When you're looking for a simple dish to accompany pale ale, it's hard to go past curry.
I am not much of a beer drinker, preferring a glass of wine to accompany my food. So it was with some amusement and a degree of scepticism that I accepted an invitation from the organisers of BrewNZ, New Zealand’s international beer awards, to demonstrate the art of beer and food matching.
Previously, my experience with beer had been limited to the standard brands. So, starting my research with them, I discovered they had one thing in common: they were all wet. It was with pleasure, then, that I moved on to the handsome, locally produced, handcrafted regional beers, and made some interesting discoveries. Committed boutique beer drinkers are just as passionate and know-ledgeable about their subject as any wine connoisseur, and they’re happy to share that passion with you.
Beer, like wine, can either complement or contrast food. But beer has carbonation that cleans the palate between mouthfuls of food, rinsing away traces of fat and richness and leaving the tastebuds refreshed and ready to experience textures and flavours.
Some beer styles are better suited than others to certain foods. For instance, a dark Porter goes well with a rich chocolate dessert or even a little blue cheese – together, they are extraordinarily good. And although a cup of tea is a marvellous match for a slice of pale fruitcake, it’s even better with a golden wheat beer. Bitter beers suit mussels or scallops; Belgian styles, with their bread-like flavours, suit pork dishes or chalky goat’s cheeses. Spicy aromatic dishes, fresh and invigorating, deserve a pale ale, and that’s where these curry recipes come in.
If you don’t know how to joint a chicken, ask your butcher to do it, or buy a bag of chicken pieces.
Simple Chicken and Pumpkin Curry
3 tbsp grapeseed oil
1 free-range chicken, cut into 8 pieces
1 tsp cumin seeds
1 tsp coriander seeds
1 tsp whole cardamom pods, crushed and
seeds removed
2 small red chillies
3cm piece of fresh ginger, peeled
2 medium onions
2 garlic cloves, chopped
1 tsp ground turmeric
330g can of chopped tomatoes
1kg pumpkin
400ml can of coconut milk
1 bunch of washed and dried spinach leaves
steamed rice, to serve
In a deep casserole or frying pan, heat the oil and brown the chicken pieces on all sides. Do this in small batches, transferring the chicken to a suitable plate once browned. Reduce the heat to low. Using a spice mill or a pestle and mortar, lightly grind the cumin, coriander and cardamom just enough to release their fragrance. Add the spices to the warm pan. Seed and chop the chillies, then add to the pan. Grate the ginger and chop the onions finely, then add to the pan, stirring continuously to prevent burning. Keep the heat low so all the aromas are released slowly. Add the garlic, turmeric and tomato to the pan, then simmer for 5 minutes. While it is coming to a simmer, halve and peel the pumpkin, then scoop out the seeds with a spoon. Cut into thick slices, then roughly chop them into 2cm chunks. Add the pumpkin and coconut milk to the pan, then gently place the chicken pieces on top. Cover with a lid, then simmer until the chicken is cooked through – about 30-40 minutes. Just before serving, add the spinach, stirring until it wilts. Serve with steamed rice.
Serves 4.
The spice paste used in this dish may seem a bit intimidating, but it is really simple. And once you have assembled all the ingredients, the dish is quick to make.
Spinach-wrapped Fish with Red Curry of Mussels
1 large bunch of spinach, washed
salt
4 x 200g pieces of fish
3kg mussels in their shells
1½ tbsp red curry spice paste (recipe
follows)
400ml can of coconut milk
1 tbsp fish sauce
1 tbsp soft brown sugar
4 red chillies, seeded and chopped
½ cup of basil leaves
4 mint leaves
a handful of coriander leaves
Wash the spinach, leaving the stems on. Bring a saucepan of salted water to the boil, then hold onto the root end of the stems and plunge the spinach leaves into the water for 30 seconds. Remove and lay the stems flat on a tea towel to cool. Pick the leaves off the stems, taking care to flatten them. Season the fish with a little salt, then take 4 pieces of plastic wrap and spread a few of the leaves out on each one. Place a piece of fish on top of the spinach, then wrap the fillet tightly in the plastic wrap. Repeat the process. Fill the bottom of a steamer with water and bring it to a simmer. Place the fish on the steamer tray and place it over the simmering water. Cook until the fish is ready – about 8 minutes – then remove from the heat. Unwrap the fish and set aside to keep warm.
Clean the mussels thoroughly under cold running water, then remove the beards. Steam the mussels open in a scant amount of water over a high heat for 3 minutes. Remove the shells, then set the mussels aside, reserving the juices in a bowl. Heat a large frying pan or wok, then add the curry paste. Cook until it becomes fragrant, then stir in a small amount of the coconut milk until the paste dissolves in the milk – it will look as if it has split, but this is okay. Add the fish sauce and sugar, the remaining coconut milk, a splash of the mussel cooking liquid and the chillies. Cook until the sauce thickens – about 4 minutes – then return the mussels to the pan along with the herb leaves.
Serves 4.
Red Curry Spice Paste
4 red chillies
2 large stalks of lemongrass, chopped
4 kaffir lime leaves
2 tbsp coriander root, chopped
3 cloves of garlic, chopped
a 3cm piece of fresh ginger, peeled
2 tsp shrimp paste
Remove the stalks from the chillies, then chop the flesh. Place the chillies and lemongrass in a blender. Shred the lime leaves and add to the blender with the coriander root and garlic. Grate the ginger, then add to the blender with the shrimp paste. Blitz until smooth, adding a couple of tablespoons of water if required. Excess paste can be stored in the refrigerator.