Ming says: People often tell me they love the taste of curry, but not the kick many curried dishes deliver. For anyone who wants subtly fragrant curried taste in their cooking, this oil is a must. Just try Curry-Ginger Sweet Potato Fries and you'll see exactly what I mean.
I recommend Madras curry powder. It has a deeper, "darker" flavor than other curry powders, due to its relative abundance of cinnamon, allspice, and clove. After steeping with the oil, the spices will settle to the bottom of your jar. You'll want to scoop out and use the bright yellow oil (an old spoon bent at a 45-degree angle makes a perfect dipper) and leave the spice behind.
If you're not using the oil for frying, you can make a half or even quarter batch of oil if you prefer.
Makes 1 quart
- 1 quart grapeseed or canola oil
- 1/2 cup peeled and minced fresh ginger
- 1 cup Madras curry powder
- In a large, heavy saucepan, combine the oil with the ginger and heat over medium heat until the oil is fragrant and the ginger just begins to color, about 8 minutes. Remove from the heat and cool completely, about 20 minutes.
- Meanwhile, place a large, heavy sauté pan over medium heat. Add the curry powder to the dry skillet and toast, stirring, until the curry powder smokes slightly, 8 to 10 minutes. Whisk in the ginger and oil, remove from the stove, and cool completely, 30 to 40 minutes.
- Transfer the oil and spices to a 1- to 1 1/2-quart glass jar, scraping the pan well. Allow the mixture to stand until the oil and curry powder have separated completely, about 4 hours or overnight. The oil is now ready to use. Store in the refrigerator. Lasts 1 month, refrigerated.
TRY IT
Toss veggies like zucchini, onions, or peppers with the oil, season them with salt and pepper, and bake them on a baking sheet that's been preheated in a 400¡F oven. You can also grill them outdoors. Use the oil to make a deliciously spicy vinaigrette. For a quick supper dish, sauté sea scallops in the oil.
MING'S TIP
Curry powders can be a marvelous flavoring, depending on the brand and its freshness. My preferred blend is called, and sometimes labeled, Madras Curry Powder. It's usually a well-balanced mixture of curry leaves, turmeric, coriander, cumin, cinnamon, cloves, chiles, bay leaves, fenugreek, allspice, and black pepper. Shop for it in Indian markets, where turnover is rapid.
>>This recipe appears in
Episode #111.
>> For additional recipes and more, visit
www.ming.com
