Any Go-To Curry Combinations?

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Rivera

Rivera

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I was making curry with my friend the other day (Jamaican curry to be exact) and it got me thinking as to what veg combos that everybody uses? Any go-to combos that people think is a must for curry?

For me its bell peppers, ginger, and onions!
 
When making my own curries, I tend toward starting with some of these combos
Pulses & greens (think Daal aloo)
Fish & fruit (herring roe + mango)
Red meat & rich veggies (lamb rump + tomatoes)
Poultry & cream (pheasant + coconut cream, almonds)

As for aromatics/spices I usually start with popping some combination of mustard, cumin, coriander, fenugreek, nigella, and allspice in a little ghee, before adding onions (rich, deep, a little sweet in curry), garlic (good for strong meat imo), and ginger (fish, veggies), cooking that down and turning into a paste (fine chopping will have helped here) into which yr seared/parboiled proteins and veggies go, then form a sauce with yr choice of liquid

The number 1 tip I have for curry is doing it by smell; Jamaican curry for instance is characterised by liberal use of allspice, and slow cooked marinated goat meat

I have a couple of recipes that I've penned over the years if anyone's interested
 
kurwamac said:
When making my own curries, I tend toward starting with some of these combos
Pulses & greens (think Daal aloo)
Fish & fruit (herring roe + mango)
Red meat & rich veggies (lamb rump + tomatoes)
Poultry & cream (pheasant + coconut cream, almonds)

As for aromatics/spices I usually start with popping some combination of mustard, cumin, coriander, fenugreek, nigella, and allspice in a little ghee, before adding onions (rich, deep, a little sweet in curry), garlic (good for strong meat imo), and ginger (fish, veggies), cooking that down and turning into a paste (fine chopping will have helped here) into which yr seared/parboiled proteins and veggies go, then form a sauce with yr choice of liquid

The number 1 tip I have for curry is doing it by smell; Jamaican curry for instance is characterised by liberal use of allspice, and slow cooked marinated goat meat

I have a couple of recipes that I've penned over the years if anyone's interested
Click to expand...

Yeah I'd definitely like to check out some curry recipes if you don't mind sharing!
 
One of my favorites and most simple is carmelized onions with bloomed garam masala and garlic/ginger paste in a decent amount of veggie oil simmered with canned diced tomatoes (winter favorite) served over cooked brown lentils (or barley sometimes). Soooo simple and so delicious!
 
I push more towards Thai curries, so my preference is for lighter meats (read: Chicken, whitefish a la cod, rockfish, etc.) and sweeter veggies (bell peppers, white/yellow onions and/or shallots) and balancing with mushroom or soy. I feel like a lot of Thai curries lean towards potatoes or other root veggies to add substance on the back, but I think good mushrooms add something that potatoes just don't. Try maitake - it won't give you the meatiness of a portabello or something larger, but I think the flavor profile works well as a balance, especially with white fish.

Then I'd just say throw the lot of them in with coconut milk, lemongrass, lime juice, garlic, ginger, and your choice blend of curry powder (experimented with a Madras Curry blend last time, big fan) and simmer.
 
Loving all the ideas and ways you guys make curry! This is awesome!
 
here is something in progress that worked out spectacularly the other day at a dinner party

Herring roe, mango curry

800g herring roe
One mango
30g ground coriander seed
50g roast powdered turmeric root
1 tbsp lime juice
1 onion
3 tbsp mustard seed
2 scotch bonnet
5 cloves garlic
coconut desiccate
Bunch coriander

For the rice
Lemongrass
Fenugreek leaf
Cardamom pods


Marinate the roe for 5 hours in the juice of a mango, one minced scotch bonnet, the coriander seed, turmeric, and the lime juice
Toast mustard seeds till popping ,add onion, garlic and chilli and turn down to low
Remove the roe from the marinate, coat in a little gram flower, and cook off on each side
Add the marinate to the sauce, reduce until darkened and of a pasty consistency and add fish
Garnish with desiccated coconut and coriander chiffonade, on a bed of basmati cooked with lemongrass, cardamoms, and fenugreek leaf
 
Lots of fresh garlic & ginger. Local style large cuts of carrots, potatoes, and onions. Greens usually long beans or Okra, vine ripe tomatoes, coconut milk, Ka'iulani Exotic curry seasoning, cinnamon, banana, lime leaves, Thai basil. S&P just a touch of raw cane sugar, fresh lime juice. Add little Thai yellow or red curry paste.

