releasing the oils and juices, whereas the
|
||
processor and blender merely cut the spices.
|
||
|
||
For the modern kitchen cook with no time to spare, a food
|
||
processor in conjunction with an electric spice or coffee type
|
||
grinder can be used. This does not however eliminate the
|
||
requirement for a mortar and pestle. For mashing moist herbs like
|
||
lemon grass, garlic and shallots there is no substitute. However,
|
||
the whole dried spices (chilies, cloves), give out their best
|
||
aroma when pulverized by a good grinder. When you are preparing a
|
||
paste, single out the hard and dried spices and pound or grind
|
||
them first before proceeding further.
|
||
|
||
RED CURRY PASTE.
|
||
14 medium, dried red chilies, seeded or 1 tbs. ground red chili
|
||
powder (cayenne).
|
||
2 shallots, minced.
|
||
1 tsp. caraway seeds or 1 tsp. ground caraway.
|
||
1 tbs. whole coriander seeds or 1 tbs. ground.
|
||
8 pieces galangal root (Laos), chopped or powdered.
|
||
2 tbs coriander roots, minced.
|
||
1 tsp, salt.
|
||
1 lime peel, finely chopped.
|
||
1 stalk lemon grass, minced.
|
||
1 tsp. whole black peppercorns or 1 tsp. freshly ground black
|
||
pepper.
|
||
1/2 tsp. kaffir lime powder (pew makrut) or substitute 1 bay
|
||
leaf.
|
||
1 tbs. garlic, minced.
|
||
4 tbs. vegetable oil.
|
||
|
||
Method.
|
||
|
||
1. Place the whole dried spices (chilies, caraway, coriander,
|
||
galangal root and peppercorns) in an electric spice grinder or
|
||
mortar and grind or pound to a powder. Omit this step if ground
|
||
spices are used. Empty this powder into the food processor and
|
||
add the remaining ingredients, including the oil, and process or
|
||
pound to a smooth, even paste.
|
||
|
||
Now that you've got this part together here comes the recipe for
|
||
the meal!
|
||
|
||
THAI FRIED CURRIED RICE Serves 6
|
||
|
||
3 tbs. safflower oil.
|
||
2 tbs. red curry paste.
|
||
8 oz. broccoli, steamed.
|
||
1 cup cauliflower, steamed.
|
||
2 lbs. cooked long grain rice (2 cups).
|
||
2 tbs. finely chopped shallots.
|
||
2 red chilies, seeded and finely chopped.
|
||
2 medium onions, finely chopped.
|
||
1 tbs. lemon or lime juice.
|
||
1 tbs. soya sauce.
|
||
|
||
Method
|
||
|
||
1. Heat the oil in a wok or large frying pan and stir the curry
|
||
paste for 3 minutes. Add the steamed vegetables and stir fry
|
||
until well heated through. Add the rice, mix well and continue to
|
||
stir fry until heated through. Transfer to a serving dish.
|
||
|
||
2. Sprinkle shallots over the top with chilies.
|
||
|
||
3. Sprinkle with chopped onions, lemon juice and soya sauce
|
||
before serving.
|
||
|
||
------------------------------------------------------------------
|
||
This Article is taken from The Herbalist, newsletter of the
|
||
Botanic Medicine Society. COPYRIGHT Dec 1988.
|
||
|
||
Membership in the Society is $25.00 Canadian per year. You
|
||
receive four copies of the Journal each year and help to promote
|
||
herbalism and botanic medicine throughout Canada.
|
||
|
||
THE SOCIETY HAS NO PAID OFFICIALS and is run entirely by
|
||
volunteers from among the membership.
|
||
|
||
If you would like more info please write:
|
||
Botanic Medicine Society.
|
||
P.O. Box 82. Stn. A.
|
||
Willowdale, Ont. CANADA.
|
||
M2N 5S7.
|
||
-----------------------------------------------------------------
|
||
|