I was recently entrusted with cooking for the finest of occasions—my mom's 70th birthday! I love planning a party menu. There's a little more space to dig into the emotive potential of a meal. Nostalgia! Comfort! Extravagance! There's also plenty of time to outline how textures, colors, and aromas nestle next to each other on a plate. Do you get stuck on menu planning? Sometimes, the answer is hanging out at the crossroads of your guests' tastebuds and your cooking comfort zone.
After some debate, I chose to make a seafood curry for the birthday party. It felt both familiar and upbeat. Plus, what says party more than walking into a cloud of cumin and ginger? My dad boiled green bananas—the world's best potatoes, in my opinion—and I made too much coconut rice. My greatest fear is having too little rice. A cabbage and scallion salad, Auntie Donna’s rum punch, and other West Indian delights rounded out the menu. Oh, and a sheet cake from Publix!
Do you remember last winter's sunshine stew? You might say this recipe is its fancy cousin. I warned you this would resurface at the right summer moment.
COD, NOT JUST FOR FISH AND CHIPS
In the summer, I will exchange the winter squash for corn, tomato paste for fresh tomatoes, and keep the cod front and center. A golden pool for all seasons.
So here we are, practicing our cooking techniques for different occasions. I hope you enjoy a journey into the curry galaxy sometime soon. Safe travels.
WHAT WE’RE LEARNING
Great curries come from curry pastes. A solid aromatic base takes time, and it's essential to be patient. You can always double or triple bases and freeze them to make more great dinners in the future with less effort.Â
Use fresh spices. Sourcery and Diaspora are great resources with extremely fresh spice catalogs. I use Betapac curry powder for this particular recipe, but it’s also fun to mix your own.
WHAT WE’RE MAKING
SEAFOOD AND CORN CURRY
Serves 6 to 8
Perfect with rice and boiled green banana
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
½ teaspoon cumin seeds
1 teaspoon curry powder
½ teaspoon allspice
2 tablespoons grated ginger
4 garlic cloves, minced
1 large onion, diced
sea salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
1 large tomato, diced
2 ears of corn, shucked, about 2 cups
1 (13.5-ounce) can full-fat coconut milk
1 scotch bonnet or habanero pepper
1 pound shrimp
1 pound cod, cut into bite-sized chunks
1 pound scallop
½ cup torn basil leaves
2-3 limes
In a large pot, heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil over medium. Add the cumin seeds, curry powder, allspice, grated ginger, and bloom for about 30 seconds, stirring frequently so the spices do not burn. Add the garlic and onion and sauté for 4 to 6 minutes, or until softened. Season with salt and pepper. Add the diced tomato and ½ cup of water, and cook for 7 to 10 minutes, or until the tomatoes break down and reduce to the consistency of a loose jam.
Add the corn, season generously with salt, and stir to coat with the curry paste. Add the coconut milk and 1 cup of water, and season to taste. Bring to a simmer and add the scotch bonnet pepper whole, or cut in half for much more spice. Cover and simmer for 15 to 20 minutes, or until the flavors have married and the corn is tender.
Season the shrimp, scallops, and cod with salt and pepper and add to the pot, coating them in the curry. Bring to a simmer and cover. Cook over medium-low heat for 7 to 9 minutes, or until the shrimp are firm and opaque, and the scallops and cod are fully cooked. Cut the heat, remove the scotch bonnet pepper, and finish with fresh basil leaves and plenty of lime juice.
COMING SOON
After a summer hiatus, I am excited for the great return the cooking Q&A, and the very first FOODSTAR baked good recipe! More fun delivering to your inbox very soon. Thank you so much for reading!!
Ash
ALL RICE, ALL RICE, ALL RICE.