Conference turris::cooks

    
    Curry recipes to go over rice sounds good,
    Mainly a rice dish with curry, and or herbs since
    I love the flavor of curry.
    I'm not to sure what other spices go with curry,
    
    Can you make fresh Curry? or is it just store bought??
    
    Thanks-Karen
    

A simple curry pilaf.....

     			Brown Rice Almond Pilaf

INGREDIENTS:

     1 and 1/2 cup uncooked long grain brown rice
     1 medium onion, chopped fine
     1/4 cup butter or olive oil
     1/2 teaspoon salt (optional)
     1/2 to 1 teaspoon ground allspice
     1/2 to 1 teaspoon ground turmeric
     1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon curry powder
     1/8 to 1/4 teaspoon pepper
     1 tablespoon instant chicken bouillon
     3 cups hot water
     1/4 to 1/2 cup slivered blanched almonds

Cook and stir rice and onion in oil or butter in 10 inch skillet until
onion is tender.  Stir in spices.  Pour into ungreased 2 quart 
casserole.  Stir in the dry bouillon and water.  cover and bake in a
pre-heated 325 degree F. oven until liquid is absorbed and rice is
tender...approx. 60 to 80 minutes.  Stir in almonds.  Approx. 8
servings.


NOT curry, but......

     		Fruit Pilaf

INGREDIENTS:

     1 cup uncooked long grain rice
     1 medium onion finely chopped (approx. 1/2 cup)
     1/3 cup finely chopped celery
     3 tablespoons butter or olive oil
     2 and 1/4 cups water
     1 cup mixed dried fruit (apricots, apples, peaches) cut up in
       small pieces
     1/2 cup raisins
     2 heaping teaspoons instant chicken bouillon
     1/2 teaspoon salt (optional)
     1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon ground sage
     1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon ground thyme
     1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon pepper
     1/4 to 1/2 cup chopped pecans

Cook and stir rice, onion, and celery in 3 quart sauce pan over medium
heat in oil or butter until celery is tender (approx. 10 minutes).

Stir in water, fruits, raisins, bouillon (dry), spices.  Heat to boiling
and then reduce heat to simmer.  Cover tightly and simmer 14 minutes..
DO NOT LIFT COVER OR STIR.  Remove from heat, fluff lightly with fork
and cover and let steam 5 to 10 minutes more.  Stir in pecans.
Approx. 6 servings.

This is really good with spicy chicken dishes.

HINT:  You can use brown rice with this...simply add 1/4 cup
       more water and double cooking time.

	You can make your own "curry powder" if you are willing to
	stock the spices necessary.  Madhur Jaffrey's Indian Cookbook
	contains lots of "curry" recipies without ever using curry 
	powder.  She even supplies a story about the supposed origin 
	of today's curry powder.  

	Me, I'm lazy.  I prefer using canned curry blends.  Sharwood's
	makes several different blends, all of which are superior to
	the stuff that Durkee's and other major spice makers offer.
	(Those brands are primarily turmeric, which supplies the 
	wonderful orange-yellow color.)  The key to using any curry
	blend is to cook the spices before adding the food to them, 
	which is the opposite of most other styles of cooking, where
	you add the spices to the food that is cooking.

	Also available from Sharwood's is an item called curry paste,
	which is a curry blend cooked in oil or some other liquid.
	Here is a recipe that uses this stuff.  You can make your own
	paste by heating oil in a skillet and adding the curry powder
	until a paste is formed.  In this recipe the amounts are 
	approximate:

	Curried chicken - rice salad

	In a bowl, mix:
	the leftovers from a perdue stuffer-roaster (2 cups)
	leftover rice (1.5  cup) anything but wild rice
	2 tbsp minced onion
	1/2 cup raisins (golden preferred)
	1/2 cup chopped walnuts or almonds
	1/4 cup minced celery
	enough mayo to moisten the mix
	2 Tbsp curry paste 

	Serve on a lettuce leaf with some cottage cheese.

    
    CURRIED CHICKEN AND RICE
                                                  
    Ingredients:
    
    3 tablespoons butter or margarine
    3/4 cup chopped onion
    1/2 cup diced green pepper
    1/4 cup thinly sliced carrot
    3/4 teaspoon curry powder
    3/4 teaspoon salt
    1 cup regular white rice
    1 can (8 oz.) tomatoes
    1 can (13 3/4 oz.) College Inn Chicken Broth (recipe came from can)
    1 1/4 to 1 1/2 cups diced cooked chicken or turkey
    1/4 to 1/2 cup chopped dry-roasted peanuts ***
                
    (*** I use unsalted whole peanuts and it tastes much better. ***)
    
    Directions:   
    
    - In a large skillet, in hot butter, saute onion, green pepper and
      carrot for 5 minutes.
    
