Vermicular | Journal | Culinary Wonders of Curry

Culinary Wonders of Curry

Culinary Wonders of Curry

Summer’s heat can be relentless, making it challenging to stay cool and refreshed. But did you know that the spices in your kitchen can help you beat the heat? Welcome to the wonderful world of curry spices! These spices not only infuse your dishes with rich, tantalizing flavors but also offer remarkable health benefits. They boost blood circulation, delivering more oxygen and nutrients to your cells and promoting overall health and vitality. Additionally, they induce a healthy sweat that cools your body, making curry spices your perfect summer companion.

Tailored for: Vermicular Frying Pan 24cm Deep or Oven-Safe Skillet 24cm Deep


INGREDIENTS | Serves 3–4

1 large eggplant, cut into ½” cubes
⅔ lb (300 g) chicken thigh, boneless
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
¼ teaspoon ground paprika

1 clove garlic, minced
1” piece fresh ginger, peeled and minced
½ medium onion, chopped into ½” pieces
2 green bell peppers, stemmed, seeded and chopped

Sauce Mixture
1 tablespoon curry powder
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 tablespoon oyster sauce

3 tablespoons olive oil, divided


DIRECTIONS

  1. Season chicken by rubbing salt, pepper and ground paprika.
  2. Preheat the pan over medium-high heat for about 90 seconds. Add in oil and swirl to coat evenly. Allow smoke to rise from the entire surface of the pan, then turn down to low heat. Sear the chicken skin-side down for about 5 minutes or until golden brown. Flip over and sear for about 3 more minutes. Transfer the chicken to a plate (chicken can be half-cooked at this point). Once cooled, cut into 1” pieces.
  3. In the same pan, add in 1 tablespoon of oil and spread evenly. Bring up to medium heat and add in eggplants. Sauté for about 2 minutes or until browned. Remove eggplants from the pan.
  4. Add in 1 tablespoon of oil and spread evenly. Add in garlic and ginger and continue to sauté over medium heat. Once fragrant, add in onion and bell peppers and sauté for another minute. Once onion is translucent, return the chicken and eggplants to the pan. Sauté for about 3 minutes, using a spatula to lightly stir.
  5. Once the chicken is fully cooked, add in Sauce Mixture, stir well and turn off the heat. Serve with basmati rice.


NOTES

  • Make sure to set aside chicken and eggplant once seared. Returning them back to the pan after onion and bell peppers are sautéed will prevent eggplants from overcooking while the chicken maintains juicy and tender chicken.
Tailored for: Musui–Kamado or Oven Pot


INGREDIENTS | Serves 4–5

1 lb chicken thigh, cut into 2" pieces

Chicken Marinade
1 ½ teaspoon kosher salt
½ teaspoon ground turmeric
¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper

Spices
5 black peppercorns
4 whole cloves
4 green cardamom pods
1 bay leaf
1 whole dried red chili, stemmed, seeded
¼ cinnamon stick

3 tablespoons vegetable oil

Curry
½ medium onion, sliced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1" piece fresh ginger, peeled, minced
1 tablespoon tomato paste
1 medium tomato, diced
½ jalapeño pepper, seeded, finely chopped
½ teaspoon ground cumin
½ teaspoon ground coriander
4 tablespoons plain yogurt
½ lb baby potatoes, cut into 1" pieces
⅔ cup (150 ml) chicken broth
1 teaspoon kosher salt

Garnish
1 tablespoon lemon juice
⅔ tablespoon butter
Chopped cilantro


DIRECTIONS

  1. In a large bowl, mix ingredients for Chicken Marinade, coat the chicken and marinate for at least 30 minutes, preferably overnight.
  2. Fry Spices with vegetable oil over [LOW] heat for about 5 minutes or until fragrant. Add onion, garlic and ginger and sauté for 3 minutes or until the onion is translucent. Add tomato paste and sauté for another minute. Then add in tomato, jalapeño, cumin, coriander and yogurt; stir once. Cover and simmer over [LOW] heat for 20 minutes.
  3. Take out cloves, bay leaf and cinnamon stick. Puree the sautéed vegetables using a blender, then return them to the pot.
  4. Add the marinated chicken, potatoes, chicken broth and salt. Cover and simmer over [LOW] heat for 45 minutes or until chicken and potatoes are tender.
  5. Finish with lemon juice, butter, and chopped cilantro for garnish. Serve with basmati rice or naan.


