Cooking time: 10-15 minutes
Seafood Curry Powder
1 Use the ingredients as for Meat Curry Powder, but omit cinnamon and reduce coriander to 200 g (7 oz), using the same method as above. Makes about 450 g (1 lb).
2 After dry-frying, add 1 teaspoon ground fenugreek and ½ teaspoon ground star anise.
Note There is some evidence that “curry powder” of the supermarket variety is in fact a British invention, and in truth, in and outside India, there is no single all-purpose blend used as a major component in different curries, though simpler mixtures like garam masala and panch phoran (Bengali five-spice mix) have multiple applications.
Curry powder should keep for up for three months. If you live in a humid climate, always check for any mold before using—moldy powder will have a musty, fetid, unpleasant smell.
Chili, Preserved Yellow Beans, and Lime Juice Dip
A salty and savory dip for steamed and boiled seafood.
3 tablespoons preserved yellow soybeans (tau cheo)
2 fresh red chilies, finely sliced
5 shallots, finely sliced
1½ tablespoons freshly squeezed lime juice, or 1 tablespoon distilled white vinegar
1 teaspoon sugar
1 Spoon soybeans into a small bowl. Drain off and discard most of the salty preserving liquid. Roughly mash beans and stir in chilies and shallots, followed by lime juice and sugar.
Serves 2-4
Preparation time: 5 mins
Red Coconut Chutney
A fiery chutney for South Indian breads and rice dishes.
5 dried red chilies
100 g (3½ oz) freshly grated coconut
3 shallots, chopped
1 tablespoon chopped ginger
½ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon sugar
2 tablespoons oil
1 teaspoon black mustard seeds
3 sprigs curry leaves, stalk discarded
1 Deseed 4 chilies and soak in warm water 10 minutes. Drain and combine with 2 tablespoons of the soaking water, coconut, shallots, ginger, salt, and sugar in a blender. Blend to a thick paste, then scrape into a heatproof bowl.
2 Heat oil in a small pan over medium-high heat. When hot, add mustard seeds, curry leaves and remaining red chili. Fry for 20 seconds, then pour over coconut mixture and stir to mix well. Serve immediately. Finish it within a day as it won’t keep.
Serves 3-4
Cooking time: 30 seconds
Preparation time: 10 mins
Chili, Lime Juice, Fish Sauce, and Peanut Brittle Dip
Terry’s original blend of Thai, Vietnamese, and Cantonese influences, ideal for spring rolls and fried foods.
4 red chillies
2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lime juice
1 tablespoon fish sauce
3 tablespoons crushed peanut brittle
1 teaspoon sugar
1 Chop chilies fine. Mix with all remaining ingredients.
Serves 2-3
Preparation time: 5 mins
Dried Shrimp, Chilies, Lime Juice, and Mint Dip
Ground dried shrimps—the best you can buy, please —are very compatible with chili-based dips. This makes a good base for a cucumber or pineapple side salad or kerabu; just mix a few spoonfuls with the chopped fruit.
3 tablespoons dried shrimps
4 red chilies
4 tablespoons freshly squeezed lime juice
2 teaspoons sugar
1 teaspoon fish sauce
1 teaspoon finely chopped mint
2 tablespoons water
1 Soak dried shrimps in hot water for 30 minutes, until soft. Drain thoroughly.
2 Grind shrimps fine with a pestle and mortar or mini-chopper. Add chilies and grind until well incorporated. Stir in all remaining ingredients, adjusting balance to your own taste. Serve immediately.
Serves 2-3
Preparation time: 10 mins, including 30 mins standing time
Mango Chutney
6 small green mangoes, peeled, halved and stone removed
6 dried chillies, soaked until soft
4 tablespoons oil
2 teaspoons salt
2 tablespoons finely chopped ginger
1 teaspoon garam masala
2 tablespoons raisins or sultanas
250 ml (1 cup) vinegar
60 ml (¼ cup) water
2 teaspoons ground cumin, or cumin seeds
8 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
90 g (3 oz) brown or demerara sugar
1 Cut each mango halt into two pieces lengthwise, then again crosswise, so half yields four pieces.
2 Drain chilies and pat dry. Heat oil in a wok over medium heat and fry chilies for about 45 seconds, until almost brown and slightly puffy. Add salt, ginger, and garam masala and stir for about 2 minutes over low heat. Add mangoes and remaining ingredients and cook for 8 to 10 minutes or until mango is tender but not mushy.
3 Let chutney cool before transferring to a clean glass jar. Cover tightly and refrigerate for at least one day (preferably three to four days) before eating.
Makes 1 large jar chutney
Cooking time: 13 mins
Preparation time: 15 mins
Pickled Green Chilies
20 fat green chilies, washed, stalks discarded
500 ml (2 cups) distilled white vinegar
½ teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons sugar
1 Slice chilies diagonally, about 5 mm (⅕ in) thick.
2 Bring vinegar to a boil with salt and sugar over high heat. Add chilies and simmer for 15 seconds. Pour all into a clean screwtop jar. Once cool, cover, and store in the fridge.
Makes 1 large jar pickled chilies
Cooking time: 3 mins
Preparation time: 10 mins
Cucumber Raita Indian Yoghurt Relish
There are countless Indian raitas, all based on the combination of vegetables and yoghurt. Here, cucumber amplifies the dish’s cooling character.
1 cucumber
1 small red onion, peeled and sliced into thin rings
2 teaspoons salt
250 g (9 oz) thick plain yoghurt
1 tablespoon lime juice
1 Peel cucumber and quarter it lengthwise, then slice into thin quarter-moons. Mix with onion rings and sprinkle with salt. Set aside for