From Bryan.Wallwork@btopenworld.com Tue Jul 1 12:49:15 2003 Date: Mon, 30 Jun 2003 19:16:29 +0000 (UTC) From: Bryan Wallwork Newsgroups: uk.food+drink.indian Subject: Re: Slighty Off Topic... "Steven Grace" wrote in message news:bdcrop$8g4$1@news8.svr.pol.co.uk... > ...but can anyone recommend a good Mussaman curry paste please? > > from an e-mail sometime.....enjoy > > "Padej Gajajiva" wrote in message > news:alrlrf$nsr$1@slb7.atl.mindspring.net... > > > > "Bryan Wallwork" wrote in > > message news:alkfod$6hr$1@paris.btinternet.com... > > > I think the mus-sa-man paste is the same as red curry paste, > > with cloves and > > > cinnamon added. > > > > Sorry, but that's way off the mark. It's not true at all. If > > you're really interested (and if I have the time to do the > > translation), I can post something! OK, here we go then, but before I do that, let me tell you that even though the ingredients may appear to be similar, that's only because there are certain basic ingredients used in Thai "curry". As you may have seen my mentioning that massaman is a Thai rendition of the mid-eastern curry, and those "basic" ingredients is part of that Thai rendition. Note the differences in the ingredients AND what's done to them. Note that Ponsee is one of my uncle and is a very well known Thai chef. I'm posting these two recipes because they are somewhat out of the ordinary. Red curry is usually made with either beef or chicken, and this one is with roast duck. Massaman is usually made with beef, but this one is made with chicken. Note also that sl = slice. Please keep in mind that Thai cooks never use measuring instruments in their cooking, and therefore the amount for the ingredients are given as a guide. We usually cook "to taste". Therefore, don't add all of the fish sauce given in the recipe, for an example. Add some, have a taste, and more as you go, until it tastes "right" to you. Remember also that we like to "balance" the three or four tastes (salt/sweet/sour/hot, and sometime bitter, depending on the dish), and not just one (salt) as in the western cooking. Oh yeah - black pepper and white pepper are pretty much the same thing to us. I like black, while other like white. First, I'll post a recipe that I'd translated & posted many years ago for roast duck red curry, and then a freshly translated recipe for chicken massaman. Both are from the same source, so you can make a direct comparison of the differences, in particular, of the pastes: Translated by Padej Gajajiva from "Homemaker, Book 2" by Ponsee Gajajiva. ----- Title: Kang-Mussaman Gai - Thai Chicken Massaman Categories: Thai, Poultry Yield: ----------------------MUSSAMAN PASTE----------------------------- 9 Dry Hot Chili Peppers, remove seeds, then ^Ótoast^Ô 2 tb Lemon Grass, finely chopped 3 sl Galanga, finely diced, then ^Ótoast^Ô 1 tb Coriander Seeds, ^Ótoasted^Ô 2 ts Cumin, ^Ótoasted^Ô 1/5 Ground Nutmeg, ^Ótoasted^Ô 7 Small Onions, roasted over burner. 12 Cloves of Garlic, roasted over burner. 1 tb Shrimp Paste (kapi), ^Ótoasted^Ô 1 tb Coriander Roots, finely chopped 5 Clove, ^Ótoasted^Ô 12 Peppercorn 5 Cardamom (inner seed only), ground & ^Ótoast^Ô Small amount of ground & ^Ótoasted^Ô cinnamon. ---------------------OTHER INGREDIENTS-------------------------- 2 lb Chicken 2 lb Shredded/grated coconut 1 c Dry Roasted Peanuts 1/2 lb Potato 12 Shallots 1/2 c Fish Sauce 1/2 c Coconut sugar 1/2 c Tamarind juice 3 tb Rice vinegar For garnish: 10 Whole Cardamom, ^Ótoasted^Ô 6 Clove, ^Ótoasted^Ô 10 Bay Leaf, ^Ótoasted^Ô NOTE: Toast the various spices and dry chili by ^Ódry frying^Ô in a hot pan, or wok. Put the ingredients for the mussaman curry paste into a mortar and pound until well mixed into a paste. 1. Wash chicken and cut into large pieces, fry in oil until slightly browned. 2. Use the shredded/grated coconut to make approximately 6 cups of thick coconut milk. 3. Place the coconut milk, chicken, and roasted peanuts in a large saucepan, simmer over medium heat until some oil form on the surface. Skim off the oil, with about 1-2 cups of liquid, and place into a pan. 4. Add the massaman paste to the liquid in the pan and fry over fairly high heat until it^Òs well mixed and ^Óaromatic^Ô. 5. Empty the content of the pan into the saucepan of chicken-coconut milk, and let simmer for a few minutes. Add peeled whole shallots, peeled & cubed (large) potato, and simmer until cooked. 6. Garnish with cardamom, clove, and bay leaf. Add fish sauce, coconut sugar, tamarind juice, and vinegar. Adjust and balance the tastes ^Ö salt/sweet/sour! Translated by Padej Gajajiva from "Homemaker, Book 2" by Ponsee Gajajiva. ----- -- Pad. Gajajiva Cleveland, Ohio