In Sri Lanka we had rotti and tender jackfruit dry sabzi from a road side shack. My husband liked it very much. Yesterday he asked me to make the same preparation as there was tender jackfruit at home.
Since I had watched our Sri Lankan host while cooking at her house, I have a basic idea of Sri Lankan cooking. So I ventured to prepare it, with some trepidation. And I was so happy when I got a five star rating from my better half!
Ingredients:
2 cups of skinned, pressure cooked (for 4 minutes), and shredded tender jackfruit
1 large onion thinly sliced
1 twig of curry leaves
2 dried red chillies, broken into two
2 tbsps of mustard oil
1 bay leaf
½ tsp cumin
½ tsp fenugreek seeds
¼ tsp crushed pepper
¼ tsp red chilli powder
Salt to taste
Instruction:
Heat the oil, when it starts smoking, add the bay leaf, jeera, fenugreek seeds, and crushed pepper
Add the sliced onion and curry leaves, reduce the flame and keep stirring.
When the onion lightly browns, add the shredded jackfruit, salt and red chilli powder.
I had Bali vegetable curry and rice for the first time at the Jimbaran beach. Sitting on the beach on a warm day and having this lunch was so soothing that I wanted to prepare it at home. And I succeeded in getting the exact taste. The flavor of this curry comes from garlic, galangal (which I brought from Bali), lime leaves, lemon grass bulb and stem portion, and of course coconut milk.
A wide variety of vegetables, sprouts and leaves can be added in this curry. You have to keep sautéing the vegetables starting with the one that needs maximum time to cook (like potatoes and carrots), gradually adding others one by one, and finally the leaves.
Ingredients:
1 Potato, 1 carrot, ½ cup green peas, ½ cup cauliflower pieces , 1 capsicum, ½ cup cut cabbage, 2 tbsps sprouts, ½ cup cut spring onion
1 inch piece of galangal cut into small pieces
6 flakes of garlic cut into pieces
3 pieces of 2 inch size lemon grass bulb and stem
2 lime leaves cut fine
1 tbsp oil
Salt to taste
2 ½ cups of coconut milk
Instructions
Heat the oil, add galangal and garlic. Sauté for some time and add lemon grass and lime leaves.
Start adding vegetables one by one- potato, carrot, green peas, cauliflower, capsicum, cabbage, sprouts, and finally the cut spring onion.
Steamed Barramundi fillet with Thai Coconut Curry, Basmati rice and sauteed vegetables
I love South East Asian food. Something about the flavors of lemon grass, Thai basil, Kafir lime, galangal, the wonderful leaves…. oh and how can I forget the coconut milk! Recently when I was searching for recipes, I came across this one. I was actually in the mood to eat Thai red curry, and was only looking for interesting options, but this one swept me off my feet. I just HAD to make it!
So I sent my guy scurrying down to get the stuff. And boy what a delight this was. I write this recipe more because I want to have it on hand at all times than any desire to share. Use the sauce as an accompaniment to vegetarian or non vegetarian meals. I served it on top of a Barramundi fillet.
Makes enough for 4
Time taken: 30 min
Ingredients
1 tbsp dark sesame oil
2 tbsp minced peeled fresh ginger
4 garlic cloves, minced
1 cup finely chopped red bell pepper
1 cup chopped scallions or spring onions
1 tsp garam masala or curry powder
2 tsp red curry paste
1/2 tsp ground cumin
4 tsp soy sauce
1 tbsp palm sugar
2 tsp Asian fish sauce (I used oyster sauce)
1 (14-ounce) can coconut milk
1/4 cup chopped fresh coriander or cilantro
Salt
Instructions
Heat oil in a wok, add ginger and garlic; cook 1 minute. Add bell pepper and scallions; cook for another couple of minutes.
Stir in curry powder, curry paste, and cumin; cook 1 minute.
Add soy sauce, sugar, Asian fish sauce, and coconut milk; bring to a simmer (do not boil).
Remove from heat; stir in cilantro or basil if using.
I’m sure this sort of dish exists already, but this one is something I just whipped up on a whim. I love peanut butter, and I felt like adding it to the curry. And voila, what a yummy dish it turned out to be. Just like the Thai red curry, this is a super quick dish as well.
Time Taken: 20 min
Serves 4
Ingredients
1 cup sliced halved zucchini
½ cup sliced halved carrots
1 cup broccoli florets
½ cup halved baby corn
1 cup sliced button mushrooms
½ cup water chestnuts (optional)
a handful of kafir lime, lemongrass & Thai basil leaves (optional)
1 can (14 oz/ 400 gm) or 2 cups coconut milk
2-3 tbsp peanut butter
1 tbsp Thai red curry paste
1 tbsp chopped galangal (substitute: ginger)
1 tbsp chopped garlic
2 tbsp sesame oil
Salt to taste, a pinch of sugar
Method
Heat the oil and sauté the galangal/ginger and garlic for a minute.
Add the vegetables in the order of time required for cooking. So that means the carrots go in first, the baby corn and zucchini after a couple of minutes, then broccoli and water chestnuts, and lastly mushrooms and leaves. Cover and cook until nearly done, 3-5 minutes.
Mix the peanut butter, ¼ cup coconut milk, Thai curry paste and add it to the vegetables.
Add the rest of the coconut milk, salt and sugar. Bring to a boil, take off the heat and serve.
It was during my visit to Thailand many, many years ago, that I fell in love with Thai curry. We ate it everyday, and when I got back to India, I figured a way to make it. We didn’t get curry pastes in those days, OR the recipes online, and I had to manage with substitutes.
And then it became popular and Thai restaurants sprung up all over the city. My favorite Thai curries have been at the Nobel House in Jayanagar 4th block, and in Yo China!. Making it at home is also very simple, so you don’t have to spend a lot of money every time you have a craving. I make it with whatever I have at home. So if you’re missing a few vegetables in the list, just increase the quantity of the others.
If you have a lemon bush at home, add those leaves to the curry, it adds magic. If you don’t, well, just sow the seeds of the next lemon you cut, and you’ll have a little bush in no time 😉 trust me, it’s worth it!
Time taken: 20 min
Serves: 4
Ingredients
1 cup sliced halved zucchini
½ cup sliced halved carrots
1 cup broccoli florets
½ cup halved baby corn
1 cup sliced button mushrooms
½ cup red bell pepper chopped in squares
½ cup water chestnuts (optional)
a handful of kafir lime, lemongrass & Thai basil leaves (optional)
1 can (14 oz/ 400gm) or 2 cups coconut milk
1 tbsp Thai red curry paste
1 tbsp corn flour
1 tbsp chopped galangal (substitute: ginger)
1 tbsp chopped garlic
2 tbsp sesame oil
Salt to taste, a pinch of sugar
Method
Heat the oil and sauté the galangal/ginger and garlic for a minute.
Throw the vegetables in, in the order of time required for cooking. So that means the carrots go in first, the baby corn, zucchini and bell pepper after a couple of minutes, then broccoli and water chestnuts, and lastly mushrooms and leaves. Cover and cook until nearly done, 3-5 minutes.
Mix the cornflour, ¼ cup coconut milk, Thai curry paste and add it to the vegetables.
Add the rest of the coconut milk, salt and sugar. Bring to a boil, take off the heat and serve.
Variation
For Thai chicken or prawn curry, substitute broccoli, baby corn and mushrooms with ½ kg prawns or skinless, boneless chicken. Also add 1 tbsp fish sauce along with the curry paste.
