Serious Eats

Video: Los Angeles Street Food Tour

2009-11-21T18:00:00Z

From brioche ice cream sandwiches to duck tacos, the Los Angeles street food scene is vibrant. A few friends decided to hop around the city with a camera and hit six popular trucks: Barbie's Q (barbecue), Lomo Arigato (Peruvian fusion), Little Spoon Desserts (aw, their Twitter account is @weliketospoon), Flying Pig (Asian-French fusion), Coolhaus (fancy ice cream sandwiches), and Kogi (Korean-Mexi fusion, and the only vendor that declined an interview here). The video, after the jump.

Los Angeles Street Food Tour

A Few They Left Out...

Street Food Profiles: Don Chow Tacos
Street Food Profiles: Nom Nom Truck
Street Food Profiles: Green Truck
Street Food Profiles: Let's Be Frank

In Season: Cranberries

2009-11-21T16:00:00Z

[Flickr: Vieux Bandit]

At peak season from October through November, cranberries are a great way to bring in the holidays—with a vibrant hue and delicious tart sweetness, what's not to love? They can be enjoyed in a wide variety of dishes, whether fresh, frozen, or dried.

Cranberry recipes, tips, and info after the jump.

Cranberries are-low growing shrubs or vines reaching 5 to 20 centimeters in height. They have a thin and wiry stem, small evergreen leaves, and dark pink forward-pointing flowers. The fruit that we all know and love is an acidic berry that is white when unripened, but turns a deep festive crimson when fully ripe.

Most cranberries are usually harvested in the fall, and the beds of berries are flooded with six to eight inches of water; then, a harvester combs the fruit free from the vines. From the farm, cranberries are taken to stations where they are cleaned, sorted, and stored before being packaged or processed. An estimated 95% of cranberries are harvested and then processed into juices, canned sauce, and dried—with only the remaining 5% enjoyed fresh.

For ideas on how to use cranberry's this winter, we've compiled our favorite cranberry recipes below.

Recipes

This Week's Tasty 10, Thanksgiving All-Star Edition

2009-11-21T13:00:00Z

This week's Tasty 10 is a little different—all Thanksgiving. And instead of limiting it to posts published in the last seven days, these are the most popular SE Thanksgiving posts of all time, for the week of November 13–20.

1. The Food Lab: Turkey Brining Basics
2. How to Spatchcock a Turkey
3. Taste Test: Store-Bought Stuffing
4. Cakespy: The Pumpkin-Apple-Pecan Pie
5. Cook's Illustrated's Foolproof Pie Dough
6. Funniest Thanksgiving
7. Taste Test: Finding the Best Apples for Baking
8. Pumpkin Pie Alternatives for Thanksgiving
9. Cook the Book: Mashed Potatoes, Finally Revealed
10. Ten Turkey Tips You'll Be Thankful For

Grilling: Cider-Glazed Sweet Potatoes

2009-11-21T00:30:00Z

From Recipes

Note: Each week Joshua Bousel of The Meatwave drops by with a recipe for you to grill over the weekend. Fire it up, Joshua!

[Photographs: Joshua Bousel]

If there's any tension during my family's Thanksgiving, it's usually over who and what gets control of the oven. Too many dishes have been scraped because of limited cooking space, so recipes that don't require oven use are golden.

Even though I hesitate to call this recipe for cider-glazed sweet potatoes real grilling, it does bring the cooking outdoors, which gets bonus points for getting me out of the kitchen completely.

The sweet potatoes are roasted in a liquid mixture of apple cider, brown sugar, olive oil, and cider vinegar until the liquid cooks down and glazes the spuds, which just happens to be about the same time the potatoes become velvety smooth inside. It's a simple recipe that requires little attention, but produces a luscious, sticky-sweet side, making it an excellent choice for any Thanksgiving menu.

Cider-Glazed Sweet Potatoes

Ingredients

6 medium sweet potatoes, about 5 pounds
1/2 cup apple cider
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
1 tablespoon dark brown sugar
Sea salt

Procedure

1. Light a chimney 3/4 full of charcoal. While the fire is lighting, peel and cut the sweet potatoes into 2-inch wedges or chunks. Whisk together the cider, oil, vinegar, and sugar and toss the mixture with the potatoes. Place the potatoes and liquid in a large shallow roasting pan.

2. When the charcoal is fully lit and covered in gray ash, pour coals out and arrange them on either side of the charcoal grate, keeping the middle empty. Place the roasting pan with the potatoes in the center of the grill and cover. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the liquid has evaporated and the potatoes are browned on the edges and soft on the inside, about 45 to 60 minutes.

