River Fish Curry

Ingredients

• 2 Basa fillets, cut into bite-sized pieces
• 2 tsp chili powder
• 1 tbsp coriander powder
• 1 tsp turmeric powder
• black mustard seeds
• A handful of fresh curry leaves
• 2 big green chilies, halved 
• 1 thumb-sized fresh ginger 
• 1 tsp cumin seeds
• 5 garlic cloves
• Salt to taste
• Oil for cooking

Method
- Heat 2 tbsp oil in a pot over medium heat, add chopped green chilies and stir, then add chili powder, coriander powder and stir. Add 2 garlic cloves, stir well and cook for a few minutes.
- Then add turmeric powder and salt to taste, mix well. Add 2 cups of water or more to the pot, when it comes to a boil, add the fish pieces and cook under cover for 2 minutes.
- In a mean time, add fresh ginger, cumin seeds and the rest of the garlic cloves in a mortar and pestle, beat all together well and add into the pot. Cover and cook for further 1 minute then remove from the heat and keep aside.
- Heat a bit of oil in a pan, add mustard seeds, once they splutter, add curry leaves and stir. Then add the mixture on top of the fish curry.
- Serve hot with steamed rice or chapati.

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Chilli Mushroom

Ingredients

• 200g button mushroom
• 1 medium onion, finely sliced
• 1 medium green capsicum, roughly sliced
• 1 tsp white vinegar
• 1/4 cup tomato ketchup
• 2 tsp dark soy sauce
• 1 tsp Knorr seasoning powder/chicken powder
• 1 tsp garlic, crushed and finely chopped
• 1 tsp ginger, finely chopped
• 1 tsp red chilli flake
• 1 tsp black ground pepper
• 1 tbsp cornflour
• 3 tbsp cooking oil
• Salt to taste

Method
- Mix the cornflour with 1 tbsp of water and keep aside.
- Heat oil in a wok over medium heat, add the garlic and ginger, fry till aromatic. This may take about 30 seconds.
- Add sliced onion and fry on a medium high heat till translucent. Then add the mushrooms and capsicum, season it with a pinch of salt, then fry for 3-4 minutes till the mushrooms are light brown in color.
- Add tomato sauce, soy sauce, white vinegar, ground pepper and chili flakes along with 1/2 cup of water to the wok. Mix well then add the cornflour and water mixture. Cook for 1-2 minutes till the sauce becomes thick.
- Serve hot with rice or bread.

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Vietnamese Crab and Water Spinach Noodle Soup (Canh Bún)

Ingredients

• 1 pack of large rice noodle, cooked as instruction
• 1 large bunch of water spinach, cleaned and cut into 3 inch length, blanched in boiling water for a minute
• 1 liter of chicken stock
• 200 g minced crab in spices
• 1 cup of dried shimp, washed, soaked in warm water for 30 minutes then minced finely
• 1 tbsp shrimp paste (mắm tôm)
• 1-2 eggs
• 1 large piece of fried tofu, cubed
• 2 tbsp tomato paste
• 1 onion, finely sliced
• 3 spring onion stems, finely sliced
• 1/2 tsp ground black pepper
• Salt to taste
• Oil for cooking

Method
- In a large mixing bowl, combine minced dried shrimp, minced crab in spices, egg and mix well. Season the mixture with ground black pepper, shrimp paste then mix altogether.
- Heat the chicken stock in a large pot over medium heat, when it comes to a boil, add a spoonful of the crab mixture to the broth one at a time. When cooked, it will come up to the surface, transfer it onto a plate and set a side. Add the fried tofu in the pot and let it cook.
- Heat oil in a small pan, fry the onion until lightly golden brown, then add the chopped spring onion stems and fry for a minute. Add the tomato paste and stir, let it cook for a few minutes then transfer all of the fried onion mixture into the broth. It gives the broth a vibrant red color.
- For serving: in another small pot, add some of the broth along with some fried tofu cubes and a handful of cooked rice noodle, let it cook in the broth for 3-5 minutes over medium low heat. Then add some blanched water spinach, some pieces of cooked crab mixture into the broth and season with a pinch of salt if necessary, let it cook for a few minutes and transfer into a bowl.
- Serve hot with a lime wedge and minced fresh chili.

