Shrimps with string beans and chiliesHorst Prillinger
A simple, yet delicious no-frills Thai-style recipe. Serves two to three, as usual.
300 grams shrimps without shells, cooked
300 grams string beans, cut into 1 inch pieces
2 medium-sized onions, finely chopped
5 cloves garlic
2 cloves garlic, chopped
2 pieces lemongrass, the white part very thinly sliced
3 fresh red chilies, thinly sliced
2 tablespoons oil
1 tablespoon rice vinegar
1 tablespoon fish sauce
1 tablespoon sugar
1 pinch of salt
Heat the oil in a large frying pan or wok, then fry the onions until transparent. Add the lemongrass and chilies and squeeze in the 5 garlic cloves with a garlic press. Fry until the onion turns yellowish.
Add the string beans and fry for about five minutes (they should become very green in the process). Then add the rice vinegar, fish sauce, sugar and salt (if needed). Add the shrimps and let cook for one or two more minutes. Finally, add the chopped garlic cloves, stir briefly and serve immediately.
This is my first attempt at a Pork Vindaloo. It turned out quite well and pretty close to what I wanted it to be like, but I may give it a second try later.
And yes, the Vindaloo was apparently originally a pork dish, but if you don't like pork, it should work just as well with chicken meat, even though the sour, vinegary taste goes better with pork than with chicken.
Please beware: as is the case with Vindaloo dishes, this is VERY VERY hot, so try it only if you didn't have any problems with my Green Chicken Jalfrezi from a few days ago - this one is hotter. As usual, this serves two (or three, if you're not very hungry).
500-600 grams tender pork, cut into smallish cubes
6 smallish potatoes, peeled and quartered
2 medium-sized onions, chopped
5 cloves garlic
8-10 fresh red chilies (avoid dried chilies - they're hotter and have less aroma)
1 small (½ inch) piece of fresh ginger, chopped
300ml sieved tomatoes or passata
4 tablespoons vinegar
1 tablespoon lemon juice
2 teaspoons ground coriander
1 teaspoon ground tumeric
½ teaspoon ground cumin
2 teaspoons very hot red chili powder
2 smallish pieces from a cinnamon bark
3 cloves
a few whole black pepper seeds
4 whole cardamom seeds
1 teaspoon tandoori powder
salt
ground black pepper
4 tablespoons oil or ghee
In a wok or big pan, fry the onions in 2 tablespoons oil until transparent, then add 2 chopped cloves garlic and the chopped ginger; fry some more until the onion becomes yellowish. Add the tumeric, cumin and 1 teaspoon coriander and fry some more for about 2 minutes.
Put the fried onions/garlic/ginger in a blender. Add the remaining cloves garlic, the red chilies, vinegar, lemon juice, some of the sieved tomatoes and some water. Whizz until you have a very smooth brownish-golden sauce.
Put the meat into the pan and fry until it has become white and the pores have closed. Add the mixture from the blender, the remaining tomatoes, the potatoes and enough water so that everything is covered. Add the chili powder, 1 teaspoon coriander powder, cinnamon, cloves, black pepper seeds, cardamom seeds, salt, ground black pepper; stir, then let cook over low heat with the lid on for about 20 minutes.
Add the tandoori powder; then add some more sieved tomatoes, coriander powder, salt, chili powder or black pepper if necessary. Let cook some more until the potatoes are well done.
Serve immediately with a lot of rice and a dry white wine (or, if you prefer, a hoppy beer).
