300g fish, on the bone
1 tsp ginger powder
1 tsp chilli powder
1/2 tsp coriander powder
1/4 tsp turmeric powder
1/4 tsp fenugreek seeds
1/2 tbls coconut vinegar
pinch salt
Combine marinade ingredients with 2 tsp water,
rub onto fish and marinate for 1 hour.
Heat enough oil for shallow frying and fry fish
until cooked through and golden brown.
Inspired by Sathram Restaurant,
on the main road at Varkala – Kerala
200g paneer (Indian cheese)
1 tbls pounded fresh ginger
1 tbls pounded garlic
2 green chillies, chopped
4 tbls besan flour
1/2 tsp turmeric powder
1 tsp chilli powder
3/4 cup milk
3/4 cup drained yoghurt
big pinch nutmeg
6 cardamom pods, ground
1 tsp dried fenugrek leaves
juice of 1/2 lime
1 green capsicum, cut 2.5cm squares
2 to 3 tomatoes, diced 2.5cm
2 small onions, diced 2.5cm
Cut paneer into 2.5cm dice and rub with 1 tsp of
ginger and garlic paste – set aside to marinate.
Heat 1 tbls oil and saute remaining ginger and garlic paste 1 minute.
Add green chilli and besan – saute 3 minutes, stirring.
Add turmeric and chilli powder – fry 1 minute.
Slowly add milk, whisking until smooth and thick.
Remove from heat and cool 10 minutes, then add
yoghurt, nutmeg, cardamom, fenugrek and lime juice – mix well.
Add capsicum, onion and paneer to gravy and set aside 20 minutes to marinate.
Thread capsicum, onion, paneer and tomato onto metal skewers
and barbeque 10 minutes each side using gravy as baste.
Serve with salad or rice and dal.
Inspired by random vendor in Roopnagar, Punjab.
500g mushrooms, chopped
2 tsp cumin seeds
2 large onions, chopped
1 tsp garlic, pounded
2 tsp ginger, pounded
1/2 tsp chilli powder
1/2 tsp turmeric powder
1/2 tsp coriander powder
1 tomato, chopped
1/2 tsp garam masala
1 tbls coriander leaves, chopped
Heat 3 tbls ghee – sizzle cumin seeds.
Add onions and fry until well browned.
Add garlic and ginger – fry 5 minutes.
Add chilli, turmeric, coriander powder and tomatoes
– saute until soft. Add mushrooms – fry 5 minutes.
Add garam masala and stir. Serve garnished with coriander leaves.
Inspired by Sammaan Restaurant, Dehra Doon – Uttarakhand
1 onion, sliced
2 dried red chillies
2 stalks curry leaves
2 shallots, sliced
1 tsp fresh ginger, pounded
1 clove garlic, pounded
1 tomato, in wedges
1 tsp turmeric powder
1 small potato, in wedges
1 Asian eggplant, in wedges
1 cup chana dal, soaked overnight
salt
beef curry gravy to serve
roti canai to serve
Fry sliced onion until brown – set aside.
Heat 1 tbls oil and saute chillies, curry leaves,
shallots, garlic and ginger.
Add tomato – cook until soft.
Add turmeric, potato, eggplant, drained dal and fresh water to cover.
Cover and simmer 30 minutes.
Puree very slightly with stick blender (one or two whizzes only).
Add salt to taste and fried onion.
Serve on individual plates with a splash of beef curry gravy
and roti canai (the frozen ones taste okay and are easy to prepare).
Inspired by Indian breakfast stalls across Malaysia.
1 red onion, sliced
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1 bullhorn chilli, diced
1 tsp red pepper paste
2 tomatoes, chopped
1/2 tsp sugar
ground black pepper
100g feta
4 eggs
mint leaves, chopped
Heat 2 tbls olive oil and saute onion and garlic.
Add pepper paste, chilli, tomato, sugar and pepper –
cook 3 minutes.
Crumble on a layer of feta and carefully break eggs on top.