3. While still hot, season to taste with sea salt. Serve warm.

Comment of the Day: Stuffing vs. Dressing

2009-11-21T00:00:00Z

Why is "dressing" more appropriate for [the dish] when baked in a casserole pan? The term "dressing" could be equally read to imply "to dress," as in it dresses something...Just as the bird is stuffed with it, the bird is dressed (up) with it. —Lorenzo

Leftovers: The Day's Stray Links

2009-11-20T23:15:00Z

Scrudle: A utensil designed to scrape and scoop every last morsel. [Independent]
GQ's Chef of the Year: And the award goes to D.C.-hailing Jose Andres. [GQ]
Dunkin' on West Coast: If this Boston-themed bar in Santa Monica gets enough orders, they'll drive in the donuts from Vegas. [LA Snark]
Caviar Sandwiches? The Subway chain looks to open 1,000 more outlets in Russia by 2015. [Reuters]
Popular Demand (Popeye's): The new music video from Clipse about hanging outside of Obama Fried Chicken, not Popeye's. [Brokelyn]
Bye, Oprah! Cocktail: To salute 25 years on air, guzzle this down. [VanityFair]
Martha vs. Rachael: Her style is "not good enough," said Stewart of Ray. [HP]

Time for a Drink: Champs Elysees

2009-11-20T22:30:00Z

From Recipes

Let's start the weekend right--with a cocktail recipe from Paul Clarke (The Cocktail Chronicles). Need more than one? Hit up the archives. Cheers!

Cocktails can be rich and rugged like a Manhattan, or crisp and sharp like a martini, or bright and tangy like a daiquiri (they can also be sweet and murky like a Bahama Mama, but we won't go there right now). But with the holiday season approaching, your taste buds might feel the need for something with a little more elegance—that's where the French come in.

Composed of two great Gallic spirits (cognac and the herbal liqueur Chartreuse) along with some lemon juice and bitters, the Champs Elysees is the ne plus ultra of elegant cocktails. The Savoy Cocktail Book from 1930 lists a party-size recipe for this drink, which is good billing for its powers as a social lubricant. Fortunately the recipe is easily scaled-down. This one (from Food & Wine's 2008 cocktail guide) was adapted by bartenders at Zig Zag Café in Seattle, who deploy a Champs Élysées anytime a little elegance is needed.

Champs Elysees

Ingredients

1 1/2 ounces cognac
1/2 ounce green Chartreuse
1/4 ounce fresh lemon juice
1/8 ounce simple syrup
2 dashes Angostura bitters

Procedure

Combine ingredients in a cocktail shaker and fill with ice. Shake well and strain into chilled cocktail glass.

About the author: Paul Clarke blogs about cocktails at The Cocktail Chronicles and writes regularly on spirits and cocktails for Imbibe magazine. He lives in Seattle, where he works as a writer and magazine editor.

Fresh Food on TV: Weekend Edition

2009-11-20T22:00:00Z

With all the channels on broadcast TV and cable—and the inevitable episode repeats—it's hard to sort out what's new or worthwhile. Let us sort it out for you so you don't miss anything worth watching. Times and episodes may vary with region (especially PBS shows); check your local listings for exact hour and channels.

Saturday (November 21)

Secrets of a Restaurant Chef (warning, a video plays automatically on site): "The Secret to Pork Loin." Pork tenderloin; homemade applesauce; warm cabbage slaw. (repeat) 10:30 a.m. ET, Food Network

5 Ingredient Fix: "Impress the In-Laws." Claire makes rosemary pork tenderloin, cheesy penne, nutty greens with bacon and blue cheese, and simple pineapple sherbet for her in-laws. (repeat) 12:30 a.m. ET, Food Network

Giada at Home (warning, a video plays automatically on site): "A Family Thanksgiving." Giada serves Thanksgiving dinner with a few twists. (repeat) 1 p.m. ET, Food Network

Barefoot Contessa (warning, a video plays automatically on site): "Thanksgiving Countdown." Holiday meals recipes for herb roasted turkey breast, sausage and herb stuffing, homemade gravy, and celery root and apple puree. (repeat) 1:30 p.m. ET, Food Network

Sunday (November 22)

Alex's Day Off (warning, a video plays automatically on site): "Dinner Just Because." Blackened salmon, seasoned basmati rice, baked squash topped with browned butter, and citrus-pomegranate dessert topped with baked meringue. 9:30 a.m. ET, Food Network

Gourmet's Adventures With Ruth: "Peggy Markel's Morocco." Ruth is in Marrakech, Morocco with actress Lorraine Bracco. They'll learn from local cooks how to make use of the local exotic ingredients. They'll also make couscous from scratch and prepare tagines. 3:30 p.m. ET, PBS

