Curry ~ A Journey

Experiencing curry is a journey that starts in numerous kitchens, homes, and restaurants all over the world, with each starting point bringing a new flavor, cooking style, and aroma to the voyage that consistently excites and warms the final destination: our taste buds.

The journey begins in India, Southeast Asia, Pakistan, Britain, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, or the Caribbean with a blend of dried cumin, turmeric, and coriander that has been ground together to create a spice combination also known as curry powder or paste. Depending on where the tasteful jaunt begins, the cooking technique will vary with the addition of chicken, pork, beef, seafood, and vegetables which creates complex, flavorful curries that reflects the region and culture preparing the cuisine. The addition of spices such as black peppercorns, chilies, ginger, galangal, and ground cardamom pods play an integral part in transforming the tasteful voyage. Adding to the ever evolving edible path, some areas add cream or coconut milk to transform curry powder into hearty sauces and stews, while other areas add clove, mustard seed, or cinnamon to add an inventive dimension to each bite.

Wild GInger incorporates various styles of curry into the menu, while being mindful of the various combinations of fresh aromatics and ingredients used in each cuisine. Over the next few weeks, we'll explore the different flavors and styles each region brings to the curry journey.

Nam's Lamb Chops Recipe

Bring the tastes and flavors of Wild Ginger to your home!

Nam's Lamb Chops ~ Serves 4

Ingredients:

• 4 lamb chops, trimmed
• 2 tablespoons oil
• 1/2 teaspoon ginger, minced
• 1/2 teaspoon shallots, thinly sliced
• 1/2 teaspoon green onion, white part only, sliced
• 1 teaspoon garlic, chopped
• 1 teaspoon sambal
• 1 teaspoon peanuts, toasted, chopped
• 1/4 teaspoon sesame seeds, toasted
• 1 teaspoon dried shrimp flakes
• pinch of 5-spice powder
• 1 tablespoon soy sauce
• 3 tables spoons hoisin sauce
• 1/2 teaspoon coconut flakes, toasted
• 1 teaspoon green onion, green part only, sliced

Ingredients for Marinade:

• 1/4 cup soy sauce
• 1 tablespoon honey
• 1 tablespoon VSOP cognac
• 1/2 teaspoon Sichuan peppercorn powder, toasted

Preparation:

Marinate lamb chopes with soy sauce, honey, cognac, and Sichuan peppercorn powder. Set aside for at least 2 hours or overnight in the refrigerator.

Grill lamb chops over high heat until medium-rare; set aside.

Heat wok. Add oil, ginger, shallot and green onion. Wok-fry until fragrant. Add garlic; wok-fry until light brown. Add sambal, chopped peanuts, sesame seeds, shrimp and 5-spice powder to wok. Wok-fry until all ingredients are fragrant. Add soy and hoisin sauces to the wok. Bring to a boil. Add toasted coconut flakes, green onion and grilled lamb chops; toss and coat lamb chops well with sauce. Place lamb chops on platter and serve.

To watch Chef, Jacky Lo, prepare Nam's Lamb Chops on KCTS 9 click here>>

Chef Jacky on KCTS 9 Cooks!

Executive Chef, Jacky Lo, prepared perennial Wild Ginger favorites, Nam's Lamb Chops and Otak Otak, on KCTS 9 Cooks with Carol Dearth!

Nam's Lamb Chops ~ marinated in cognac and Sichuan peppercorn then grilled and finished with hoisin, fresh toasted coconut and crushed peanuts.

Otak Otak ~ salmon seasoned with chilies, shallots, garlic, lemongrass, galangal, turmeric root, coriander, peppercorns, salt and a lime leaf, wrapped and cooked in a banana leaf pouch.

Watch Chef, Jacky Lo, prepare this dish on KCTS 9 Cooks:

Watch Otak Otak on PBS. See more from KCTS 9 COOKS.

Want to win a complimentary order of Otak Otak from Wild Ginger? Watch the Otak Otak segment to find out what Carol Dearth would do for an Otak Otak. To win, give the correct answer to your server at Wild Ginger, in Seattle or at The Bravern, November 5th- 23rd, 2011.

Good luck!

Wild for Curry Powder

Curry powder consists of a balanced blend of spices including: coriander, cumin, anise, ginger, fennel, star anise, cinnamon and turmeric. It's most commonly mixed with cooked vegetables, chicken, beef, lamb, pork or seafood and served with rice.

Why Wild Ginger Curry Powder?

Every curry powder is different. Over the past 20 years, Wild Ginger has designed a custom spice blend that showcases the unique and signature taste of the restaurant. All spices are roasted and ground just prior to packaging for maximum freshness.

How to Use Wild Ginger Curry Powder:

• As a marinade: rub on chicken, beef, lamb, seafood or pork before you roast or pan fry
• In a sauce: add either coconut milk, stock, water or a combination of these to create a versatile sauce
• To spice up just about anything: combine with mayonnaise to create a curry flavored salad dressing, a spread, or tasteful addition to fruit or vegetable salads

Cooking aficionados can purchase Wild Ginger's Curry Powder for $5 at both locations, in Seattle and at The Bravern.

Spicy Sambal

In Asian cuisine, Sambal is added to various dishes to create a spicy pizzazz that instantly enhances the vibrant flavors throughout each bite.

Sambal comes from the Malay word Sambal Oelek, which means "to grind", which is technique used to create this exotic condiment. For our Sambal, we grind together the freshest jalapeno chillies, young ginger, garlic, lime, salt and vinegar.

How to use Sambal:

This versatile sauce can be used in numerous culinary applications:

• As a dip: add a desired amount to enhance the flavor of fried foods, rice, or noodles
• On eggs: dollop your morning eggs with an extra element of taste
• In soups: add a teaspoon to any soup to vitalize the broth
• With stir-fries: include in your favorite seafood, chicken, beef, lamb, pork, or vegetable stir-fry to create ideal spiciness
• Mayonnaise: mix in a little to your standard mayonnaise to make it more delicious

Spice aficionados can purchase Wild Ginger's Sambal for $5 at both locations, in Seattle and at The Bravern.

Cumin

Comino, 小 茴 香, kmín, kimyon, クミン , كمّون, cumin, kminkek...

Cumin is a signature part of cuisine in many cultures throughout the world and even though the sound and look of it's name may vary, the taste is universally unmistakable.

When cumin's distinctive, powerful taste and aroma is added to cooking it tends to dominate the other flavors, in a good way. With its strong, spicy-sweet aroma and slightly bitter taste, cumin adds a dimension to cooking that can't be imitated.

Cumin is a dried seed from the fruit of a smaller, slender annual herb, Cuminum cyminum, which is a member of the parsley family. The brown seeds can be added to soups, lentils, curries, and savory rice dishes and pair exceptionally well with coriander. Seeds can be toasted to bring out a less intense nutty flavor.

For a more robust flavor, the seeds are ground to bring out the pungency and bitterness of the spice. To make ground cumin, simply crush the seeds into powder using a mortar and pestle or, for larger quantities, use a spice grinder. To ensure freshness, sift and store your freshly ground cumin in an airtight glass jar.

The invigorating qualities of ground cumin balances well with cool, mellower flavors found in seafood or yogurt dishes. Wild GInger uses cumin in a variety of dishes, but most commonly the curry dishes as cumin is the main ingredient providing that essential kick to fiery curry powder.