RABBIT CURRY -- KHARGOSH MASALA

KHARGOSH MASALA

One fine fat rabbit, sectioned.
One large onion, chopped.
One beefsteak tomato, skinned and seeded.
Three to five cloves garlic, minced.
A thumblength ginger, minced.
Two Tsp. ground coriander.
One Tsp. each: cumin, cayenne.
Half a Tsp. turmeric.
Four or five green chilies, chopped.
Three or four green cardamom pods.
Two or three whole cloves.
About a dozen whole peppercorns.
One or two bay leaves.
One stick cinnamon.
Juice of two limes.

Sauté the onion with the whole spices and plenty of oil till nicely browned. Add the garlic and ginger, gild a bit, add the ground spices and rabbit pieces, and cook, stirring, till the fragrance rises. Put in everything else plus water to cover, squeeze the lime over, simmer for forty minutes.
Remove the bay leaves and garnish with cilantro.

Serve with a heap of steamed rice.
And some chilipaste.



Originally posted here: http://atthebackofthehill.blogspot.com/2014/04/eating-like-its-some-other-era.html.

STIR-FRIED PORK AND BITTER MELON 炒肥肉凉瓜

炒肥肉凉瓜 
CHAU FEI YIUK LEUNG GWAA


Sliced bitter melon, salted briefly, squeezed, rinsed, and drained.
Fatty meat, sliced and sprinkled with cornflour and sherry.
Garlic. Ginger. Fresh green chili.
Touch of shrimp paste.
Squeeze lime.
Oil.

Add items to the pan in the stages you are familiar with, when the bitter melon is nearly cooked, flame with a generous splash of sherry and decant to a serving plate. Squeeze the lime over.
Serve with steamed rice, and a dish of chilipaste.



Originally posted here: http://atthebackofthehill.blogspot.com/2014/04/eating-like-its-some-other-era.html.

REMOULADE

A sauce suitable for the fast-paced middle-aged bachelor lifestyle. Wise individuals keep a jar on hand at all times, and give it to relatives for celebratory events. Anniversaries and stuff.


ZESTY REMOULADE

2 cups mayonnaise.
4 TBS good olive oil.
4 TBS Heinz Chili Sauce.
4 TBS ketchup.
2 TBS of Sriracha Sauce.
2 TBS Dijon Mustard.
1 TBS Worcestershire sauce.
1 TBS finely minced scallion or onion.
1 Tsp. minced garlic.
½ Tsp. ground coriander seed.
½ Tsp. freshly cracked black pepper.
½ Tsp. salt (*).
Pinch of sugar.
The juice of one lime.
A dash of Tabasco.

Optional: one mashed anchovy fillet.
[*If you use anchovy, omit the half teaspoon of salt.]


Mash the anchovy and garlic thoroughly in a blending bowl, then whisk all ingredients fiercely together. Can be stored in the refrigerator, and used on virtually everything.



Originally published here: http://atthebackofthehill.blogspot.com/2014/01/fabulous-pizza-and-sheer-heresy.html,  titled: FABULOUS PIZZA, AND SHEER HERESY.

SAMOR DAGING -- INDONESIAN MEAT STEW

SAMOR DAGING

One pound of chunked or sliced meat.
Four TBS soy sauce.
Three or four shallots, sliced thin.
Two or Three TBS sugar.
A very hefty squeeze of lime juice.
Dash vinegar.
Chilipaste.
Pinches of clove and cinnamon.
Garlic and ginger; sliced, smashed, or slivered.


Brown the shallots, garlic, and ginger. Put the meat in the pan to colour, add the soy sauce and sugar and a splash of water. Simmer till sticky and fragrant, on the cusp of scorching. Add the lime juice, vinegar, and chilipaste, stir to incorporate, and add a splash more water.
Simmer a little longer.
The total cooking time for the meat should be about an hour or so; less for tender white, more for dark and robust. Pork doesn't take too much time, but goat might be a while.
Lamb requires extra garlic, beef more ginger.
Make it moist enough to wet the rice.



Originally posted here: http://atthebackofthehill.blogspot.com/2014/04/distraction-terminating-in-stew-samor.html.

