Aloo Gobi - Potato Cauliflower

Ingredients

1/4 cup vegetable oil

1 large onion, peeled and cut into small pieces

1 bunch fresh coriander, separated into stalks and leaves and roughly chopped

1 small green chilies, chopped into small pieces (or one teaspoon chili powder)

1 large cauliflower, leaves removed and cut evenly into eighths

3 large potatoes, peeled and cut into even pieces

2 cans diced tomatoes

fresh ginger, peeled and grated

fresh garlic, chopped

1 teaspoon cumin seed

2 teaspoons turmeric

1 teaspoon salt

2 teaspoons garam masala

Directions

Heat vegetable oil in a large saucepan.

Add the chopped onion and one teaspoon of cumin seeds to the oil.

Stir together and cook until onions become creamy, golden, and translucent.

Add chopped coriander stalks, two teaspoons of turmeric, and one teaspoon of salt

Add chopped chillis (according to taste) Stir tomatoes into onion mixture.

Add ginger and garlic; mix thoroughly.

Add potatoes and cauliflower to the sauce plus a few tablespoons of water (ensuring that the mixture doesn't stick to the saucepan).

Ensure that the potatoes and cauliflower are coated with the curry sauce.

Cover and allow to simmer for twenty minutes (or until potatoes are cooked).

Add two teaspoons of Garam Masala and stir.

Sprinkle chopped coriander leaves on top of the curry.

Turn off the heat, cover, and leave for as long as possible before serving.

Pad Thai

Pad Thai, Phad Thai or Putt Thai is a very popular dish and served everywhere in Thailand, from fancy restaurants to street vendors.
FOR THE SAUCE:

1 tbsp. tamarind paste

2 tbsp. palm sugar

3 tbsp. sugar

1–2 tsp. nam pla (Thai fish sauce)

1 tsp. tomato paste

FOR THE NOODLES:

8 oz. rice-stick noodles

2 oz. preserved pressed bean curd

3 tbsp. soybean or vegetable oil

2 cloves garlic, peeled and minced

2 shallots, peeled and minced

2 tbsp. dried shrimp, finely chopped

1/4 cup dried salted radish, finely chopped

20 fresh medium shrimp, peeled and deveined

2 eggs, lightly beaten

1/2 cup roasted unsalted peanuts, crushed

2 cups bean sprouts

1/2 cup chopped garlic chives

2 limes, cut in wedges

1. Combine tamarind paste and 1/2 cup hot water  in a small bowl. With the back of a spoon, press paste through a fine sieve into a small saucepan. Add sugars, nam pla, and tomato paste, and cook, stirring occasionally, over low heat until sugars dissolve, 10–15 minutes. Cover and set aside.

2. Meanwhile, place noodles in a large bowl and cover with warm water. Soak until pliable, about 15 minutes, then drain.

3. Cut bean curd into 1/4'' x 1 1/2'' lengths. Heat oil in a wok over high heat. Stir-fry garlic with shallots for 30 seconds, then add bean curd, dried shrimp, and dried radish. Cook for 2 minutes, then add fresh shrimp. Continue to cook, stirring, until shrimp are firm, about 45 seconds. Add sauce and noodles and cook for 30 seconds more. Make a well in center of noodle mixture and add eggs. Cook, without stirring, until eggs begin to set, about 20 seconds, then stir in peanuts, bean sprouts, and chives, incorporating eggs. Serve with lime wedges, more bean sprouts, peanuts, and, if desired, Thai red pepper.

Thai Red Curry Mussels

This recipe is courtesy of Bobby Flay

2 tablespoons peanut oil
1 stalk lemongrass, crushed
3 tablespoons Thai red curry paste
1/2 cup white wine
1 can unsweetened coconut milk
2 tablespoons fish sauce (nam pla)
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
2 1/2 pounds mussels, debearded and scrubbed
2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro stems, plus 2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro leaves
4 tablespoons chopped Thai basil or Italian basil leaves


Heat the oil in a heavy Dutch oven or large pan. Add the lemongrass, curry paste, wine, coconut milk, fish sauce, and lime juice and bring to a simmer, whisking. Add the mussels, cover the pot, and let steam until opened. During the last minute of cooking, add the cilantro and basil. Serve from Dutch oven into individual bowls, discarding the lemongrass.

PENANG RICE SALAD (NASI KERABU)

Make sure to buy the larger dried shrimp and select those that are bright pink or pink-orange (they brown and harden with age). Lesser grades of dried shrimp tend to be unpleasantly pungent. It’s also important to use a fine-quality rice—what you can buy at most supermarkets will yield mediocre results.

1 3/4 cups jasmine rice
3 cups water
1/3 cup packaged unsweetened dried coconut
1/4 cup fine-quality dried shrimp (1 oz) - available in Asian markets
1 large fresh lemongrass stalk, 1 or 2 outer leaves discarded and root end trimmed
3 (2 1/2-inch-long) fresh or thawed frozen Kaffir lime leaves
1 (1/2-inch) piece peeled fresh or thawed frozen turmeric** (optional), finely grated
1 large shallot, halved lengthwise and very thinly sliced crosswise (3/4 cup)
5 tablespoons very thinly sliced fresh Vietnamese basil or fresh cilantro (from 1 bunch)
3 tablespoons very thinly sliced fresh mint
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice, or to taste
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground white pepper
1/4 teaspoon salt

Wash rice in several changes of cold water in a bowl until water is clear, then drain well in a sieve. Combine with 3 cups fresh water in a 2 1/2-quart heavy saucepan. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low and cook, covered, until rice is tender and water is absorbed, about 15 minutes. Remove from heat and let stand, covered, 5 minutes. Fluff gently with a fork, then transfer 5 cups to a large shallow baking pan and cool to warm room temperature. Reserve remaining rice for another use.

While rice is cooking, toast coconut in a dry heavy skillet (preferably cast-iron) over moderately low heat, stirring constantly, until golden, 4 to 6 minutes, then transfer to a small bowl to cool. Pulse in grinder once or twice (do not overgrind or you will end up with coconut butter), then return to small bowl. Finely grind shrimp in grinder until very fluffy, about 1 minute. Thinly slice lower 6 inches of lemongrass stalk and very finely mince slices. Cut out central veins and stems from lime leaves with a sharp knife, then slice leaves lengthwise into hair-thin strips.

Toss together rice, coconut, dried shrimp, lemongrass, lime leaves, turmeric (if using), shallot, basil, mint, 2 tablespoons lime juice, white pepper, and salt until combined well and free of lumps, then season with additional salt and lime juice if necessary. Serve immediately.