leftover curry (wink)

I love curries and challenged myself to learn to cook it last year. It was a bumpy road (why, oh why?) but I finally became confident enough to share one with you. This was made of items I already had on hand and isn't based on any established recipe. This combo relies heavily on winter vegetables and mausman curry paste. Bon appetite!

Leftover Curry

1 T. grapeseed oil (or other high smoke point oil)

1 small onion, chopped (100 g)

1 large potato, chopped (285 g)

1 carrot, sliced (70 g)

1 inch ginger, grated (11 g)

4 large cloves garlic, minced (16 g)

1 c. coconut milk

1 c. water

50 g. curry paste, mausman

150 g. chickpeas, cooked

75 g. spinach, frozen

1-2 T. fish sauce

2 T. honey

1. Open windows to get a cross breeze (my smoke detector usually goes off when making curry). Prepare all ingredients - dicing, mincing, and measuring. I like to use my mini chopper for garlic and ginger. You don't have much time when using a wok and need to prepare everything in advance!

2. Preheat wok. When hot add grapeseed oil (one of the highest temp oils) and 'roll' around interior of wok. Add onions and cook until soft. Add potatoes and carrots and cook until until browned. Add grated ginger and minced garlic (or using mini-chopper!). Cook briefly until scented.

3. Add coconut milk and an equal amount of water. Stir well and add curry paste. Stir to dissolve into liquid. Add chickpeas and spinach. Add fish sauce (which smells awful, but adds umami) and honey. Most recipes call for sugar, but I prefer honey. Simmer for 10-15 minutes, or until potatoes are cooked through. Serve with brown rice.

curied celery potage

This past weekend when I saw my CSA list for the week I thought, "very thanksgiving, but what am I going to do with that celery?" I like the crunch of celery, but usually use it in bits (and buy one or two stalk at a time) and just wasn't sure what to do with a whole bunch. All brilliant ideas are hatched just before we fall asleep and that's when I thought, 'celery potage'. I usually make this potage with celeriac and sweet potato but it can also be made with celery as a variation.

Curried Celery Potage

2 t. olive oil

1 onion, chopped

1 leak, washed and sliced

1 1/2 lb. celery, chopped (reserve leaves for garnish or include in soup)

1 T. curry powder

4 c. stock

8 oz. potatoes, washed and diced

1 T. garam masala

salt + pepper, as needed

Heat oil in soup pot and add onion, leek and celery. Cover and cook for about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add curry powder and cook for two more minutes. Add remaining ingredients and simmer for 20 minutes, or until all vegetables are tender. Blend with handblender (or by other method). Reheat until hot and serve.

potato and eggplant curry

Less than a year ago I decided I wanted to master curries. Especially my favorite: green curry. My first attempts didn't go well. I tried pre-made curry paste. I tried making my own curry sauce (inedible as the lemongrass was like wood chips). I tried Trader Joe's curry simmering sauce. I asked a friend, who makes awesome curry, to teach me. He suggested another pre-made curry paste that was sold at a small asian food store. I bought the paste. I helped him make curry and it turned out delicious, mouth watering-ly spicy. I went home and tried following his technique. I used the same ingredients. No luck. I kept trying and finally Sunday night I succeeded. I think I'm getting somewhere and I have renewed hope for green curry.

I used MAE PLOY's masman curry paste (and I didn't follow the recipe on the paste) with onion, eggplant, potatoes, carrots and chicken (also coconut milk, ginger, garlic, water, honey, basil, cilantro and fish sauce). As I continue to 'master' curries I will start to post some of my recipes.