LA FOI GRASSE

Ett ord:

GOTT.

MASALA AND PALM SUGAR CHICKEN CURRY

3 chicken breasts, cut in chunks
3 cm ginger, grated
3 garlic cloves, minced
2 red chillies, finely sliced
coriander stalks, chopped
2 red onions, sliced

3 tbsp masala paste
1 tbsp palm sugar paste

1 tsp fenugreek seeds
2 tsp turmenic
4 cloves
1 cinnamon stick

oil

1 can (400g) tomatoes
3 tbsp tomato pure
2 dl yoghurt
1 dl cream 

coriander leaves 

basmati rice

• Cook the onions slowly on a low heat, for 15 minutes. Add the garlic, ginger, chillies and coriander stalks and cook for another 5 minutes. Then tip in the masala paste and the ground spices. Take off the heat after a few minutes. Set aside.
• Now cook the chicken in a pan until browned all over. Set aside.
• Next, return the onion mixture to the pan along with the whole spices, the tomatoes, the tomato pure and 4 dl water. Bring to the boil and simmer for 45 minutes.  
• In a separate saucepan, prepare the rise according to the instructions on the package. 
• Add the chicken to the masala and cook for 10 minutes. Finally, add the yoghurt and the cream. Garnish with coriander leaves. Serve with some rice.

Serverade vietnameska vårrullar som förrätt under det här kalaset. Man tog att det som fanns i kylen och gjorde en dipsås som kanske var litet mer japansk än vietnamesisk, men gott, fräscht, glutenfritt, nomnom blev det!

VIETNAMESE SPRING ROLLS 

rice paper
fresh herbs (we had mint, parsley and basil)
lettuce
rice noodles
shrimps
cucumber
(carrots) 

Sauce: sesame oil, rice vinegar, soy sauce

1. Fill a wide bowl with water (at room temperature). Soak the rice papers in the water for a minute, one by one.
2. Place the softened ricepaper on a board and fill with a few shrimps, some ricenoodles, greens and veggies. Wrap them tightly.
3. Cut the rolls in half before serving and place on a serving plate. Serve with a sauce, eg. one consisting of 1 tbsp soy, 1 tbsp rice vinegar and a teaspoon or so of the sesame oil. 
4. Dip the rolls in the sauce and indulge!

Created a miniature Kyoto while a bunch of tomatoes were slowly turning sweeter and sweeter in the oven.

LIME AND THYME RISOTTO WITH FRIED SCAMPI AND SLOWLY BAKED TOMATOES (serves two)

12 cherry tomatoes

1. Wash and place them in the oven as they are (150C). Bake for 1,5 hours.

1 red onion, finely chopped
1 garlic clove (we don’t want it to be too dominating here!)
oil
fresh thyme
3 dl arborio rice
6 dl vegetable stock, warm
1 glass of white wine
1 lime, rind and juice + some slices on the side
2 bay leaves
pepper
grated parmesan, a handful
30 g butter

12-15 scampi, peeled 

1. Sauté the onion, garlic and half of the thyme in a generous amount of oil on a low heat. Be careful not to burn.
2. Then add the rice, frying gently for some two minutes. Now add the wine.
3. When the rice seems to start drying up, add a small amount of the stock, all of the grated lime rind and juice, the bay leaves and the rest of the thyme.
4. When the rice starts to dry out again, add some more stock. Continue in this manner until the rice is cooked (16-18 minutes). Be very careful not to overcook the rice!
5. Just before the rice is ready, fry the scampi in some oil and garlic.
6. Add the parmesan to the risotto. Mix carefully. Don’t let the risotto become too thick, though. 
7. Just before serving, mix in the butter. Serve the risotto with the scampi, the tomatoes and a lime wedge. 

P.S. Skip the parmesan if you are a true Italian. I’m not, so I’m sticking to the plan the plan above.

I never thought this would happen, but here in Japan, I just don’t cook. The rare evenings that I spend at home I usually eat take away sushi, gyozas or noodles of different kinds. This means that the stove is almost never in use. A couple of days ago, though, I made the most advanced meal so far: rice in a pan topped with the ready made wonderful rice-toppings that are sold in every part of town. The fact that I actually felt a bit proud about this home-cooked meal consisting of two ingredients strikes me as a bit sad. Ah well, knowing that this phase is only temporary, I guess I’ll overcome.

These spicemixtures make all the differece, and I am surely going to stock up and bring some home when I leave. So please be patient, I’ll be back in my own kitchen soon enough!

Bondi restaurant’s green chicken curry.

Inspired by a small article in Helsingin Sanomat about Indian food, I tried out (and modified) their recipe on a classic garam masala spice mix. I usually add almond flour to creamy asian sauces; it gives a special consistency and fullness to the sauce (or maybe I’m just imagining things?). The recipe for the garam masala is copy pasted from the article.

GARAM MASALA spice mixture

4 tbsp coriander seeds
1 tbsp cummin seeds
1 tbsp black peppercorns
1 tbsp dried ginger (I substituted this with powdered ginger that I added later)
1 tsp cardamom seeds1 tsp cloves
1 crushed cinnamon stick
3 bay leaves, sliced

1. Toast the spices in a dry pan, be careful not to burn.
2. Let cool and grind until the mixture ressembles a coarse powder.

Keep in an airtight container. Garam masala should only be added to the food at the very end of the cooking process. This is done to ensure that the full complexity of the flavours of the spice mix doesn’t “boil out”.

Next:

CHICKEN MASALA

3-4 chicken breasts, cut in chunks
2 tbsp oil (neutral)
2 red onions, sliced
4 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
1 or 2 dried red chillies
3 cm fresh ginger, grated
400 g strained tomatoes
400 ml coconut milk
1 tsp turmenic
1 tsp paprika
1 tsp salt
1,5 tbsp brown sugar
1 tbsp almond flour
2 tbsp garam masala
fresh coriander leaves (we also had some thai basilic)

1. Fry the chicken in the oil. Add the onion after a couple of minutes. Let it soften. When onion is soft but not browned, add the garlic, ginger and chili.
2. A couple of minutes later, pour in the tomatoes, coconut milk, paprika, salt and sugar. Let simmer and thicken for around 15-30 minutes (depending on your schedule).
3. If serving with rice, add the garam masala to the chicken when the rice starts to boil. This way the chicken and the rice will be ready to serve at the same time. Top with the fresh herbs.