Work Lunches

Cambodian Lemongrass Chicken with Holy Basil (Cha Kreung Satch Moan)

For the Kreung:
3 stalks lemongrass, bottom 4 to 5 inches only, outer leaves discarded, sliced into thin rounds (65g once sliced)
One 3-inch knob galangal, peeled and sliced into thin rounds (35g once sliced)
Two 4-inch knobs fresh turmeric, peeled and sliced into thin rounds (25g once sliced)
12 makrut lime leaves, preferably fresh, sliced very thinly crosswise
1 small shallot, peeled and sliced into thin rounds (25g once sliced)
5 medium cloves garlic, peeled (25g)
1/2 cup holy basil leaves, very tightly packed (12g; see note) or Thai basil leaves (25g)
For the Stir-Fry:
1/2 cup (120ml) vegetable oil, divided
2 pounds (900g) boneless, skinless chicken breast (about 3 breast halves), cut crosswise into 1/2-inch-thick slices, divided
One 3-inch piece fermented mudfish (prahok) (35g), cut in half, divided (optional)
2 teaspoons (10ml) Asian fish sauce, divided
1/2 teaspoon granulated sugar, divided
1/2 cube (6g) chicken bouillon, such as Knorr, crumbled to a powdery consistency, divided
1 cup holy basil leaves, very tightly packed (40g), divided
4 jalapeños (150g), stemmed, halved, and seeded, then cut on a bias into 3/4-inch strips, divided
Kosher salt

For Serving:
Steamed white rice

For the Kreung: Using a large granite mortar and pestle, combine lemongrass, galangal, turmeric, and makrut lime leaves and grind to a smooth but slightly fibrous paste. These are the toughest, most fibrous ingredients in the paste, so it will take 5 to 10 minutes for the paste to form. Once the paste has formed, add shallot and garlic and pound again to smash them into the paste, another 3 to 5 minutes longer. Add basil to the mortar and pound until it is fully incorporated into the paste.

For the Stir-Fry: In a wok, heat 1/4 cup (60ml) vegetable oil over medium-low heat until shimmering. Add roughly half of the kreung to the wok, stirring and scraping constantly with a wooden spatula to prevent the mixture from sticking to the bottom of the pan and burning. At first, the paste will snap and pop as it begins to release moisture. Continue stirring until all visible moisture has cooked off and the paste has thickened and darkened slightly, 1 to 2 minutes.

Increase heat to high, then add half of the chicken to the wok, along with 1 piece of mudfish (if using) and cook, stirring, until chicken is coated in the kreung and has turned white on the surface, 2 to 3 minutes.

Stir in half of fish sauce, sugar, and bouillon and scrape browned bits from the bottom of the wok (some may still adhere). Stir in half the basil. Once basil has wilted, reduce heat to low and add half of jalapeño slices, cooking until warmed through but still crisp. Season with salt to taste.

Scrape contents of wok into a serving bowl and discard fermented fish. Rinse and dry wok, then repeat with remaining oil, kreung, chicken, and other ingredients.

Serve stir-fry right away, passing steamed white rice at the table.

Chicken with Garlic, Chilies, and Peanuts

2 tablespoons soy sauce, divided
4 5- to 6-ounce chicken breast cutlets, pounded to an even 1/4-inch thickness
Ground black pepper
3 tablespoons peanut oil, divided
4 medium garlic cloves, finely grated
1 tablespoon finely grated fresh ginger
1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
4 scallions, thinly sliced, white and green parts reserved separately
1/2 cup dry sherry
1/3 cup unsalted roasted peanuts, roughly chopped
2 tablespoons salted butter, cut into 2 pieces

In a medium bowl, combine 1 tablespoon soy sauce and the chicken, turning to coat. Let stand for 10 minutes. Pat the cutlets dry with paper towels, then season with pepper.

In a nonstick 12-inch skillet over medium-high, heat 2 tablespoons of oil until shimmering.

Add the chicken in a single layer and cook until well browned on both sides, 4 to 6 minutes total, flipping once halfway through. Transfer to a platter and tent with foil to keep warm.

Allow the pan to cool for a couple minutes, then add the remaining 1 tablespoon oil, the garlic, ginger, pepper flakes and scallion whites. Cook over medium, stirring, until the mixture is fragrant, about 30 seconds.

Off heat, add the sherry, the remaining 1 tablespoon soy sauce, half the peanuts and any accumulated juices from the chicken.