Julia and Jacques Cooking at Home: "Comfort Food: Poached Chicken, Chicken Pot Pie and Apple Tart Dessert." Julia and Jacques show how to poach a chicken with vegetables, mushrooms, and little white wine. They'll also show you how to use the poaching liquid with the leftover poached chicken for flaky crusted chicken pot pie. With the same basic pastry, Julia shares a recipe for rustic apple and dried fruit tart. 4 p.m. ET, PBS

Food Trip With Todd English: "Italy: The Medieval Cucina—I Live in a Castle." We join Todd as he travels to Tuscany to explore a medieval castle, shop at a medieval market, eat a medieval lampredotto, and experience medieval apothecary. 4:30 p.m. ET, PBS

America's Test Kitchen From Cook's Illustrated: "Stovetop Desserts." Recipes for skillet peach cobbler and blueberry grunt using a Dutch oven, tasting substitutes for fresh lemon juice, and checking out inexpensive ice cream. (repeat) 5 p.m. ET, PBS

Lidia's Italy: "Amber Waves of Pasta." Prosciutto di Parma, traditional local pasta-making in Bologna, and a recipe for fresh tagliatelle with white meat sauce and walnut pesto. 5:30 p.m. ET, PBS

The Next Iron Chef: "Finale." The last two chefs compete in head to head battle in Kitchen Stadium to become the next Iron Chef. 9 p.m. ET, Food Network

Dinner Tonight: Punjabi Rajma (Kidney Bean and Tomato Curry)

2009-11-20T21:15:00Z

From Recipes

[Photographs: Nick Kindelsperger]

When I think of kidney beans, my mind usually wanders down the Mississippi River to New Orleans. That's when I start dreaming of perfect red beans and rice. It's one of my favorite meals—I'd make it much more often if it didn't take so long. Other than that, I occasionally find kidney beans in bland soups or bowls of chili (though not Texas chili, of course). So, I was little surprised to see them pop up in this Indian recipe from Lisa's Kitchen. Who knew kidney beans were so popular in Northern India?

Oddly, it's the onions that kind of make this dish. They reduce down to a paste that picks up all the flavors from the spices and chiles. Only the beans can slightly calm the bout of spice.

Starting with dried beans would be the far more traditional route but this quick version is still surprisingly good. It's just another reason why I adore vegetarian Indian cuisine so much.

Punjabi Rajma (Kidney Bean and Tomato Curry)

- serves 2 to 3 -
Adapted from Lisa's Kitchen.

Ingredients

1 15-ounce can red kidney beans, drained
1 1/2 tablespoons sesame oil
1/2 medium onion, minced
1 small garlic clove, minced
1/2 inch of ginger, peeled and finely chopped
1 hot red or green chiles stemmed, seeded, and finely chopped
1 medium tomato, stemmed and chopped
1 teaspoon ground coriander
1/4 teaspoon cayenne
1 teaspoon ground cumin
Pinch of turmeric
Juice of 1/2 lemon
2 tablespoons parsley, finely chopped
Salt

Procedure

1. Pour the oil into a large pot set over medium heat. Toss in the onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until it has started to brown, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic, ginger, and chiles and cook for 2 minutes, or until very fragrant.

2. Dump in the chopped tomato, along with the coriander, cayenne, cumin, and turmeric. Cook until the tomatoes break apart and start to thicken into a sauce, about 10 minutes.

3. Pour in the kidney beans, lemon juice, a cup of water, and half of the parsley. Bring to a simmer, then reduce the heat to low. Cook for about 10 to 15 minutes, or until the liquid has reduced and the sauce is very thick. Serve with rice or flat bread, and sprinkle with more parsley. Season to taste with salt.

Breaking: Hope for Canned Pumpkin Shortage

2009-11-20T21:00:00Z

Though the pumpkin crop wasn't so hot this year and some have flipped about a potentially apocalyptic canned pumpkin shortage, Whole Foods says settle down. According to an email from a PR representative we just received, the store has plenty of their Whole Foods Market 365 canned pumpkin in stock, in fact more than normal. The organic pumpkin crop didn't hurt as badly since it didn't face the same issues with fungus and mold. But if you still can't find the orange stuff, here are some pumpkin pie alternatives.

Hot Dog of the Week: Pastrami Dog

2009-11-20T20:30:00Z

"Take two of the best classic deli sandwiches and combine them."

[Original artwork and photographs: Hawk Krall]

Past Weeks' Dogs

Danish Hot Dog
24th & Passyunk Truck
Texas Tommy
Philly Dirty Water Dog
Chicago Dog

Kosher hot dogs have always been a staple of New York delicatessens. It was only a matter of time before a deli man or two decided to pile some of that delicious pastrami on top of a frankfurter. The components are pretty self explanatory: all-beef kosher hot dog piled high with good, moist pastrami, on a poppy seed bun, maybe garnished with a squirt of deli mustard.

