Pineapple Duck Curry

Ingredients

serves Serves 4-6, active time 20 minutes, total time 30 minutes

• 1 tablespoon high-heat cooking oil
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 1 teaspoon minced galangal or fresh ginger
• 1 fresh hot red or green chili, preferably Thai (deseeded for less heat), finely sliced
• 3 tablespoons thick red curry paste
• 2 tablespoons fish sauce (nam pla)
• 2 tablespoons palm or brown sugar
• 2 kaffir lime leaves, torn in half (optional)
• 8 ounces (250 g) roast Chinese duck, thinly sliced
• 1 Asian eggplant, cut in half lengthwise and then sliced crosswise into wedges
• 2 cups (500 ml) coconut milk
• 1 cup (250 ml) chicken stock
• 1 1/2 cups (337 g) diced fresh pineapple
• 8 small cherry or grape tomatoes, halved
• 4 tablespoons fresh Thai or Italian basil leaves
• 4 tablespoons fresh coriander leaves (cilantro)
• 4 tablespoons fresh mint leaves

Procedures

1. Heat the oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Add the garlic, ginger, and chili and stir-fry until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Reduce heat to medium and add the thick red curry paste, stirring to break it up, about 1 minute. Add the fish sauce, palm sugar, and kaffir lime leaves, if using, and cook for 2 minutes, while stirring to combine.
   
2. Add the duck, eggplant, coconut milk, and chicken stock and bring to a gentle boil. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer for 5 minutes. Add the pineapple and cherry tomatoes, simmer for 2 more minutes. Add the basil, fresh coriander leaves, and mint leaves; cook for 30 seconds or until basil is wilted. Dish out and serve immediately with jasmine rice.

Fiery Indian Shrimp Curry

Special equipment
Mortar and pestle or spice mill

Ingredients

serves Serves 4, active time 25 minutes, total time 45 minutes

• For the Spice Blend:
• 1 teaspoon coriander seed
• 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
• 1 teaspoon black peppercorns
• 1/2 teaspoon cloves
• 1/4 teaspoon whole mustard seeds
• 3 to 4 coriander pods
• 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon ground turmeric
•  
• For the Curry:
• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 6 serrano chiles, stemmed and sliced lengthwise
• 5 garlic cloves, finely chopped (about 5 teaspoons)
• 1 tablespoon peeled ginger, minced
• 1 medium onion, chopped (about 1 cup)
• Kosher salt
• 1 (14.5 ounce) can coconut milk
• 1 cup plain yogurt
• 1 cup homemade or store-bought low sodium chicken broth
• 2 pounds raw shrimp, peeled and deveined
• 1/2 cup chopped fresh tomatoes
• 2 bay leaves
• 1/4 cup minced fresh cilantro
• 3 cups cooked white rice

Procedures

1. For the Spice Blend: Heat a heavy skillet over medium heat and gently toast coriander seeds, cumin seeds, peppercorns, cloves, mustard seeds, and cardamom pods, leaving seeds in the pods. Remove from heat when fragrant, about 1 minute. Remove cardamom seeds from pods and discard pods. Transfer toasted spices to a mortar and add ground ginger, cinnamon and turmeric. Grind into a fine blend using a pestle. Alternately, use a spice mill or coffee grinder to get grind.
   
2. For the Curry: Heat oil in a medium stockpot over medium heat until shimmering. Add chiles, garlic, ginger, and onion, and cook, stirring until fragrant and chiles and onions start to soften, about 1 minute. Reduce heat to medium and add 2 tablespoons curry blend and 1 teaspoon salt, coconut milk, yogurt and chicken broth and bring to a simmer.
   
3. Add shrimp and cook, uncovered, stirring, until just cooked through, 3 to 4 minutes. Add tomatoes and heat through. Taste and adjust seasonings, as needed. Remove and discard bay leaves. Season to taste with more curry blend and salt. Sprinkle with cilantro leaves and serve immediately with rice.

