Vietnamese Curry

Introduction

I picked up some cheap pork shoulder steaks. Marbled with fat so ripe for cooking slowly or currying up. Right up my street in other words.

I had a look in my spice cupboard and a little look through my curry books. I'd picked up a little packet of Thai mix so the recipe that jumped out was a Vietnamese curry from my old fave Madhur Jaffrey.

This is a slightly modified version based on what I had in but it was the technique that interested me also.

I tend to either make a paste as a base to cook the meat & veg in, or make a powder which is added to meat before cooking. This recipe uses both a paste & a powder as a rub.

Either if these would make a fine curry but combine them and you will get a delicious flavoursome meal. Or three.


Ingredients

Rub

1 tsp Tumeric
1 tsp Fenugreek
3 tsp Paprika
1 tsp Cumin
1 tsp Coriander
1 tsp Salt
Mix together & put about 1/3 aside


Paste
4-6 Cloves Garlic
1 Lemongrass
1 1/2 inch of Galangal
If galangal not available use ginger
1 small white onion
or a few shallots
Chillies if allowed
1-2 tbsp water


Base & Veg
1 bay leaf
2 tsp cinnamon
2-3 Kaffir line leaves, crushed



2 small red onions
1 medium carrot
1 stick celery


Good handful cherry toms
Celeriac
1 courgette
Half cup mung beans
Half tin coconut milk


Method

1. Chop the meat into cubes and put in a sandwich bag


2. Pour in about 2/3 of the rub & massage well so the meat is completely covered. Leave to marinade for at least a hour, overnight if possible.


3. Make the paste by blending the garlic, galangal, lemongrass, onion & chilli with a tablespoon or two of water.

4. Chop the red onion, celery & carrot into smallish pieces

5. Fry in a little nut oil until the onion & celery are soft & clear

6. Add the bay, kafir & cinnamon. Mix for about a minute

7. Add the paste & mix well until it begins to darken. About 3 mins


8. Stir in the meat & again mix well. Cook for 5 or so mins, add a tbsp water if the pan looks dry

9. Chop the tomatoes in half and cut the celeriac & courgette into small cubes

10. Stir into the mix & cook for about 5-7 mins. Until the toms start to break down





11. Cover with boiling water & add the mung beans

12. Add the coconut milk, put the lid on & simmer for as long as possible. The lentils will only take about 20 mins to cook but you want them to break down and really thicken the sauce. I'd give it at least an hour, 2 or 3 if you can.

13. Finish with a squeeze of lemon juice & garnish with coriander leaves & chopped chillies. Serve with chapatis or a nice naan.






Enjoy!