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Colorful Water Chestnuts in Coconut Milk (Chè Củ Năng 3 Màu)

Ingredients

• 1 cup water chestnuts, diced
• 1 cup tapioca/corn flour
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1 cup coconut milk
• Some fresh pandan leaves
• Food coloring (green, red)

Method
- Mix a few drops of food coloring with water in separate bowls. Then add diced chestnuts and soak them for 10-15 minutes. Drain well and mix them with tapioca flour and sift the flour in a sieve.
- Boil water and put truffle to boil. Once cooked, they will come up to the surface. Then transfer them immediately into cold water.
- Heat coconut milk in a pot with pandan leaves, sugar and a pinch of salt over medium heat. Remember not to let it boil or else the oil will separate from the milk.
- Serve hot or cold with coconut milk.

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Butter Chicken (Murgh Makhani)

Ingredients

* For the tandoori chicken:

• 450 g skinless boneless chicken thighs, cut into bite size pieces
• 2 tbsp thick yogurt
• 2 tsp chickpea flour/gram flour
• 4 garlic cloves
• 1'' piece ginger, peeled
• 1 green chili 
• 1 tsp mild paprika
• 1/2 tsp chili powder
• 1/2 tsp garam masala powder
• 1 tsp coriander powder
• Pinch of cinnamon powder
• Pinch of saffron crushed (optional)
• Salt to taste
• Butter for basting
• 1 tsp chaat masala
• Juice of 1/2 lemon
• Salad and chutney to serve 

* For the butter gravy: 

•  1 1/2 tbsp unsalted butter
• 5 green cardamom pods, lightly crushed
• 1" cinnamon stick
• 4 cloves
• 1 small onion, finely chopped
• 1 tbsp grated ginger
• 2 green chilies, slit lengthwise
• 1 tsp kashmiri chili powder
• 1/2 tsp garam masala powder
• 3 tbsp tomato puree
• 2 tbsp honey
• 1/2 cup cooking cream
• 1 tsp Kasoori methi powder 
• Salt to taste
• Chopped coriander for garnish

Method

* To make the tandoori  chicken:
- Add the ginger, garlic and green chili in a wet grinder, blend all too a smooth paste.
- Mix the yogurt with the gram flour in a bowl to get rid of any lumps to form a thick paste. Add the ginger, garlic and chili paste, paprika, chili powder, garam masala, coriander powder, the ground cinnamon, saffron and salt, stir well and tip in the chicken pieces, mix well. Make sure to coat them well in the thick marinade. Leave to marinate for a few hours or even overnight.
- Soak wooden skewers in water. Preheat the grill on medium. Shake off the excess marinade and thread the chicken pieces onto the skewers and place them on a wire rack.
- Cook them under the grill for 15-20 minutes on the top rack. Turn the skewers every 5 minutes and baste with melted butter until the juices run clear. They should be cooked through and slightly charred around the edges.

* To make the butter gravy:
- Heat a heavy bottom sauce pan and add some butter. Add green cardamom, cinnamon stick and cloves, fry them for about 20 seconds then add onion and saute for 5-7 minutes on medium heat until light brown.
- Add the grated ginger and slit green chilies. Fry for a further minutes and add the chili powder, garam masala along with tomato puree. Stir well and cook for a couple minutes.
- Gradually add the cream stirring continuously to mix all the spices with the cream. Simmer and cook for 2-3 minutes. At this stage, add a splash of water if the curry is too thick.
- Stir in the honey and the fenugreek powder. Season to taste.
- Add the cooked chicken pieces and simmer the curry on a low heat for 8-10 minutes. Garnish with coriander and serve with rice or roti.

