I’m a big curry fan. The concept of simple spices blended and stewed together for a long time to create something greater than the parts has found its way into the culinary traditions of most cultures on the globe. From the famous versions of India to the tropically inspired creations of Southeast Asia to the city streets of London, curry is a technique more than just a dish.
But what if you take that theory and speed it up to spice other things in your kitchen that don’t have the long cooking time? It’s possible when you understand how spices work. Cooking them together slowly is what usually releases flavours into a pot of biryani but you can coax those same flavours out in less traditional ways. Most spices have volatile compounds that evaporate soon after grinding so the first rule is grind at the last possible minute. Of course some things need grinding regimens unobtainable in the home. Turmeric is a prime example where you need a three-tonne press to get the fine flour consistency out of the hard-as-rocks dried roots. Nutmeg too can be problematic since the flavours deteriorate mere minutes after grating. Still, most things in your spice rack can be ground perfectly well in a small electric mill.
There’s also a question of whether to toast or not. Many famous kitchen gurus promote wholesale toasting beforehand. I don’t. There are certainly times when I want that effect but there are just as many when toasting changes the profile so significantly that it might as well be a different spice. This step is a case-by-case basis in my kitchen done over medium heat in a dry pan. And don’t use a non-stick pan since those coatings don’t play well in a dry, overheated circumstance and can even emit toxic fumes in some conditions.
So if you’ve ground your spices freshly, possibly toasted some of them lightly beforehand, it’s time to use a bit more chemistry to your advantage. Many compounds in spices are soluble in oil, not water. To get the most flavour and aroma you need to ‘bloom’ the spices in a well-chosen fat. A neutral oil or butter in most cases will do nicely. You’re not trying to cook the spices completely, just jump start the release of their flavours into your dish. As such it shouldn’t take you more than a minute or two to get them ready for a recipe but the difference between simply dumping in ‘raw’ curry powder is significant. Just ask your taste buds.
The sandwich filling that follows is a favourite that takes advantage of all these spice tricks and is a great way to use leftover roast chicken. If you’re a convenience shopper that grabs ready-cooked market roast chickens on the fly, save the extra bits from dinner for a batch of this the next day. If full grown chickens aren’t your thing, I often make this with three times the hard-boiled eggs as a new twist on the old standby egg salad. The apple sometimes gets swapped for a handful of raisins and peeled orange segments any of which add a light, sweet texture to balance the heft in the rest of the mix. And if there are sliced almonds lurking around the kitchen you can be certain they go in for nutty crunch.
Curried Chicken & Egg Salad
Vary the ingredients to suit your pantry on any given day. I try to make mine several hours ahead so the flavours have even more time to come together but invariably I make at least one sandwich right after mixing up a batch.
40 grams (~ 2 tablespoons) unsalted butter
1 tablespoons freshly ground curry powder or paste, any style desired
1 clove garlic, freshly peeled and crushed or minced very fine
120 ml (~ 1/2 cup) mayonnaise, preferably homemade
120ml (~ 1/2 cup) plain yogurt
2 teaspoons Dijon mustard, preferably homemade
juice of 1/2 lime
1 stalk celery, diced fine
1 small apple, any variety, diced fine
1 small sweet onion, minced fine (or substitute 2 spring onions)
15 grams (~ 1/2 ounce) fresh mint, minced fine
1 fresh chile, any variety, stem and seeds removed and minced fine (optional)
250 grams (~ 8 ounces) roast chicken, cut into 1/2″ pieces or shredded
3 large eggs, boiled, peeled, and roughly chopped
fine sea salt to taste
sandwich bread, tortillas, or lettuce leaves for serving
fresh coriander leaves for serving
In a small saucepan, melt the butter, curry, and garlic together just until fragrant, about two minutes. Set aside until cool.
Stir the mayonnaise, yogurt, mustard, lime juice, and curry mix together completely. Mix well with the celery, apple, onion, mint, & chile in a large bowl. Fold in the chicken and egg gently and adjust salt as necessary. Let stand for at least ten minutes and up to overnight since the flavours improve greatly with time together. Serve as a sandwich, a tortilla wrap, or salad with fresh coriander leaf.
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