I found one here in Philadelphia at Famous 4th Street Deli, probably our most well-known classic delicatessen. My Pastrami Dog came with at least half a pound of pastrami piled on top. I made it all the way through without a knife and fork, which wasn't easy, but well worth it.

At first glance the Pastrami Dog doesn't look too different from other meat-on-meat atrocities. But it makes more culinary sense, almost a no-brainer. Take two of the best classic deli sandwiches and combine them.

A lot of newer hot dog joints are offering a similar Reuben dog, usually with corned beef, sauerkraut, Swiss cheese, and Thousand Island dressing—but at that point, you really are losing the hot dog underneath all the stuff.

The simplicity of frankfurter-pastrami-bread-mustard is perfect and pretty true to the deli experience. Although a mound of slaw on top and some half-sour pickles on the side can also really do the trick.

You would think that the Pastrami Dog would be available at every delicatessen on the East Coast, but sadly that's just not true. Katz's doesn't have it on the menu. In fact, the only New York delis where I could find one these days are Noah's Ark on the Lower East Side and Artie's Delicatessen on the Upper West Side, where they make a double pastrami dog.

Hot Diggity Dog in Brooklyn does a "Windsor Weenie," which is closer to a Reuben dog with melted Swiss cheese and kraut. Philly has them at Famous 4th mentioned above and at Hymie's Merion Deli just outside Philadelphia, they call it the "Tel-Aviv Tommy."

Where the Pastrami Dog has really taken off is the West Coast, especially in the Los Angeles area, where it seems to be on the menu of half the delis and hot dog joints in town, likely popularized by Pink's in Los Angeles where they call it the Brooklyn Dog.

Then there's the ultimate Pastrami Dog in Los Angeles—probably a total abomination by delicatessen standards—called the Oki Dog: two hot dogs, pastrami, chili, cheese and pickles wrapped in a tortilla. Served in a crazy crumbling shack, Oki Dog gained cult status in the late 1970s and early 80s as a favorite after-show hangout for the early Los Angeles hardcore scene. Legend has it that Darby Crash (late singer of the Germs) ate his last meal there.

It's often billed as an "East Coast classic" but I bet Pink's moves more of these a day than the entire city of New York does in a week. West Coast hot dog fast-food chain Weinerschnitlz even has a Pastrami Dog on their menu. It's almost a case of regional food mistaken identity. I imagine tourists from Los Angeles combing New York City, asking people on the street where to get "the original" Pastrami Dog to confused blank looks of bewilderment.

Other Meat-on-Meat Hot Dogs

There are a few other hot dog concoctions that are unique to delicatessens. Most delis offer some sort of frankfurter entree, with two dogs or knockwurst served with beans and maybe a side of cole slaw. In the Philadelphia area, almost every deli has the very un-kosher bacon and cheese covered Texas Tommy.

The hard-to-find kosher alternative to the Texas Tommy is currently up there in my top five hot dog holy grails. A Kosher Tommy is an all-beef frank wrapped in salami, sometimes covered in cheese that was popular a few generations ago when Philly had large Jewish working class neighborhoods. There might be two or three delis way out in the northeast section of the city that still make it. I can only eat so many hot dogs a day.

The Kosher Tommy was likely the inspiration for the "Philly Dog" at Steven Starr's recently opened Square Burger which takes a salami-wrapped dog and tops it off hot peppers, tomatoes, homemade pickles and mustard. In Baltimore Delis they wrap them in fried baloney.

With the wave of newly revived interest in classic delicatessens spurred by David Sax's fantastic book and same-named website, Save The Deli. The Pastrami Dog just might be due for a major comeback.

Artie's Delicatessen

2290 Broadway, New York NY 10024 (map)

Hot Diggity Dog

263 Prospect Park West, Brooklyn NY 11215 (map)

Famous 4th St. Deli

700 S. 4th Street, Philadelphia PA 19147 (map)

Pink's

709 N. La Brea Avenue, Los Angeles CA 90046 (map)

Win a Free Organic D'Artagnan Turkey

2009-11-20T20:00:00Z

Still don't have a turkey plan this year? Then we've got a contest for you. The good folks at D'Artagnan are providing us with a turkey a day to give away to one lucky Serious Eats reader from today until Sunday, November 22.*

D'Artagnan is a purveyor of many things delicious—from pâtés to sausages, foie gras to wild mushrooms, game meat to truffles. But right now we're especially interested in their turkeys.

D'Artagnan's certified organic birds are fed organic grains and pure spring water—no protein supplements, no added poultry or fish byproducts, no pesticides or herbicides, and no antibiotics or growth hormones. The result is a bird with great flavor, tenderness, and a 25 percent lower fat content than standard commercially raised turkeys.

We will be giving away 12- to 14-pound organic free-range birds for the duration of the contest. Contest is open only to participants in the continental U.S. Details after the jump.

