World-Wide Curries

Goan Machi All along the Konkan coast, a variety of fish and shellfish
are cooked in a hot sweet and sour coconut sauce. ‘Kokum’ fruit is used
with tamarind to produce a sour effect, but the curry can be made successfully
with limes or lemons as a replacement. I find the flavor improved if the
fish is prepared a day in advance.

Ingredients
1 3/4 lbs firm white fish fillets
1 tsp turmeric salt
2 tsp lemon juice
3 dried hot chili peppers
1 tsp cumin seed
2 Tsp coriander seeds
1 tsp black peppercorns
6 cloves garlic
1 1/4 inch piece peeled fresh gingerroot
2 1/2 cups freshly grated coconut
1 large onion
2 Tsp veg. oil
5 fl. oz. tamarind juice
5 kokums or chopped
flesh from 1/2 lime or lemon
7 oz. peeled tomatoes
3 fresh hot green chili peppers

Method
Sprinkle the fish fillets with the turmeric, a little salt, and
the lemon juice. Leave for several hours. Grind the seeded red chili peppers,
cumin and coriander seeds, and peppercorns to a fine powder, then work
with the garlic, ginger and coconut in a food processor to form a smooth
paste. Chop the onion and fry in the heated oil until golden brown. Add
the spice paste and cook gently for 10 minutes. Pour in 1 quart of boiling
water and simmer for 20 minutes. Now put in the fish and it’s liquid, together
with the tamarind juice and the kokums. Cook gently for 10 minutes. Just
at the very end, add the chopped tomatoes and seeded green chili peppers.
from Favorite Indian Food by Diane Seed.

Caldeirada is a well known Portuguese dish which, I seem to remember,
uses a lot of shellfish. Here is a Goan version.

Ingredients
10 large mackerel or sardines, cleaned and head removed
4 large onions, sliced
2 large tomatoes, sliced
1 head of garlic, finely sliced
1 inch piece of ginger, finely sliced
3 Tsp light oil
1 Tsp vinegar
1/4 tsp ground turmeric
4 bell peppers (red/green) and or green chilies
salt to taste

Method
Layer a few slices of onion and tomato in a pan. Place 1/2 the fish over onions and tomato.

Add another layer of onion/tomato and then another layer of fish. Sprinkle with the garlic and ginger.

Scatter over the remaining onion and tomato. Pour the oil, vinegar and about 6-7 Tsp water over the fish. add salt is desired.

Cook on a low heat until fish is half done. Sprinkle turmeric over fish. Add
peppers/chilies.

Cook until fish is tender.

Ingredients
4-5 jalapeno or serrano chilies, stems removed, sliced
25 dried red New Mexico chilies, seeds and stems removed
1 head of garlic, cloves separated and peeled
2 separate 1/2-inch cubes ginger root, sliced
2 tsp cumin seeds
2 tsp mustard seeds
1 medium onion, diced
1-inch stick of cinnamon
3-4 cloves
1 C oil
1/2 tsp ground mustard
1 tsp turmeric powder
2 lbs lean pork, cut in 1-inch cubes
1 C vinegar
2 tsp salt

Method
Mix the dried chilies, garlic, half the ginger, cumin, mustard seeds, onion,
cinnamon and cloves together and grind or blend them to a fine consistency.

Heat the oil and fry the fresh green chilies, ground mustard and the rest of the sliced ginger until the ginger turns brown and is dry.

Then add the ground spices and the turmeric and fry for about 5 minutes. Add the meat cubes and fry for 3-5 minutes. Then add the vinegar and salt and simmer very slowly for about 1 1/2 to 2 hours until the meat is tender and the oil floats on top.

Skim off oil before serving.

Serves: 4-6 brave people.

Meat dishes in India are always regarded as special treats to be served on special occasions such as festival days or arrival of a special guest. They would be served with vegetable dishes, rice, and
breads. Heat scale: Extremely hot.

Ingredients
Pork Vindaloo IV
Servings: 6
2 tsp whole cumin seeds
2 Hot, dried red chilies
1 tsp black pepper corns
1 tsp cardamom seeds
3 In stick cinnamon
1 1/2 ts black mustard seeds
1 tsp fenugreek seeds
5 Tsp white wine vinegar
1 1/2 ts salt
1 Tsp brown sugar
5 Tsp vegetable oil
2 Medium onions cut into rings
1 1/3 c water
2 lb pork cut into 1″ cubes
1 One in cube ginger chopped
8 Cloves garlic peeled
1 Tsp ground coriander seeds
1/2 tsp turmeric

Method
Grind cumin seeds, red chilies, peppercorns, cardamom seeds, cinnamon, black
mustard seeds and fenugreek seeds in a coffee-grinder or other spice grinder. Put the ground spices in a bowl.

Add the vinegar, salt and sugar. Mix and set aside. Heat the oil in a wide, heavy pot over a medium flame.

Put in the onions. Fry, stirring frequently, until the onions turn brown and
crisp. Remove the onions with a slotted spoon and put them into the container of an electric blender or food processor. (Turn off the heat.)

Add 2-3 Tsp. of water to the blender and puree the onions.

Add this puree to the ground spices in the bowl. (This is the vindaloo paste. It may be made ahead of time and frozen.)

