Cookbook

Curries of the World
Mridula Baljekar

This karahi chicken was the dish that inspired a style of cooking known as karahi cuisine in northern India, where fenugreek is a typical flavouring agent. In the west, dried fenugreek leaves can be used for convenience, as fresh fenugreek is generally more difficult to find. The dried leaves are sold in Indian and Pakistani food stores throughout the year, and will keep well in an airtight jar.

serves 4

225g/8oz chicken thigh meat, skinned and cut into strips
225g/8oz chicken breast fillets, skinned and cut into strips
2.5ml/½ tsp crushed garlic
5ml/1 tsp chilli powder
2.5ml/½ tsp salt
10ml/3 tsp tomato purée (paste)
30ml/2 tbsp vegetable oil
1 bunch fresh fenugreek leaves or 15ml/1 tbsp dried
15ml/1 tbsp chopped fresh coriander (cilantro)

1 Bring a large pan of water to the boil, add the chicken strips and cook for 5-7 minutes. Drain and set aside.
2 In a bowl, combine the garlic, chilli powder and salt with the tomato purée.
3 Heat the oil in a wok, karahi or large pan. Lower the heat and add the tomato purée and spice mixture.
4 Add the chicken pieces and stir-fry for 5-7 minutes. Lower the heat further.
5 Add the fenugreek leaves and the chopped fresh coriander to the pan. Continue to stir-fry for 5-7 minutes, then pour in 300ml/½ pint/1¼ cups water, cover and cook for a further 5 minutes. Serve hot.

Curries of the World
Mridula Baljekar

Phat Thai, as this dish is known, has a fascinating flavour and texture. It is made with rice noodles, combined with shellfish and beancurd, a range of vegetables and ground peanuts, and is considered one of the national dishes of Thailand.

serves 4-6

250g/12oz rice noodles
45 ml/3 tbsp vegetable oil
15ml/1 tbsp chopped garlic
16 raw king prawns (jumbo shrimp), peeled, tails left intact and deveined
2 eggs, lightly beaten
15ml/1 tbsp dried shrimps, rinsed
30ml/2 tbsp pickled white radish
50g/2oz fried beancurd or tofu, chopped
2.5ml/½ tsp dried chilli flakes
115g/4oz garlic chives, cut into 5cm/1in lengths
225g/8oz/1 cup beansprouts
50g/2oz/⅓ roasted peanuts, coarsley ground
5ml/1 tsp granulated sugar
15ml/1 tbsp dark soy sauce
30ml/2 tbsp fish sauce
30ml/2 tbsp tamarind juice or 5ml/1 tsp concentrated tamarind pulp
30ml/2 tbsp fresh coriander (cilantro) leaves and 1 kaffir lime, to garnish

1 Soak the noodles in a bowl of warm water for 20-30 minutes, then drain.
2 Heat 15ml/1 tbsp of the oil in a wok or large pan. Add the garlic and fry until golden. Stir in the prawns and cook for 1-2 minutes until pink, tossing from time to time. Remove and set aside.
3 Heat another 15ml/1 tbsp of oil in the pan. Add the eggs and tilt the wok to spread them into a thin sheet. Stir to scramble and break the egg into small pieces. Remove from the pan and set aside with the prawns.
4 Heat the remaining oil in the same pan. Add the dried shrimps, pickled radish, beancurd or tofu and dried chillies. Stir-fry briefly. Add the soaked noodles and stir-fry for 5 minutes.
5 Add the garlic chives, half the beansprouts and half the peanuts. Season with the granulated sugar, soy sauce, fish sauce and tamarind juice or pulp. Mix well and cook until the noodles are completely heated through.
6 Return the prawn and egg mixture to the pan and mix with the noodles. Serve garnished with the rest of the beansprouts, peanuts, coriander leaves and kaffir lime wedges, if using.