Devil's curry

This recipe is based on the recipe from Leite's Culinaria website.  Devil’s curry is a classic Malaysian curry, made with a complex curry paste - lemongrass, dried chiles (that how you will control the heat) fresh ginger, turmeric.  It is loaded with satisfying chicken and potatoes. Don't let the name scare you- this is delicious.

To  turn down this devil's heat use mild, dried guajillo and ancho peppers and pass around a homemade hot sauce for others to "heat it up" to their taste.  It is delicious and hearty!

To serve four.

Country Captain Chicken

I ran into this dish listening to an interview of two guys running a restaurant in South Carolina.  It turns out that it dates back to the 1700's when ships arriving from the Far East, India, came to the Southern US ports to trade.  The captains brought the recipe with them.  So, I present to you an American version of curry.

To serve four

Indian Pork Vindaloo

A staple on most Indian restaurant menus, pork vindaloo was originally Portuguese “pork marinated in vinegar and garlic.”  For me, it’s a tasty, spicy, vinegar based curry, unlike typical Indian curries. The beauty of making it yourself is that you control the heat!

I have made this with chicken as well.

To serve four.

Malaysian Chicken Laksa - an Asian favourite

This is one of my all time favourite Asian soups.  Meat and noodles in a curry broth garnished with boiled egg, bean sprouts, coriander and chilis... love in a bowl.

I based my recipe on Donna Hay's Laksa recipe.

To serve four.

INGREDIENTS
2 tbsp        grapeseed oil
400ml       coconut milk
1 l              chicken stock
500 ml      water
1 tbsp        fish sauce
2               kaffir kime leaves
1 lb           potatoes, cut into chunks or whole small potatoes
720 gr       chicken thighs
200 gr       flat rice noodles, cooked

garnish:
coriander leaves, thai basil leaves, green onion, bean sprouts and sliced red chilli
soft boiled egg

LAKSA PASTE

3               cloves garlic
3cm         piece fresh ginger, peeled
2               French shallots, peeled
3               long red chilies
1  stalk      lemongrass, white part only
4               coriander roots
3cm          piece turmeric root
1 tbsp       fish sauce
65 gr         grated palm sugar
1tsp           ground coriander
1 tsp          ground cumin

Directions:

To make the laksa paste, chop the garlic, ginger, eschalots, chillies, lemongrass and coriander roots. Finely grate the turmeric.Place in a small food processor. Add the fish sauce, palm sugar, ground coriander and cumin and process until the mixture forms a paste.

Heat the oil in a wok over medium heat. Add the laksa paste and cook, stirring, for six to eight minutes or until fragrant.

Add the coconut milk, stock and water and bring to the boil. Add the fish sauce, lime leaves, small potatoes and chicken and cook for 8 minutes or until the chicken is cooked through.

Carefully remove the chicken and shred using 2 forks. Divide the noodles between bowls and top with the laksa and shredded chicken. Top with the coriander, basil, onion and chilli to serve. Serves four to six.

WANNA PLAY?
You can always add cauliflower florets, small chunks of carrot, sweet potato.

Jamaican Goat Curry- A National Dish

I have been craving goat for many years and finally got around to making this delicious curry.  Goat may raise a few Canadian eyebrows, but once you try it, well, it's delicious.  Just remember, low and very slow, is the way to go!

This recipe serves four to six.

Moroccan Spicy Chicken Tagine with apricots, rosemary and ginger

I love Moroccan cuisine- fresh ingredients, warm spices and I get to use that beautiful conical cooking vessel- a tagine.  Wonderful!  This dish is great served with couscous or rice.

Cooking the tagine before putting on the lid.

This recipe serves four.

Fabulous Turkey in Mole Sauce

This amazing, excellent dish was the centrepiece of a recent Mexican menu created for friends.  Mole is not a difficult recipe but it is time consuming to make.  Create over a few days or dedicate one whole day to complete this worthwhile culinary project.  Thank you Epicurious.com for providing the recipe.

Let me save you a few steps:  I found a superb Mexican market in Ottawa- Bienvenidos Latin Market on St. Laurent Blvd.  They stock all the specialty ingredients you will need for your mole dish AND they will happily answer your food questions.

Going Bananas- Banana Upside Down Cake with Walnuts and Coconut

An easy, quick cake sure to become your family's favourite.  I always have frozen, ripe bananas ready for baking.  This weekend, I happily baked two banana breads and this very delicious upside-down cake- move over pineapple, banana is now king!

Unless I am baking for an upcoming dinner, I like to cut up my cakes and freeze in small portions.  If I thaw a whole cake, I  know that I will eat much more cake than is good for me.  But, a little piece is just fine and makes me feel virtuous and reasonable. HA!

This is another great recipe from Bake from Scratch, a great source of well-written and enticing recipes.  Highly recommended.

Cutting up my cake in small (maybe not so small) pieces for the freezer,
ready to snack on.

To make one nine-inch square cake

Caramelized Banana Bread

There are always frozen very ripe bananas in my freezer- ready for a quick banana bread.  The caramelized bananas topping this bread are well worth the additional step, adding another level of goodness. "Bake from Scratch" is my new favourite baking bible and this recipe is a great example of easy to follow instructions and delicious results.  Visit their website for online ideas.

Caramelized Banana Bread from Bake from Scratch

Makes one loaf