curry Archives - Buth Kuddeh

Pork Thiyal

Paul van Reyk — Thu, 19 Aug 2021 11:07:39 +0000

Pork thiyal is an unctuous sour curry y in a light gravy with no coconut milk. The souring agent is goroka, the dried segments of the fruit of Garcinia gummi-gutta – a.k.a.gamboge – used as a souring agent in Sri Lanka and Southern Indian curries, particularly pork and fish curries. If you can’t get goroka you can substitute vinegar as in the recipe instructions. The sourness works brilliantly to cut the greasiness of the pork used – and please, do use fatty pork like ribs or belly.

Pork Thiyal

A tangy richly fatty pork curry

Course Main Course

Cuisine Sri Lankan

Keyword curry, pork, thiyal

Prep Time 45

Cook Time 45

Servings 4

Equipment

Kitchen knife or meat cleaver
Small bowl
Mortar and pestle or coffee grinder
Saucepan
Jug or other container for water
Cooking spoon or wooden spoon

Ingredients

500 gm pork You want plenty of good fat on the bone so ribs or belly are excellent. The thiyal has to be unctuous – that nice fatty texture..
1 tsp red chillies You can use fresh or crushed dried or substitute a tsp of ground chillie powder
50 gm brown or red onion or shallot
4 cloves garlic
3 thin slices ginger
2 sprigs curry leaves
1 tsp turmeric powder
1 tsp fenugreek seeds Optional if you can't get it
6 pieces goroka (also called gamboge) If you can't find this use vinegar as described in the method below
water
salt
3 tbsp vegetable or canola cooking oil

Instructions

If you are using goroka soak the pieces in a bowl of water for 30 – 45 minutes before you began preparing the thiyal
Chop the pork into pieces about the size of the first knuckle of your thumb
Chop the fresh chillie into small pieces – if you are using a fresh one
Chop the onion into small pieces
Chop the garlic into small pieces
Chop the ginger into thin matchsticks
Pour three tablespoons of oil into a saucepan on the stove
Add the onion to the saucepan and saute till the pieces are very soft
Add the garlic and ginger to the saucepan and saute for a minute or two
Strip the leaflets off the sprigs of curry leaves and add them to the saucepan. Saute till the leaves wilt a little. Be careful – sometimes curry leaves will spit oil out of the pan as they cook
Add the turmeric powder and the fenugreek seeds if you are using the seeds, Stir the spices for a minute with a cooking or wooden spoon
Add all the pork into the pan and let it turn just from pink to brown. Stir the pork every now and then to mix the spices through it and brown it all over
Add the goroka and the water it was soaking in to the saucepan. If you are not using goroka, add two tablespoons of vinegar at this point
Add water into the saucepan enough to just cover the pork
Bring the mixture to the boil, cover with a lid
After about half an hour have a look into the saucepan and check how much liquid there is. If it is below the level of the pork, add water again to bring the level back to just cover the pork. You can also test a piece of pork to see how it is cooking. You want the pork to be tender. If it is let the added water heat up and mix it well with the pork and spices. Serve when the gravy is hot
If the pork isn't tender at 30 minutes, put the lid back on and cook for another 15 minutes and check again. You may have to do this a couple of times depending on the quality of the pork. You may also have to top up the water each time. When the pork is tender it's ready to serve

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Pindun Fish Curry

Paul van Reyk — Sun, 22 Mar 2020 10:41:31 +0000

This is adapted from Hilda Deutrom’s recipe in her foundational Ceylon Daily News Cookbook.

Pindun Fish Curry

A fish curry using roasted spices

Course Main Course

Cuisine Sri Lankan

Keyword curry, fish

Prep Time 30

Cook Time 30

Servings 4 people

Equipment

Kitchen knife
Bowl
Teaspoon
Wok or deep frypan
Slotted spoon
Kitchen paper/ absorbent paper
Tray or plate
Saucepan
Measuring jug
Wooden spoon

Ingredients

1 kg fish - scaled and boned You want fish that gives you good thickish chunks and holds its shape when cooking.
1/2 tsp turmeric powder
1/2 tsp salt
3 grinds pepper
500 ml cooking oil
50 g onion Small red onions are excellent, or shallots, but any onion will do
2 cloves garlic
2 thin slices ginger
1 sprig curry leaves
2 tsp roasted spice mix See recipe on this site
1/4 tsp fenugreek seeds Optional
5 cm stick of cinnamon
5 cm stalk of lemongrass
1 or 2 red chillies
1 tsp tamarind extract Optional. You can substitute a lime
500 ml thick coconut milk
1 tsp white vinegar

