Curry in a hurry

Here's a quick chicken curry for those days when you feel like cooking something that isn't overly complicated. I am not a big fan of the curry powders that come in little packets, but I have to admit that I have used them in the past. But no more! If you are medically fit to hold a knife - do not have Parkinson's - you can do this one with no bother whatsoever.

1)

Throw some curd onto 6 pieces of chicken. With bone preferably.

2)

In a little bit of water soak what you see. If you can't identify the contents and roughly count then please abort at this stage. Wash the chicken and put it back where it came from. Quitely.

3) 

Fry 2 small onions till they are brown and set aside.

4) 

Fry another 3 small onions (very finely chopped) till golden brown and then add garlic and ginger paste. About 2 tablespoons of each. Cook for 5-6 minutes. Keep stirring.

5) 

Lay on the chicken. Leave the excess curd in the bowl. One and a little tablespoons of coriander powder, half a table spoon of turmeric and one table spoon of red chili powder. Heaped? Why not. I'd recommend going heavy handed on the spice. Put in the browned onions from step 1.

6)

Mix like your life depends on it.

7)

Put in the soaked spices with the water, turn the flame to medium and cover. If you have an electric hob, abort at this stage. Bin the contents of the pan and jump out the nearest window. Your life is worthless and no body loves you.

If you have a gas hob, stir occasionally. Put a little salt to get the water in the chicken on its way. Simmer for about 15 minutes.

8)

Add some warm water, the remaining curd and one decent sized tomato (chopped) and cover. Simmer till tender. adjust seasoning. A little fresh coriander goes a very long way.

9)

Eat left-overs cold, with white bread, for breakfast.

Multi-cuisine. No, really!

I haven't been getting as much time as I used to to cook, let alone to write about food. Still eating well though. A lot of time is spent reminiscing about the good grub of the near past. And given that despite being technologically backward I went and got myself a BlackBerry, I thought it might be a good idea to use my thumbs while on a flight to Bangalore. Speaking of which - I haven't had a good Dosa in a while. Pretty fed up of the Shiv Sagar type nonsense. Before that though I have a reheated meal out of a plastic container to look forward to!

Anyway, the past - one of my long held food beliefs was challenged in Goa recently. I am generally quite sceptical of food in multi-cuisine joints. May have something to do with all those road side laaris that  read - Punjabi and Chinees/Chines (or something to that effect) Food. In this country Chinese and Punjabi seems to cover 75% of what can possibly come out of a kitchen.

If you've been to Goa, seen a typical menu at a shack and have the same apprehensions as I do, you wouldn't think of a shack as a place you'd go to for a meal - more like a place to go eat when you are slightly incapacitated by all the drinking. There are plenty of good, proper, restaurants in Goa. Many a portion of fried and quite a few Veg Manchurians later (thanks to my vegetarian friend) we chanced upon Bay View, in Candolim. The shack spots  on the beaches get auctioned every year and Bay View has been around for 15. The menu is very typical, but order your food, from all over the world, and you'll know why I give the little joint special mention and a solid recommendation.

The ordinary shack with an extra-ordinary kitchen

I did'nt hold back and ordered a Prawn Vindaloo (pronounced Vind-Aaloo I am told by a trusted beef griller), a Goan Prawn Curry and a Goan Sausage Curry. All with rice and rotis.




Prawn Vindaloo

 

fore - Prawn Curry, following - Goan Sausage Currry

The prawn dishes were superb, but it was the Goan Sausage Curry that really did it for me.  The Goan Pork sausage was cooked in a spicy gravy with potatoes. Quite full-on on the flavour front. Garlic, paprika, quite like a Chorizo. Very much like a Chorizo in fact! Now a lot of people will turn their nose away from a Goan sausage. Something to do with eating something that eats something  that's already been eaten. - don't care. The damn thing is delicious. So Bay View scored on the Goan cuisine. And it should. It's in Goa after all.

