What can you expect in the Food Thread on PF?

[turbo]

I have created a monster! We just finished up the second batch of hot chili soup today, and my wife wants me to make another batch this afternoon. Looks like I'm going to be cooking this a lot. I call it "soup", but it's actually quite thick. I'm going to steam a batch of basmati rice tonight and serve the stuff over that. It's really easy to make this stuff - recipe here:

https://www.physicsforums.com/showpost.php?p=1637796&postcount=224

 

[Evo]

Too funny, my older daughter "Spawn of Evo" was in Austin for the SXSW music conference and attended Rachel Ray's party. She'd never heard of her. She said she loved the southwest style macaroni and cheese.

 

[turbo]

Too bad she missed the Southwest style Hamburger Helper chili. I hear is was killer. Not.

 

[wolram]

Scrap pie.

I had

2 large potatoes
1/2 red onion
3 oz strong cheese
4 slices corned beef
2 eggs
2 cloves smoked garlic

So i made mashed potato, chopped the onion, garlic, corned beef and cheese and mixed them with the potato, added a teaspoon of chili flakes 1/2 teaspoon crushed black pepper, 1/2 teaspoon sea salt and the two eggs, give it all a good mix and throw it in the oven for 30-40 mins at 180, it sounds rubbish but it is tasty and filling.

 

[Moonbear]

That sounds quite delicious, wollie! Sort of like a corned beef hash omelet.

 

[turbo]

Actually, it sounds pretty good. I cook like that a lot with whatever is on hand

 

[wolram]

The best sausage, may be my taste buds are dead, but the humble banger just does not taste of much these days, i have to cook them all most crisp before i can taste any thing.
do you have a favorite pork sausage?

 

[Math Jeans]

I'm going to try to get a hold of the recipe for that curry stirfry that I mentioned during chat.

OK. Here it is:

Ingredients:
Any type of cut up vegetable (between four and six cups). (Suggested: Bok Toy, Bean sprouts, broccoli, onions, water chestnuts, bamboo shoots, green beans, chinese cabbage)

Any type of meat (about a third as much as the vegetables or as much as desired). (Suggested: flank steak sliced on an angle and marinated in soy sauce, chicken cut up, shrimp(required ))

Garlic crushed/chopped (several teaspoons)
Sesame oil (several teaspoons)
Chicken broth (1-1/2 cup)
One block Golden curry (S & B brand)
Any insanely spicy red curry for taste (about 1 teaspoon)

(Habaneros if desired)


Instructions:
In a large wok, heat sesame oil and add crushed or chopped garlic.

Add meat, chicken, or shrimp and saute until nearly done. Remove meat and put in separate bowl.

Add more sesame oil, heat and add the vegatables, and saute until about half cooked.

Add the block of curry and the chicken broth.

Stir until the curry dissolves (add more broth as necessare to achieve desired consistency).

Add red curry (if desired. The original recipe does not include it, but over time, I started adding it as it is nice with it. However, I personally only do it because its spicy, but do not use that much of it as it does not help the taste alot. Just the heat.)

ENJOY!

 

[wolram]

I just found this,

http://www.showcook.com/pilchards.htm

I was thinking of making a sort of pilchard tart toped with a strong cheesy custard and served with a plumb, ginger and chili chutney, but could not find any thing like it.

 

[~christina~]

I'm going to try to get a hold of the recipe for that curry stirfry that I mentioned during chat.

OK. Here it is:

Ingredients:
Any type of cut up vegetable (between four and six cups). (Suggested: Bok Toy, Bean sprouts, broccoli, onions, water chestnuts, bamboo shoots, green beans, chinese cabbage)

Any type of meat (about a third as much as the vegetables or as much as desired). (Suggested: flank steak sliced on an angle and marinated in soy sauce, chicken cut up, shrimp(required ))

Garlic crushed/chopped (several teaspoons)
Sesame oil (several teaspoons)
Chicken broth (1-1/2 cup)
One block Golden curry (S & B brand)
Any insanely spicy red curry for taste (about 1 teaspoon)

(Habaneros if desired)


Instructions:
In a large wok, heat sesame oil and add crushed or chopped garlic.

Add meat, chicken, or shrimp and saute until nearly done. Remove meat and put in separate bowl.

