lurkitty

This week has been about curry. I learned to make curry from a Thai person. Jiraporn stayed in the US for 9 years finishing her Master's and PhD in Fisheries Management. The only reason she was in fisheries was because she showed up for the test on the wrong day. You see, in the Thai system, you take a placement test to go to whatever college program you want. She wanted cooking. She passed the fisheries exam with flying colors and was sent to America. She is a good Buddhist and accepted her fate. She is also a great cook. Her life is filled with hard luck -- that often makes for great curry. You may not realize this, but passion is one of the main ingredients.

A friend of mine had a curry party on Friday. We were all to make our best curry. So, for your edification, I present: How to Make Curry
( First, gather the ingredients. )
Tuesday:
Green Curry Paste
1 tsp coriander seeds
1/2 tsp cumin seeds
1/2 tsp black peppercorns
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp finely chopped galangal root , skin removed (can substitute ginger)
3 Tbsp finely chopped lemongrass -- bottom 1/3 only (use the top for tea!)
1 tsp grated kaffir lime peel (can substitute lime peel)
2 Tbsp chopped cilantro root
2 Tbsp finely chopped shallots
1 Tbsp chopped garlic
1 tsp finely chopped tumeric, skin removed (can substitute powdered)
20 thai green peppers

Large mortar and pestle

Place the coriander, cumin seeds, and pepper in a frying pan and roast until seeds are brown.
( Do not burn! )
Place the browned spices and salt in the mortar and pestle and( grind until completely crushed. )Add the rest of the ingredients and grind to liquify. Add water if necessary.( Should make a paste. )
Friday:
The curry paste has had some time to settle in the fridge. Curry dishes should be fresh. Thai people don't generally eat leftovers. They make get things at the market or at the restaurant the day they eat them, so I ran home from work and made Green Curry with Seitan:

2 cans coconut milk
8oz Seitan (tofu or chicken)
4 Tbsp green curry paste
1 1/2 cups pea pods
2 Tbsp palm sugar ( can substitute sucanat or brown sugar)
1 Tbsp soy sauce (or 2 Tbsp fish sauce if not veggie)
2 kaffir lime leaves, torn, stem discarded
1 cup thai basil leaves
1 large green chili, sliced
1 large red chili, sliced

Skim the thick coconut milk off the top off the top of both cans and reserve 2 Tbsp for garnish later. Place the thick coconut milk in a dry wok and fry until the oil separates. Add the curry paste and fry for another 2 minutes. Add the seitan and cook until it starts to thicken, then the thin coconut milk and peapods and simmer until the peapods turn bright green. Add the palm sugar slowly along the side of the wok so it melts, and the soy sauce, kaffir lime leaves ,half the basil leaves, and the chilis. Garnish with the remaining basil leaves and coconut milk.
( This varies in heat with the peppers. )