Return to medium and cook, scraping up any browned bits, until the sauce is slightly thickened, about 1 minute. Off heat, add the butter and stir until fully incorporated. Pour the sauce over the chicken, then sprinkle with scallion greens and the remaining peanuts.

Keralan Cabbage Thoran

For the paste;

120 gm grated fresh coconut (or desiccated coconut)
1 tsp coarsely crushed cumin seeds
4 garlic cloves roughly chopped
1 green chilli

To cook the Thoran;

3 tbsp vegetable oil
800 gm white cabbage finely shredded
2 tsp black mustard seeds
1 mild dried red chilli halved
100 gms onion finely chopped
12 fresh curry leaves
1 tsp turmeric powder
Salt to taste
2 tbsp coriander for garnish roughly chopped

Add the paste ingredients to a blender with 100 mls water and blitz to a smooth fine paste. Set aside.

Heat a large heavy bottom saucepan on medium heat. Add the mustard seeds letting them splutter for 3-5 seconds. Add the dried chilli and follow by the chopped onions. Stir and fry for a 1minute. Now add half the curry leaves and continue to fry for 5 minutes as the onions begin to soften.

Cook the cabbage over a low heat with a lid on. Make sure to stir halfway through the cooking.

Now add the coconut paste and continue to cook for 2 minutes with a lid on. Turn the heat off and garnish with the remaining curry leaves and fresh coriander

Add the turmeric powder and stir well. Add the shredded cabbage a little at a time, season to taste and mix to coat it with the spice mix.

Parippu Curry (Sri Lankan Dal)

8 oz. red lentils (masoor dal)
2 cloves garlic, chopped
2 onions, chopped
4 leaves curry, thinly sliced
1/4 teaspoon saffron powder
1/2 teaspoon curry powder
1/2 teaspoon turmeric
1/2 teaspoon fenugreek seeds
1/4 teaspoon cumin seeds
1 teaspoon mustard seeds
1/2 teaspoon chili powder
2 whole cloves
1 cup coconut milk
1 1/4 cup water
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1/2 lime
1 green hot pepper
Salt

Wash the lentils well by changing the water at least three times.

Boil them in the water with the saffron, chili powder, turmeric, curry and cloves.
After about 15 minutes, when the color of the lentils changes from red to yellow, remove from the heat and pour into a large bowl.

Heat the oil in a very large skillet over medium heat. Add the mustard, fenugreek, and cumin seeds and fry for 20 seconds.
Add the onion and garlic and mix well for 20 seconds.

Add the boiled lentils and mix well. Cook for 5 minutes.

Add the coconut milk and salt to taste. Cook until the curry begins to boil.
Remove from heat and add the lime juice.
Add the raw or fried green hot pepper on top (optional).

Serve hot with rice or bread.

Carne en Su Jugo

1 1/2 pounds sirloin steak
1 1/2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
1/2 teaspoons kosher salt, divided
1 teaspoon soy sauce
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1 tablespoon grapeseed oil
3 garlic cloves, finely chopped (about 1 tablespoon)
8 tomatillos, peeled (about 1 1/2 pounds)
1/2 large yellow onion, cut into 4 wedges
1 quart beef broth or water, divided
2 bay leaves
3 cups cooked pinto beans
Finely diced white onion, chopped fresh cilantro, Key lime wedges, cooked bacon, and toasted tortillas, for serving

Wrap meat tightly in plastic wrap, and place in freezer 15 minutes. Remove from freezer, unwrap meat, and slice thinly against the grain. Stack slices; finely chop.

Place the meat in a bowl, and season with Worcestershire, 1 1/2 teaspoons salt, soy sauce, and black pepper. Stir until well coated, and set aside.

Heat oil in a medium Dutch oven over medium. Once the oil is shimmering, add garlic, and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add seasoned meat, and cook until it releases some of its juices, about 10 minutes. (It’s OK to crowd the pan—you want to encourage the meat to stew and release its juices.) Reduce heat to low to keep the liquid from reducing too much. Using a slotted spoon, remove and reserve 2 tablespoons cooked meat.

While the meat cooks, place tomatillos in a saucepan with just enough water to cover, about 3 1/2 cups. Cover with a lid, and bring to a boil. Cook until tomatillos are soft, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat; drain.

Place quartered onion half, cooked tomatillos, and reserved 2 tablespoons meat in a blender with 1 cup broth; blend until smooth, about 1 minute. Add mixture to meat in pot; add remaining 3 cups broth and bay leaves. Season with remaining 2 teaspoons salt. Bring to a boil, and reduce heat to medium-low; simmer about 20 minutes. Add cooked beans, and cook until the meat is tender, about 10 minutes.