Add more sesame oil, heat and add the vegatables, and saute until about half cooked.

Add the block of curry and the chicken broth.

Stir until the curry dissolves (add more broth as necessare to achieve desired consistency).

Add red curry (if desired. The original recipe does not include it, but over time, I started adding it as it is nice with it. However, I personally only do it because its spicy, but do not use that much of it as it does not help the taste alot. Just the heat.)

ENJOY!

I remembered that you mentioned this.

Not sure how good having a lot of vegies such as bean sprouts in curry though since it would give off water if you left it in the fridge and well watery curry is to me

and when you say bok toy I assume it's bok choy... and there are 2 different varieties as well.

I cook curry but I use the powder and just go with that.

And the homemade recipe has
onions (to make it sweet), large pieces of chopped carrots (1/2 in), chicken drumsticks, coconut milk, and chicken wings

coconut milk is a must in curry and I don't know how people go without it...

and I just found out I've been cooking and eating Malaysian Curry and the link for the recipe for a general one I found is:http://www.cooks.com/rec/view/0,1739,153164-231204,00.html

 

[turbo]

Last night, we had meatloaf for supper - made with hamburg, torn bread, garlic, onions, green pepper and frozen spinach (yes, spinach) egg and seasonings. It was wonderful, and the baked potato was nicely accented by the dark pork-roast gravy from Sunday's dinner. I cooked the rest of the fresh asparagus, too.

Hint: It is often said that if you break asparagus stalks by bending them that they will break at the point where they begin to get tough and chewy. That is not really true, and asparagus is quite expensive up here, so I hate to waste any. I wash the stalks and snap them in half, then steam them. The tips are usually very tender, and sometimes the stalks are nice, too, for at least part of the way toward the base. Just set out a bowl in which to discard the chewy parts during your meal. You'll be surprised how much more asparagus you'll get with this method.

 

[Ouabache]

L I cooked the rest of the fresh asparagus, too.

Are asparagus poking up in your garden already?
re: last Sunday chat, that Lobster Festival in Rockland was awesome. Did you say you know someone who brings around lots of fresh culls?

 

[turbo]

Are asparagus poking up in your garden already?
re: last Sunday chat, that Lobster Festival in Rockland was awesome. Did you say you know someone who brings around lots of fresh culls?

I still have at least 2 feet of heavy, compacted snow covering my garden and won't see asparagus coming up for months yet. My sister-in-law picked it up from the supermarket, since it was on sale, and the spears were quite slender.

About the lobsters - a lobsterman bought the little house next to my father's place, and he and his buddy park their wives there while they head even farther north to his fishing camp on Moxie Pond. My father keeps an eye on the place, so the guy brings him culls whenever he comes up for a visit. Typically lobsters that have lost one claw in a fight.

 

[Math Jeans]

I remembered that you mentioned this.

Not sure how good having a lot of vegies such as bean sprouts in curry though since it would give off water if you left it in the fridge and well watery curry is to me

and when you say bok toy I assume it's bok choy... and there are 2 different varieties as well.

I cook curry but I use the powder and just go with that.

And the homemade recipe has
onions (to make it sweet), large pieces of chopped carrots (1/2 in), chicken drumsticks, coconut milk, and chicken wings

coconut milk is a must in curry and I don't know how people go without it...

and I just found out I've been cooking and eating Malaysian Curry and the link for the recipe for a general one I found is:http://www.cooks.com/rec/view/0,1739,153164-231204,00.html

yeah. I forgot to mention at the end to take into account that the vegetables will release some liquid, and to take that into account. In this particular recipe, the curry is meant to be a sauce, and not particularly thick.

Just a note: This is my favorite meal of all time.

And yes, I did mean to say Bok Toy, as I am referring to baby bok choy.

 

[Moonbear]

I'm going to try to get a hold of the recipe for that curry stirfry that I mentioned during chat.