CHICKEN ADOBO WITH COCONUT MILK -- ADOBONG MANOK SA GATA

ADOBONG MANOK SA GATA

Eight to ten chicken thighs.
Half a cup of soy sauce.
One third cup of cider vinegar.
One and a half cups of coconut milk.
Bay leaves.
One or two sliced shallots.
One Tsp. whole pepper corns.
Eight garlic cloves, minced.

Prick the thighs here and there with a fork, marinate in soy sauce for half an hour. Drain, reserving soy sauce. Brown in a pan, and discard some of the grease. Add the sliced shallot and colour this slightly, then add everything else and simmer for half an hour or so, stirring occasionally to prevent sticking or burning.
Remove bay leaves.

Serve with steamed rice, and a little saucer of crushed garlic in vinegar on the side.


If you want, you can also add whole siling labuyo (wild chili) or siling haba (long chili) to the pan. Siling labuyo is sharper than siling haba.


Note that this type of soy sauce, vinegar, and coconut milk flavouring can also be used for adobo sa liyempo (pork belly adobo), as well as ginataan manok and ginataan hipon -- chicken or shrimp coconut milk stew, with the amount of vinegar reduced severely, even replaced with one or two tablespoons of strong tamarind water. The process is to simmer till the sauce separates. If using shrimp, don't add them till after everything else has been combined and cooked, then put them in to poach in the sauce. Shrimp does not require more than a few minutes of heat.



Originally posted here: http://atthebackofthehill.blogspot.com/2014/04/chicken-adobo-with-coconut-milk.html.

LADY CURZON SOUP: TURTLE SOUP SERVED ON AN OCEAN LINER

LADY CURZON SOUP

Four cups turtle broth.
Half a cup cream.
Half a cup of whipping cream.
Half a cup sherry.
Half a cup turtle scraps.
Two Tsp. Madras curry powder.
Pinch of mace.

Mix everything except the whipping cream over low heat, taking care that it does not boil. Then beat the bejazus out of the whipping cream, apportion the liquid over several small bowls or cups, and add whipping cream on top.

Nowadays it is usually made with mussel broth, as even the English have become averse to greenish-hued mysteries and chelonitoxism.

More complex recipes use two egg yolks beaten into the cream to make a richer experience. Add a little soup to this mixture, then increase the amount gradually to a full cup worth. This will ease the subsequent addition of the cream and yolk mixture to the rest of the soup.



Originally posted here: http://atthebackofthehill.blogspot.com/2014/03/a-girl-with-machete.html.

CHICKEN CURRY AND INDIAN RICE -- ENGLISH FOOD

CHICKEN CURRY, VERY BRITISH

Half a dozen chicken thighs.
Two onions, sliced.
Two TBS mango chutney.
Two Tsp. ground coriander.
One Tsp. ground cumin.
One Tsp. turmeric.
One Tsp. cayenne.
One TBS flour.
One TBS lemon juice.
One TBS sugar.
Dash of Worcestershire sauce.
A jigger of sherry.
Bay leaf or two.
Chili pepper or two.
Two to three cups water.

Gently sauté the chicken thighs till nicely coloured in some oil. Add the onions, and let them softly brown. Add the water, bay leaf, and chili (chopped or not) and put on a low simmer. Mix the remaining ingredients and stir into the pot. Cook till the chicken is tender.
Which, for a scraggy rooster, might be an hour or two, but for a fine young hen would be about forty minutes.


ENGLISH "INDIAN" RICE

Four cups cooked rice.
Two TBS peach preserves.
One minced hot chili.
One minced onion.
One peeled seeded chopped tomato.
Half a Tsp. ground coriander.
Quarter Tsp. turmeric.
Half a cup yoghurt.
A bit of chopped parsley or cilantro.
A little bit finely minced ginger.

Fry the onion in some oil till light brown. Add the chili and tomato, stir to incorporate, and add the coriander and turmeric. When the fragrance of the spices becomes noticeable mix in everything else and heat through. Serve with the chicken curry shown above.