Cover and steam until soft poached.
Serve sprinkled with mint. Serve with crusty bread.
Recipe from Toparlak family, Selçuk – Turkey
2 cloves garlic, chopped
2 tbls dried prawns, pounded
1 egg
2 cups cold, cooked rice
1 tsp sugar
1 tbls fish sauce
1 tbls soy sauce
3 shallots, diced
2 large red chillies, diced
1 spring onion, sliced
1 cup fresh pineapple, diced
1 handful coriander leaves
1 cucumber
barbecued seafood to serve
Heat 2 tbls oil and stir fry garlic, dried prawns and egg until almost set.
Add rice and stir well. Add sugar, soy sauce, fish sauce, shallots,
chillies, spring onion and pineapple – mix well.
Add most of the coriander and stir fry until well heated through.
Serve garnished with extra coriander leaves, cucumber and barbecued seafood.
Inspired by Puikee eatery, Thanon Phra Sumen – Banglampoo, Bangkok
1 cup dried fava beans, soaked
1 bay leaf
2 cloves garlic, crushed
1 tsp cumin powder
TO SERVE:
3 hard-boiled eggs
finely chopped parsley
1 tomato, diced
spring onion, sliced
shredded lettuce
lemon wedges
olive oil
pickled cucumbers/chillies
eggplant, sliced and grilled
Egyptian flatbread
Boil fava beans in fresh water with bay leaf until tender.
Add garlic, cumin and salt – mash roughly.
Mash and egg into each serving.
Combine parsley, tomato, spring onion and lettuce.
Serve beans garnished with a generous splash of olive oil, lemon wedges and pepper.
Make flatbread sandwiches stuffed with beans, salad and eggplant.
Inspired by random vendor in Port Said – Egypt
10 dried red chillies
1 tsp fenugreek seeds
1 cup dessicated coconut
500g pumpkin, cut in 3cm cubes
200g wintermelon, cut in 2cm cubes
1/4 tsp turmeric powder
2 tbls tamarind, soaked in a little water
2 tbls coconut oil
2 tsp mustard seeds
1 tsp cumin seeds
1/4 tsp asafoetida
1 stalk of curry leaves
Dry roast chillies until aromatic then soak in water to just cover until soft.
Dry roast fenugreek seeds. Dry roast coconut until golden brown.
Cool and combine coconut, fenugreek and drained chillies –
grind to a course paste with some chilli water – set aside.
Remove pulp from tamarind water.
Place pumpkin and wintermelon in a saucepan with turmeric,
tamarind water, salt and 1.5 cups water – simmer 15 to 20 minutes until tender.
Add coconut paste, mix well then remove from heat.
For tempering heat coconut oil and sizzle mustard and cumin seeds, add
asafoetida and curry leaves – when they start spluttering add to curry and mix well.
Inspired by random curry house, Kottayam – Kerala
2 shallots
3 red bird’s eye chillies
1 cm fresh galangal
1/4 tsp trasi powder
2 kaffir lime leaves, shredded
1 tsp palm sugar
100g grated coconut
1 tbls coconut oil
80g kangkung leaves
2 snake beans, slivered
80g beansprouts
80g cabbage, shredded
Puree together shallots, chillies, galangal,
trasi, lime leaves and palm sugar.
Dry fry coconut until browned, add coconut oil
and pureed paste – saute 15 minutes.
Blanch vegetables individually, refresh in cold water
then mix with sauteed coconut.
Inspired by breakfast stall in alleyway, Pasar Satrya – Denpasar
400ml thick coconut milk
1/4 cup sugar
1/4 tsp vanilla paste
Refrigerate coconut milk overnight.
Blend all ingredients together until smooth.
Churn in ice cream maker 30 minutes. Freeze.
Serve with sticky rice soaked in sweet coconut milk,
peanuts, basil seeds, etc…
Inspired by Natthaporn Coconut Ice Cream shop,
Rattanakosin – Bangkok