This Bhutanese curry — Jasha Maroo — was probably one of the tastiest I’ve made. What turned it so I could not pinpoint — no unusual ingredients or spices, no special techniques. It was pleasantly spicy warm and umami off the charts.
The end result was a compilation of several recipes, writing it here for myself to remember.
WHAT WENT IN
— 1 large red onion, sliced pole to pole
— 2 Tbsp ginger, minced
— 2 leeks, sliced
— 5 garlic cloves, minced
— 5 small tomatoes, roughly chopped
— 3 red chilies, sliced
— 2 lb chicken thighs, cut into 2” pieces
— 1 Tbsp chili powder, Asian, not Mexican
— 1 tsp Sichuan peppercorns, toasted and ground
— 1 tsp salt
— about 2 cups chicken stock
— cilantro to finish
The first six ingredients were softened in the wok. Then in went the chicken and spices. Once the chicken lost its raw color, I added the stock and cooked everything covered on medium low for about 15 minutes, then — uncovered until the juices thickened a bit.
Along with the curry we had Khatem, bitter melon deep fried in butter — yes, butter! — seasoned with chili powder and salt. Bitter might not be everyone’s cup of tea but bitter in butter might convert some. That creaminess is so appropriate!
There was also Goen Hogay, traditional cucumber salad with shallots, scallions, cilantro, and red pepper, seasoned with Asian chili powder, salt, and cheese.
To heat things up, I mixed some Ezay, a spicy condiment into a bowl of cabbage Patta Gobi.
And traditional Bhutanese red rice was a background to all that.
#food #cooking #curry #cookingathome #homemeade #foodie #cookingtherapy #tasty