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Vietnamese Crab Noodle Soup (Bún Riêu Cua)

Ingredients

* For broth

• 1.5 tbsp vegetable oil
• 3 spring onions, sliced lengthwise ( the white part only)
• 6 medium tomatoes, quartered
• 1 liter of chicken stock
• 1 liter of water 
• 1 condensed soup seasoning for bún riêu (optional)
• 1.5 tbsp fish sauce
• 1.5 tsp fine shrimp paste (mắm tôm)

* For crab mixture

• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 tsp vegetable oil
• 1 small can (150g) of minced crab in spices (Gia vị nấu bún riêu)
• 1 small can (150g) of minced crab meat
• 100g  dried shrimp
• 1/2 tsp fine shrimp paste
• 1/2 tbsp sugar
• 1 tsp ground pepper
• 4 eggs, beaten

* To serve

• Packed or fresh vermicelli rice noodles (bún tươi)
• Fried shallots 
• Vegetables mix, shredded 
• Fine shrimp paste (optional)
• Fine chopped fresh chilli
• Handful of roughly chopped spring onions and coriander leaves
• Lime wedges 

Method
- Soak dried shrimp in cold water for 1 hour or until soft, then drain and finely mince it.
- Heat water in a pot to a boil, add vermicelli rice noodles and let it cook for 5 minutes without cover, then turn off the heat and cover the pot with a lid and let the noodles cook for further 3 minutes. Drain under cold water and set aside.
- In a large stock pot over medium heat, add the oil along with the white parts of spring onions. Saute for 30 seconds then add the tomatoes and saute for further 2 minutes (do not over cook the tomatoes).
- Add the stock and water into the pot, turn to medium high heat. Season the broth with fish sauce, shrimp paste and condensed soup seasoning. When it comes to a boil, let it simmer on medium low heat while preparing the crab mixture.
- In a small sauce pan over medium low heat, add the oil along with the minced garlic. Saute the garlic until lightly golden and fragrant for 1-2 minutes. Turn off the heat and transfer into a small bowl. Set aside to cool.
- In a large mixing bowl, combine the minced crab in spices, minced crab meat, minced dried shrimp, sauteed garlic, fine shrimp paste, sugar and ground pepper. Add the beaten eggs and mix well.
- Turn the broth's heat to high. When the broth is boiling, pour the crab mixture into it. When cooked, the crab mixture will come up to the surface of the broth.
- Finally, adjust the seasoning of the broth with additional fish sauce.
- Serve hot over rice noodle and other ingredients mentioned above. Make 8-10 servings.

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Crispy Okra with Tomato Curry

Ingredients

* For the gravy

• 4 medium tomatoes, to make 1-1/2 cup puree 
• 1/4 inch piece of ginger 
• 1 tbsp oil
• 1/2 tsp cumin seeds
• A pinch of hing
• 1 tsp coriander powder
• 1/4 tsp turmeric powder
• 1/2 tsp red chili powder
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 tsp sugar
• 1 tsp corn starch

* For the fried okras 

• 300 g okra, sliced from center and cut in half
• 1/4 cup chickpea flour
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp cumin seeds
• 1/2 tsp mango powder
• 1 tsp ground fennel seeds
• 2 tsp ground coriander seeds
• 1/2 tsp red chili powder
• Approx. 3 tbsp water
• Oil to fry

Method
* To make the gravy
- Mix corn starch with three tablespoons of water and keep aside.
- Blend the tomatoes and ginger to make tomato puree.
- Heat oil in a saucepan over medium high heat, add cumin seeds, hing and stir for few seconds, then add coriander powder, turmeric powder, red chili, salt and sugar, stir fry for few seconds and add tomato puree, cook it for about 4-5 minutes.
- Add corn starch and cook for about 3 minutes. Keep it aside.

* To make the fried okras 

- In a bowl, add the okras, all the dry ingredients, salt and mix it well. Add the water slowly, the okras should be nicely coated with spices, the mix should not be runny.
- Heat oil in a frying pan over medium high heat, the pan should have about 1 inch of oil. The oil should be moderately hot, when you put the okras in, it should float right away. Fry the okras until golden brown. Take them out over paper towel.
- Serve it hot over the gravy.

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