By Jerod McCann & Naoki Miyamura of EN in-house fine dining.
SOUP curry, a liquid curry with vegetables and rice, is just one of the specialties of the city of Sapporo. Japanese chefs are not the only ones serving their version of the curry – Thailand, China and India are also famous for their soup curries. Personalise each curry you order by choosing the spice level, vegetables and meat/seafood that goes into the dish, OR stay at home and create your own soup curry to impress. The best way to warm-up this winter.
Ingredients:
6 cups chicken or beef stock (see issue 12); 1 carrot, diced; 1 celery stick, diced; 4 onions, sliced thin; 1 apple; 1 can whole tomatoes; 1 chunk dark chocolate; 1 bay leaf; 5 large cloves garlic; 1 large thumb ginger; 1 large dried chili pepper; dry spice mix of cumin, turmeric, coriander, black pepper corn, garam masala, curry powder, oil (as needed), salt/pepper
MAKING THE ROUX
1. In a wide-base 2L pot, add sliced onion and a tablespoon of oil. Sauté on low heat until amber-brown with a paste-like texture (caramelised).
2. Grind garlic, ginger and apple into onions. Simmer 5 minutes, mash well.
3. Add all dry spice mix, chocolate, dried chilli, continue mashing. Simmer again until dry.
4. Add tomato and simmer, continue mixing.
5. Once roux has thickened to heavy paste, incorporate stock. Increase heat and bring to light boil.
FINISHING THE SOUP
1. Lower heat until simmering and add carrots, celery and bay leaf.
2. Simmer for 2 hours, occasionally scraping the bottom of the pot to prevent burning.
3. Cut heat and ladle curry into separate bowl through metal strainer. With each ladle full, push curry through strainer making sure to get all liquids out. Transfer back to 2L pot and bring back to low simmer.
4. Adjust seasoning with salt, adding more dry spices if necessary.
CREATING THE DISH
You can be creative – just about anything can go into a soup curry. Here’s the chef’s recommendation:
1. Boil some carrot, mushroom, pumpkin, potato and green snap peas until cooked, and an egg for 8 mins (cool in an ice bath).
2. Fry a chicken leg in hot pan. Sear on each side, lower the heat and cover.
3. Place all veggies and chicken leg into a large serving bowl, assembling nicely in the centre to create volume. Carefully ladle in the hot curry soup. Top with the boiled egg and fresh parsley.
4. Side with freshly cooked rice.
Bon Appetit!