Win a Turkey

To enter to win, just go to Serious Eats Thanksgiving headquarters, peruse all the recipes, and then leave a comment on this post telling us which of our Turkey Day menu suggestions sounds the yummiest.

One (1) winner will be chosen at random among the commenters. Feel free to enter every day, but you may win only once during the lifetime of the contest. Comments for this entry will be open until 3 p.m. ET tomorrow (November 21). The standard Serious Eats contest rules apply.

* Sorry, but we have to limit shipping to the continental U.S. Birds will be shipped from D'Artagnan no later than Monday, November 23.

Look Who's Talkin': Comments, Quips, and Tips We Have Known and Loved

2009-11-20T19:15:00Z

There's so much going on in Talk week to week that we almost can't keep up. If you're in the same boat, here's a small selection of topics and responses that have piqued our interest this week.

Help: Tips for Making Turkey Gravy

©iStockphoto.com/wolfephoto

"Letting your roux get darker than blond will make your gravy even tastier. I admit to an irrational prejudice against pale gravy. To me, good gravy is a deep, dark brown." —RegrettableFoodie

Thanksgiving Menu: What Is Yours?

"This post has just inspired me to reorganize my spices...." —yayfood

What Is Your Stance on 'Tipping'?

"...And ever since I hit 40, If someone asks me for my ID when I order a drink, it's an automatic 25% tip...." —CatBoy

Help! Ideas and New Recipes for Thxgiving Radio Cooking Show?

"What in the hell is Thxgiving? Is it pronounced "thicksgiving"? If I had to guess, I would say that it must be fat people giving stuff away." —olddad

Where Has Look Who's Talkin' Gone?

[If you missed Look Who's Talkin' the last couple weeks, I'm sorry. I was traveling nonstop and didn't have the time to compile the column. But many thanks to JerzeeTomato, who jumped in and rustled up a mini version in the comments of this thread. —AK]

Lobster or King Crab Legs: Which Do You Prefer?

[Photograph: Allerina & Glen MacLarty on Flickr]

"'A properly steamed, uncleaned, whole, female lobster.' YESSSSS! When I buy lobsters I ask for females and my shopping trip usually turns out to be a lobster anatomy lesson." —therealchiffonade

Pattern Recognition: All-Thanksgiving Edition

Thanksgiving Menu what is yours? »
Ideas to combine russet/sweet potatoes for a good side? »
Pie Crust Advice? »
Hamming it up for TGiving! Help »
Help: Deep fried turkey not crispy »
Cranberry side dishes »
How to store cooked pumpkin long-term? »
What is wrong with my yeast rolls? »
How to cook butternut squash »
Pie Crust »
Thanksgiving Planned Overs »
savory pumpkin bread? »
Onion Substitute? »
Homemade "Pepperidge Farm Stuffing"? »
Pumpkin Pie Fudge Recipe? »
Venison suggestions »
Decorations for Thanksgiving Cupcakes »
T-day Menu Challenge: Give Me a Timeline! »
Timing of Baking »
Thanksgiving menu - I think I'm missing something... »
Good Hard Cider Pairing for Thanksgiving Dinner? »
The entertainer who doesn't feel like entertaining this year »
Where to buy a deep fried turkey? »

Funniest Thanksgiving

"Funny or gross you decide.....we were all chowing down at Thanksgiving 2001, amazed at how wonderful my aunt's meat sauce was as her cooking skills leave something to be desired....We were commenting how delicious it was and asked if she used a recipe—she said, "heavens no! Uncle Jimmy made the sauce." In unison, we all dropped our forks...You see, Uncle Jimmy died in 1981 and his sauce with in the freezer all those years!.....No one was seriously sick but there were those with some degree of stomach upset! (maybe mind over matter)" —Italiancupcake

December 5–7 Loner Vacation

"Dim sum is possible alone, but tough, since everything comes in three or four pieces, you will be really limited in the number of dishes you can try, unless you make peace with leaving things behind for the sake of variety. I've got no specific recommendations for you, but if it's your first dim sum experience, don't feel pressured. If it's cart service, take your time and don't feel compelled to try everything that looks good the first time it comes around. If it's menu service (especially if it's your first time)—try and find a place with a detailed menu." —BananaMonkey

White Trash/Trailer Trash Theme Party Food Idea?

"Cheez Wiz, just the can, no crackers to put it on. Although that might be bad in today's swine flu climate...." —hmlicata

Oh, What a Dud!

