tablespoons sesame oil
1 tablespoon finely grated ginger
3 tablespoons water
1 Blend all ingredients. Use as a marinade for steamed chicken, as a base for braising pork or even as a sauce for stir-fried pork, beef, or liver.
Makes 180 ml (scant ¾ cup) marinade
Preparation time: 5 minutes
Tamarind and Soy Sauce Marinade
A similar blend of flavors to the Filipino adobo.
2 tablespoons tamarind pulp
6 tablespoons water
2 tablespoons dark soy sauce
1 tablespoon sugar
2 teaspoon pepper
1 teaspoon salt
1 Knead tamarind with water until pulp is dissolved. Strain and mix with all other ingredients, stirring to dissolve sugar. Cool before using to marinate chicken pieces, sliced pork, or beef before braising or sautéing.
Makes 160 ml (⅔ cup) marinade
Preparation time: 5 minutes
Basic Garam Masala
Garam masala is a warm spice mix that should be fragrant and compelling—which is why the coriander and cumin are roasted whole before grinding, for the most heightened aroma.
3 tablespoons coriander seeds
2 tablespoons cumin seeds
2 teaspoons black peppercorns
1 teaspoon ground cardamom
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground clove
1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 Set a wok (preferably non-stick, or very well seasoned) over low heat. When wok is hot, dry-fry coriander seeds for 4 to 6 minutes, stirring continuously, until they are fragrant and have darkened very slightly. Scrape into a bowl.
2 Dry-fry cumin seeds for 2 to 3 minutes until fragrant. When both spices have cooled, grind in spice grinder with black pepper until fine. Add all remaining spices and whizz just to mix. Store in an air-tight jar in a dark, dry place.
Makes scant ½ cup
Preparation time: 5 minutes
Meat Curry Powder
The Meat and Seafood Curry Powders are a time-saver if you have access to good quality ground spices (that is, those with use-by dates a long way off). That said, if you have the time—and a good spice grinder—it is worth purchasing each spice whole and dry-roasting them individually until they smell fragrant. When they have cooled, grind them together, then store airtight. Blend wet aromatics like ginger, garlic, and onions with curry powder to a smooth paste, to be fried in oil before adding your meat and liquid.
250 g (9 oz) ground coriander
100 g (3½ oz) ground cumin
50 g (1¾ oz) ground fennel
30 g (1 oz) ground black pepper
30 g (1 oz) chili powder
30 g (1 oz) ground turmeric
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground cardamom
1 teaspoon ground cloves
1 Mix all ingredients together. Set a wok (preferably nonstick, or very well seasoned) over low heat. When wok is hot, add mixture and dry-fry, stirring continuously and thoroughly, for about 10 to 15 minutes, until spices start to release their aromatic oils. Do not let them scorch. When done, scrape into a bowl, and when cool, store in airtight jars in a dark, dry place.
Makes about 500 g (1 lb 2 oz)
Cooking time: 10-15 minutes
Seafood Curry Powder
1 Use the ingredients as for Meat Curry Powder, but omit cinnamon and reduce coriander to 200 g (7 oz), using the same method as above. Makes about 450 g (1 lb).
2 After dry-frying, add 1 teaspoon ground fenugreek and ½ teaspoon ground star anise.
Note There is some evidence that “curry powder” of the supermarket variety is in fact a British invention, and in truth, in and outside India, there is no single all-purpose blend used as a major component in different curries, though simpler mixtures like garam masala and panch phoran (Bengali five-spice mix) have multiple applications.
Curry powder should keep for up for three months. If you live in a humid climate, always check for any mold before using—moldy powder will have a musty, fetid, unpleasant smell.
Chili, Preserved Yellow Beans, and Lime Juice Dip
A salty and savory dip for steamed and boiled seafood.
3 tablespoons preserved yellow soybeans (tau cheo)
2 fresh red chilies, finely sliced
5 shallots, finely sliced
1½ tablespoons freshly squeezed lime juice, or 1 tablespoon distilled white vinegar
1 teaspoon sugar
1 Spoon soybeans into a small bowl. Drain off and discard most of the salty preserving liquid. Roughly mash beans and stir in chilies and shallots, followed by lime juice and sugar.
Serves 2-4
Preparation time: 5 mins
Red Coconut Chutney
A fiery chutney for South Indian breads and rice dishes.
5 dried red chilies
100 g (3½ oz) freshly grated coconut
3 shallots, chopped
1 tablespoon chopped ginger
½ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon sugar
2 tablespoons oil
1 teaspoon black mustard seeds
3 sprigs curry leaves, stalk discarded
1 Deseed 4 chilies and soak in warm water 10 minutes. Drain and combine with 2 tablespoons of the soaking water, coconut, shallots, ginger, salt, and sugar in a blender. Blend to a thick paste, then scrape into a heatproof bowl.
2 Heat oil in a small pan over
