blue artichoke

Sorry this is a day tardy. My stupid Internet was down for most of yesterday.

I chose this recipe from South Africa weekend before last, when it was still chilly and I was in the mood for a comforting curry over hot rice. The weather warmed up, though, and I found myself more in the mood for a lighter meal from the grill, so I could stay outside longer to enjoy the fantastic weather. But, I went ahead as planned. See how I suffer for you? This curry is called Cape Malay Curry, because it is typical of the Cape Malay population in South Africa. The Cape Malays were brought as slaves from Indonesia and India in the 17th century to work the farms of Cape Town. The Indian influence introduced curry dishes, particularly the combination of sweet and savory flavors, such as the sweet cinnamon, ginger and dried apricots and the savory garlic and onions in this dish. Along with curries, they also introduced Islam to South Africa.

Cape Malay Curry

This dish is pretty easy to make and doesn’t require a lot of time in the kitchen, so you can head outside to sit in the hammock while it cooks. I accidentally burned the rice (by turning on the wrong burner, not the one with the pot of water on it, but the one with the strainer of rice on it. Whoops!), so I served it with egg noodles. I think it would be better over mashed potatoes, actually.

1 1/2 teaspoons ground turmeric
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin
1 1/2 teaspoons ground coriander
1 1/2 teaspoons chili powder
3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons canola oil
2 cups chopped onion
1 1/2 tablespoons minced peeled fresh ginger
2 bay leaves
1 garlic clove, minced
1 pound beef stew meat, cut into bite-sized pieces
1 1/4 cups less-sodium beef broth
1 cup water
1 cup chopped green bell pepper (about 1 medium)
1/3 cup chopped dried apricots
1/3 cup apricot spread (such as Polaner All Fruit)
2 teaspoons red wine vinegar
1/4 cup low-fat buttermilk

Combine turmeric, cumin, coriander, chili powder, cinnamon, and salt in a small bowl, stirring well.

Heat oil in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add spice mixture; cook 15 seconds, stirring constantly. Add onion; sauté 2 minutes. Add ginger, bay leaves, and garlic; sauté 15 seconds. Add beef; sauté 3 minutes. Add broth and next 5 ingredients (through vinegar); bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer 1 1/2 hours. Uncover; discard bay leaves. Simmer 30 minutes or until beef is very tender. Remove from heat; stir in buttermilk.

Yield: 4 servings (serving size: 1 1/4 cups)

CALORIES 349(30% from fat); FAT 11.5g (sat 3.4g,mono 5.1g,poly 1.2g); PROTEIN 25.7g; CHOLESTEROL 71mg; CALCIUM 77mg; SODIUM 396mg; FIBER 3.9g; IRON 4.3mg; CARBOHYDRATE 35.3g
Cooking Light, APRIL 2005

Gentleman Caller and I have developed a rating system for recipes. "A" ratings are keepers, "B" ratings are potential keepers, but require some tinkering, and "C" ratings are average, and thrown out. We've been too lenient, though, and need to be more discriminating. I think our new rating system will be based on the following two questions: "Would I want to serve this to company?" and "Would I want to eat this again next week?" Yes to either of these questions earns an "A" and means we keep the recipe. No to both, and the recipe is out of here. The goal is to have a small collection of excellent recipes, not a sizable collection of good recipes. How does the Cape Malay Curry rate, then? It earns a "B," because the answer to the first question is "maybe." It has potential; I'd like to try it over mashed potatoes. If it isn't great then, it'll be tossed.