Protein varies. Large Shrimp added last minute. Ground pork always makes a good stew. Sausage seared & added to the curry.
 
One of my go-to curries is a thai based yellow curry. The ingredients I always use are onions, bell pepper, and sweet potato (I prefer the white fleshed variety). Sometimes I'll add chicken or broccoli as well if I feel like it.
 
Ok, so you guys inspired me to try a thai fish curry this weekend.

Red, yellow, and orange bell peppers. Green and white onions. Carrot sticks and canned straw mushrooms. Can of full fat coconut milk, about 6ish cups of chicken stock. Red Thai curry paste, fresh lemongrass and frozen kaffir lime leaves. Few splashes of Fish sauce.

Cod as the protein.

The flavor was very good, but the sauce was thin even after reducing it down a bit. I put in some corn starch slurry to thicken it, but it wasn't enough.

How can I get the sauce thicker without reducing it down more (actually was becoming too salty at that point and I had to thin it out again).
 
uh, use clam juice or shrimp stock instead of chicken if doing fish curry.
can thicken with tomato paste (sautee it with some oil in a pan first or roast it in oven) and/or toasted bread crumbs, or pureed steamed carrots or baked potato
 
Now that you say it Panda, it's painfully obvious. I'll make sure to keep clam juice on hand.

Love the pureed carrots idea. Chunks of, as well as, mashed potatoes sound good as well.

My hubby does an amazing Thai coconut chicken soup which is why we had a lot of the ingredients on hand. Other than the cucumber salad we haven't branched out too much in Thai cooking and I think we need to change that.
 
panda said:
carrots+potato or parsnip+boniato, good stock, LOTS of butter
Click to expand...

Shityeah.

Ingredients
3 cups shredded cabbage
1 1/4 cups potato cubes
2 tbsp oil
1/4 tsp mustard seeds ( rai / sarson)
1/4 tsp cumin seeds (jeera)
1/4 tsp asafoetida (hing)
1/2 tsp turmeric powder (haldi)
7 to 8 curry leaves (kadi patta)
2 green chillies , slit lengthwise
salt to taste
1/2 tsp coriander (dhania) seeds powder
1 tsp chilli powder
1/2 tsp sugar

For Serving
rotis
Method
Heat the oil in a broad non-stick and add the mustard seeds and cumin seeds.

When the seeds crackle add the asafoetida, turmeric powder, curry leaves and green chillies and sauté on a medium flame for 30 seconds.

Add the cabbage, potatoes and salt, mix well. Cover with a lid and cook on a medium flame for 15
- 20 minutes, while stirring occasionally.

Add the coriander seeds powder, chilli powder and sugar, mix well and cook on a medium flame for more 2 minutes, while stirring occasionally.

Serve hot with rotis.
 
TheCaptain said:
Ok, so you guys inspired me to try a thai fish curry this weekend.

Red, yellow, and orange bell peppers. Green and white onions. Carrot sticks and canned straw mushrooms. Can of full fat coconut milk, about 6ish cups of chicken stock. Red Thai curry paste, fresh lemongrass and frozen kaffir lime leaves. Few splashes of Fish sauce.

Cod as the protein.

The flavor was very good, but the sauce was thin even after reducing it down a bit. I put in some corn starch slurry to thicken it, but it wasn't enough.

How can I get the sauce thicker without reducing it down more (actually was becoming too salty at that point and I had to thin it out again).
Click to expand...

Blitzed steamed pumpkin is a good way to thicken too and goes well with a Thai and Malay style flavour profile.
 
TheCaptain said:
"Shudders violently"

Nothing, and I mean NOTHING will ever convince me okra is anything but a genetic experiment gone horribly wrong!!!
Click to expand...

I'd agree, but....

apparently it is a common ingredient in Indian food, which I've been happily eating from the lunch buffets (without learning names, my bad) for decades. I deduce it is all in how it is prepared. (Not that I'm brave enough I'll try preparing it soon. :) )
 
Okra & bitter melon are prized in some cultures. Not very popular with most in America. I think they eat okra in the South with black eyed peas. I like most vegetables. If China town has nice okra or bitter melon I buy it. Both were acquired taste for me. Like miso now I love it.
 
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