In our family, almost all recipes are done by eye. When I started to take an interest in cooking as a teenager, I always asked my mom for the recipe. The only answer I got was:
"If you want me to teach you our recipes, you'll have to get up early"
I underestimated the preparation times, the setup of the ingredients, but at the same time I wanted to learn the different techniques.
Curry stew is generally made with meat such as lamb, chicken, various fish, seafood, and also with vegetable mixes. Even though the basics are found in all households, each family has its own signature in several aspects:
The spice mix that will make the curry, with its different balances.
The chosen meat, or the vegetables.
The cooking technique of the main ingredient (poached, grilled, fried) before being simmered in curry. For example, a grilled chicken curry, or a fried eggplant curry.
The addition or not of coconut milk/cream.
What makes the difference:
At the very beginning, start by sautéing the meat or vegetables over high heat for a maximum of 1 to 2 minutes, then set them aside in a separate dish with the cooking juices.
In the same pan, you will find the cooking juices from the meat or vegetables, which are all the concentrated flavors. If you have it, add a cinnamon stick, mustard seeds, and a cardamom seed to roast them over low heat for 1 to 2 minutes.
Next, add the onions to sweat them. If you want a crunchy texture, cook them for 5 minutes over medium heat with the aromatic garnish mix (mustard seeds, cinnamon, cardamom seeds). If you prefer a melting texture for the onions, add 5 more minutes.
Then add the garlic-ginger paste and continue cooking for about 3 minutes, still over medium heat.
Then add the chopped tomatoes and the artisanal Thools curry mix (1 to 2 teaspoons per person depending on tolerance) and cook everything for 3 to 5 minutes over medium heat. You should achieve a vegetable compote in terms of texture.
Add the grilled meat or vegetables with their cooking juices, and stir everything occasionally for 1 minute.
Deglaze your creation with water and let it cook over medium heat for 5 to 10 minutes depending on the desired texture (with a lot of sauce or little sauce).
At the last moment, add coconut milk or coconut cream and cook for 3 to 5 minutes on low heat. Before serving, remove the cinnamon stick.
Garnish with coriander and serve your curry with basmati rice or chapati (Sri Lankan flatbread)
Enjoy your meal!