And then came the surprise. Surprises rather. The Paneer Pasanda that the friend (he isn't really) ordered. Fantastic. Better than what I've eaten at most Punjabi or Muglai places. The richness of the cashews really came through. Its wasn't cooked in a hurry and you could tell. Another  friend ordered a Spaghetti Bolognese. Brilliant again. Pasta was al dente, the tomato sauce was subtly flavoured (not something we Indians do well) and richly tomatoey!

Truly a multi-cuisine joint. A must go next time you are around during the season.

The Catholic Coronary

Sitting at Curlies on Anjuna beach in Goa, as hungover as Jesus after the last supper, I didn't even bother looking at the menu. If I was in Goa, I had to eat a Sorpotel. I have heard about this Catholic Goan dish, made with pork and vinegar. A curry, quite like a Vindaloo (also a Portuguese import)  - if you are British, it's nothing like the Indo-British crap you are thinking of. Don't know when you'd eat a Sorpotel, but I am pretty sure its not a breakfast item. Just thought a curry would do the system some good, and a beer of course. And trust you me, I don't think you will find an oilier curry.


"Eat my dust Deep Fried Mars Bar"

Even though it was my first Sorpotel, I am pretty sure it wasn't a very good one. Now, I am all up for grease but when there is more oil than curry, not good. But devour it in record time, get a few beers in you and lie in the sun, and you have the perfect cure for a sore head!
Sorpotel is one of those dishes that each family has its own recipe to. I am told pork is used with offal, pork liver mainly. Couldn't taste any liver in mine though. The meat is sauteed in a tangy vinegar sauce and the thing is said to get better as it gets a little older. True for all curries this! Had mine with rice. May not have been the best of sorpotels but a solid breakfast nonetheless. Hangover cured and stomach lined for another day in Goa.

Roast Venison on Creamed Wild Mushrooms with Rosemary & Garlic Tatties and Snowpeas

I normally let the meat dictate what I cook. The sauce, condiments, even the presentation follows. At the Borough Market, in the vegetable section we spotted a mushroom stall that looked as welcoming as anything that doesn't bleed can possibly look. A sniff of the mushrooms and I was sold. I was having some even if only for a sauce. I recognised the Oysters (my grandmother used to grown some) and the Chanterelles. The other two I did find out about but my bird brain now fails me. So this dish started with half a brown paper bag-full of an assortment of these four types of fungi and then the search for the meat was on.

Considered fish, duck, even pigeon but finally settled on some venison. Wild venison if I might add (to make it all sound overly posh). Got the butcher to cut us a portion out of a rolled haunch. Had settled on Creamed Wild Mushrooms as the side and though game would go down a treat. Could have done some beef. There was some great looking Highland beef on the counter, but hadn't had venison in a while. Part Christmas indulgence too.

Preparing the venison to roast:-
The venison was rubbed down with some olive oil and pepper and then rolled around in a generous slug of red wine. Put with it a bay leaf and let sit for a bit. I refrained from putting any salt in at this stage should it draw moisture out of the meat while it stood.

For the Garlic and Rosemary Potatoes:-
Half some new potatoes and part boil them, leaving them just a little crunchy. To finish these heat some olive oil, with some butter for added richness and gleam.  Put into the pan some rosemary, fresh or dry, and some cloves of garlic, smashed but skin intact. The skin will prevent the garlic from burning crisp and imparting a bitter flavour to the potatoes. Without much further ado add the potatoes. Skin side down if I may recommend. I find that nicely browning the skin first will preserve the structural integrity of your tatties.

Cooking Bambi:-
Heat some oil in a baking tray, on the hob. Once smoking, seal off the rolled venison joint. As the meat hits the hot oil you'll get a lovely sweet smell from those sugars in the wine. Once sealed off nicely, pour into the tin  the rest  of the wine from the marinade. I like my meat rear, blue even, and I put the 380 gram joint into a oven at 220'c for about 17 minutes. Lay the cooked meat on a chopping board and cover with foil to rest for about 5.