Using a slotted spoon, place about 1 cup or more of the meat-and-bean mixture into each bowl. Add broth as desired, and garnish with chopped onion, cilantro, Key lime wedges, and bacon. Serve with toasted tortillas.

Chicken Curry with Coconut Milk

Oil – 2 tbsp
Whole spices – 1 inch piece cinnamon, 2 cloves, 2 cardamom pods
Onion – 1, finely sliced
Ginger – 1 inch piece, finely chopped
Garlic – 4-5 pods, minced
Green chilies – 1-2, chopped or slit
Tomato – 1, chopped (or tomato paste – 1 tbsp)
Turmeric powder – 1/2 tsp
Red chili powder – 1/2 sp
Coriander powder – 1 tsp
Black pepper powder – 1/4 tsp (can use at the end, if you feel the curry needs more heat)
Garam masala powder – 1/2 tsp
Coconut milk – 1 1/2 ups
Chicken – 3/4 – 1 lb, around 400g
Potatoes – 1, cubed
Water – 1/2 cup

For tempering:

Oil – 1 tbsp
Small shallots – 3-4 (or 2 tbsp chopped red onion)
Curry leaves – a few
Black pepper corns – 5-6, lightly crushed
Cumin seeds – 1/2 tsp, lightly crushed

Heat oil in a pan. Add the whole spices and when they become fragrant, add the onions, ginger, garlic and chiles till onions are softened and starting to turn lightly golden.

Add the tomato and saute till mushy.Add the masala powders and mix well.

Add 1 cup of coconut milk and bring to a gentle boil. Then add chicken, potatoes and water, cover and cook till chicken is tender. Open the lid and add the rest of the coconut milk and simmer till curry is slightly thickened. Remember that it will thicken further once cooled.

In a small pan, heat the oil for tempering, add onions and curry leaves and fry till the onions are browned. Add the crushed black pepper and cumin seeds towards the end. Add this tadka to the chicken curry, mix and serve.

Chettinad Chicken Curry (Chicken in Roasted Coconut Curry) with Variations

To marinate the chicken:

Chicken – 1 lb, around 500 gm
Yogurt – 2 tbsp
Turmeric powder – 1/4 tsp
Red chili powder – 1/2 tsp
Black pepper powder – a pinch
Salt – 1/2 tsp
Lemon/lime juice – 2 tsp

To dry roast and grind (see Notes too):

Whole dried red chilis – 6-8 (as per heat level desired. If you are still apprehensive, I suggest using just 4-5)
Coriander seeds – 1 tbsp
Cumin seeds – 1 tsp
Fennel seeds – 1/2 tsp
Black pepper corns – 1-2 tsp ( depends on your heat level, but do not skip it entirely)
Cinnamon stick – 1? piece
Cloves – 3
Cardamom pods – 2-3
Nutmeg mace – a small piece
Kalpasi or black stone flower – a small piece (I used a small piece of star anise here)
Coconut – 1/4 cup, freshly grated

For the curry:

Oil – 3 tbsp
Curry leaves – a small handful
Onion – 1 large-sized, finely chopped
Ginger – a thick 1? piece
Garlic – 4-5 cloves
Green chilis – 2
Tomatoes – 2, chopped
Water – 1 cup
Salt – to taste
Lime juice – 1 tsp
Cilantro leaves – a few, to garnish

Wash and cut the chicken into small pieces. Combine with the marinade ingredients and refrigerate for at least half an hour.
Heat a large skillet on medium heat and add all the ingredients to be dry roasted. Lightly roast stirring every now and then till the coconut is golden brown and the spices are fragrant. Cool slightly and grind to a smooth paste with a bit of water. Keep aside.

Make a paste of the ginger, garlic and green chilis as well. Or you can substitute with 2-3 tsp of ginger-garlic paste and a couple of chopped green chilis. Keep aside.

Heat oil in a large pan and add the curry leaves. When they crackle, add the chopped onions and saute till they are golden.
Then add the ginger-garlic-green chili paste and saute well till the raw smell goes away. Now add the tomatoes and cook till they are mushy and well combined.

Add the prepared spice paste and saute for a few minutes. The gravy should be thick, dark and very fragrant.

Add the marinated chicken pieces and mix well to coat with the gravy. Add water and salt and bring to a gentle boil. Now cover the pan and cook on medium heat till chicken is done.

