There are 18 glass jars of spices sitting on a rack next to my stove, plus another two and a half dozen mismatched bottles I keep with my baking ingredients, and about a half dozen plastic baggies of herbs and spices tucked away in the cabinet. On a weekly basis I use only a handful of these spices and the rest are individual ingredients, when combined, make one of the most fragrant blends on the face of the earth: curry seasoning!
We grew up eating a curry that my mom would make with huge chunks of beef, potatoes, and McCormick curry spice. I have to admit that it wasn’t my favorite dish as a kid, but as I grew older I found out there were other kinds of curries besides the one we had at home, and in more colors (and flavors) than green!
There’s Japanese curry, a rich brown gravy that uses beef stock and tastes great with udon (thick rice noodles) or on top of steamed rice. There are the coconut-based Thai curry dishes in red (hot,) green (hot) and, my favorite, yellow (not as hot.) And there are the various herbs and spices that make up Indian curry seasoning (take a whiff, it’s just like aromatherapy!)
A popular and tasty Japanese curry, S&B (image source: http://www.foodpakexpress.com)
My favorite Thai curry, but I cannot find it around here: Mae Ploy yellow curry paste (image source: http://www.amazon.com)
Curry seasoning is so versatile, you can use it in anything from omelets to burgers. Making your own dry seasoning blend isn’t as difficult as it seems, but you will need about ten different herbs and spices, as well as a coffee grinder. Once you make your own curry seasoning, you will find it difficult to go back to the pre-ground, prepackaged blends from the grocery store. And with your ready supply of spices you’ll be able to try new kinds of blends, and maybe even make your own authentic recipe! Check out www.myspicesage.com for a complete selection of seasonings, teas, freebies, recipes, and great prices on spices.
Here’s what we had for dinner: turkey bean burgers! I added a tablespoon of Indian curry powder and 1 1/2 teaspoons of Kosher salt to the mix, plenty of flavor packed into these tasty little sliders:
Spice up your sliders with a spoonful of curry seasoning
In addition to the burgers, I also spiced up the burger topping, which can also be a side dish, sandwich filling, or topped with chopped tomato and wrapped in lettuce leaves for an easy meal on the go!
Below is the recipe for the quinoa-sweet potato topping. The quinoa and sweet potato were already cooked so throwing this together is super fast and easy. Got extra sweet potatoes? Try my sweet potato haupia pie recipe, it’s gluten-free and delicious!
Quinoa and Roasted Sweet Potatoes with Indian Curry Seasoning
Ingredients:
1 roasted sweet potato (poke potato w/fork all around, then bake in 400 degree preheated oven for 20-30 minutes. Cool, peel off skin and use the mushy insides.)
1 teaspoon Indian seasoning, such as Garam Masala
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 to 1 1/2 cup cooked quinoa
Directions:
Mash sweet potato with seasoning and salt, stirring well. Add quinoa, adjusting amount to your liking. Serve as a burger topping, salad topping, sandwich filling, or top with chopped tomato and wrap in lettuce leaves. Enjoy!
Top with chopped tomatoes and fresh herbs for a quick and easy vegan dish.
So what’s YOUR favorite curry dish? Do you prefer it home made or at a restaurant? Do you eat it with rice? Potatoes? Roti? Share your curry experiences here, I’d love to hear from you!
June 18, 2012 at 15:41
Yum! Love all those ingredients! My favourite homemade curry? That is wayyy too difficult a question! I love tarka dahl, bombay aloo, aloo gobi, biryani and I had this vegan butter chicken a while ago that was epic to say the least. I just love indian flavours! Don’t even get me started on appetizers and condiments lol
June 18, 2012 at 16:04
Uh oh, better find a restaurant, and fast! I have never tried butter chicken, much less a vegan one! Are you up for the challenge, Gabby?? Thanks for your comments, always nice to hear from you! :D
June 19, 2012 at 10:34
Not sure if it counts as a curry dish, but I love cauliflower tossed in oil and a bit of vinegar, as well as some cayenne, cumin, gram masala, cinnamon and salt – then roasted until it looks like this: http://www.flickr.com/photos/jfchenier/5863535263/ – it’s a staple at our house.
June 19, 2012 at 11:20
You know I’ve yet to make oven-baked cauliflower, and I’ve heard so many good things about it! The spices sound wonderful, especially with that chicken vindaloo in the background of your photo! Thanks for the recipe, and for stopping by! :)
June 19, 2012 at 16:44
I am a Curry-Noob. I bought several blends from Penzey’s a few months ago, even posted about them, but I have yet to take the plunge. I tried Penzey’s Sweet Curry a long time ago on a chicken dish. Mr. Foodie literally took his finger, wiped his plate clean then licked his fingers he loved it so much. I found that particular blend a little too sweet to enjoy it as much as he did. I need to get on the ball and start playing around to see what I like. Since Garam Masala is one of the blends I purchased maybe I’ll start with your Quinoa and Sweet Potato topping. Got the sweet potato and even have a little cooked Quinoa in the fridge. :)
June 19, 2012 at 17:11
I used Garam Masala and salt on some shrimp and pan-fried (grill might be better, though.) The quinoa and sweet potato combo is good, and because sweet potatoes can pack a lot of flavor, be sure to have fresh veggies or a turkey burger on hand!