This month with a simple and delicious red curry recipe from Raquel who owns the small Asian fusion restaurant Casa Xica in Poble Sec (c/ França Xica 7). If you don’t feel like cooking after all, you reach them at 936 00 58 58.
Raquel, making Asian food at home often scares people. How can we fight the fear? If you were to make curry from scratch you’d have to buy a lot of ingredients and spices, so the trick at home is to buy premade curry paste and then use high quality meats to give it un toque de gracia.
This recipe is an Asian mashup. What’s that about? We like to use a thicker noodle like udon with this recipe because they soak up the creamy curry sauce very well.
Are you in the lots of sauce or little sauce camp? ¡Nunca sobre salsa!
How do you know when you’ve royally fucked it up? When it’s way to spicy or really bland, but you can always adjust as you go. If you’re worried, start with less curry paste and add more later.
In Japan, it’s the noodles. In Thailand, it’s the broth. Who’s the star in this recipe? The gambas. Or a very good cut of meat like beef cheeks if you prefer it.
In a menu, which dish is this? This is a main. Start with something fresh and fun, like a good ceviche and finish with ice cream, macadamia perhaps.
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[item title=»Ingredients for 4«]
– 1 small white onion, julienned (reserving part for garnish)
– 2 cloves garlic, sliced
– 2 tablespoons red curry paste (Aroy-D brand)
– Various veggies, chopped (cabbage, zucchini, carrot…)
– 1 liter coconut milk (Aroy-D is the best)
– 2 teaspoons fish sauce (or to taste)
– ½ liter fish broth
– 1 tablespoon soy sauce
– 1 tablespoon sesame oil (or to taste)
– 4 packets udon noodles (1 packet per person)
– 16 gambas or langostinos (peeled, heads on)
– 2 tablespoons olive oil
– Cilantro, chopped (to taste)
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[item title=»How to«]
1) Sauté the onion and garlic in the olive oil
2) Add 2 tablespoons of the curry paste and sauté a little
3) Add the cut vegetables and sauté until tender
4) Add the fish stock and let reduce a little
5) Add the coconut milk, soy sauce, and fish sauce, let reduce by about a quarter, or thicker if you prefer
6) Add the noodles and let boil for about 5 minutes
7) In a separate pan, sauté the prawns in olive oil
8) Fill the bowls with the noodles and curry broth, put 4 prawns in each bowl, and decorate with chopped cilantro and the rest of the onion.
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[item title=»Hint«]
The better the quality of broth, the richer the curry will be. You can often get frozen “homemade” broth at your local fishmonger, or if choosing a supermarket brand, go for the expensive option.
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