Curry

[Microdoser]

This is an adaptation of a recipe from 'Worldwide Cookbook' by supercooks from the 70's.

Ingredients

5 large onions, very finely chopped
1 medium carrot very finely chopped
1 celery stick very finely chopped
50mmx20mmx20mm Fresh Ginger
2 red 'Thai Green Curry' (Prik Chi Fa) chilli peppers chopped or whichever chilli peppers you prefer. I sometimes use a small maruga scorpion if I want a hotter curry. Deseed if you want less heat.
1Kg feather steak in 1 inch cubes
1 fresh lemongrass stalk (tough outside removed, very very finely chopped)
juice of 1 lime
1 glass red wine (175ml)
1 Tbs Worcester sauce
large bunch coriander, leaves separated and stalks finely chopped
4 cloves garlic
Ghee 50g
3 bay leaves
300ml chicken/veal stock with 1 low salt vegetable stock cube added

Curry Spice Mix
coriander                  6 parts
cumin                       3 parts
cardamom powder     6 parts (or remove the seeds from cardomom pods and grind)
ground cloves            1 part
turmeric                    2 parts

optional extras for curry powder:

1 parts Ras el Hanout seasoning
1 part fajita mix from fajita thread

Method:

Melt ghee in large saucepan, fry carrot until well browned then add onion, celery, garlic, ginger, lemongrass and chilli. Fry over a medium heat until very well cooked. You want to see them starting to form together into almost a paste and to be slightly browned. Add 3-4 heaped tablespoons of the curry spice mix and fry gently for 6 minutes stirring frequently. If mixture gets dry, add a couple of tablespoons of water. At this point, the mixture should be at the consistency of a paste. Add the meat cubes and brown the meat, continuing to make sure the mixture does not get too dry and burn.

Add the wine and lime juice, deglaze the pan and make sure nothing remains stuck to the bottom of the pan.

Add the stock, bay leaves, and coriander stalk and bring to the boil, when the mixture begins to bubble, reduce to low and simmer for 2 hours. If you want

If you like you could add 500g of baby new potatoes and 1tsp of salt after 1 1/4 hours, bring back to the boil, and simmer for 45 minutes

When there are 45 minutes of cooking time remaining, start making the rice.

Just before serving, add a large pinch of cumin to the curry. This will provide a nice aromatic overtone.

Rice (for 2 people)

220g basmati
3 tablespoons ghee
1 cinnamon stick, broken in two
4 cloves
375ml hot vegetable stock
small handful chopped cashews

wash rice in cold water, changing water often, until water runs clear. Leave rice to soak in water for at least 20 minutes. Drain well

Put ghee in large pan and melt. Add cinnamon stick and cloves, cook for at least 2 minutes until you can smell the spices. Add the rice and coat the rice well with the ghee.

Pour in the hot stock, bring to rolling boil. After 2 minutes reduce heat to a simmer, cover with lid and cook for 10 minutes without removing the lid. Turn heat off, keep lid on and allow to sit for 10 minutes.

Open the lid, remove the spices (which should all be on the top) add a little butter if you wish, add the chopped cashew nuts, fluff with a fork and serve.

Garnish with coriander leaves.