OK. Here it is:

Ingredients:
Any type of cut up vegetable (between four and six cups). (Suggested: Bok Toy, Bean sprouts, broccoli, onions, water chestnuts, bamboo shoots, green beans, chinese cabbage)

Any type of meat (about a third as much as the vegetables or as much as desired). (Suggested: flank steak sliced on an angle and marinated in soy sauce, chicken cut up, shrimp(required ))

Garlic crushed/chopped (several teaspoons)
Sesame oil (several teaspoons)
Chicken broth (1-1/2 cup)
One block Golden curry (S & B brand)
Any insanely spicy red curry for taste (about 1 teaspoon)

(Habaneros if desired)


Instructions:
In a large wok, heat sesame oil and add crushed or chopped garlic.

Add meat, chicken, or shrimp and saute until nearly done. Remove meat and put in separate bowl.

Add more sesame oil, heat and add the vegatables, and saute until about half cooked.

Add the block of curry and the chicken broth.

Stir until the curry dissolves (add more broth as necessare to achieve desired consistency).

Add red curry (if desired. The original recipe does not include it, but over time, I started adding it as it is nice with it. However, I personally only do it because its spicy, but do not use that much of it as it does not help the taste alot. Just the heat.)

ENJOY!

Where do you buy blocks of curry? I've never seen or heard of it in that form. And where can one buy good red curry? I have had it and love the flavor, but have never seen it in any store.

 

[Math Jeans]

Where do you buy blocks of curry? I've never seen or heard of it in that form. And where can one buy good red curry? I have had it and love the flavor, but have never seen it in any store.

To tell the truth, I don't know where we get our blocks of curry . Just search the internet for the brand that I mentioned and you might find something.

And the spicy red curry was given to me by someone because they didn't think that I could handle it.

 

[~christina~]

yeah. I forgot to mention at the end to take into account that the vegetables will release some liquid, and to take that into account. In this particular recipe, the curry is meant to be a sauce, and not particularly thick.

Just a note: This is my favorite meal of all time.

And yes, I did mean to say Bok Toy, as I am referring to baby bok choy.

I really don't know but I've never heard of bok toy.. (I just can't accept bok toy b/c it's incorrect)

Where do you buy blocks of curry? I've never seen or heard of it in that form. And where can one buy good red curry? I have had it and love the flavor, but have never seen it in any store.

If you go to your local supermarket they should have the curry in the international food isle. I just happen to have a asian market near me so everything is asian there.. but I still prefer the powder. Why use the block when you can buy the powder (which is the form they probably will have it in in the supermarket) and mix it with coconut milk and water to make your own sauce? (you get to control how much you use)

 

[wolram]

Olde English desserts.

http://www.godecookery.com/allrec/allrec04.htm

 

[Moonbear]

If you go to your local supermarket they should have the curry in the international food isle. I just happen to have a asian market near me so everything is asian there.. but I still prefer the powder. Why use the block when you can buy the powder (which is the form they probably will have it in in the supermarket) and mix it with coconut milk and water to make your own sauce? (you get to control how much you use)

I've got supermarket curry powder, but it's pretty bland, not at all spicy, and just the yellow variety. They don't have blocks and they don't have red, and definitely don't have spicy.

 

[turbo]

My wife had eaten already this evening, so I was on my own for supper. I am hooked on Applegate Farms Organic Ball-Park hot dogs, and fried a couple up with onions and buttered rolls. I dressed them with habanero relish and yellow mustard, as usual, and piled on some dill-pickled jalapeno pepper rings and garlic. Mmm! If I were patronizing a street vendor, I'd easily consider paying $5 each for dogs like this. These are gourmet dogs!

 

[Evo]

I've got supermarket curry powder, but it's pretty bland, not at all spicy, and just the yellow variety. They don't have blocks and they don't have red, and definitely don't have spicy.

There are many different prepackaged curry powders, or (preferably) make your own curry blend according to your taste preferences.

Curry powder is a blend of up to 20 different herbs and spices, including the commonly used: cardamom, chiles, cinnamon, cloves, coriander, cumin, fennel, fenugreek, mace, nutmeg, pepper, poppy seeds, sesame seeds, saffron, tamarind and tumeric (which gives curry its characteristic golden color). In Indian cooking curry is freshly ground each day (making it far more flavorful and pungent than the mixes sold in the store), and comes in "standard" and "Madras" (hot) versions.

http://www.recipezaar.com/library/getentry.zsp?id=487

Alton Brown's curry powder (that's what I'd like)

http://www.foodnetwork.com/food/recipes/recipe/0,1977,FOOD_9936_25741,00.html

Experiment and make a curry powder using what you like.