Instructions

Cut the fish into bite size chunks.
Put the fish in a bowl. Add 1/2 tsp turmeric, 1/2 tsp salt, 3 grinds pepper. Mix this all together till the fish chuks are coated in the spices.
Put the 500 ml of cooking oil in the wok and turn the neat up high on the stove. Let it heat up for 3 or 4 minutes. Test the oil is ready by putting a piece of fish into it. If it sizzles and bubbles, it's ready. If not let it heat up a couple of minutes more and see if a piece of fish sizzles. It should by now. If not you may need to urn up the heat
Deep fry the fish in small batches for 1 minute per batch.
While the first batch of fish is frying line a baking tray or a plate with some kitchen/absorbent paper.
As each batch of fish is fried, lift it out with a slotted spoon and put it on the kitchen/absorbent paper which will absorb some of the oil.
Your fried fish should look something like this - lightly golden in colour.
Get some more sheets of kitchen/absorbent paper and cover the fish with it. This is to soak up some of the oil from the top side of the fried fish.
Chop 50 gm of onion, 2 cloves of garlic and 2 thin slices of ginger into small pieces.
Strip the leaflets off the curry leaf sprig.
Chop the lemongrass stalk into a few pieces.
Put 3 or 4 tablespoons of the oil you have fried the fish in into a sauce on a high heat on the stove.
Add to the saucepan the 50 gms chopped onion, the 2 cloves of garlic chopped, the 2 thin slices of ginger chopped and the leaflets of curry leaves. Let this cook for 1 or 2 minutes.
Add to the saucepan the roasted spices, cinnamon stick, lemongrass, fenugreek seeds, and let this all cook for 1 or 3 minutes.
Chop the chillies very small and add them to the saucepan.
Add the 500 ml thick coconut milk to the saucepan.
Add the teaspoon of tamarind extract. If using a lime, cut it in half and squeeze the juice of half of it into the saucepan.
Add 1 tsp white vinegar to the saucepan.
Bring this to the boil, turn it down till it is simmering and let it cook for 15 minutes.
Take the kitchen/absorbent paper off the fried fish and add it to the saucepan.
Let the fish cook in the sauce for 5 minutes. It is now ready to serve.

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Prawn curry 2#

Paul van Reyk — Sat, 14 Mar 2020 09:54:59 +0000

This is my take on the classic Sri Lankan dish. I make it with prawns still in their shell, which I peel and use to make a stock that adds to the intensity of the prawny flavour of the final dish. You can also make the dish using pre-peeled prawns, but never make the dish using pre-cooked prawns.

Prawn Curry 2#

A richly flavoured dish that is the essence of the sea

Course Main Course

Cuisine Sri Lankan

Keyword curry, prawns

Prep Time 1

Cook Time 30

Servings 3

Equipment

2 bowls
2 small saucepans
Kitchen knife
kitchen scales
Measuring jug
Blender
strainer or sieve
wooden or other kitchen spoon
serving bowl
serving spoon

Ingredients

500 gms prawns in their shell You can use peeled prawns. If you skip the recipe steps for making prawn stock
i pinch salt
1 grind pepper
1 tsp coriander seeds
1 tsp fennel seeds
50 gms brown onion
2 cloves garlic
1 inch ginger
4 tbsp vegetable oil
1 sprig curry leaves
1 tsp turmeric powder
2 tsp unroasted curry powder See recipe on this site
5 cm stick cinnamon
1 or 2 small red chillies
150 gms canned tomato pulp or diced fresh tomatoes
150 ml thick coconut milk
1 lime