NOTES

  • Make sure to keep stirring the spices to avoid burning.
Tailored for: Musui–Kamado or Oven Pot


INGREDIENTS | Serves 4–5

3 (4 oz each) yellowtail fillets, sushi-grade

1 14-oz can unsweetened coconut milk, divided
1 ½ tablespoons Thai green curry paste
4–5 thin slices fresh ginger (or galangal), peeled
4–5 thin slices garlic

Vegetables
1 mushroom, stemmed and cut into 8 pieces
½ eggplant, cut into wedges
½ small zucchini, cut into wedges
⅓ Anaheim pepper, seeded, sliced into thin strips
¼ small onion, cut into wedges
2 green beans, trimmed, cut diagonally into 1” pieces

¼ bamboo shoot (pre-cooked), cut into wedges
1 tablespoon brown sugar (or palm sugar)
1 tablespoon fish sauce
2 1” piece lemongrass, cut diagonally
2 Kaffir lime leaves

Garnish
Cilantro
Garlic chives
Basil (or Thai basil)


DIRECTIONS

  1. Divide coconut milk into 2 equal parts. Pour ½ of the milk into the pot and reduce over [MED] heat for about 10 minutes, or until the fat starts separating from the milk. Stir constantly to prevent the milk from burning.
  2. Switch to [LOW] heat and add green curry paste. Cook for 1–2 minutes until fragrant. Add ginger and garlic and cook for another minute.
  3. Add Vegetables and cook for 3–4 minutes or until Vegetables are slightly cooked on the surface.
  4. Add bamboo shoots, the remaining ½ of the coconut milk, brown sugar and fish sauce. Stir well. Add lemongrass and lime leaves. Switch to [MED] heat and cook for 1–2 minutes; bring to a boil.
  5. Once the sauce starts boiling, add yellowtail. Cover and simmer over [LOW] heat for 10 minutes or until the vegetables and fish are cooked through. Transfer to a plate and garnish with cilantro, garlic chives and basil. Serve with rice.


NOTES

  • For Step 1, coconut milk is ready when the simmering sound turns into a sizzling sound. The reduced milk will look like broken mayonnaise.
  • If using chicken instead of yellowtail, add chicken in Step 3 with the vegetables.
  • Credit: Chef Tetsu Yahagi - Recipe video
Tailored for: Vermicular Frying Pan 24cm Deep or Oven-Safe Skillet 24cm Deep


INGREDIENTS | Serves 3–4

2 chicken thighs (preferably bone-in), chopped into 2” pieces
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 ½ tablespoons (20 g) butter, divided

Mixture A
2 medium onions, sliced
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 bay leaf
5 whole cloves
5 green cardamom pods, lightly crushed
1 cinnamon stick

1” piece fresh ginger, peeled and grated
1 clove garlic, grated
1 whole dried chili pepper, seeded
1 tablespoon tomato paste

Mixture B
1 14.5-oz can diced tomatoes
1 tablespoon ground cumin
1 tablespoon ground coriander
1 tablespoon ground cardamom
2 teaspoons garam masala
¼ teaspoon ground turmeric
⅛ teaspoon cayenne pepper
⅘ cup (200 ml) water
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 tablespoon vegetable oil

Equipment

Glass or Stainless Steel Lid

DIRECTIONS

  1. Season the chicken with salt and pepper.
  2. Preheat the pan over medium-high heat for about 90 seconds. Add in oil and swirl to coat evenly. Allow smoke to rise from the entire surface of the pan, then place the chicken into the pan skin-side down and sear for about 2 minutes. Gently flip over and sear for another minute. Remove the chicken from the pan. Set aside.
  3. Add in ¾ tablespoon of butter and Mixture A and continue to sauté for about 5 minutes or until the onions turn brown. Bring down to low heat, continue to sauté for 10 minutes or until the onions are caramelized, stirring occasionally to avoid burning.
  4. Remove cloves and cardamom pods from the pan. Add in ginger, garlic and chili pepper and cook for about 1 minute or until fragrant.
  5. Add in tomato paste and cook for another minute. Add chicken back into the pan along with Mixture B and lightly stir. Cover with lid and simmer for 30 minutes, occasionally stirring to avoid burning. When the stew is reduced by about two-thirds, turn off the heat. Add in remaining butter and lemon juice and lightly stir to finish. Serve with basmati rice or naan.