Open the lid, check seasoning and squeeze some fresh lime juice.

Reduce the curry to desired thickness. Remember that it will thicken upon cooling as well.

Garnish with fresh cilantro leaves and serve.

Notes:

In case you do not have dried red chilis, coriander seeds, cumin seeds and garam masala ingredients, you can use the respective spice powders. Start by roasting the coconut on medium heat till lightly golden. Add the spice powders towards the end and roast further till they are slightly aromatic. If you add the spice powders at the beginning and then start roasting the coconut, you run the risk of burning the spice powders and this may make the curry bitter.

For a vegetarian version, add cubed potatoes and other vegetables, making sure that they are all similar in size, to ensure even cooking.

You can add boiled and halved eggs to the curry as well.

If you feel the curry has thickened too much, gently boil it again with a bit of hot water to loosen it.

Indian Country-Style Chicken

Oil – 2 tbsp
Curry leaves – a few
Red onion – 1, thickly chopped (or, use 1 cup of small Indian shallots)
Ginger – 2 tbsp, finely chopped
Dried red chilies – 8-10 (whole or de-seeded or cracked open depending on your heat level)
Turmeric powder – 1 tsp
Chicken – 1 lb, boneless and cut into small pieces
Salt – to taste
Cumin powder – 1/2 tsp (use roasted and ground cumin for best results)
Garam masala powder – 1/2 tsp

Heat oil in a pan or skillet. Add curry leaves, red onions (or shallots) and ginger. Saute till onions are red. Now add the red chilies. I add most of them whole and de-seed the rest. Saute for a few more seconds.

Add the turmeric powder and mix well. Add chicken and combine thoroughly. Season with salt, reduce the heat, cover and allow the chicken to cook in it’s own juices. The chicken will let out some liquid, so you don’t need water at all.

When the chicken is done, open the lid and increase the heat to thicken the gravy. Add garam masala and roasted cumin powders and cook for a couple more minutes, till most of the liquid evaporates.

Paneer (or Egg) Jalfrezi and Jeera Rice

For Paneer Jalfrezi:
Oil – 1 1/2 tbsp, divided
Paneer – 8 oz or 350 gm, cut into cubes or strips
Cumin seeds – 1 tsp
Onion – 1 medium-sized, thinly sliced
Ginger-garlic paste – 2 tsp
Tomatoes – 2 large, sliced
Tomato paste – 2 tbsp (can use ketchup in a pinch)
Turmeric powder – 1/2 tsp
Red chili powder – 2 tsp (or less, if you do not want it spicy)
Coriander powder – 1 1/2 tsp
Garam masala powder – 1/2 tsp
Green bell pepper – 1 sliced
Salt – to taste
Kasuri methi – 1 tsp, crushed (see Notes)
Cilantro leaves – 2 tbsp, chopped

For Jeera Rice:
Ghee – 1 tbsp
Cinnamon – 1″ stick
Cloves – 3
Green cardamom pods – 3
Star anise – a small piece
Black pepper corns – 6, lightly crushed
Cumin seeds – 2 tsp
Basmati rice – 1 cup, rinsed
Water – 2 cups
Lime juice – 2 tsp
Salt – to taste

Paneer Jalfrezi: Heat 1/2 tbsp oil in a large skillet with slightly raised sides. Fry paneer slices lightly on all sides, Drain and remove to a paper towel lined plate.

Heat rest of the oil in the skillet. Add cumin seeds and allow it to crackle.

Add onions and saute till translucent. Add ginger-garlic paste and saute till the raw smell is gone.

Then add the tomatoes and tomato paste. Stir and cook till tomatoes are mushy and you see the oil separating at the sides, around 4-5 minutes.

Add turmeric powder, red chili powder, coriander powder and garam masala powder and stir to combine.

Add green bell peppers and salt to taste. Cover and cook for a few minutes till peppers are tender-crisp. You do not need any water really, but sprinkle some water if you think it is too dry.

Finally, fold in the fried paneer pieces and heat through. Do not cook for a long time after adding the paneer or they will toughen and turn chewy.

Sprinkle crushed kauri methi and cilantro leaves. Serve hot with jeera rice.

Jeera Rice: Rinse the rice a couple of times under cold water. Soak in cold water for 20 minutes, if possible.

Heat ghee in a pan. Add whole spices (as listed above, from cinnamon through black peppercorns) and allow them to sputter and turn fragrant.

