2 carrot GOLD

word association time:

when i say "curry" what's the first culture that comes to mind?
--indian, you say?

of course; indian cuisine is inextricably tied to the spicy, soupy goodness that inevitably embodies curried "anything," however, that's not to say they are the only culture able to curry favor with this versatile food preparation.

curry is a very popular dish in both japanese and korean cultures. unlike indian style curries, japanese curry is a bit more on the mild side and carries a notably less pungent ethnic kick.

japanese curry is made by stewing meats and vegetables together with some aromatics in stock or water. the stew is then thickened by dissolving a pre-packaged GOLDEN CURRY mix that can be found at most asian markets. since i cannot afford meat, i have tried my hand at a vegetarian version.



Vegged-out Golden Curry Stew
yields 2qt

1 lg onion, large dice
2 ribs of celery, small dice
4 cloves garlic, minced
2 hot chilies, minced

2 cups chicken stock
2-4 cups water
2 large carrots, large dice
2 large potatoes, large dice (yukon gold prefered, any will do)*
2 cups green beans, blanched and cut to bite-sized pieces (about 1/2#)
2 cups corn off the cob (fresh is best - from about 2 ears of corn)

1 box golden curry, cut into 1-inch cubes
salt to taste

1. heat 3 TBS of canola in a large sauce pot or dutch oven. saute onion and celery over medium-high heat until well browned. add garlic and chilies, cook until fragrant; about 2 minutes.




2. add the stock, 2 cups of the water, carrots, potatoes and reserved corn cobs. make sure vegetables are covered with 1-2 inches of water, add more as necessary. bring to a boil and return to a simmer. cook until the potatoes and carrts are fork tender.





3. remove the corn cobs and discard. add green beans and corn kernels to the pot and simmer to heat through, about 3 minutes.

4. add golden curry to the pot one cube at a time until each dissolves. gently stir and scrape the sides and bottom of the pot with a spatula to help break down the curry cubes. use ALL of the curry mix; it will act as a roux, making your stew dark and thick (kinda like Terry Crews).




-- i suppose you could garnish with some parsely or cilantro, however, it is traditioanlly served plain over white rice. for about $10 you have enough stew to last the week. this dish also freezes rather well. make sure to cook the stew completely before packing it up for freezer storage. thaw stew over medium heat thin with water or stock if necessary.

enjoy.

© 2008 c. c. villani @ "mission: insatiable" - http://missioninsatiable.blogspot.com/