January 12, 2011

Kukul Mas

Posted by HI Cookery under 01 January | Tags: , , , , |
Leave a Comment 

Kukul Mas

Kukul Mas

January 12: National Curried Chicken Day

One of Islander’s first college roommates, Champa S., is from Sri Lanka. From freshman to senior year, they did a lot together—from taking the same core courses and getting involved in campus ministry to studying for final exams and cooking simple meals in the dorm kitchenette. Islander’s fond food memory of Champa is when she would cook an aromatic and tasty kukul mas (Sri Lankan-style chicken curry) on Sunday evenings that would sustain us for a few days when the school week got busy with classes, part-time jobs and extra-curricular activities (there were no distractions from guys back then as we both were thinking about becoming nuns at one point in our lives—obviously, Highlander was happy that Islander changed her mind!).

Although both roomies have moved several times since graduation, they have kept in touch and even visited each other. Whenever Islander reunites with Champa in her current Maryland residence, she cooks her chicken curry for old times’ sake!

For National Curried Chicken Day, we present a kukul mas recipe inspired by Islander’s former college roommate from Sri Lanka.

Recipe

(Inspired by Champa S. and Sri Lankan Cooking)

For the Sri Lankan-style roasted curry powder

  • 3 tablespoons coriander seeds
  • 1 ½ tablespoons cumin seeds
  • 1 tablespoon turmeric
  • ½ teaspoon fennel seeds
  • 1 1-inch cinnamon stick, crumbled
  • 2 cloves
  • 2 cardamom pods, seeded
  • 3 dried curry leaves
  • ½ teaspoon black peppercorns

Directions

Make the Sri Lankan-style roasted curry powder by frying the coriander seeds until golden brown. Stir in the cumin, turmeric, fennel, cinnamon, cloves, cardamom, curry and peppercorns. Mix until they turn to a brownish color, being careful not to burn the spices. Using a mortar and pestle or blender, grind into a powder. Store in a spice bottle or jar until ready to use. This homemade blend may keep for months if tightly covered and stored in a dry place.

Kukul Mas

 

For the curried chicken

  • 3 chicken breasts, cut into bite-sized pieces
  • 1 large onion, chopped
  • 1 clove garlic, minced
  • 2-inch piece of ginger, crushed
  • 1 piece cinnamon stick
  • salt and pepper to taste
  • 1 pinch saffron
  • ½ teaspoon chili powder
  • 1 tablespoon vinegar (we use apple cider vinegar to add a bit of sweetness)
  • 2 tablespoons Sri Lankan roasted curry powder
  • 4 cloves
  • 4 cardamom pods
  • 1-2 tablespoons oil (for frying)
  • ½ – ¾ cup coconut milk

Directions

Chop the onion, mince the garlic clove and crush the ginger piece. Cut the chicken breasts into bite-sized pieces and place in a bowl. Add the onion, garlic, ginger, cinnamon stick, salt and pepper, saffron, chili powder and vinegar. Sprinkle in the Sri Lankan roasted curry powder and mix well. Cover and refrigerate for at least an hour or overnight to marinate the chicken.

Kukul Mas

In a sauce pan, heat the oil. Fry the chicken pieces until light browned. Stir in the cloves and cardamom pods. Reduce the heat to low, cover the sauce pan and cook until the chicken is tender (about 10 minutes). Pour in the coconut milk and stir. Simmer at medium heat for about 15-20 minutes. Ladle into a bowl. Garnish with cilanto (optional). Serve hot with rice.

Kukul Mas

Notes

  • We have enjoyed eating many versions of chicken curry with our international friends. Our blog will feature their recipes in future posts.
 

January 7, 2011

Tempura

Posted by HI Cookery under 01 January | Tags: , , , |
Leave a Comment 

Tempura

Tempura

January 7: National Tempura Day

Hawaii has a large population of Japanese immigrants and tourists. Islander grew up among Japanese neighbors. She also was selected at her university to participate in the competitive Japanese Exchange Teachers (JET) Programme (she declined the JET Programme offer but accepted Highlander’s marriage proposal that same year!). Japanese culture—and cuisine—have long been of interest to her.

