Lamb Vindaloo with Cardamom Pea Puree
Lamb is slow-simmered in coconut milk, onions, garlic and coarse mustard, then topped with curry-fried onions and served with puréed peas with cardamom. A classic Goan dish..
Lamb Vindaloo with Cardamom Pea Puree
For the Vindaloo
1 1/2 pounds boneless lamb (I’m using leftover roast leg of lamb)
1 yellow onion, quartered and thinly sliced
8 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon ghee
1 teaspoon cracked coriander seeds
1 tablespoon turmeric
1 teaspoon cracked black pepper
1 1/2 teaspoons cumin seeds
1 teaspoon freshly-grated ginger
1 teaspoon cayenne
2 tablespoons coarse mustard
1 tablespoon champagne vinegar
1-2 fresh hot chiles, thinly sliced
1 1/2 cups thick coconut milk
Combine the vinegar, mustard and spices in a bowl. Stir into a thick paste.
Fry the onions in ghee until golden brown, then add the garlic and ginger and sauté 30 seconds. Add the spice paste and fry for 1 minute, stirring continuously. Add the lamb and fry for 3 minutes.
Reduce heat to low, stir in coconut milk, cover and simmer until tender, about 75 minutes. Stir occasionally and add a little water if needed.
For The Peas
12 oz fresh English peas
1 tablespoon pastured butter
1/2 teaspoon freshly-ground green cardamom
1 cup filtered water or stock, approximately
1 tablespoon curly parsely
salt and pepper
Boil the peas in 1/4 inch of water with butter and cardamom until just tender, about 2 minutes. Transfer to a food processor , add parsley and pulse until nearly smooth. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
For the Curry-Fried Onions
1/4 yellow onion, thinly sliced
1 tablespoon ghee
1/2 teaspoon curry powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
sprigs of fresh parsley
Heat ghee over medium heat until shimmering, then add onions and curry powder and fry until crisp. Add parsley and fry a few seconds more. Season with a little salt and let drain on a napkin for a few moments.
To Serve
Spoon pea purée onto a serving plate and ladle vindaloo over the top. Garnish with curry-fried onions and parsley and serve immediately.
Thai Red Pumpkin and Carrot Curry
A vegetarian dish of roasted pumpkin, carrots, onions, red bell pepper, chiles, ginger, garlic, coconut milk and basil..
Thai Red Pumpkin and Carrot Curry (click to enlarge)
For the Curry Paste (adapted from a recipe by Darlene Schmidt)
1 shallot, chopped
1 stalk lemon-grass, minced
2-3 red chilies
4 cloves garlic
1 thumb-size piece galangal (substitute ginger)
2 tablespoons tomato paste
1 tablespoon ground cumin
1/2 tablespoon ground coriander
3 tablespoons traditionally-fermented soy sauce
1/2 can coconut milk
2 tablespoons fresh-squeezed lime juice
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
Process all ingredients together in a food processor, using just enough coconut milk to keep the blades turning. Set aside.
For the Vegetables
1 small pie pumpkin, split, seeded and roasted
2-3 carrots, trimmed and cut on 1/2 inch bias
1 small red bell pepper, julienne cut
1/2 white onion, coarsely chopped
1-2 fresh green chiles, thinly sliced
1 tablespoon raw coconut oil
2 teaspoons freshly-grated ginger
1 clove garlic, minced
3 scallions, sliced
2 tablespoons curry paste
1/2 can coconut milk
1 1/2 teaspoons fresh basil, torn
1 tablespoon toasted pumpkin seeds
Split 1 small pie pumpkin in half lengthwise and remove stem, seeds and stringy material. Place cut-side down on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet and roast in a 350 degree oven until tender. Remove from oven and allow to cool enough to handle.
Heat coconut oil in a heavy skillet over medium heat. Sauté carrots until not quite tender, then add red bell pepper, onion and chiles and cook until just tender.
Add ginger, garlic and curry paste and fry until it begins to release a little oil. Add coconut milk and roasted pumpkin flesh, reduce heat and simmer 10 minutes. Add scallions and basil a few minutes before the end.
Ladle into bowls and garnish with toasted pumpkin seeds and basil leaves.
This post is in support of Meatless Monday!
Penang Goat Curry
Pastured goat seared, then slowly simmered in coconut red curry with fried tomatoes, onions and Thai dragon peppers, with fresh ginger, garlic and Kaffir lime leaves..