For the Creamed Wild Mushrooms:-
DO NOT wash the mushrooms. If you don't have a mushroom brush then use a clean basting brush. Wash nice mushrooms in water and you lose some of the goodness. In a pan heat butter, introduce the mushrooms and add a pince of salt and pepper. Just as the mushrooms begin to soften add a few tablespoon fulls of double cream. Till the cream coats the shrooms. Taste and adjust seasoning. Do not cook the crap out of the mushrooms. A little texture goes a long way. Do all of this while the meat rests, should not take more than 4-5 minutes.

Oh yes, blanched some snowpeas to add a touch of green to the dish.

I did not want to drench the mushrooms in cream and the venison in cream sauce. I arranged nice chunky slices of venison on the Creamed Mushrooms, with only a very little drizzle of cream on the meat. Seasoned the meat once plated with coarse sea salt. The tatties and greens on the side.

Now I could go on about how everything worked so well, but I am not going to. But I will say this - it was all damn bloody good!

Roast Venison on Creamed Wild Mushrooms with Rosemary & Garlic Tatties and Snowpeas

Warm Salad of Stornoway Black Pudding, Stilton, Figs & Rocket

I find it incredibly difficult doing salads without any meat. I'll whack some into a perfectly good salad at times, and lots of it, as protest against all things non non-vegetarian. That wasn't the case this time round though. The centre piece of this one was the best black pudding in the land. Or so Stornoway black pudding is believed to be. The only other thing I could think of doing, at the time, with the black pudding I bought from Borough Market was to have it with a full English, and that seemed a little inappropriate. And I don't think Braveheart would have approved. So a warm salad it was going to be. If an ingredient has a reputation of being tops then some finesse is warranted.

I have seen some very unpleasant faces being made at the mention of black pudding. Almost as unpleasant as the thought of eating cooked pigs blood might be to the owners of those faces. I for one am a huge fan. I got introduced to it by a friend whilst I was living in Edinburgh and having lived there for almost half a decade I love the bloody thing! The texture and the spicy aroma is to die for. And I am sure Mr. Porky would have agreed if he was around to have a wee bite. The other thing black pudding has going for itself is that it ticks the 'waste not want not' box.

To the salad then. Not much to do. Decided to base the salad on some rocket. Thought the pepperiness  would work well with the sweetness of the figs and the salty richness of the unpasteurised Stilton. And it did. Figs and blue cheese is a time tested combination and the availability of some superb figs at the market were the inspiration. Must add here, the figs were a friend's idea, who was with me at the market too. A good cook and the daughter of a great cook.

Piled some rocket on the plate. Drizzled it with some extra virgin olive oil. Laid on the figs and crumbled onto everything the Stilton and fried Stornoway black pudding. And Bob's your uncle.

Borough Market, London

Back in London for bit, and it's good to be back. What really excites me about this city is that there is so much to do. There are always new aspects of the city's life to explore. While I was here during the summer, the Marylebone Farmers' Market was a weekend regular. It was just round the corner from where I lived. Borough Market however, I never got around to going to. I might have missed Borough Market during the bountiful summer but as far as food's concerned there really isn't a bad season. If anything, winter here is a time to indulge and to get festively plump.

Borough Market, Borough, London. 

The market itself is decked up for the occasion. The fruit and vegetable stalls were to the brim with fantastic winter harvest. Turnips, parsnips, beet root and savoy cabbage. Dare to think beyond soups and there are unlimited possibilities. But I have to admit, a nice, hearty, chunky, winter soup would be on the top of my agenda. Maybe because of the snow and the sub-zero temperature.

Winter veg

There was plenty of cheese on offer. From the continent and from nearer by. A nice strong blue I think would be the flavour of the season. But then I am partial to cheese that you can taste in your nose. What was great was that a lot of the local cheeses were unpasteurised, making them creamier than their more shelf-friendly cousins. The cold however, makes the cheese a little stiff. You need to bring it up to room temperature to get the creaminess back. I however, was more than happy walking around munching on a wedge of unpasteurised Stilton, called Stichelton. I first had a Stichelton at St. John Restaurant. That one was from Neal's Yard.

The Welsh Caerphilly

As for something I hadn't had before - the Caerphilly. A hard, crumbly, cow's, white cheese from Wales. A little nutty I thought, but quite similar to a mild Cheddar. Would go well along side some apple or on Welsh Rarebit. Rarebit is traditionally made with Cheddar.