Necessary adjuncts to a proper English excuse for Indian food are sliced cucumbers in yoghurt, a bowl of chutney, chopped onions, a hot sauce, and a jar of Patak's lime or mango pickle.
And perhaps fried nuts.

Possibly also a salad.
Personally, I also like potato chunks cooked crusty, flavoured with ground dark roasted cumin seeds, cayenne, and a pinch of amchoor.
But that isn't properly British, even if peas are added.



Originally posted here: http://atthebackofthehill.blogspot.com/2014/03/its-lifestyle-choice.html.

GOAT CURRY, COCONUT RICE, AND GOAT CURRY POWDER

GOAT CURRY

1½ LBS goat, chunk cut.
1 Onion, finely chopped.
1 Thumblength ginger, minced.
3 Cloves garlic, minced.
3 Large tomatoes; peeled, seeded, chopped.
3 TBS curry powder.
6 Whole green chilies; Serrano or Jalapeno.
6 Green cardamom pods.
2 Whole cloves.
2 Bay leaves.
½ Cup coconut milk.
1½ Cup water or beer.
½ Tsp. sugar.
½ Tsp. garam masala.
Salt, pepper, oil.

Salt and pepper the meat.

Gild the onion in the pan with plenty oil, add the ginger and garlic halfway through, and add the sugar, which will facilitate browning.
Add the curry powder, cardamom pods, and whole cloves, stir to blend; add the meat, stir to coat. When the meat colours, but before the curry powder scorches, add the tomatoes. Mix.
Pour the liquids in, and add the whole chilies to float on top; their presence will contribute fragrance, but scant heat if left whole. Add the bay leaves. Raise to boil, turn low and simmer for two hours.
Add the garam masala and cook a few minutes longer.
Garnish with chopped cilantro.
Serve with rice.



COCONUT RICE

One onion, chopped.
3 Cups rice; rinsed, drained, aired.
3 Cloves garlic, minced.
A little fresh ginger, ditto.
3 Bay leaves.
1½ Cups coconut milk.
1½ Cups chicken stock.
1½ Cups water.
Pinch salt.

Gild the onions in oil. When starting to brown, stir in the rice and garlic. Cook thus till the fragrance of the garlic is very noticeable. Add the ginger, stir briefly, then add the liquids and the bay leaves, plus the salt. Bring to a simmer, turn heat low and cover. Cook for fifteen to twenty minutes.
Let it rest, covered, for about ten to fifteen minutes.
Fluff it up, and squeeze some lime juice over it.



GOAT CURRY POWDER

3½ Tsp. ground coriander.
1½ Tsp. (½ TBS) turmeric.
1½ Tsp. (½ TBS) ground cumin.
1 Tsp. cayenne.
½ Tsp. ground black pepper.
½ Tsp. dry ginger.
½ Tsp. cinnamon powder.

Mix, and use as necessary. This equals the three tablespoons needed for the goat curry.

Goat curry powder can also be used for pork.



Originally posted here: http://atthebackofthehill.blogspot.com/2014/02/when-grown-men-dream-of-goats.html.

BOTTLE GOURD PRESERVE

Something for your toast.

BOTTLE GOURD PRESERVE

Two cups coarsely shredded bottle gourd.
One cup cane sugar.
Two TBS lime juice.
One TBS finely shredded ginger.
Miniscule pinch salt.

Put the shredded bottle gourd and the minute pinch of salt in an enamel saucepan and cover with water. Bring to a boil, turn low, and simmer till translucent, about fifteen minutes. Drain, reserving about half a cup of the liquid.

Mix the reserved cooking liquid with the sugar and the lime juice. Cook while stirring till the sugar is fully dissolved. Now add the bottle gourd shreds and ginger, and simmer, stirring frequently to prevent scorching, for an hour or two. It is done when the syrup is thick and gluggy.

Decant into a glass jar and seal as you would any other home-made preserve, or store it in the refrigerator where it will keep for several months.


Originally posted here: http://atthebackofthehill.blogspot.com/2014/02/sweet-fruit-compote-flaky-crust-and.html.