Add cumin seeds and saute till they are lightly browned, but not burnt. Then add the drained rice and lightly roast in the ghee for 30 seconds. All the rice should get coated in the ghee.

Add water, lime juice and enough salt (water must be salty) and bring to a boil. Reduce heat, cover and cook till rice is done. Fluff rice gently with a fork before serving.

NOTES:
1. Kasuri methi are dried fenugreek leaves. These are crushed and added to some dishes to enhance the aroma and flavor. It is easily found in Indian/Asian stores or online. You can leave it out if you cannot find it.

2. You can also make jalfrezi with other vegetables like sliced carrots, beans, fresh peas, baby corn, etc. Another easy recipe is to replace paneer with sliced boiled eggs to make egg jalfrezi. You can also make chicken jalfrezi with boneless chicken strips, but the cooking time must be adjusted accordingly.

3. This jeera or cumin rice recipe is super simple and uses only a handful of aromatic spices for flavor. If you wish to, you can also caramelize some onions and ginger first before cooking the rice.

4. Check the rice once in between to see if it’s done. Sprinkle more hot water as needed.

5. You can also use a rice cooker to cook the rice. Do the initial steps of sautéing the spices and rice in ghee, then transfer it along with water, lime juice and salt to a rice cooker and cook as per the settings for white rice.

6. Start the rice first and while it is cooking, make the jalfrezi. Both dishes then get done simultaneously if you have just half an hour! The cooking time shown here reflects this, while each recipe made on its own may also take the same time.

Egg Curry

3 eggs, hard-boiled and cut in half
2 tablespoon ghee or vegetable oil
1/2 teaspoon black mustard seeds
pinch of asafetida/hing
1/2 teaspoon cumin seeds
1 large onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 teaspoon ginger, grated
2 large tomatoes, chopped
1/2 teaspoon garam masala
1 teaspoon coriander powder
1/4 teaspoon chili powder
1/3 teaspoon turmeric powder
1/2 teaspoon amchoor powder (dried mango powder) – optional
1 tablespoon Greek yogurt
salt
cilantro for garnish

Hard boil 3 eggs, peel, cut in half and set aside.

Heat ghee or oil in a pan under medium heat. Add in mustard seeds, asafetida/hing and cumin seeds. When the mustard seeds start to pop, add in the onions and cook until they are translucent and fragrant.

Add in the garlic and ginger and stir them around. Fry for 30 seconds (you should be able to smell the garlic).

Add in the tomatoes and mix up well and mash them down a bit. Then add in the garam masala, coriander powder, chili powder and turmeric. When the mixture starts to bubble a little, turn the heat down so it is simmering. Simmer the mixture until the tomatoes break down and becomes a pulpy sauce ~ 6-7 minutes.

Add in the amchoor and mix. This is an optional ingredient that adds a nice sour taste to the dish. Mix a tablespoon of Greek yogurt in very well and add salt to taste. At this point, you can drop the eggs in gently and spoon the gravy over them.

Simmer with eggs for 2 minutes. Turn off the heat and garnish with chopped cilantro. Serve with rice.

Pork and Chili Stir-Fry

1 pound ground pork
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 tablespoons Sesame oil
1 tablespoon minced Ginger
1 tablespoon minced Garlic
1 tablespoon Soy sauce
2 teaspoons sambal olek or other spicy red chili sauce
1 tablespoon Lemon juice
2-3 Green Chilies (sliced jalapenos, serranos, or bird’s eye chilis, depending on how hot you want your dish)
1/2 cup chopped Spring onions
1/2 cup chopped cilantro
1 head butter lettuce

In a 10-inch pan over medium high heat, add oil. To the hot oil, add minced ginger and garlic and let them sizzle for 2-3 seconds. Add the ground pork. Mix well and brown the meat, breaking up all the clumps. You want some crispy parts, but mainly you want to cook the pork well.

While the meat cooks, chop up the green onions and cilantro. Mix them in a bowl and set aside.

After about 8 minutes when the meat is almost done, push the meat to the sides to create a small space in the middle. Add the sliced green and red chilis.

Pour in soy sauce, sesame oil, the sambal olek if using and stir well.

Turn off the stove and let the pork rest uncovered for 3-4 minutes to cool a little.

Stir in the chopped green onions and cilantro. Sprinkle the lemon juice and stir well.

Separate the butter lettuce leaves and allow your diners to serve themselves some of the spicy pork mixture into each butter lettuce, leaf. Or skip the lettuce and just eat the meat—good either way.