Dry off the meat cubes with a paper towel and remove large pieces of
fat, if any.

Put the ginger and garlic into the container of an electric blender.

Sorpotel is a dish served at festivals. It is served with sannas, a type of rice
bread. I have included the recipe for sannas, even though you will not be able to make it – it uses the sap of the coconut palm (toddy) as the source of yeast.

Ingredients
1kg pork
1/2kg pork liver and heart
1 cup pork blood mixed with 1/2 cup coconut vinegar
1/4 bottle of coconut vinegar small ball of tamarind, soaked in a cup of water 1
whole head of
garlic, finely chopped 2 inch piece of ginger, finely chopped 3 onions, finely
chopped 4 green
chilies, finely chopped
salt to taste
Masala – grind the following into a paste with a little vinegar 20 dry chilies
1 teaspoon cumin seeds 6 cloves 1 tsp tumeric 10 peppercorns 1 inch piece cinammon bark

Method
Wash and boil the uncut pork, liver and heart.

Cool and cube into small pieces then brown in a little pork fat, remove and set aside. Add ginger, garlic and onions and fry until onions change colour.

Add masala and stir and fry for a minute or so then return meat to pan along
with the tamarind and some of the vinegar if more liquid is required. Cook on a low heat for 1- 1 1/2 hours until meat is tender.

Add the chilies and blood (which may require a good stir prior to adding T.H.), cook for another ten minutes or so. Better eaten the next day re-heated!

Ingredients
1kg pork
1/4kg pigs liver
3 green chilies, finely chopped
2 inch piece of ginger, finely chopped
20 cloves of garlic, finely chopped
15 dried red Kashmiri chilies
1 tsp peppercorns
1 tsp cumin seeds
2 tsp coriander seeds, dry roasted
1 tsp turmeric
a marble sized ball of tamarind mixed in 1 cup of water or equivalent of
‘instant’ e.g Tamcon
vinegar,
salt to taste

Method
Boil the meat with 2 cups of water until liquid reduces by half. Reserve the
boiling liquid.

Cool then cut the meat into cubes. Fry in a little oil until brown. Add the green chilies, garlic and ginger.

Grind together the dried chilies, peppercorns, cumin and coriander with a little vinegar, add the tamarind to this mixture. Add this masala to the meat and fry for a few minutes.

Add the reserved boiling liquid, salt, tamarind and vinegar. Simmer, covered until the meat is tender.

Ingredients
250 grams rice
1 coconut 3/4 bottle toddy (sap of coconut palm)
salt and sugar to taste

Method
Wash the rice and soak overnight. Drain then grind the rice finely with some of
the toddy.

Grate and then finely grind the coconut. Mix the rice, coconut, 1/2 tsp salt and about 4 Tsp (or more) sugar.

Add enough toddy to make a thick batter. Cover and keep in a warm place for
about 3 hours until batter doubles in quantity.

Pour batter into saucers or idli moulds and steam for 20 minutes.

To check if the sannas are done, pierce with a knife. If the knife comes out clean then the sannas are done.

Ingredients
Please see part 1 (fish) for the preparation of the balchao, or buy a commercial
preparation.
1kg pork, cubed
2 onions, sliced
1 Tsp oil or ghee
8 Tsp prawn balchao
salt
2 Tsp tomato ketchup
vinegar as necessary

Method
Grind the following in a little vinegar: 15 dried red Kashmiri chilies, 1 tsp
cumin seeds, 5 peppercorns, 1 tsp turmeric, 5 cloves, 1 inch piece of cinnamon, 1 inch piece of ginger, 10 cloves garlic.

Rub the pork with salt and set aside. Fry the onions until browned. Add the meat
and brown.

Add the masala, ketchup and balchao and fry for a few minutes. Add 2-3 cups of
water, bring to the boil and simmer until meat is tender. If the liquid dries out add a little vinegar and/or water.

Ingredients
1 lb. beef cubed (whichever you use for stewing)
2 tsp salt
6 large onions
8 peppercorns
1 inch piece ginger
6 cloves garlic
1 bunch coriander leaves
1 bunch mint leaves
6 green chilies
salt to

taste
1/2 tsp tamarind concentrate
salt and pepper to taste

Method
Boil the meat, peppercorns, one onion and salt for 20 minutes, drain and reserve the water.

Slice the remaining onions and finely chop the ginger, garlic, chilies, coriander and mint. Fry the onions until translucent.

Add the remaining chopped ingredients and meat.

Pour in about 1 cup of the reserved water and simmer until the meat is done.
Add the tamarind and continue cooking, uncovered over a high heat until the
moisture has evaporated.

Ingredients
1 lb. steak, cubed
6 red chilies
2 tsp turmeric
1 tsp cumin
6 cloves garlic
salt to taste
1 tsp ground pepper
1 inch piece ginger
4 cloves
2 inch piece cinnamon
seeds from 3 black cardamoms
1/2 tsp instant tamarind (tamcon)

Method
Grind together all the ingredients
(except meat). Add a little water to make a paste.

Mix masala with meat and marinate for two hours.

Fry the meat in a little oil over a low heat for about 20 minutes. Add 1 cup of water and simmer until meat is tender.