Naughty Curry

Giving SHRIMP a Naughty Reputation...

 

     "Come to me. Make sweet love to me," a woman's voice bleated from the television screen.

           Those two words buzzed at the back of my mind as I worked on my stuff' from 'my corner' of the NC kitchen. Sweet love. Sweet love. Why not spicy love? Sour love? Tangy-hot salty love? Love that is simply sweet is not nearly so alluring. Not to me. (Now Ruthie...)

          Love is a powerful and vital element at the spicy NC Kitchen. It is not safe, not predictable... potentially electric... Today, I decided then, we would focus on hot love. Tangy love. From the city with the fiery reputation....

              Nevertheless, it was the sacred Soap Opera Hour at the NC, when our Trobee is transfixed by an assortment of characters and events that completely contradict her 'Harley chick' persona.

           "Today " I announced at the show's end, when she was left breathless with suspense, "we're going to finalize the 'hot shrimp recipe'." From Stef Patag of Noodles and Rice.

          "Yesss!" She flew to the freezer and pulled out the bag of frozen shrimp that had been waiting for our spicy affections for nearly a month. "l forgot already what this dish is called."

          "Madras Shrimp."

          "Oh, OK." she muttered as she pulled out our large skillet. But I knew the name hadn't stuck -- she would probably forget it completely within minutes.

          Yet it was important that Trobee, of all people, did remember. The name 'Madras' when linked to a food item is charged with meaning. Wicked for some, gorgeous-glorious for others (in a punishing sort of way), and most definitely NOT sweet and NOT nice....

       "Madras is a city in the south of India, famous all over the world for being super-spicy-hot," I told her. "So when you see Madras in the name of a dish, like on a recipe or a menu, it will be hot. Or at least try to be."

          "Cool."

RECIPE B-R-E-A-K-D-O-W-N

The first thing Trobee and I had decided to do during our first attempt at the recipe was use Sriracha sauce instead of the tomato puree. We tend to avoid recipes that call for a tiny amount of tomato paste (a lot of Indian recipes do). We just don't want to open a can of tomato paste just for one lousy tablespoon, we don't normally have fresh tomatoes on hand, it seems like messy extra work to puree one anyway... and hey, we think Sriracha works just great! (Ahem. Where was I?)

Since this was Madras Shrimp, we substituted with Sriracha without guilt.

Sriracha sauce can be found in any Asian grocer or regular supermarket. Consisting of little more than red chillies and vinegar, I've also heard it referred to as Chinese ketchup. Just look for the rooster.

*     *     *

"What else?" I asked Trobee. "What else should we tell Our People about this dish?"

"Tell them." she said,"this recipe really isn't that hot. I mean, it is, but most people I know would be able to eat it."

"Even using Sriracha for the tomato puree? Let me try it again...." Yum. Pow. Burst of flavor that complements the textured mouthfeel of shrimp oh so well. But not scorching. No watery eyes, no tingly tongue.

"Yeah. You're right, Tro. Ruthie will have to have some then. She'll love it!"

"But not Trina."

We grinned the way people do when they're discussing cute children.

"No, not Trina."

*     *     *

To prove her point that this recipe is hot-yet-still-approachable (like her, I added), she fed some to her spice-fussy boyfriend, Jeremy (having used 1 Tb of Sriracha sauce).

"He totally demolished it," she said. "Didn't leave me any. The kid is a total sally [her slanderous term for not being able to handle spice-heat], but he loved it."

"So what would you do to make it hotter for yourself?"

"Add more Sriracha," she said. "More pepper. If it was for me."

photos by Trobee

graphic by Mo Digital

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Madras Shrimp

• 2 tsp oil
• ½ tsp black mustard seeds
• ½ cup chopped onion
• 2 tsp coriander powder
• 1/2-1 tsp coarse-ground black pepper
• ¼ tsp turmeric
• 1 ½ tsp garlic paste or minced garlic
• ¼ cup water or broth
• 2 tsp lemon juice
• 1-2 TB Sriracha sauce (or tomato puree)
• 1/3 tsp salt
• 3/4 lb. shrimp (This was exactly half of our frozen bag)

1. In a large skillet, heat the oil until it is sizzle-hot. Add the black mustard seeds and saute until they quit popping.
2. Add the onion, followed by the garlic.
3. Next add the coriander powder, pepper, and turmeric. Cook the mixture until the garlic is light brown and the onion pieces are soft and translucent.
4. Now add the water or broth, Sriracha sauce (or tomato puree), lemon juice and salt. Cook for about a minute on medium heat.
5. Add the shrimp and stir to evenly cover the little guys in sauce. Cook for another 10 minutes, or until the shrimp is cooked through. Done.