 

[turbo]

For those who would like a decent (though mild to my taste) supermarket curry powder, I would recommend Javin Brand curry. I can use this as a base seasoning in many dishes, with the addition of more seasonings, like cayenne pepper, ground (in my mortar) crushed red pepper, black pepper and my chili relishes. Javin is a pretty good base to make stir-fried curried chicken with onions and green peppers. It has a relatively balanced blend of spices, IMO, even though it is a bit too bland to use alone.

 

[Moonbear]

There are many different prepackaged curry powders, or (preferably) make your own curry blend according to your taste preferences.

Easier said than done. I've never seen saffron in any local store (in fact, I've only seen it once in a specialty/gourmet type food store when I still lived in NJ and never since). I'd really prefer to just get a curry that's pre-mixed...that would cost a small fortune to get all those specialty spices just to use a little bit of each.

And, I STILL don't know where to get red curry...I LOVE red curry...what's in red curry to make it red instead of yellow?

 

[Evo]

Easier said than done. I've never seen saffron in any local store (in fact, I've only seen it once in a specialty/gourmet type food store when I still lived in NJ and never since). I'd really prefer to just get a curry that's pre-mixed...that would cost a small fortune to get all those specialty spices just to use a little bit of each.

And, I STILL don't know where to get red curry...I LOVE red curry...what's in red curry to make it red instead of yellow?

Hmmmm, I have always been able to find saffron in the spice section. I always make my own curry powder since I don't like a lot of the spices sometimes added to commercial mixes.

 

[Astronuc]

And, I STILL don't know where to get red curry...I LOVE red curry...what's in red curry to make it red instead of yellow?

Ground red peppers.

I use McCormick's Hot Madras Curry Power, which is reasonably spicy, or Tone's Curry Power which is milder. (contains sulfiting agents)

Durkee also makes spices - http://www.durkee.com/homeuse/spices-ethnic-creations.php
I'll have to try their Thai seasoning. I'm not sure about their curry powder, but I seem to remember that it was mild. http://www.durkee.com/homeuse/spices-cooking-spices.php

As for Red Curry -

McCormick's Gourmet Collection Red Curry Powder
http://www.mccormick.com/productdetail.cfm?ID=6544
(Warning: contains sulfur dioxide as a preservative)
One could also make one's own red curry by grinding red peppers and blending them with curry powder. I often add curry power and hot sauce to a dish (my own that is).

Thai "Nam Prik Krung Kaeng Ped" Red Curry Powder
http://www.thespicehouse.com/spices/thai-nam-prik-krung-kaeng-ped-red-curry-powder

Some curry recipes - http://www.fiery-foods.com/dave2/durban.asp

For those who like fiery foods - http://www.fiery-foods.com/dave/index.asp
FYI Jeans and turbo - http://www.fiery-foods.com/dave/jolokia_compared.asp


One of my favorite places - http://www.2hotlicks.com/ - I visit their store in San Diego.
See - http://www.2hotlicks.com/mixes.htm


One can find McCormick's, Tone's and Durkee in larger grocery stores, or one can order on-line.

 

[Astronuc]

I've got supermarket curry powder, but it's pretty bland, not at all spicy, and just the yellow variety. They don't have blocks and they don't have red, and definitely don't have spicy.

Supermarkets these days sell mild or medium spices, because the really hot stuff appeals to a small minority. I've noticed mild and medium picante sauces or hot sauces, but not really hot stuff.

