On cold, sleeting autumn nights, the first thing that I want is a bowl of something hot — and not just temperature hot. Spicy hot!So, here for you spice-lovers.
#1. Lemongrass Curry with Shrimps
This is yummy green curry. This curry recipe has great flavour complexity for how quick it is to make. It's a good all-purpose weeknight sauce for just about any protein you'd like.
INGREDIENTS
- 1 large shallot, coarsely chopped
- 5 garlic cloves, smashed
- 2 lemongrass stalks, bulb and pale green parts very thinly sliced
- 1 1-inch piece ginger, peeled, chopped
- 1 jalapeño, seeds removed, coarsely chopped
- 1 teaspoon ground coriander
- ½ teaspoon ground cumin
- ½ cup cilantro leaves with tender stems, plus more for serving
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil, divided
- 2 tablespoons white miso
- 2 teaspoons demerara or light brown sugar
- 1 13.5-ounce can unsweetened coconut milk
- Kosher salt, freshly ground pepper
- 1 pound large shrimp, peeled, deveined
- 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
- Cooked rice and lime wedges (for serving)
- RECIPE: Process shallot, garlic, lemongrass, ginger, jalapeño, coriander, cumin, ½ cup cilantro, and 1 Tbsp. oil in a food processor in long pulses until smooth paste forms. Heat remaining 1 Tbsp. oil in a medium saucepan over medium-high. Cook paste, stirring constantly, until very fragrant and starting to brown on the bottom of the pan, about 5 minutes. Mix in miso and sugar, then whisk in coconut milk and ½ cup water. Bring to a simmer; season with salt and pepper. Reduce heat and simmer curry, stirring occasionally, until individual flavours mellow and come together to taste like more than the sum of their parts, 20–25 minutes. Taste curry and season with more salt and pepper if needed. Add shrimp to curry and simmer just until cooked through, about 3 minutes. Remove pan from heat and stir lime juice into a curry. Divide rice among bowls, spoon curry over, and top with some cilantro. Serve with lime wedges for squeezing over.
- #2. Egg Noodles in Rich Chicken Curry Sauce (Khao Soi)
- Who doesn't like to eat spicy & hot street foods in Asian countries?Yes. This a popular street dish in Northern Thailand, khao soi isn't often found in restaurants abroad, but not to worry. Though its flavours are complex — chewy egg noodles coated in rich, fragrant curry sauce and topped with a choose-your-own combination of garnishes like crispy shallots, fresh cilantro and roasted peanuts — this recipe is quite easy to recreate at home.
INGREDIENTS
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 3 garlic cloves, roughly chopped
- 1 shallot, chopped
- 1 - 3 tablespoons Thai red curry paste, depending on spice preference
- 2 tablespoons curry powder
- 1 cup coconut milk
- 1/2 cup low-sodium chicken broth
- 2 boneless skinless chicken thighs (about 8 oz), cut into bite-size pieces
- 1 teaspoon fish sauce
- 1 1/2 teaspoons sugar
- 8 ounces fresh or dried egg noodles (Asian-style or Italian)
- RECIPE: Heat the oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add the garlic and chopped shallot and cook for about 30 seconds. Add the curry paste and curry powder and cook for another 30 seconds, stirring constantly. Add the coconut milk, chicken broth, chicken thighs, fish sauce, and sugar. Stir everything together, scraping up any curry paste that has stuck to the bottom of the pan. Bring to a boil, then lower heat and simmer uncovered for about 30 minutes. Taste and adjust seasoning. Meanwhile, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook noodles according to package directions, timing it so that the noodles will be cooked when the curry is done simmering. Drain and divide between two bowls. Top with curry and the garnishes of your choice. You can use friend onions, roasted peanuts, dried red chillies, lime wedges for garnishing. Serve immediately.
- You may like to read: Awesome Ways To lighten Up Your Favourite Meals
#3. Almond-Crusted Halibut with Vegetable Curry
- This recipe calls for ground almonds instead of breadcrumbs to get that ever-desirable crunchy coating.
INGREDIENTS
- Curry base
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 cup chopped carrots
- 1 cup chopped celery
- 1 cup chopped onion
- 1/4 cup chopped peeled ginger
- 4 large garlic cloves, chopped
- 3 tablespoons Thai yellow curry paste
- 4 cups carrot juice
- 1 cup canned unsweetened coconut milk
- 3 cups 1-inch pieces mixed vegetables (such as bell peppers and squash)
- Fine sea salt, freshly ground pepper
- Almond-Crusted Halibut
- 1/2 cup slivered almonds
- 4 4-ounce skinless Pacific halibut fillets
- Fine sea salt
- 1 large egg white
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- Fresh basil leaves
RECIPE:- Curry base - Heat oil in a medium pot over medium-low heat. Add carrots, celery, onion, ginger, and garlic. Cook, stirring occasionally until vegetables are fragrant and softened, 10–15 minutes.Increase heat to medium-high; add curry paste. Cook, stirring continuously, until paste begins to caramelize, 2–3 minutes. Add carrot juice; increase heat to high. Bring to a boil; reduce heat to medium-low. Simmer until juice is reduced by half, 15–20 minutes.Strain curry through a sieve into a large bowl; discard solids in sieve. Return to same pot; add coconut milk and mixed vegetables. Cook over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are tender, 8–10 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.