Click here to see Stef's original recipe and scrumptious photo

ZUCCHINI and APPLE Sitting In A Tree

   "It's OK if a recipe doesn't work out," I said to Trina. "Really. I told you this when you first started here. This whole NC thing is about discovery, man. Not correctness."

          "I know, but... it must be something I did..."

          "Oh stop. Stop it. There is no wasted moment when we cook. It's constant learning. I mean, just from that recipe alone we learned more about zucchini."

          And now we had a lone zucchini lurking in the fridge, ready-to-go had we choosen to finalize the former so-so recipe.

          Zucchini. It had been Trina's idea to cook with it. Her zucchini-enthusiasm had made me slap-happy, for Ruthie and Trobee have let on in the past that they are less-than-enchanted by the squash-like vegetable.

          A challenge awaited for Trina and I at the NC. I was ready -- carpe zucchini. As for our Trina, well, her 'cooking self-esteem' was still a bit bruised. "Now what should we try?" She sifted through generic recipes on the internet.

           "What the NC needs now," I said,"is a salad-type thing. How does this one sound to you? Zucchini cut up into matchsticks and tossed with chopped apple, toasted almonds, zest of an orange...."

          Trina bit.

          "Good. Let's try it," said I. "And if it doesn't turn out, it's OK! Really."

          Did I see her roll her eyes? No. Not Trina.

RECIPE B-R-E-A-K-D-O-W-N

Time to try out some spices. Design a spice wardrobe for the elements: zucchini, apple, walnuts, orange zest...

"Cardamom, you think?"

"Ok."

"No, Trina. 'Yes' or 'no'."

"Yes. How much should we add?"

Hmm. The last thing you want in a dish is an overpowering sense of cardamom. It's like going too heavy with a wondrous perfume. (Better to wear no perfume than too much.)

"Ok. Here's what were gonna do with the cardamom. We'll dry-roast the other whole spices, then add the seeds from a cardamom pod when its grinding time We'll start with half of a pod's seeds."

Our final product uses all the seeds from a green cardamom pod. Note: the black cardamom pod variety will not work here.

*     *     *

I knew Ruthie's approval would be a shoo-in. This salad screams 'Ruthie'.

"Oooh, yum!" Ruthie declared. "This is GOOD." She continued to verbally approve while stealing bites. "To be honest, I'm not usually too crazy about zucchini."

Oh really.

What would Trobee think of our salad-y creation? I really couldn't guess. The zucchini, the sweet-aromatic spicing style, the walnuts...

"So whaddya think, Trobee?" I asked after our first attempt. "Is it a salad worth playing with?" Worthy, in short, for the NC to work on.

"Yes."

"I mean, we haven't quite perfected it."

"It's great. I could definitely bring this to a potluck, barbecue, family reunion, whatever. Mmmm! I think I'll stop eating now."

"No worries. The dressing is all nonfat yogurt. " I would try soy yogurt next.

"No shit, hey."

*     *     *

"Orange zest. That's like the grated peel, right?"

I nodded. Using the zest of a citrus fruit allows the fruity flavor to shine out, without the juiciness or tang.

Trina had forgotten how to zest. (Sounds bad, doesn't it?"

"You just kinda lightly scrape it off, maybe with a fork. We actually have a zester; it cost like six bucks. Just use the claw things and scrape. Little colored peel bits will fall like snowflakes...."

*     *     *

I presented Trobee with the finalized dish. "Yum," she declared. She kept eating. "To be honest, I'm not normally too crazy about zucchini."

Oh really.

"But it seems totally different to me now! It's really good in this dish with the apple, spiced up like this! I don't know, maybe I just like it eaten cold..."

"And the spices?"

"The spices are PER-fect. Wouldn't change anything. Tell Trina she did a great great job."

"Roger that."

photos by Trina and Trobee

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Zucchini-Apple Bliss Salad

• 1 zucchini, cut into matchstick-size strips
• 1 red apple
• ¼ cup golden raisins
• ¼ cup walnut pieces or almond slivers, dry-roasted
• ½ cup plain nonfat or soy yogurt
• ¾ tsp sugar
• 1/8 tsp salt
• A few pinches of orange zest
• Seeds from one green cardamom pod

Masala:

• 1 tsp cumin seeds
• 2 tsp coriander seeds
• ½ tsp asafetida
• ¼ tsp fennel seeds

1. Dry roast the masala until the cumin seeds have darkened a few shades. Whizz into a powder with the cardamom seeds in your coffee grinder. Set aside.
2. Chop the apple into ½ inch pieces and place them in a medium-large mixing bowl with the zucchini pieces.
3. Add the masala and the remaining ingredients to the bowl and mix well. Refrigerate for at least one hour. Done.