Tamarind Curry of Seafood

Tamarind Curry of Seafood

My daughter, Sophia gave me a treat to Urban Graze cooking class, with Alvin Quah, one of the contestants from Masterchef 2010.  This is my favorite recipe from that class.

Tamarind Curry of Seafood
Recipe by Alvin Quah


Ingredients:

15       each bulb shallots, peeled
3         each candlenuts, soaked in hot water for 10 mins
1         each 3cm piece galangal, peeled and roughly chopped
7         each garlic cloves, peeled
3         each stalks lemongrass, white part sliced and reserved
2         teaspoons tumeric powder
10-20 dried chillies (soaked in hot water for 15 minutes and drained)
16 g    shrimp paste (belacan)

1/2      cup vegetable or canola oil
3         tablespoon tamarind pulp
21/2    cups water
250     ml fish stock
1/2      tablespoon palm sugar
2         each truss tomatoes, each cut into 6 equal pieces
           salt to taste

250     g barramundi fillet, cut into 10 pieces
10       each mussels
10       each green prawns, head and shells removed and deveined
10       each okra, cut into thirds

Method:

• In a food processor, process bulb shallots, candlenuts, galangal, garlic, lemongrass, tumeric owder, chillies and shrimp paste to a smooth paste.
• Mix the tamarind pulp with water and strain the water to get the tamarind juice.  Set aside.
• In a wok, heat the oil over low heat and fry the ground spice past until the oil and paste separates and is fragrant.  (About 15 minutes)
• Add the tamarind ulp and sugar into the spice paste and bring it to a boil on low heat.  Add fish stock, half the tomatoes and allow to simmer for about 10-15 minutes.  Add okra and the rest of the tomatoes and alow to simmer for another 5 minutes.
• Meanwhile, steam the fish, prawns and mussels in a bamboo steamer until just cooked.  They should all take the same amount of time to cook.  About 4-5 minutes.

To Serve:

• Add a piece of fish, a mussel and a prawn into a bowl.  Repeat with the other 9 bowls.
• Ladle the curry into each bowl and serve with rice or crusty bread.

Gravlax

Gravlax

Thanks to Lily Wai Sek Hong for this recipe. I have been inspired by Lily and her blog for many years.

Ingredients:
For every kilo of salmon fillet, use:
4 tablespoons kosher salt
4 tablespoons sugar
4 teaspoon ground black pepper
zest of 1 lemon

Method:
Examine the salmon for bones by visual inspection and by touch. Remove bones with tweezers.

Drape the salmon fillet over an inverted bowl. This will help force the tips of the bones up, making them easier to grasp and to remove.

Place the salmon fillet, skin side down on a large piece of plastic wrap, which is about three to four times the length of the fillet.

Mix the salt, sugar, black pepper and zest into a bowl.

Spoon the mixture onto the exposed salmon flesh, making sure to cover as much of the exposed areas as possible.

Wrap the salmon fillet tightly in the plastic wrap. Take a second sheet of plastic wrap, and wrap again.

Place the package in a baking dish or container to catch the juices that will flow from the package during the curing.

Place this in the refrigerator, and refrigerate the salmon fillet for at least two days. Longer refrigeration will intensify the flavors.

Remove the container from the refrigerator, open the package, and rinse gravlax in water.

If any pieces of salt or pepper are stuck to the flesh, wipe off gently. Dry with a paper towel and sprinkle with more freshly ground pepper.

Use a sharp boning knife to cut the gravlax. Position the gravlax so that you cut from the tail end first. The gravlax should be thinly sliced on the bias (at an angle). Each slice should be detached from the skin.

Use a sharp boning knife to cut the gravlax.  Position the gravlax so that you cut from the tail end first.  The gravlax should be thinly sliced on the bias (at an angle).  Each slice should be detached from the skin.