Instructions

Peel and devein 500 gms prawns if using prawns in their shell. if you are using peeled prawns skip the next five steps and got straight to the steps beginning with chopping the onion.
If you haven't peeled prawns before, here's what you do. First grab the prawn with the index finger and thumb of one hand while holding the body of the prawn in the other. Now twist off the head of the prawn. Put it in one of the bowls. Now use your fingers to prise open the prawn shell along its legs - it should come off easily in one piece if the prawns are fresh. Put this also in the bowl with the head. You will see a little black thread sticking out the end of the prawn's flesh where the head was. That is the pawns gut - also called the vein. You can easily pull this out with your fingers. Don't worry of it breaks. There is nothing wrong with having a bit of prawn gut left in the body of the prawn when you cook it.
Your prawns should look like this.
Put the prawn heads and shells in a saucepan with enough water to just cover them.
Add a pinch of salt, one grind of pepper, 1 tsp coriander seeds and 1 tsp fennel seeds to the pan with the prawn shells.
Put this on the stove. Bring it to the boil. Leave it to simmer for 15 minutes.
While the prawn shells are simmering go on to the next steps. If you are using shelled prawns, this is where you start your preparation of the curry.
Roughly chop 50 gms onion into small pieces.
Roughly chop 1 clove garlic into small pieces like the onion.
Peel a 1 inch piece of ginger and chop it into small pieces too.
Put 4 tbsp vegetable oil into a saucepan and put the pan on the stove.
Let the oil heat up for a minute or so then add the 50 gms chopped onion to the oil.
Now add the chopped clove of garlic and chopped 1 inch piece of ginger,
Let these ingredients cook in the oil for a minute or so.
Now add the leaflets stripped of 1 curry leaf sprig. Careful, they might cause the oil to spit so toss them in and stand back..
Add 1 teaspoon of turmeric powder.
Add 2 tsps of unroasted curry powder.
Add the 5 cm stick of cinnamon. Let all of this cook on a low heat, stirring every now and then to stop it burning. Take the saucepan off the stove after 2 or 3 minutes.
By now, the prawn shells that have been boiling should be nice and pink.
Pour off the water from the prawn shells into a bowl.
Put the prawn shells into a blender and blend them till they form a wet paste.
Pour this paste into the water from the prawn shells.
Pour this mixture into a measuring jug through a strainer or sieve.
Add 150 mls of this prawn stock to the saucepan with the cooked spices. If you have less than 150 mls top it up with water.
Add 150 gms of canned tomato pulp or finely cut fresh tomatoes to the saucepan with the stock and spices.
Add 1 or 2 red chillies chopped very very small.
Add 150 ml of thick coconut milk to the saucepan.
Add the shelled prawns (either those you shelled yourself or those you bought already) to the saucepan with all the liquids and spices.
Bring the liquid to a boil on the stove, turn it down to a simmer, and lets the prawns cook for 15 to 20 minutes.
Just before you serve the prawn curry, squeeze half a lime into the curry. You can also decorate the curry with some lime slices or wedges.

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Round Zucchini White Curry

Paul van Reyk — Wed, 27 Nov 2019 00:31:43 +0000

This is a dish in the Sri Lankan ‘white curry’ style – that is, it uses unroasted spices. You can use the same basic gravy recipe for other vegetables – potato, cauliflower, pumpkin, mixed vegetables, all work well with the white curry gravy.

Round Zucchini White Curry

Small round zucchini's in an unroasted spice gravy

Course Main Course

Cuisine Sri Lankan

Keyword white curry, zucchini

Prep Time 15

Cook Time 45

Total Time 1

Servings 4

Author Paul van Reyk

Equipment

Bamboo skewer or thin metal skewer or fork
Kitchen knife
Tablespoon (tbsp)
Teaspoon (tsp)
Spice grinder or coffee bean grinder or mortar and pestle
Measuring jug
Saucepan
Wooden spoon

Ingredients

8 small round zucchinis
50 gms onion or shallot
1 tbsp coriander seeds
1/2 tbsp cumin seeds
1/2 tbsp fennel seeds
1/4 tbsp fenugreek seeds
1 tsp turmeric
1 clove garlic
1 sprig curry leaves
1 or 2 green or red chillies
1 tsp black mustard seeds
1 stick cinnamon (about 8 - 10 cm long)
500 mls thick coconut milk
1 lime
1 pinch salt
4 tbsp vegetable oil

Instructions

Prick the 8 small round zucchinis all over with the bamboo skewer (or metal skewer or fork). This is to let a little of the curry gravy to seep into the zucchini as they cook. Set them aside.
Grind the 1 tbsp coriander seeds, 1/2 tbsp cumin seeds, 1/2 tbsp fennel seeds and 1/4 tbsp fenugreek as fine as you can. Use a mortar and pestle. a fit-for-purpose spice grinder or a coffee been grinder.
Chop the 50 gms onion or shallot into small pieces.
Chop the 1 or 2 green or red chillies into small pieces.
Make the 500 ml coconut milk by mixing 4 tablespoons of powdered coconut milk in 500 ml hot water. If using canned coconut milk mix 2 tablespoons in the hot water.
Pour the oil in the saucepan and let it heat up a little.
Add the onion or shallot and cook them till they soften.
Add the mustard seed, garlic, chilli and turmeric.
Strip the leaves from the curry leaf sprig and add them to the pan.
Add the ground spices.
Add the cinnamon stick.
Fry this all up for a minute or two, moving it around gently with the wooden spoon.
Add the coconut milk.
Add a pinch of salt.
Bring the gravy to a simmer and let it simmer for 5 minutes.
Add the zucchini. If the gravy doesn't cover the zucchini that's fine. You can turn them over half way through the cooking.
Cook on a gentle heat for 30 mines or until the zucchini skin can easily be pierced by the skewer of fork.
Just before serving squeeze the lime over the zucchini and gravy.

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