Penang Goat Curry
Serves 2
1 pound goat stew meat
2 plum tomatoes, diced
1 small white onion, diced
1 teaspoon freshly-grated ginger
2 cloves garlic, minced
1-2 red or green chiles
1 tablespoon traditionally-fermented soy sauce
1 tablespoon poivron rouge
1 tablespoon cumin seeds
1 tablespoon coriander seeds
1 teaspoon turmeric
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 teaspoon true cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon freshly-grated nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon cloves, ground
2 kaffir lime leaves, slivered
1 tablespoon fresh cilantro, chopped
1 cup thick, raw coconut milk
1 cup filtered water
coconut oil or ghee for frying
In Austin, pastured goat and kaffir lime are available from Farmhouse Delivery.
Trim goat meat of fat and silver-skin and cut into 1-inch cubes. Thoroughly rinse then pat dry. Heat raw coconut oil or ghee in a heavy skillet over medium heat until the first wisp of smoke appears. Add the goat and sear until dark brown with a slight surface crustiness. Transfer meat to a plate.
Stirring frequently, fry tomatoes, onions and chiles until until the onions are translucent and the tomatoes lose some of their moisture. Add ginger, garlic and dry spices and cook until a thick paste is formed.
Add coconut milk, goat meat and lime leaves and simmer until goat is tender, about 75 minutes. Stir the pot now and then, adding water as needed to keep it from thickening too much.
Taste for salt, then add chopped cilantro just before serving.
This post is part of The Food Renegade’s Fight Back Friday!
Crusted Green Curry Salmon
Planked and crusted wild Alaskan salmon with coconut milk, curry and cilantro..
Crusted Salmon with Green Curry
Soak a cedar plank in clean water for at least 2 hours.
Combine 2 tablespoons virgin coconut oil, 1 teaspoon good curry powder and 1 teaspoon half-sharp paprika in a small bowl. Coat the fish with this mixture, sprinkle with bread crumbs and set aside.
Pulse together 2 tablespoons fresh cilantro, 1 small green chili (optional) and 1 teaspoon fresh lime juice in a food processor. Add to 1/2 cup coconut milk and simmer, stirring frequently until thickened, about 15 minutes. Adjust seasoning with sea salt and cracked pepper.
Place salmon fillets on soaked plank and cook in a 500 degree oven until golden brown, about 10 minutes.
Serve with a wedge of fresh lime.
Chicken Korma
A simple, comforting dish of chicken simmered with toasted spices, ginger, garlic, onions, coconut and almonds..
Marinate pieces of boneless, skinless chicken in plain yoghurt with chopped onion, garlic, salt and pepper for 4 hours or overnight.
Make a garam masala by toasting whole star anise, a chili pod, cloves, green cardamom pods, Ceylon cinnamon, cumin and coriander seeds in a dry pan over medium heat. Crush with a mortar & pestle or give it a couple of spins in a spice blender.
Heat ghee or coconut oil in a heavy pan. Add chopped onion, garlic, ginger and spices and and sauté until fragrant. Add chicken and its marinade, crushed toasted almonds, a little tomato paste, turmeric and enough coconut milk to just cover. Simmer until chicken is tender, about 1 hour.
Serve with rice or chickpeas and lots of freshly chopped coriander (cilantro).
Here’s another spin..
Thai Curry Shrimp with Ginger Jasmine Rice
Fresh ginger, shallot, garlic, peppers, cilantro, lemon grass, coconut milk, Thai spices*, coconut oil, jasmine rice, fresh jumbo shrimp and unsweetened flaked coconut. Not shown; red curry paste**
Substitute coconut milk for 1/2 of the water called for in the instructions for the rice. In that mixture, steep freshly grated ginger, lemon grass and spices for 15 minutes.
Saute the shallot and garlic in coconut oil until colored. Add peeled & deveined shrimp, spices and peppers and continue to saute until shrimp is just under done. Add curry paste, coconut milk and cilantro. Stir to combine, then simmer on low until thickenend, about 15 minutes.
Meanwhile, cook the rice in the coconut milk and water mixture until liquid is absorbed, about 15 minutes.
Serve topped with toasted coconut and additional cilantro.
* corriander, red pepper, cumin, nutmeg, cinnamon, garlic, black pepper, basil, cardamom and cloves
** dried red chili, garlic, lemon grass, salt, galangal, shrimp paste, kaffir lime peel and pepper
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