"Eating Muppet — LMAO! I'd like to see Andrew Zimmern tackle that on Bizarre Foods. I've made plenty of duds in my time — they make me appreciate the gems even more!" —finewinedine

ISO Recipe for 'Hard Rolls'

"...At most production bakeries and in Julia Child's recipe for French bread, the crisp exterior and soft interior is achieved by steam. Some recipes call for a wash of egg whites to help with color, crispiness and as a seed glue, but I've found that spraying with water works better." —betteirene

Tell Me If This Cake Idea Sounds Good

"Pumpkin and chocolate work better than pumpkin and peanut butter. Add some apple and you have three great Fall flavors that all compliment each other." —ChefR0b

A Completely Crockpot Festive Meal

"Whoa, you own 5 crockpots!? Your kitchen must be big :-)" —hmw0029

[Oh, I have no trouble believing it, given the wealth of recipes Gator Pam provided in this thread. —AK]

Pet Peeve: It's 'Ballotine,' Not 'Balantine'

"I'll just sit here sipping my EXPRESSO and wondering what to do with that container of MARSCAPONE." —finsbigfan

How to Teach Your Kids About Good Pizza

"I nominate famdoc for a 'Look Who's Talkin'' shoutout. Though I think his metaphor could use some work, because the way his hypothetical is going, his Pizza Hut-loving son would then become Moses, adopted by a Di Fara–loving family, before angrily demanding that they let his chain pizza–loving people go." —NYminknit

Seriously Asian: Thai Curries, Part Three

2009-11-20T18:30:00Z

From Recipes

[Photographs: Chichi Wang]

Previously

Thai Curries, Part Two: Red and Green »
All Seriously Asian recipes »

This week concludes our three-part installment of Thai curry pastes. Red, green, and yellow curries are common offerings in restaurants, yet these colors are merely part of the Thai curry range. Two of the lesser-known curry pastes—Penang and Mussaman—are variations on the red and yellow pastes, though with distinctive attributes of their own. Penang curry paste, most similar to red, includes a sizable dose of roasted peanuts. Mussaman curry paste is comprised of the same spices as those of yellow, except the spices must be toasted whole, then freshly ground before being added to the paste.

Just about every guest passing through my apartment this month has been subject to my collection of curry pastes.

"Would you like some red curry with shrimp?" I ask. "No? Well, how about some curry fritters? Curry fried rice? Noodles with curry sauce?"

Eventually the target will succumb to my entreaties. Last night I wooed a friend with pork shoulder stewed in Penang curry. Claiming that eating Thai curry usually leaves her with "stuff pouring from every facial orifice," my friend was pleased to discover that Thai curries don't have to be painfully spicy.

Penang Curry Paste

Roasted peanuts impart a subtly sweet flavor to Penang curry paste. Sauces made with the paste have a noticeably peanut-y depth. In lieu of roasted peanuts, I often use freshly made peanut butter of the sort that oozes from those machines in the grocery store.

Though I frequently pair Thai curry pastes with seafood for a quick and easy meal, the pastes are just as suited for meat. Choose fatty cuts with some amount of tendon marbled throughout, such as pork shoulder or even hanger steak. Stewed for forty or so minutes, the pork or beef absorbs the flavors of the curry paste and the sauce will have gained some body from being stewed with meat.

Mussaman Curry Paste

Musalman—the Indian word for Muslim—gives this curry paste its name and distinctive taste. Instead of using ground spices, the recipe begins with toasting whole spices in a cast-iron pan. Whole peppercorns, cumin seeds, coriander seeds, and a stick of cinnamon are browned slightly in the skillet. Then the spices are finely ground, which is best accomplished with a spice or coffee grinder. Such a preparation is akin to that of some Indian curries for which whole spices are toasted and freshly ground.

A sauce made with Mussaman curry paste bears notes of its toasted past, with a deeper, darker flavor. The paste is often used with beef and potatoes, but it is just as suited for richly textured seafood such as jumbo shrimp.

Applications of Curry Pastes

Once you've managed to store just one curry paste in your freezer, you'll find yourself reaching for it with inordinate frequency. A curry paste is an automatic way of introducing bold flavors into your dishes. Generally, complexity takes a while to build; with a curry paste you'll have already done the bulk of the work ahead of time.

The options for incorporating a curry paste into your meal are limitless; the more you employ the paste in a recipe, the more uses you'll likely discover. Here are two of its applications that have been keeping me fed for the past month.

Curry Paste in Tempura Batter

Tempura with a dashi-based dipping sauce is a peerless combination, but having freshly made dashi on hand is not always realistic. Adding a dollop of curry paste to a tempura batter, on the other hand, is easily accomplished. Just as the recipe for classic Japanese tempura dictates, the batter should be somewhat lumpy to achieve a light, crispy coating when fried. In place of using only water, I like to add an ice cube to the batter to keep the mixture from growing tepid as I deep-fry.

When fried in a curry-based batter, the vegetables are savory and flavorful on their own without needing an accompanying sauce. Just about any vegetable pairs well with the curry, though I am partial to eggplants. Whenever I have stewed kale on hand, I dip large sections into the batter and deep-fry until the leaves are irresistibly crisp.