NOTE

  • Enjoy with aromatic basmati rice, a perfect accompaniment to the blooming spices in this dish.
Tailored for: Vermicular Frying Pan 24cm Deep or Oven-Safe Skillet 24cm Deep

INGREDIENTS | Serves 3–4

¾ lb (300 g) mixed ground beef and pork
1 medium onion, chopped
1 tomato, diced
1 ½ teaspoons kosher salt

1 clove garlic, minced
1 piece fresh ginger, peeled and finely chopped
½ teaspoon cumin seeds
2 tablespoons vegetable oil

Spices

1 tablespoon ground coriander
1 teaspoon ground cardamom
1 teaspoon ground clove
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
½ teaspoon ground turmeric
¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
Freshly ground black pepper

3.5 oz canned chickpeas, drained
2 tablespoons plain yogurt
1 tablespoon raisin, coarsely chopped
1 teaspoon garam masala
1 ½ tablespoons (20g) butter

DIRECTIONS

  1. Add oil, cumin seeds, garlic, and ginger into the pan, and cook over medium heat until fragrant.
  2. Add ground meat and sear for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally to remove excess moisture. Once the fat becomes translucent, add Spices and continue sautéing for another minute. Then, add onions, tomatoes, and salt, and mix well. Cover and simmer over low heat for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.
  3. Add chickpeas, yogurt, raisins, and garam masala to the pan. Cover and simmer over low heat for another 5 minutes. Stir in butter, then serve warm with rice.


NOTE

  • Ground beef with a higher fat content can be used as a substitute for mixed ground beef and pork.
Tailored for: Musui–Kamado or Oven Pot

INGREDIENTS | Serves 4-5

2 chicken thighs, boneless, skin-on, cut into 2" pieces

Marinade

½ cup (100 g) plain yogurt
1 tablespoon curry powder
1 teaspoon kosher salt

⅓ cup (50 g) cashew nuts
⅞ cup (200 ml) water

2 tablespoons coconut oil
1 onion, chopped
1 clove garlic, grated
1 piece fresh ginger, peeled, grated
½ green bell pepper, seeded, cut into bite-sized pieces

Spices A

½ teaspoon fennel seeds
10 whole cloves
10 cardamom pods
1 cinnamon stick
1 bay leaf
1 red chili pepper, halved lengthwise, seeded

Spices B

2 teaspoons ground coriander
1 teaspoon garam masala
1 tablespoon ground paprika
½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
½ teaspoon ground cumin
¼ teaspoon chili powder

1 ½ teaspoons kosher salt
⅞ cup (200 ml) coconut milk
⅜ cup (100 ml) milk

DIRECTIONS

  1. In a large bowl, mix the ingredients for Marinade and coat the chicken. Marinate for at least 30 minutes, preferably overnight.
  2. In a separate pot, combine cashew nuts and water. Bring to a boil over medium heat, then reduce the heat to low and simmer for another 5 minutes. Once the cashews have softened, transfer the cashews and water to a food processor. Blend until a smooth paste forms; set aside.
  3. Add coconut oil and Spices A to the pot and heat over [LOW] heat, stirring constantly to prevent burning. Once fragrant, add onions, chili peppers, garlic and ginger. Sauté for about 10 minutes or until the onions turn brown.
  4. Place the chicken from Step 1 along with the marinade into the pot and stir to combine. Cover and simmer for 30 minutes.
  5. Add the cashew nut paste from Step 2, along with Spices B, salt, coconut milk, and milk into the pot. Stir well to combine. Cook over [MED] heat for about 3 minutes, or until it comes to a boil. Serve with rice or naan.