Super Hot Assam Curry
Paste
If your Adventurous and like Spicy food, you can try this Super
Hot Assam Curry Paste which can be added to any meat or fish
preparations in small quantities to give it some heat. But be
cautious and careful while preparing it as you really don't want to
inhale the chilli powder or splatter any on your skin.
This recipe is adapted from a recipe collected by England's "King
of Curries," Pat Chapman. Use it in place of commercial curry
pastes or powders.
INGREDIENTS
1 dried Naga Jolokia pod, seeds removed, ground in a spice mill
(wear a mask to avoid inhaling the powder)
4 tablespoons ground coriander
4 teaspoons cumin
4 teaspoons garam masala (Indian spice mix; available in Asian
markets)
1 tablespoon turmeric
1 1/2 teaspoons ground fenugreek seeds
1 1/2 teaspoons ground fennel seeds
1 1/4 teaspoons powdered ginger
1 1/4 teaspoons yellow mustard
1 cup water
1/2 cup white vinegar
2/3 cup vegetable oil
Method
- Mix the ground spices together. Add the vinegar and water and mix
into a paste. Let stand for 15 minutes.
- In a large pan, heat the oil. Add the paste (careful of the
sputtering), lower the heat, and stir-fry for 5 to 10
minutes.
- As the liquid is reduced, the paste will begin to make a regular
bubbling noise (hard to describe, but it goes chup-chup-chup) if
you don't stir, and it will splatter. This is your audible cue that
it is ready.
- You can tell if the spices are cooked by taking the pan off the
stove. Let stand for 3 to 4 minutes. If the oil 'floats' to the
top, the spices are cooked. If not, add a little more oil and
repeat.
- Bottle the paste in sterilized jars. Then heat up a little more
oil and 'cap' off the paste by pouring in enough oil to
cover.
- Seal the jars and store. Properly cooked, it will last for
months. If refrigerated, indefinitely.
Yield: About 1 cup
Heat Scale: Extremely Hot!