Stir-Fried Beef and Herbs

2 tablespoons soy sauce
1 1/2 teaspoons finely grated fresh ginger
1 teaspoon cornstarch
1/4 teaspoon white sugar
2 teaspoons grapeseed or other neutral oil
1 pound 80 to 85 percent lean ground beef (not extra lean)
3 Fresno or jalapeño chilies, stemmed, seeded and finely chopped
1 1/2 cups lightly packed fresh mint, roughly chopped
3/4 cup lightly packed cilantro leaves, roughly chopped

In a small bowl, whisk together the soy sauce, ginger, cornstarch and sugar. Set aside. In a nonstick 12-inch skillet over medium, heat the oil until shimmering.

Add the beef and cook, stirring and breaking up the meat into small pieces, until mostly browned but some pink still remains, 3 to 4 minutes.

Add the chilies and soy sauce mixture, then cook, stirring, until no pink remains and the meat is evenly coated, 1 to 2 minutes. Remove from the heat and stir in the mint and cilantro.

Green Masala Chicken Curry

Make the masala paste by combining the following in a blender and make into a paste:
1/2 large bunch of coriander leaves
15 mint leaves
1 thin green chilli
1 tsp salt, or to taste
1 tsp brown sugar or jaggery
1/2 tsp turmeric
1/2 tsp grated ginger
1/2 tsp crushed garlic

Other ingredients:
500 g full fat natural yoghurt
2-3 tbsp vegetable oil
2 chicken breasts, diced into bite-size pieces

Whole spices:
1 cinnamon stick
1 tsp whole coriander seeds
1 tsp cumin seeds
10 black peppercorns
2-3 green cardamoms, bruised
7-8 cloves

Whip the yogurt and add the green masala paste.

Heat the vegetable oil in a saucepan on medium head and once oil is hot, put in the whole spices and stir and cook until an aroma builds. Now add the green masala paste and fry until the oil starts to rise on the top of the yogurty mixutre.

Now add the chicken and stir, turn the heat low and leave covered to cook until chicken is done. You may need to give the chicken a stir every now until done. Add a bit of water to the curry if you think it is drying out a little.

Serve hot with some pillau rice or plain boiled basmati rice.

Keema

2 tbsp vegetable oil (don’t use olive)
1 chopped red onion
1 tsp grated ginger
1 tsp crushed garlic paste
2 tomatoes, chopped
½ kilo beef mine
1/4 tsp turmeric
1/2 tsp red chilli powder
1/2 tsp ground coriander seeds
1/2 tsp ground cumin seeds
1 tsp salt
1 tsp dried Kasuri Methi
Water at hand in a jug

Whole garam masalas:
5- 6 black pepper, whole
6 cloves
1 black cardamom
1/2 tsp cumin seeds
1 star anise
1 bay leaf
A tiny piece of cinnamon
1 tsp coriander seeds

Garnish with:
Chopped coriander, tiny chopped tomatoes and chopped spring onions, lemon juice, ginger julienne, garam masala powder.

Heat oil in saucepan and add all whole garam masalas only to a hot pan and allow to splutter.

Once garam masalas are fragrant, add onions and fry until light brown, add ginger garlic and cook until the raw smell leaves the pan.

Add chopped tomatoes and a splash of water and cook until tomatoes soft and oil rises to the top, add all the powder masalas and salt.

Add mince meat and cook and stir continuously until moisture leaves the pan.

Add methi leaves and cover on medium low heat and cook until water runs dry and meat is cooked through. Should be dark brown and dry. Top with all the garnishes.

Chicken and Green Bean Stir Fry

For the chicken and marinade:
12 oz. (340 g) boneless skinless chicken breast or thighs, thinly sliced
2 tablespoons water
1 teaspoon soy sauce
½ teaspoon sesame oil
2 teaspoons cornstarch
1 teaspoon vegetable oil