Tamarind Fish Curry

Ingredients

serves Serves 2, active time 20 minutes, total time 20 minutes

• 4 fillets king fish (or any firm fleshed sea fish) about 6 ounces each
• 1 teaspoon turmeric powder
• Kosher salt
• 11/2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 3 medium cloves garlic sliced fine
• 6 curry leaves
• 1 1/2 teaspoon red chilli powder
• 1 teaspoon coriander powder
• 2 teaspoons cumin powder
• 1 teaspoon toasted and ground fennel seeds
• 1 tablespoon tamarind soaked in 1 1/2 cup water
• 2 teaspoons rice flour dissolved in 1/4 cup water

Procedures

1. In a bowl, toss fish with turmeric and salt. Meanwhile, heat oil in a medium saucepan over medium-low heat until shimmering. Add garlic and stir until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add curry leaves and stir until fragrant, about 30 seconds longer. Reduce heat to low. In quick succession, add red chilli powder, coriander powder, cumin powder, and fennel powder, and stir until fragrant, about 1 minute (take care not to burn the spices. Add a few teaspoons of water if you smell burning and stir it vigorously).
   
2. Add the fish to the spiced oil mixture and stir gently to coat the fish with the oil. Let this infuse for about 10 seconds. Add the tamarind soaked water and gently stir the mixture to combine. Cover and bring to a boil. Once at a boil add the rice flour dissolved in water and stir. Allow to simmer uncovered for 1 minute then remove from heat. Serve hot with white rice and papadums.

Ultimate Chicken Curry (Tamatar Murghi)

Ingredients

serves Serves 4, active time 45 minutes, total time 45 minutes

• Raghavan's Blend
• 2 tablespoons coriander seeds
• 1 tablespoon cumin seeds
• 2 teaspoons black or yellow mustard seeds
• 1 teaspoon black peppercorns
• 1/2 teaspoon whole cloves
• 12 to 15 dried red cayenne chiles (like chiles de arbol), stems discarded
• 1 teaspoon ground turmeric
•  
• Curry
• 2 tablespoons canola oil
• 1 small onion, coarsely chopped
• 4 medium-size cloves garlic, coarsely chopped
• 4 pieces fresh ginger (each about the size and thickness of a 25-cent coin; no need to peel the skin), coarsely chopped
• 2 teaspoons Raghavan’s Blend (above) or store-bought Madras curry powder
• 1/2 cup canned diced tomatoes with their juices
• 1/2 cup half-and-half
• 1 1/2 pounds skinless, boneless chicken breasts, cut into 2-inch cubes
• 1 teaspoon coarse kosher or sea salt
• 2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh cilantro leaves and tender stems

Procedures

1. To make the spice blend: Place the coriander, cumin, mustard seeds, peppercorns, cloves, and chiles in a spice grinder (you can also use a coffee grinder) and grind them to the consistency of finely ground black pepper. Stir in the turmeric, which will yellow the spice blend with its characteristic sunny bright disposition. Store the spice blend in a tightly sealed container, away from excess light, heat, and humidity, for up to 3 months.
   
2. To make the curry: Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Once the oil appears to shimmer, add the onion, garlic, and ginger and stir-fry until the onion is light caramel brown around the edges, 4 to 5 minutes.
   
3. Sprinkle the spice blend into the skillet and stir to mix. Let the spices roast in the onion medley until the aromas dramatically change, 10 seconds. Pour in the tomatoes and stir once or twice. Lower the heat and simmer the chunky sauce, uncovered, stirring occasionally, until the tomato pieces soften, the excess moisture evaporates, and some of the oils in the spices start to dot the edge of the sauce, 5 to 7 minutes.
   
4. Pour the half-and-half into the skillet and scrape the bottom once or twice to release any bits of onion, garlic, and ginger, effectively deglazing the skillet and releasing those flavors back into the sauce. Transfer the chunky curry to a blender. Holding the lid down, puree the curry until it is slightly curdled looking but smooth, and saffron orange-hued.
   
5. Return the sauce to the skillet and stir in the chicken and salt. Simmer the curry, covered, over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally, until the chicken, when cut with a fork or knife, is cooked through, no longer pinkish-red, and its juices run clear, 12 to 15 minutes.
   
6. Sprinkle the cilantro on top of the chicken curry and serve.