- Almond-Crusted Halibut-Preheat oven to 350°. Grind almonds in a food processor until largest pieces are 1/8" (do not grind to a paste). Transfer to a wide shallow bowl. Season both sides of each fillet with salt. Whisk egg white in another wide shallow bowl until just frothy. Dip top of each fillet in egg white, then into almonds, pressing to adhere. Transfer to a plate, crust side up.Heat oil in an ovenproof skillet over medium-high heat. Place fish, crust side down, in the pan. Cook until nuts are golden brown, 3–4 minutes. Turn over fillets and transfer skillet to oven. Bake until fish is just opaque in centre, 4–5 minutes.
- #4. Potato and Cauliflower Curry
- It uses a lot of ingredients and spices that we already have in our pantry and the result is a fragrant, very satisfying Indian stew for a chilly winter evening - or any other night!
INGREDIENTS
- 1 large or 2 small onions, diced small
- 1 pound (about 6 small) red potatoes, cut into small cubes
- 1 small head of cauliflower, cut into bite-sized pieces
- 1-inch nub of garlic, minced or grated on a microplane
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- 2 teaspoons curry powder
- 1/4 teaspoon turmeric
- 1 (28-ounce) can diced tomatoes in their juices
- 1/4 cup yoghurt
- RECIPE: Heat a teaspoon of olive oil in a 4- to 6- quart dutch oven over medium-high heat. Cook the onions with a half teaspoon of salt until they are soft and translucent. Add the potatoes with another half teaspoon of salt and cook until they are browned on all sides. Add the cauliflower and cook until it is also browned in spots. Toss in all of the spices and stir until they are fragrant about 30 seconds. Pour in the tomatoes and their juices. Bring everything to a boil, then reduce the heat to medium-low. Cover the pot and let the curry simmer until the potatoes and cauliflower are soft, 15-20 minutes. For a thicker sauce, remove the lid in the last five minutes of cooking to let moisture evaporate. Turn off the heat and stir in the yoghurtt. Taste the curry and adjust the salt, pepper, or other seasonings as desired. This curry will keep for one week refrigerated or up to 6 months frozen. (If you're planning on freezing some of it, don't add the yoghurt until you're ready to serve the curry.) If you want you can add some green peas too.
- #5. Sweet Potato Curry
- This one-dish wonder grants your immunity from even the most gluten-averse,meat-abstaining,fat-conscious houseguests.And it tastes as good as ever reheated.
INGREDIENTS
- 1 2” piece ginger, peeled, chopped
- 4 garlic cloves
- 1 lemongrass stalk, tough outer layer removed, coarsely chopped
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
Kosher salt
- ¼ cup red curry paste
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 1 14.5-oz. can crushed tomatoes
- 2 13.5-oz. cans coconut milk
- 1½ pound sweet potatoes, peeled, cut into 1” pieces
- ¾ pound small or young carrots, peeled, cut on a diagonal into 2” pieces
- 6 medium shallots, peeled keeping roots intact, quartered lengthwise
- 1 red Thai chile, thinly sliced (optional)
- 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
- Steamed jasmine rice (for serving)
- Thinly sliced scallions, basil leaves, cilantro leaves with tender stems, and lime wedges (for serving)
RECIPE: Pulse lemongrass, ginger, and garlic in a food processor until very finely chopped. Heat oil in a large heavy pot over medium heat. Add lemongrass mixture and cook, stirring often, until golden brown, about 5 minutes; season with salt. Add curry and tomato pastes and cook, stirring, until darkened, about 3 minutes. Add tomatoes and cook, scraping up any browned bits, until thickened, about 5 minutes. Stir in coconut milk; season with salt. Bring to a boil; reduce heat and simmer, stirring occasionally, until curry is rich and full of flavor, 20–25 minutes. Add sweet potatoes and carrots, then pour in water to cover. Partially cover pot and cook until carrots are crisp-tender, 10–15 minutes. Add shallots and cook until potatoes are tender and shallots are soft, 15–20 minutes. Add chile, if desired, and lime juice to curry and spoon over rice. Top with scallions, basil, and cilantro; serve with lime wedges.- You may like to read: Awesome Ways To lighten Up Your Favourite Meals