For the rest of the dish:
1/2 cup chicken stock or water
1 teaspoon sugar
1 tablespoon soy sauce
2 teaspoons dark soy sauce
1/4 teaspoon sesame oil
Fresh ground white pepper
2 teaspoons cornstarch
4 tablespoons vegetable oil (divided)
1 pound string beans, ends trimmed and cut in half
3 cloves garlic, sliced
1 tablespoon Shaoxing wine
Instructions
Add all the marinade ingredients to the chicken in a bowl, mix well with your hands so the chicken absorbs all the marinade liquid, and set aside.
Prepare the sauce by mixing together ½ cup stock or water, 1 teaspoon sugar, 1 tablespoon soy sauce, 2 teaspoons dark soy sauce, ¼ teaspoon sesame oil, a pinch of freshly ground white pepper, and 2 teaspoons cornstarch.
When ready to cook, preheat your wok over medium high heat until it’s almost smoking. Add 2 tablespoons oil to the wok and sear the chicken until it’s just browned. If your wok is as hot as it should be, the chicken should not stick. Turn off the heat while you transfer the chicken to a separate bowl. Leave any oil/fat in the wok.
Add 2 additional tablespoons oil to the wok, and add the string beans in a single layer. Sear the string beans on one side, about 1 minute. Stir-fry the beans for 30 seconds, and then add ¼ cup water to the wok. Cover the wok and allow the green beans to steam for 60-90 seconds (still on medium high heat).
Add the garlic and stir-fry for another 30 seconds. Spread the Shaoxing wine around the wok to deglaze it, stir-frying for 15 seconds. Then add the sauce mixture and bring it to a simmer.

Add the chicken back to the wok and stir-fry everything together for another 30 seconds. The cornstarch in the sauce mixture will thicken it. When the sauce is at the consistency you’d like, plate and serve immediately with rice.

Cantonese Beef Stew with Bean Curd

2 tablespoons oil
1/2 small onion cut into small pieces
2 cloves garlic
250 g beef cut into small cubes
1/2 cup water
6 mini carrots
2 sticks dry beancurd sticks soak in warm water for 30 minutes, cut into pieces
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 tablespoon oyster sauce
1/2 teaspoon sesame oil
1 tablespoon Shaoxing wine
3 dashes white pepper

Heat up a claypot with the oil and add the onion and garlic, stir-fry until aromatic.

Add the beef into the claypot, followed by the carrot and beancurd sticks.

Add the water and all the seasonings, stir to combine well.
Cover the claypot, turn the heat to low, simmer and cook until the beef becomes tender.

Serve hot with steamed white rice

Beef Mussaman Curry

1 1/2 pounds cubed chuck beef or stewing beef
3 tablespoons Massaman curry paste
10 green cardamom seeds
2 cinnamon sticks
3 star anise
8 small shallot onions peeled
2 small cans 5.6 fl oz coconut milk
1 cup water
2 1/2 tablespoons fish sauce or to taste
1 medium-sized potato peeled and cut into chunks
1/2 tablespoon tamarind paste
2 tablespoons palm sugar or brown sugar
4 tablespoons unsalted roasted peanuts
2 tablespoons cooking oil
A handful of fresh Thai basil leaves

Coat beef in 1 tablespoon of oil and massaman curry paste. Stir well and set aside.

In a large pot, heat remaining oil over medium heat. Stir-fry the cardamom, cinnamon and star anise for 40 seconds. Add the whole shallots and fry until golden brown.

Add the beef and brown for 1-2 minutes. Stir to mix well with the spices.

Add 1 can of coconut milk, 2 tbsp of fish sauce and 1/2 to 1 cup of water until the beef is just covered by the liquid. Stir well and then bring to the boil. Once boiling, turn heat down very low and cover. Gently simmer for 1 hour.

Add the remaining can of coconut milk, potatoes, peanuts and half the basil leaves. Stir well. Taste and add a little more fish sauce if necessary.

Turn heat up to medium-low and cover. Cook for another 30 minutes or until potatoes are tender.

Once the potatoes are cooked, remove the curry from the heat. Stir in the palm sugar, tamarind juice and remaining basil. Stir well and serve the curry with steamed rice.

Bulgogi Beef Wraps

12 oz thinly sliced sirloin
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1/4 small onion thinly sliced
2 cloves garlic finely minced
1 1/2 tablespoons soy sauce
1 tablespoon sugar
3 dashes chili powder
3 dashes coarsely ground black pepper
1 tablespoon chopped scallion
White sesame for garnishing
Kimchi sliced, for garnishing, optional
1 head butter lettuce

Marinate the sirloin with garlic, soy sauce, sugar, chili, and pepper. Stir to mix well. Set aside for 15 minutes to marinate.

Heat up a skillet with the vegetable oil. Add the onion and saute for about 10 seconds.

Add the sliced sirloin. Stir and cook until the meat is cooked. Top with the scallion and white sesame. Transfer out to a serving platter.

Tear off the leaves from the lettuce. To assemble the Bulgogi Lettuce Wraps, add 1 tablespoon of the Bulgogi onto the center of the lettuce leaf, then top with the sliced kimchi, if using. Serve immediately.

