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MASSAMAN CURRY PASTE

MASSAMAN CURRY PASE

 

 

 

 

 

The distinct characteristic of Massaman curry paste is that all ingredients are roasted before it is ground. This paste is commercially available but making your own is very satisfying and the flavor is so much superior to the store bought paste. The purists prefer that the spices be pounded in a mortar and pestle, but it is really hard work. A processor works just as well for me and I find it difficult to taste the difference between the pounded one and the processed one.  Use this curry paste for Massaman curry chicken with butternut, red pepper and pak choi.

3 shallots
1 head garlic
4-6 dried whole chilies
1 stalk lemongrass
12 mm/½ in piece ginger, julienne
4 cardamom pods
5 cm/2 in piece cinnamon stick
5 cloves
15 ml/1 tablespoon coriander
5 ml/1 teaspoon cumin
15 ml/1 tablespoon mace
1 whole nutmeg
5 ml/1 teaspoon peppercorns
30 ml/1 tablespoon salt
5 ml/1 teaspoon shrimp paste

Roast the shallots and garlic with their skin on until the skin is charred and the flesh is soft and cooked. Peel the skin and remove any charred spots. Cut the stem of the chili off and shake out all the seeds, then cut into pieces. Slice half of the lemongrass stalk, the part closer to the root, in thin slices.

In a pan and over medium heat, toast the chilies, lemongrass and ginger until slightly brown, then remove from the pan. Add to the pan the cardamom, cinnamon, cloves, coriander, cumin, mace, nutmeg, peppercorns and salt and toast them until fragrant (about 2 minutes). Remove from the heat.

In a processor ground the toasted spices first, then add the chili, lemongrass and ginger and process further. Last add the roasted shallots, garlic and shrimp paste and process until it forms a smooth, dark and fragrant paste. Keep in a sealed jar for up to a month in the refrigerator and a year in the freezer.

STELLA's avatar

By STELLA

I have had no formal chef’s training. Classical piano was my parents’ choice, and that took care of the first 20 years of my life. Journalism and radio followed (my own choices, this time), and these opened many doors for me into different countries, people, cultures — and, of course, foods. In a six week series on radio I used it as a platform for my love of food and shared lots of interesting recipes and food news with listeners.
My earliest memories of food come from the family kitchen at home; I can still remember the wonderful smells of the dishes my mother prepared. I became aware of the flavors of her creations at an early age. Some I enjoyed and preferred, while others depressed me with their lack of interesting flavors. My mother was a good cook, but not a gourmet, and sadly this often showed. What I did appreciate was that she always involved me in the preparation, sharing her knowledge of nutrition, flavor, color, and the harmonies of each plate she dished up. She was also a genius with leftovers and quick meals when unexpected guests arrived. This is one of the things that stands out in my mind, and it inspired me to create wonderful dishes from leftover foods myself.

I carried on with the tradition of carefully planning meals to combine nutrition, color and flavor, while at the same time offering variety and elegant presentation. In the process, I developed a passion for seeking out the best available products, adhering to each season’s offerings, and treating it with the respect it deserves, which eventually became part of my daily culinary life and travels. I did these things not because I wanted to become a chef, but to satisfy myself, family and friends with creations of gorgeous food and exciting flavors. All of which, I hope, is reflected in this blog.

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