The Italian connection

There was a sizable Italian section serving up not just the Parmiggiano Reggiano and Mozzarella, but also some less known cheeses, a great selection of cold meats, which the Italians really know how to do, and even some sandwiches to go. 

Fish is a year-round favourite at most farmers' markets. I finally got my first taste of welks, essentially Sea Snails. Cooked, and sprinkled with some vinegar and salt. Real meaty critters. Nice firm texture with good bite. Reminded me of some raw Limpets I ate while fishing near Edinburgh. Good times.

The cold slab at Furness Fish and Game

And there was an Oyster stall, which I couldn't keep away from. 

Richard Haward's Oysters

Mid-season Oysters

Native Oyster season lasts from September to April and Pacific Oysters are available all year round. There was a little banter with the man behind the stall as to how Oysters should be eaten. While the lemon, Tabasco, and red-wine vinegar and shallots mignonette are all good, I quite like them just the way they are. Without messing about with the natural ozoney saltiness. And if you are just going to get them down you as quickly as you possibly can, then don't bother with oysters at all. A couple of bites are necessary to get your money's worth (and the full flavour, of course). I like fondling them with my molars a bit more. The two shucked oysters on the left are Colchester Natives and the ones on the right are Rock Oysters. Rock oysters were brought in from the Pacific but have now made their way into the wild in this country. The Grey Squirrel of Oysters. 

Pork pies

No farmers' market is complete without a butcher, and from what I saw, Borough Market has four very fine ones, including a branch of the Ginger Pig. Two of them not only have meat to go, but also cooked on the spot hot meals. Roast sandwiches to stews to curries. Not to forget all the traders selling meat products. From sausages, cured and preserved meats, to pies and pasties. 

A pig, many ways

Prepared lamb

Farmed geese and pheasants at Furness

Mallards and partridges

With Christmas round the corner the displays were very well stocked with roasting joints and birds. There was a fantastic selection of game, farmed and wild. Pheasants, hare, rabbit, pigeon, duck, venison, wild boar, the works. I spent a lot of time just wandering around the displays admiring the craftsmanship of the butchers and the quality of the meat.

Mr. Porky

Mr. Porky's smile is infectious. Made me chuckle even. Just as my eye caught sight of the pig's head on Furness' counter top, the thought of Fergus Henderson's Warm Pig's Head made me salivate. It wasn't on the menu at his Smithfield restaurant, nor on the menu at Spitalfield. A Warm Pig's Head remains a supper to be had.

A bowl of fish soup, some welks, a wedge of Stilton, some oysters, a Malaysian chicken curry with jasmine rice and a glass of mulled wine later thought turned to dinner. I wasn't about to give up the chance of cooking with some of the fantastic ingredients at the market. 

Coca-cola chicken

Yes, you heard right! A friend from the Guangdong province cooked this one evening and completely took me by surprise. Guangdong is where Cantonese food comes from, for those of you food geographers. And then come to think of it, coca-cola has got to be the perfect ingredient to get a sweet, sticky base. And balance that sweet with the salty of soy sauce and you are on to something!

This recipe works with any part of the chicken, and is superb with wings. Skin left on if you are not fussed about your weight. Wouldn't use breast meat myself, but do as you please.

For the sauce/syrup:

• 3 tablespoons of coca-cola to one of soy sauce. I use light, but dark will do too.
• sliced ginger
• sliced garlic
• sliced spring onions
• sliced chillies

I added some dried red chillies for a deeper, smokier heat. And it gives me great pleasure to report that that was a winner.

Let the aromatics infuse and in the mean time fry off the chicken wings till cooked. I used olive oil. But I think that a little bit of added sesame oil would go down a treat adding that unmistakable woody, oriental fragrance.

Once the wings are cooked put in the syrup and stir occasionally till all the liquid has evaporated and the chicken is coated in a sticky goo. The goo is bloody awesome! Next time I'd leave it a little runny to eat with sticky rice. You just know it's going to be good. I served it with some home-grown, wilted, Pok Choi.