When a craving for a particular food takes over, you know you just have to have it! I don't know what it was that spurred my craving for katsu curry but I knew I had to find a version that I could cook at home. I found Just One Cookbook's recipe for Crispy Baked Chicken which is a healthier version of tonkatsu which is made with pork. I knew pork was already on the menu for this week so I went for something different and chicken won. I admit straight off that I won't be making the curry sauce as that seems like it would be tricky and nothing worse than being disappointed after all that effort - besides, the Japanese make a great instant version!
Yay or Nay: Yay
This ticked all the boxes, healthy, authentic tasting and delicious!! It took me right back to the first time I had it, in a UK Japanese chain restaurant called Wagamamas. Yes, it's not real-real Japanese food but it's comfort food for me and it was great! The breading was similar to how I make fish fingers so it wasn't difficult and the sauce was pretty much boil water and dissolve the curry cubes! SO EASY!
When the temperature drops, straight away I crave something warming and hearty. But when you know it'll get back up to the 90s you kind of want something in the middle. As I was flicking through the Pure Delicious cookbook, this recipe for Mulligatawny Soup caught my eye with it's bright yellow liquid and contrasting pop of colour from the pomegranate seeds.
Now, I have heard of mulligatawny soup before and was pretty sure I had had it before, but there's no harm in testing it out.
Yay or Nay: Yay
This soup has a similar flavour profile to a Vietnamese Curry my mum makes, or even Katsu curry so it was definitely a hit. The only issue was making this in advance meant that when we were ready to eat this (the day after) it was waaaay to thick, almost like a stew but it was still tasty. Then again, it could have been the fact that I didn't have enough chicken stock for 8 cups, so I tipped what was left of the box in and figured it would be enough!
TIP: Don't add the stock and rice until you're ready to eat otherwise you won't get the consistency of soup.
We all need a little more fish in our lives and I was doubly inspired to add some seafood into the repertoire after an amazing trip to Cape Town, South Africa! I admit I did find this recipe for Brazilian Fish Stew before I went away but I knew I needed to try this. I have failed on several occasions to make a hearty and deeply flavoured fish curry/stew so I hope this one from Recipe Tin Eats will make the cut!
Yay or Nay: Yay
Whenever I cook cod/halibut/any white fish via frying/browning it always, ALWAYS falls apart. At least I had the foresight to give it a tentative poke while cooking (and yes I know, don't touch the fish until it is properly cooked), removed it to add at the end of the dish rather than warming it back in the pan for it to only fall apart into tiny little inedible pieces. Instead I layered rice, then the fish separately and then stew on top. This was actually very tasty, the coconut was fragrant and the tomato tempered the heat so don't go optional on the cayenne pepper. Word of warning, if you have a small house it will stink of fish the day after.