INGELEGDE VIS

INGELEGDE VIS
[Steeped Fish]

Two pounds salmon fillets.
Two cucumbers; peeled, seeded, and sliced.
One carrot, thin coin cut.
One onion, sliced thinly.
One cup vinegar.
Half a cup of water or fish stock.
Quarter cup of lemon juice.
One Tsp. sugar.
Quarter Tsp. cayenne.
Pinches of salt and pepper.


Mix, spread plastic wrap over and press onto the surface, and set it in the refrigerator for half a day. Take it out when ready to eat.
Heat to a boil, then let cool to room temperature.
Garnish with minced parsley.

Serve as a first course, with some buttered brown bread from a dense loaf.

You should drink sherry or chilled genever with this.



Originally posted here: http://atthebackofthehill.blogspot.com/2014/02/fish-luminous-food.html.

MURGH TIKKA -- GRILLED CHICKEN PIECES

MURGH TIKKA
Grilled chicken pieces.

Marinade:
One cup fresh yoghurt.
One cup chopped fresh coriander leaves (cilantro).
Thumb-length ginger, chopped.
Half dozen cloves garlic, chopped.
1-2 TBS ground coriander.
½ TBS ground cumin.
½ TBS cayenne.
1 Tsp. dry ginger.
½ Tsp. turmeric.
½ Tsp. cinnamon powder.
½ Tsp ground black pepper.
½ Tsp. salt.
½ Tsp. orange food coloring.
Two TBS lime juice.

2 Lbs. chicken, boned and skinned, large chunk cut.

Garnishing:
One onion sliced into very thin rings.
Fresh green chilies, sliced.
Lime wedges for squeezing.
Generous pinches of amchoor.
Pinch of salt.


Dump all marinade ingredients except the yoghurt into the food processor, grind smooth. Mix with the yoghurt, and marinate the chicken for several hours therein inside the refrigerator.

Spear the chicken chunks on skewers and grill over red hot coals. Brush with ghee two or three times, allowing the excess to drip into the fire and flare up.

Once the chicken is cooked, put it on a heated platter and set it aside temporarily.

Put the onion rings and sliced chilies in a bowl, squeeze the lime over, and sprinkle with the amchoor and the pinch of salt. Mix well. Strew some over the chicken, and dump the rest next to it.


Best served with fresh buttery naan.


Originally from here: http://atthebackofthehill.blogspot.com/2014/01/chicken-tikka-better-fed-degenerate.html

KAPUSNIYAK: CABBAGE SOUP

Cabbage soup from the New Frontier, which is a place that Lithuanians, Poles, and Ruthenians fought over, in, and on. For several centuries.
Food is fuel, food is a fortress, food is the soul.


Half pound sauerkraut (kislaya kapusta), slightly drained.
Half of a head of white cabbage, finely shredded.
One onion, chopped.
Two carrots, peeled and diced.
Two stalks celery, diced.
Two potatoes, peeled and diced.
One pound pork ribs.
Half a pound smoked sausage, chopped.
Six to eight cups clear stock.
Three TBS tomato paste.
Three cloves garlic, minced.
Two Tsp sugar.
Two Tsp paprika.

Two to four TBS finely minced parsley.
And plenty of cilantro, if you live in SF.
Otherwise it's optional.


Brown the ribs and smoked sausage in some rendered fat, and remove to a plate. Then sauté the onion, celery, and carrot in the pot, with the garlic, till nicely gilded and fragrant. Stir in the tomato paste, and add everything else except the parsley and cilantro. Bring to a boil, lower the flame, and simmer for about an hour and a half, two hours.

Remove the pork ribs from the soup with cooking tongs, and strip the meat from the bones. Discard the bones, chop the meat and return it to the soup. Add a few grinds of pepper, and serve in individual bowls with the parsley and cilantro strewn over.
Serves four.


Have some chili peppers and a bowl of sour cream (smetana) on the table for them as wants, along with a fresh loaf of crusty bread.


NOTE: I always add caraway seeds (kimil) to cabbage dishes (kroitn, kapusti) when preparing such. But that may not be your thing.
[½ teaspoon for this recipe.]


Originally posted here: http://atthebackofthehill.blogspot.com/2014/01/otters-and-kapusniyak-redeeming.html.