Curry Paste in Stir-Fried Rice

Stir-fried rice, that stalwart of a dish, could always use a new twist or pick-me-up. With your day-old rice in hand, crack the coconut to form the base of the sauce. Then add the curry paste as well as the eggs and your choice of vegetables. As usual, just a few tablespoons of the curry paste suffices to flavor the entire dish, yet the presence of lemongrass and galangal will come through.

About the author: Chichi Wang took her degree in philosophy, but decided that writing about food would be much more fun than writing about Plato. She firmly believes in all things offal, the importance of reading great books, and the necessity of three-hour meals. If she were ever to get a tattoo, it would say "Fat is flavor." Visit her blog, My Chalkboard Fridge.

Penang Curry Paste

- makes enough paste for 6 to 8 servings -

Adapted from The Big Book of Thai Curries by Vatcharin Bhumichitr.

Ingredients

5 large red dried chilies
1/2 teaspoon sea salt (or kosher)
1/2 cup shallots, chopped
5 cloves garlic, chopped
1-inch piece of galangal, finely chopped
1 lemongrass stalk, the bottom 7 inches thinly sliced
1-inch slice of kaffir lime peel, finely chopped
3 tablespoon cilantro roots, or 10 cilantro stalks
1/2 teaspoon ground white pepper
1 teaspoon coriander
1/2 teaspoon cumin
2 tablespoons roasted peanuts, or 3 tablespoons peanut butter
1 tablespoon shrimp paste

Procedure

1. Place the chilies in a small bowl with approximately 1/4 cup of hot water. Microwave the chilies in the water for 2 to 3 minutes, then let sit for 30 minutes.

2. Place all of the ingredients in a blender or a food processor. Purée, adding a few tablespoons of water if needed to get the mixture properly blended. Pause to push down the ingredients with a spatula. Use immediately or freeze in plastic bags.

Mussaman Curry Paste

- makes enough paste for 6 to 8 servings -

Adapted from From Curries to Kebabs: Recipes from the Indian Spice Trail by Madhur Jaffrey.

Ingredients

7 large red dried chilies
1/2 teaspoon white peppercorns
1/2 teaspoon whole cumin seeds
1 teaspoon whole coriander seeds
1-inch piece of cinnamon
1 cup shallots, choppped
5 garlic cloves, chopped
1-inch piece of ginger, peeled and chopped
1 tablespoon fresh lemongrass, thinly sliced
1 teaspoon curry powder
1/2 teaspoon ground turmeric
1 tablespoon shrimp paste

Procedure

1. Place the chilies in a small bowl with approximately 1/4 cup of hot water. Microwave the chilies in the water for 2 to 3 minutes, then let sit for 30 minutes.

2. Put the peppercorns, cumin seeds, coriander seeds, and cinnamon in a small, cast-iron frying pan and set over medium heat. Stir the spices around until they turn a slight shade darker and emit a faintly toasted aroma. Empty them into your coffee or spice grinder and allow them to cool for a minute or so.

3. Grind the spices as finely as possible in the coffee or spice grinder.

4. Place all of the ingredients in a blender or a food processor. Purée, adding a few tablespoons of water if needed to get the mixture properly blended. Pause to push down the ingredients with a spatula. Use immediately or freeze in plastic bags.

Pork in Penang Curry Sauce

- serves 4 to 5 -

Adapted from From Curries to Kebabs: Recipes from the Indian Spice Trail by Madhur Jaffrey.

Ingredients

14-ounce can of coconut milk, left undisturbed for several hours
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
5 to 6 tablespoons Penang curry paste
8 fresh kaffir lime leaves, cut into fine slivers (optional)
1 pound pork shoulder, cut into 1 1/2 inch cubes with the fat and skin left intact
2 tablespoons fish sauce, or to taste
1 teaspoon brown sugar, or to taste

Procedure

1. To form the sauce: Open the can of coconut milk and skim off the top layer of thick cream, about 4 tablespoons worth. Stir the remaining milk to reincorporate the coconut cream.

2. Pour the oil into a large, nonstick lidded pan and set over medium heat. When the oil is hot but not smoking, add the coconut cream and the curry paste. Stir the paste around until it is lightly browned and the oil has separated from the coconut in the cream. You have just cracked the coconut. Now, add 6 lime leaves and stir a few times.

3. Add the rest of the seasonings: the coconut milk, about 1/2 cup of water to thin out the mixture, the fish sauce, and then sugar. You can add more or less water, depending on your preference for the consistency. Stir and bring to a simmer.

