:: Makan :: Qualifying for Miss Penang ::

If I were to organize a beauty pageant contest in Penang I would include “Being able to indulge herself with Nasi Kandaq and spicy curries” as one of the preliminary qualifying requirements.

And if I was one of the contestants I would no way get my butt into the second round simply because I was born with a shitake mushroom for a nose but never because I lack appreciation in curries.

From all the years I spent in Penang, I’ve grown to create a personal devotion for the food. The occasional crave that I experience may have been resulted from all the kaskas I consumed at Kayu and Pelita but the kaskas-free ones I make at home help as well.

Here is the recipe of World Simplest Beef Curry for future reference of myself and if Friendster hangs on long enough; perhaps for my unborn daughter Mika and of course other amateur cooks like me..hehe…

Ingredients: Sliced beef Diced Potatoes Curry Spice for meat/poultry Shallot Garlic Ginger Lengkuas – rhizome spice plant like ginger but I don’t know what people call it in English Fresh turmeric Tomato sauce Coconut milk Beef stock Cooking oil

Methods:

Blend shallots, garlic, ginger, lengkuas and a bit of fresh turmeric, Thaw the beef properly and boil with some sugar to soften if necessary,

(remember repetitive chewing on tough meat is sooo not sexy!)

Sauté the blended paste till fragrant in cooking oil, Then add the Curry Spice, sauté till well cooked, Add beef and pour in beef stock, Add potatoes, Add tomato sauce, Add coconut milk and stir, Add salt&sugar to taste No msg please, losing hair is such a no-no!! Simmer on small to medium flame till beef is tender and potatoes are cooked.

All done!! Isn’t this recipe the easiest one? For me the lengkuas is an additional must to it because the lengkuasy aroma in the curry is oh so yummy! If any of you knows what it is called in English pls let me know. The tomato sauce meant to thicken the gravy texture and balancing the sour essence. Bon appetite...