Curry for the Courageous

For those of you who have never had Curry, you are certainly missing out. Curry is full of complex and wonderful flavors. There are various types of curries and each of them is well worth discovering. Curry is a matter of preference and preparation styles, none are better than the other, just different, offering different flavor profiles and texture characteristics. The recipe that I am including here is a basic curry, that can be used and adapted to different meats and vegetables. I recommend using fresh, whole spices because the flavor they add is unmistakable.

1 1/2 3-inch cinnamon stick

4 cloves

4 green cardamom pods

8 peppercorns

1 bay leaf

1/4 cup canola oil

1 med. onion, thinly sliced

4 large garlic cloves, pureed

1 chunk (1 1/2 inch) fresh ginger root, peeled and pureed

1 1/2 pounds of your favorite protein source (i.e. lamb, chicken, shrimp, beef, etc.)

2 tsp. ground cumin

2 tsp. ground coriander

1 tsp. ground turmeric

1/2 tsp. salt + more to taste

3 whole plum tomatoes (you can use roma), chopped, plus 1 tbsp. of the juice

2 bunches spinach cleaned and washed thoroughly, chopped coarsely

1 cup chopped cilantro

1 jalapeno ends cut off (seeds removed to lessen heat) and cut down the middle

1 cup peas, 4 med. boiling potatoes (3/4 in. cubes), 4 med. zucchini (1/2 in. cubes), or any combination.

2-4 tbsp. chopped cilantro

1. Heat oil in non-stick pan, but do not let smoke, and add the first group of spices, cook for about 5 to 10 seconds. Add onions and saute until softened, 3-4 minutes.

2. Stir in garlic, ginger, protein of choice, ground spices, salt, and tomatoes. Cook, stirring constantly until liquid evaporates, oil separates and turns orange, and spices begin to fry, 5-7 minutes. Cook until spices start to smell cooked (about 30 seconds after change in oil).

3. Stir in spinach and cilantro. Add 2 cups water and jalapeno, and season with salt. Reduce heat; cover and simmer until meat is tender. (20-30 minutes for chicken, 30-40 minutes for beef or lamb. If using shrimp, wait until later in the procedure)

4. Add the vegetables of choice (except peas) and cook until tender. Stir in cilantro. Add shrimp and/or peas if using. Simmer until all ingredients are cooked, and heated through (about 3 minutes.)

The most difficult part of this recipe is the preparation. Make sure that all the ingredients are prepared prior to beginning the recipe.

There are many different beers that can be paired with curry. I would recommend a honey ale, to bring out the sweetness found in many curries. Another good option would be an Indian pale ale. Regardless of what you choose to serve with your curry, remember that the fun in trying new things is learning more about what you like and don't like, and sharing those things with others.