4. Add the cubes of pork and gently simmer for 40 to 50 minutes, until the pork is tender and the sauce has reduced by two-third to one-half of its original volume. Garnish with the rest of the kaffir lime leaves. Serve immediately with rice. Leftovers reheat well, simmered gently for a few minutes to re-warm the pork.

Shrimp in Mussaman Curry Sauce

- serves 4 to 5 -

Ingredients

14-ounce can of coconut milk, left undisturbed for several hours
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
5 to 6 tablespoons Mussaman curry paste
1 bay leaf
1 pound of shrimp, preferably unshelled
2 tablespoons fish sauce, or to taste
1 teaspoon brown sugar, or to taste

Procedure

1. To form the sauce: Open the can of coconut milk and skim off the top layer of thick cream, about 4 tablespoons worth. Stir the remaining milk to reincorporate the coconut cream.

4. Add the shrimp of pork and gently simmer for 3 to 5 minutes, until the shrimp is barely cooked through. Serve immediately with rice.

Curried Vegetable Tempura

- serves 4 to 5 -

Ingredients

1 egg
1 1/2 cups cake flour or all-purpose flour
1/4 cup water plus one ice cube
1 or 2 zucchinis, cut into 1/4 inch slices
1 or 2 eggplants, depending on size, cut into 1/4 inch slices
1/2 teaspoon salt
A dozen or so button mushrooms, halved
4 tablespoons curry paste

2 cups vegetable oil, for frying
additional flour, about 1/2 cup, for dredging

Procedure

1. Sprinkle the slices of eggplants with 1/2 teaspoon of salt; set aside for 10 to 15 minutes. Then, with a paper towel, pat dry the moisture from the slices.

2. Place the curry paste in a bowl along with 1/4 cup of water. Mix well. Then add the egg and flour to the bowl, and mix lightly. The batter should be somewhat lumpy. Add the ice cube to the batter just before use.

3. Heat the oil in a wok or skillet to 350°F.

4. Pick up one vegetable slice and lightly dredge with flour. Then dip the slice in the batter, and add it to the hot oil. Fry for 1 to 2 minutes, depending on the vegetable, until the batter is golden brown and the vegetable is cooked through. The mushrooms will take longer (about 4 minutes). Transfer the fried vegetables to a rack to prevent the coating from becoming soggy. Eat as soon as possible for optimal crispiness.

Cook the Book: Easy Ambrosia

2009-11-20T18:00:00Z

From Recipes

I don't know exactly how cranberry sauce came to be such an integral part of the Thanksgiving meal. What I do know is that it acts as a prefect sweet-tart palate cleanser to break up the otherwise savory components of the meal.

Sweet and sour flavors are a great counterpoint to rich and fatty meat—just think about how great duck with sour cherries or pork with tart apples are.

Abiding by this principle, I have decided to include not one but two fruit dishes on my Thanksgiving menu this year. The first is obviously going to be cranberry sauce, and the second is this Easy Ambrosia from Simple Fresh Southern by Matt and Ted Lee.

This salad forgoes the whipped cream and marshmallows.

For those familiar with the cream-pineapple-maraschino-cherry-laden versions of this salad, rest assured that this one contains none of those cloyingly sweet ingredients. This iteration of ambrosia is much more refined.

It's basically a winter citrus salad with bitter endive and fresh parsley dressed simply with olive oil and salt. Since this salad forgoes the whipped cream and marshmallows, both fundamental parts of the traditional ambrosia, the salad is finished with a sprinkle of toasted coconut for sweetness.

I'm looking forward to adding this salad to my Thanksgiving menu, I think that it will add light notes of sweet, bitter, and tart to a meal that usually hovers in the realm of heavy, savory, and meaty.

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Easy Ambrosia

- serves 6 -

Adapted from Simple Fresh Southern by Matt and Ted Lee.

Ingredients

1 tablespoon coconut flakes, preferably unsweetened
2 navel oranges or tangelos, segmented
1 ruby grapefruit, segmented
3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 medium Belgian endive, root ends trimmed, cut lengthwise into thin strips
2 cups flat-leaf parsley (from about one 3-ounce bunch), stems trimmed

Procedure

1. Spread the coconut flakes in the broiler pan of a toaster oven and toast on a medium setting until they have become ever so gently browned, about 5 minutes. (Alternatively, you could toast the coconut by stirring it in a dry skillet until it toasts and becomes fragrant.) Reserve.

2. Segment the oranges and grapefruit over a large salad bowl to catch all the juice and segments. Drain the juice in a small bowl and add the salt and olive oil. Add the endive and parsley to the salad bowl with the citrus segments.

3. Whisk the citrus juice with the olive oil and salt until the dressing is emulsified. Pour the dressing over the salad, and toss until the salad is evenly coated. (Covered, the ambrosia will keep in the refrigerator for 1 day.) Before serving, sprinkle the reserved toasted coconut over it.