Now Islander has an excuse to post a blog recipe of her favorite Japanese comfort food, shrimp and vegetable tempura, on National Tempura Day. And because the Japanese-style, lightly battered, fried shrimp and sliced vegetables are easy to prepare, tempura is a tasty and terrific dish that can be served on any day!

Recipe

(Adapted from Suite 101)

Ingredients

  • 1 dozen jumbo shrimp, raw, peeled and deveined
  • 1 large sweet potato, washed, peeled and sliced into ¼-inch thickness
  • 1 onion, peeled, sliced and separated into rings
  • other favorite vegetables and mushrooms

For the batter

  • 1 egg white, lightly beaten
  • ¾ -1 cup ice cold water
  • ¾ cup mochiko (sweet rice flour)
  • ½ cup flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • salt and white pepper to taste
  • vegetable oil for frying

Directions

Straighten out the shrimp by making small cuts in the undercurve. Lay them flat to dry on paper towels. Slice the vegetables.

Tempura

Make the batter by beating the egg white with ice cold water in a small bowl, then pouring the liquid into a larger bowl of mochiko, flour, baking powder, salt and white pepper. If the batter is too thick, add a bit of the ice cold water at a time until a desired dipping consistency is reached.

Tempura

Coat the vegetables in the batter, letting the excess drip back in the bowl, and fry in hot oil, being careful not to splatter. Avoid overcrowding in the fryer. Cook until golden. Remove and drain on paper towels.

Tempura

Tempura

Dip the shrimp in the batter and fry in the same manner. Serve hot with steamed rice or sushi and tempura or soy sauce.

Tempura

Notes

  • Mushrooms and other vegetables, such as beans, potatoes, broccoli, eggplant, zucchini, etc. can be used to make tempura.
  • Serve the tempura with a favorite dipping sauce. Specific bottled tempura sauce as well as mochiko (sweet rice flour) can be found at Asian markets or in the Asian-ethnic aisle of major grocery store chains.

 

 

January 6, 2011

Chicken Fried Steak

Posted by HI Cookery under 01 January | Tags: , , , |
1 Comment 

Chicken Fried Steak

Chicken Fried Steak

January 6: National Chicken Fried Steak Day

Howdy, y’all! Having lived in Oklahoma and currently in Texas, we are used to eating authentic, delicious down-home, Southern-style cooking. One comfort food we like is chicken/country fried steak (CFS), which is on Oklahoma’s official state meal list and is reputed to have originated in Texas from German and Austrian immigrants who introduced wienerschnitzel (see our blog post for a wienerschnitzel recipe) to the area in the 19th century. Ironically, there is no chicken in CFS—it is battered beef (tenderized cubed steaks) and fried like chicken. It fills up folks when served with buttermilk biscuits, cornbread or mashed potatoes with gravy and a side of vegetables. Celebrate National Chicken Fried Steak Day by cooking CFS!

Recipe

(Adapted from What’s Cooking America)

Ingredients

  • 2 pounds cubed steaks, ½-inch thick
  • ½ cup flour
  • ½ teaspoon garlic powder
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
  • 1 cup buttermilk
  • 1+ cup buttermilk baking mix (we used Bisquick brand)
  • oil for frying

Directions

Pound the steaks to tenderize them and cut into individual portions. In a bowl, combine the flour with the garlic powder, salt and pepper. In another bowl, pour in the buttermilk. In the last bowl, put the buttermilk baking mix. First coat the steaks in the flour mixture and shake off any excess. Next dip in buttermilk.

Chicken Fried Steak

Finally dredge the steaks in buttermilk baking mix. Fry the steaks in hot oil until browned and cooked through. Drain on paper towels.

Chicken Fried Steak

Notes

  • CFS is traditionally fried in a heavy cast-iron skillet so that a pan gravy can be made from the leftover grease. To make the gravy, skim off all but two tablespoons of grease from the pan. Stir in 2-3 tablespoons of the seasoned flour and whisk in about one cup of milk, scraping up some of the brown bits from the pan, until the sauce is thick and creamy. Add salt and pepper to taste. This gravy can be used to pour over the CFS and buttermilk biscuits (see our blog recipe post for buttermilk biscuits for National Buttermilk Buiscuit Day on May 14).

 

 

 

 

« Previous Page — Next Page »