Australian Gourmet Traveller - (06)June 2020 (1)

Persianredlentilsoup

withtahini,beetrootand fried mint

SERVES 4 // PREP TIME 20MINS // COOK 25 MINS

Lentilsoupmaynotsoundlikethesexiestofdishes,butrest

assured,it’sa heart-warmer.We’veaddedwarmingspicesand

servedthesoupwitha dollopofgarlickytahini.Thinsliversof

shavedrawbeetrootaddearthinessandtexture– thebeetroot

is alsoexcellentsimplygratedandservedpiledontop. The

poached egg is optional, but highly recommended.

Burmese-stylecurry

chickennoodlesoup

SERVES 4-6 // PREP TIME 40 MINS // COOK 1 HR 40 MINS (PLUS SOAKING)

Thisis theBurmese-stylecurrynoodlesoupcalledohnnokhao

swè,closekintothekhaosoifoundjustovertheborderinnorthern

Thailand.FriedgarlicandoilflavourtheBurmeseversion,whilethe

Thaiversionhasmorecondimentsadded,suchaspickledmustard

greensandredshallots.Chickpeaflour,alsoknownasbesan, is

used to thicken soups after cooking in Burmese cuisine.

1 chicken(about1.5kg)

6 gmdriedlongredchillies,

brokenupandsoakedin

hotwaterfor2 hours

1 tspcorianderseeds

35 gmginger,coarsely

chopped

4 largegoldenshallots,

peeledandchopped

4 garliccloves,chopped

1 tbspvegetableoil

1½ tbspmedium-hotcurry

powder(suchasMadras)

½ tspchillipowder,ortotaste

800 mlcoconutmilk

2 tbspfishsauce,ortotaste

1-2 tbsptamarindpaste,orto

taste

2-3 eggs,atroomtemperature

500 gmmediumfreshegg

noodles

Roastedchillipowderand

besanflour,toserve

DEEP-FRIEDGARLIC

60 ml(¼cup)vegetableoil

8 garliccloves,thinly sliced

on a mandolin

1 Removewingtipsfrom

chicken,thenremovebreasts

fromcarcasswithwinglets

attached.Halvebreasts

crossways.Removelegs

andhalvethroughthejoint.

Refrigeratelegsandbreasts

untilrequired,removingfrom

fridge5 minutesbefore

cooking.Placechickencarcass

ina largesaucepanandcover

with4 litreswater.Bringtothe

boil,thenreduceheatand

simmeruncovereduntilstock

is wellflavoured(1-1½hours).

Strainstock,reserving400mlto

useincurry.(Freezeremaining

stockforupto3 months.)

2 Forcurrypaste,drainand

chopchilliesandsetaside.

Dry-roast coriander seeds

untilfragrant(10-20seconds).

Coolbriefly,thenpoundto

a powderwitha mortarand

pestle.Addginger,shallots,

garlic,chilliesanda pinchof

saltandpoundtoa smooth

paste(youcanalsodothisin

a smallfoodprocessor,adding

2 tbspwatertohelpprocess).

3 Frycurrypasteinoilina

largesaucepanovermedium-

highheatuntilmixturestarts

tocaramelise(2-4minutes).

Addcurrypowderandchilli

powdertotaste,stiruntil

fragrant(1 minute),thenadd

coconutmilkandreservedstock

andbringtotheboil.Reduce

heattolow,addchickenand

simmeruncovereduntilcooked

throughandjuicesrunclear

(15-18minutes).Seasontotaste

withfishsauceandtamarind

fora balanceofsaltyandsour.

4 Meanwhile,fordeep-fried

garlic,heatoilina small

saucepanuntilit startsto

shimmer.Addgarlicandfry,

stirringoccasionally,until

goldenbrown(1-2minutes).

Removeimmediatelywitha

slottedspoonanddrainon

absorbentpaper.Reserveoil.

5 Boileggsuntilcookedtoyour

liking(7 minutesformedium-

boiled).Refresheggsincold

waterandsetaside.Peeland

halvejustbeforeserving.

6 Cooknoodlesina large

saucepanofboilingwater

untilal dente(5-7minutes).

Drainwell,thendivideamong

warmservingbowls.

7 Ladlecurrysoupandchicken

overnoodles,topwithfried

garlic,a drizzleofgarlicoil,half

a boiledeggandroastedchilli

powder,andserve with

chickpea flour.

80 mloliveoil(⅓cup)

1 Spanishonion,finely

chopped

1 celerystalk,finelychopped

2 garliccloves,finely

chopped

2 tspgroundcumin

2 tspgroundcoriander

2 tspsweetpaprika

½ tsphotpaprika

Pinchofgroundcinnamon

150 gmcannedchopped

tomatoes

1.5 litresvegetableorchicken

stock

300 gmPersianredlentils

(seenote)

½ cup(looselypacked)mint

Finelygratedrindandjuice

of1 lemon

2 beetroot,peeledandthinly

slicedona mandolin

Poachedeggs (optional),

toserve

GARLICTAHINI

100 gmhulledtahini

80 gmthicknaturalyoghurt

1 garlicclove,finelychopped

Juice of 1 lemon

1 Heat2 tbspoilina large

saucepanovermedium-high

heat,addonion,celeryand

garlic and sauté until tender

(4-5minutes),thenstirin

spicesandcookuntilfragrant

(30seconds).Addtomatoand

cook,stirringoccasionally,

untilthickened(1-2minutes),

thenaddstockandlentils.

Bringtotheboil,reduceheat

tomediumandsimmer,

half-coveredwitha lid,until

lentilsarevery tender (20-25

minutes).

2 Meanwhile,forgarlictahini,

stiringredientsand60mlhot

waterina bowltocombine,

seasontotasteandsetaside.

3 Heatremainingoilina small

saucepanovermedium-high

heat,addmintandfryuntil

crisp.Removewitha slotted

spoonanddrainonpaper

towels(discardoil).

4 Half-blendthelentilmixture

witha hand-heldblender,stir

inlemonrindandjuice,and

seasongenerouslytotaste.

Ladleintoservingbowls,add

a swirlofgarlictahini,topwith

beetroot,poachedeggand

friedmint,andservehot.

NotePersianredlentils

areavailableatselect

delicatessens.If they're

unavailable,useblackor

green lentils instead.➤

RECIPES LISA FEATHERBY (CURRY) & EMMA KNOWLES (LENTIL). PHOTOGRAPHY WILLIAM MEPPEM (LENTIL) & LOUISE LISTER (TEXT PAGE).

GOURMET TRAVELLER 99