Recipe Notes: For authentic Bulgogi, you will need 1/2 cup of pear juice and 1 teaspoon of Sesame Oil to marinate the meat.

Beef with Nam Prik Pao and Lime Leaves

10 oz 330 g beef tenderloin or top sirloin, sliced diagonally across the grain in ¼ in (6 mm) slices
1/2 teaspoon all-purpose cornstarch
1/4 teaspoon white pepper
1 teaspoon + 2 tablespoons high-heat cooking oil divided
1 teaspoon soy sauce
1 garlic clove minced
1 small shallot ?nely sliced
1 fresh hot red or green chili preferably Thai (deseeded if you prefer less heat), ?nely sliced
1 small red bell pepper thinly sliced
1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lime juice
1 tablespoon fish sauce nam pla
1 tablespoon Roasted Red Chili Paste or store-bought(nam pla, optional)
2 kaf?r lime leaves cut into thin strips (optional)
2 teaspoons palm or brown sugar
3/4 cup 15 g fresh Thai or Italian basil leaves

Roasted Red Chili Paste (Nam Prik Pao) Recipe
4 tablespoons high-heat cooking oil , divided
6 garlic cloves minced
6 tablespoons ?nely chopped shallots
1 tablespoon ground red pepper cayenne
4 teaspoons fermented shrimp paste
2 tablespoons fish sauce nam pla
3 tablespoons palm or brown sugar
1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lime juice
1 teaspoon tamarind concentrate
1 tablespoon water

Toss the beef with the all-purpose cornstarch, pepper, 1 teaspoon oil, and soy sauce. Cover for 10 minutes at room temperature.

Heat 1/2 of the oil in a wok or skillet over medium-high heat. Add the beef and stir-fry until it’s brown, about 3 minutes. Remove the beef from the pan and set aside. Wash and thoroughly dry the wok or skillet.

Heat the remaining oil in the wok or skillet over medium-high heat. Add the garlic, shallots, and chili to the wok or skillet and stir-fry until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add the red pepper and stir-fry for 1 minute. Add the reserved beef, lime juice, ?sh sauce, roasted red chili paste (if using), kaffir lime leaves (if using), and palm sugar; stir-fry for 1–2 minutes or until the beef is cooked through. Add the basil leaves and stir-fry for about 30 seconds or until wilted. Dish out and serve immediately with jasmine rice.

Roasted Red Chili Paste (Nam Prik Pao) Recipe

Heat the oil in a wok or skillet at medium high heat. Add the garlic and shallots and stir-fry until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Transfer garlic and shallots to a small bowl with a slotted spoon. Set aside. Leave the remaining oil in the pan.
Combine the ground red pepper, shrimp paste, ?sh sauce, brown sugar, lime juice, tamarind concentrate, water, reserved garlic, and shallots in a small food processor. Pulse until a thick paste forms.

Return the paste to the wok or skillet and stir it into the oil over low heat. Simmer gently and continue stirring until the mixture is a smooth, oily, and shimmering paste.

Black Pepper Beef

8 oz 250 g beef tenderloin, flank steak or flap meat, cut into pieces
2 ½ tablespoons cooking oil
1 clove garlic minced
One 1 in 2.5 cm piece fresh ginger, peeled and sliced
1/2 small green bell pepper deseeded and cut into pieces
1/2 small red bell pepper deseeded and cut into pieces
1/2 onion cut into strips
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Salt to taste

Marinade:
1 1/2 teaspoons Maggi seasoning sauce
1/2 teaspoons soy sauce
1/2 teaspoon dark soy sauce
1 teaspoon oyster sauce
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1 teaspoon Chinese rice wine or sherry
1/2 teaspoon cornstarch
1/2 teaspoon sesame oil
1/2 teaspoon sugar

Marinate the beef with all the Marinade ingredients, about 15 minutes.

Heat 1 tablespoon of the oil in a wok or skillet over high heat. Stir-fry the beef until the beef is browned on the outside but still pink inside. Dish out and set aside.
Heat the remaining oil in a wok or skillet over high heat. Stir-fry the garlic and the ginger until aromatic, and then add the green bell pepper, red bell pepper, onion, and black pepper. Stir-fry until you smell the aroma from the ingredients in the wok.

Transfer the beef back into the wok or skillet. Stir-fry until the beef is cooked through and the center of the meat is no longer pink, about 1-2 minutes. Dish out and serve immediately with steamed rice.