Curry- get lost in the flavor
Curry or curry powder is a spice most of us know, use and love. But have you ever tried making your own? It is easier than you might think and it promotes your dish to absolutely new levels. Curry powder is a spice mix used mostly in Asian cuisine. What spices are used depends on dish, region and also the person making the dish, therefore the mix can be as unique as the chef is. I believe that by making their own curry chefs put a bit of their personality into it making the dish even better. Most sold curry mixtures either contain too much spices eclipsing each other, or only few spices with mostly turmeric and salt. Making your own curry is very easy so I think everybody loving this spice should try it. I am just an amateur cook but I will try to share with you what I discovered through my journey. I will post one curry powder mixture and one recipe using it at a time.
I was inspired by animated series about cooking Food Wars if you like cooking and Japanese Anime try it and you will like it trust me. To create your own curry you just mix specific spices with each other in correct rate. You can buy spices that are already grounded or grind them yourself, I do that and it is a lot of fun you do workout at the same time and the curry tastes better :D. To grind the spices you need mortar and pestle they can be bought nearly anywhere. Just put spices inside and use your muscles but grind only small amount of individual spices at a time. Then pour the grinded spice in small strainer, repeat until the spice is mostly grounded.
Main spices used in curry
curry leaf
turmeric
cardamom
clove
star anise
coriander seeds
fennel seeds
nutmeg
cumin, cinnamon, pepper, mustard seeds, ginger and chili
Today’s curry powder pairs well with ingredients with sweat and acidic flavor mainly tomatoes, pumpkins, onions and is good in burgers or burger buns paired with pickles.
For curry combine (grounded spices)
5 tea spoons cardamom
3 tea spoons cinnamon
2 tea spoons coriander seeds
2 tea spoons fennel seeds
1,5 tea spoons cloves
1 tea spoon nutmeg
chili- this depends mostly on you I like spicy food so I grind two small but really strong dried chilis
Using this curry powder I created a recipe with corn and tomatoes, it is sweat, spice and sour curry dish which anyone can make.
Ingredients
3 whole sweat corn ears
300 g tomatoes
1 smaller pumpkin
2 limes
our curry powder
red curry paste
2 chilis Butter
2 cans of coconut milk or cream
chicken or not if you want vegetarian version
With a knife cut the corn off the ears start at one end and continue down the whole ear. Chop tomatoes, pumpkin and chicken into small pieces about 1-2 cm big. In a bigger pot melt butter add about 5 tea spoons of curry powder, 3-4 tea spoons of curry paste and 1 chopped chili. Stir and let simmer for few minutes then add corn, tomatoes and pumpkin. Stir for 5-10 minutes then pour coconut milk in the pot use one can if you need use some of the second but always keep some to adjust the flavor. Squeeze one lime into the mixture and let slowly boil after maybe 15 minutes try it. To adjust the flavor add chili, curry powder or lime that only depends on you preferences if it is to spice add some coconut milk. If you want with chicken in a pan melt butter and add 1-2 teaspoons of curry powder and also sprinkle some on the chicken. Put the chicken in pan and stir until all pieces are not pink. When most of the liquid from the mixture evaporates, at least 30 minutes, add chicken into the mixture and let boil for 10 minutes. Then pour everything through strainer if the remaining liquid is too watery put it in a sauce pot and boil until thickens if necessary add bit of corn starch. Serve in a bowl alone or with rice pour the sauce on top and enjoy. :)
(I am very sorry I do not have my own pictures but it looks similar to this only with thicker sauce)
I hope I gave you some inspiration in this amazing world of curry, if you have any questions ask and see you next time.
Image sources: http://www.livingbetter50.com