As for curry, the main ingredients are fenugreek, coriander, cumin and tumeric, with the proportions determining taste and spicyness.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fenugreek

Fenugreek (Trigonella foenum-graecum) is a plant in the Family Fabaceae. It is commonly known as Venthayam (Tamil), menthulu (Telugu), ulluva (Malayalam) or Methi (Bangla, Hindi, Marathi). Fenugreek is used both as a herb (the leaves) and as a spice (the seed). It is cultivated worldwide as a semi-arid crop. It is frequently used in curry.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coriander

Coriander, Coriandrum sativum is an annual herb in the family Apiaceae. The name 'coriander' in a culinary context may refer to either the seeds of the plant (used as a spice), or to its leaves (used as a herb), however in North American countries, for example, the name Cilantro is given to the leaves. Coriander is native to southwestern Asia and west to north Africa. It is a soft, hairless plant growing to 50 cm [20 in.] tall. The leaves are variable in shape, broadly lobed at the base of the plant, and slender and feathery higher on the flowering stems. The flowers are borne in small umbels, white or very pale pink, asymmetrical, and with the petals that point away from the centre of the umbel being longer (5-6 mm) than those pointing to the middle of the umbel (only 1-3 mm long). The fruit is a globular dry schizocarp 3-5 mm diameter.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cumin

Cumin (Cuminum cyminum) (sometimes spelled cummin) is a flowering plant in the family Apiaceae, native from the east Mediterranean to East India.

It is a herbaceous annual plant, with a slender branched stem 20-30 cm tall. The leaves are 5-10 cm long, pinnate or bipinnate, thread-like leaflets. The flowers are small, white or pink, and borne in umbels. The fruit is a laterall fusiform or ovoid achene 4-5 mm long, containing a single seed. Cumin seeds are similar to fennel seeds in appearance, but are smaller and darker in colour.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tumeric

Turmeric (Curcuma longa) is a rhizomatous herbaceous perennial plant of the ginger family, Zingiberaceae which is native to tropical South Asia. It needs temperatures between 20 and 30 deg. C. and a considerable amount of annual rainfall to thrive. Plants are gathered annually for their rhizomes, and re-seeded from some of those rhizomes in the following season.

It is also often misspelled (or pronounced) as tumeric. It is also known as kunyit or haldi in some Asian countries[2].

Its rhizomes are boiled for several hours and then dried in hot ovens, after which they are ground into a deep orange-yellow powder commonly used as a spice in curries and other South Asian cuisine, for dyeing, and to impart color to mustard condiments. Its active ingredient is curcumin and it has an earthy, bitter, peppery flavor and has a mustardy smell.

I would suggest trying all 4 to experience the tastes/spicyness individually.

I'd minimize cardamom, or not use it.

One can make a red curry by adding drying cayenne or other red pepper powder. Habanero powder would make a nice hot addition.

 

[Moonbear]

Supermarkets these days sell mild or medium spices, because the really hot stuff appeals to a small minority. I've noticed mild and medium picante sauces or hot sauces, but not really hot stuff.

I've noticed that too with the salsas. You always used to be able to select from all three temperatures, but in the past few years, it's become almost impossible to find "hot."
I didn't really need definitions of the different spices. I know what they are, I just can't easily get all of them (I don't think I've seen fenugreek in any local store either). I wanted to make a BBQ rub from a recipe someone sent me over the winter, and ended up having to wait to get some of the spices by mail order because none of the local stores carried them (and I went to ALL of them thinking someone must carry these things...I didn't think they were that uncommon).

One can make a red curry by adding drying cayenne or other red pepper powder. Habanero powder would make a nice hot addition.

I don't think red curry is just added red pepper. It never seemed all that spicy, but a flavor entirely different from yellow curry. Adding red pepper just gives me a spicy yellow curry, which I like, but isn't red curry.

 

[hypatia]

How to make red curry.
http://www.templeofthai.com/recipes/red-curry.php

 

[turbo]

I've noticed that too with the salsas. You always used to be able to select from all three temperatures, but in the past few years, it's become almost impossible to find "hot."

And when you do find "hot" commercial salsas, they are always pretty mild. Newman's Own "hot" salsa has a fair taste (back before I could get back into gardening) but I would always spice it up. I'd add a bunch of hot sauce from The Mex - a restaurant in Ellsworth. Their hot sauce is 100% jalapeno chilies. At $1/oz, it's pretty pricey stuff, so I'm very happy to bypass them and make my own sauces.

http://www.themex.com/

 

[Moonbear]

How to make red curry.
http://www.templeofthai.com/recipes/red-curry.php

Thanks hypatia. Indeed, that is quite different from yellow curry. Though, hmmm...now where to get shrimp paste from? I think I just have to visit NYC or Chicago again and get to a Thai restaurant.