    - Add curry powder and salt and stir 1 minute.
    
    - Add rice, tomatoes and chicken broth and boil about 15 minutes.
    
    - Stir in chicken and peanuts and heat through.  
    
    - If desired, save a few peanuts for garnish.
    
    Makes 4 servings.

    AFTER SPENDING A YEAR IN PAKISTAN AND EATING CURRY (AMONGST OTHER
    THINGS) AT LEAST 4 TIMES A WEEK, ONE IRREFUTABLE CONCLUSION MY WIFE
    AND I CAME TO.....YA CAN'T HAVE GOOD CURRY WITH-OUT BASMATI RICE.
    ANY MID-EAST/INDIAN SHOP SUCH AS HOMSEYS IN DEDHAM WILL HAVE IT....
    USUALLY IN A 5kg BURLAP SACK.  IT'S WORTH IT!
    
    A QUICK AND EASY WAY TO DO RICE....COMBINE...
    
    	2 CUPS LIQUID (YOUR CHOICE)
    
    	1 CUP RICE
    
    NUKE ON HIGH FOR 5 MINUTES THEN ON MEDIUM FOR 20 MINUTES  - OR -
    BAKE IN MEDIUM OVEN FOR 30 MINUTES.
    
    ENJOY,
    
    LARRY

    Oh for a bit of curry....
    	Folks, as far as I am concerned, bottled/canned/packaged curry powder
    is nothing but sawdust with yellow colouring agent! If you want
    REAL CURRY POWDER, prepare it just before cooking with fresh
    ingredients.
    	And when we (Indians) say 'curry', it need not be a rice dish.
    All sorts of wonderful vegetables, meat, poultry dishes can be prepared
    as 'curry' dishes.
    	And I second the declaration that basmati rice is a MUST for
    good pilaf. 
    	Must go now....I can smell the chicken simmering ........
    
    Regards
    -parthi
                                                                             

    Actually, I've had very good luck with the prepackaged curry
    sold by Cardoo's Spices. Not quite hot enough for my taste,
    but then again practically nothing in this country is. 
    
    But now that you mention it, I have no idea how to make a good
    curry powder. A friend of mine has tried with no success. 
    
    Sooooo..... How 'bout entering your favourite recipe, Parthi?

    
    I had some rice this weekend at a Thai restaurant, and it seemed to
    be different in the sense that it was very thin, and light in texture.
    Does anyone know what type of rice they use, and where I might be able
    to find some in the Central Mass region ?
    
    - Larry

You can buy Thai rice in shops in Lowell ("Phnomh Penh" or "Joe's Place" (the 
sign over the door says "South-East Asia Import-Export")

I've been verbally assaulted by my [Thai] wife for buying other varieties...

/. Ian .\

    
    Thanks Ian.  And just for the record, I just found another place,
    this one in the Worcester area that carries it as well -
    
    Kiengiang at 105 Water Street, Worcester Ma.
    
    - Larry

For a change of pace...
    
			     Ham Fried Rice


1 3/4 cups water
6 T soy sauce
1 cup long-grain rice 
3 T vegetable oil
2 eggs, beaten to blend
1 cup sliced mushrooms
1 cup frozen pea pods, thawed
1/2 cup sliced green onions
1/2 cup drained canned water chestnuts
1/2 cup cubed ham


Bring water and 4 tablespoons soy sauce to boil in heavy medium saucepan.  Stir
in rice.  Reduce heat to low,.  Cover and cook until rice is tender, about 20
minutes.  Set aside.  (Can be prepared 1 day ahead.  Cover rice and refrigerate)

Heat 1 tablespoon oil in wok or heavy large skillet over medium-high heat.  Add
eggs and scramble until cooked, breaking into small pieces, about 2 minutes.
Remove from pan.

Increase heat to high.  Add remaining 2 tablespoons oil to wok.  Add rice.
Sprinkle remaining 2 tablespoons soy sauce over.  Stir-fry 2 minutes.  Reduce
heat to medium-high.  Add mushrooms and remaining ingredients.  Stir-fry 2
minutes.  Mix in scrambled eggs.  Serve immediately.