Tamarind Glazed Shallotssyria Food

TAMARIND-GLAZED SHALLOTS(SYRIA)

Steps:

• Cook the shallots in a medium saucepan of boiling water for about 5 minutes to loosen the skins. Let cool slightly, then peel them.
• Heat the oil in a large skillet. Add the shallots and cook over moderately high heat for 5 minutes. Reduce the heat to moderately low and cook, shaking the skillet and turning the shallots, until lightly browned, about 5 minutes longer.
• Bring the 2 cups of water to a boil in a saucepan. In a medium heatproof bowl, combine the tamarind with the sugar, add the boiling water and stir until the sugar dissolves. Pour the tamarind mixture over the shallots and stir well. Cover the skillet and cook over low heat until the shallots are soft, about 25 minutes. Add water as needed to keep the shallots from drying out.
• Using a slotted spoon, transfer the shallots to a plate. Cook the sauce over high heat until reduced to a glaze, about 10 minutes. Return the shallots to the skillet and toss to coat in the glaze. Season with salt and pepper and let cool. Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour or overnight. Serve cold.
• Note: Tamarind concentrate is available at Asian markets or sometimes in the ethnic isle of the grocery store.

TAMARIND GLAZED DUCK BREAST WITH THAI RED CURRY TAMALE GREEN PAPAYA AND CORN SALSA

Steps:

• In a small saute pan, dry roast the cumin, coriander, and pepper until fragrant, about 2 to 3 minutes and then grind into a powder. In a food processor, puree the shallots, garlic, lemon grass, galangal, and cilantro. Add the pureed chiles, tomato paste, lime juice, shrimp paste, ground spices, and blend until smooth.;
• In a heavy bottomed pot over high heat, season the duck legs with salt and pepper and sear until golden brown. Remove the duck legs and using the same pot, saute the onions until they are translucent. Add the curry paste to the onions and cook over medium heat for 4 minutes. Add the coconut milk and simmer for another 2 minutes. Return the duck legs to the pot and fill with enough water to just cover the duck. Bring to a simmer and cook for 1 1/2 to 2 hours until the meat falls off the bone. Remove from heat and when cool, pick all of the meat off the bones and add only the meat to the remaining broth.
• In a large mixing bowl, combine the duck broth, rice, scallions, and red bell pepper. Season with the salt and pepper. Lay a banana leaf shiny side down, and place about 1 cup of the rice mixture in the center of the leaf. Fold the ends over the rice to form a sealed packed. Continue making the tamales. Using a wok or a double boiler, steam the tamales until the rice is very hot, about 10 to 15 minutes.
• In a large mixing bowl, combine the corn, red onion, papaya, tomatoes, cilantro, lime juice, fish sauce, cumin, salt and pepper. Allow the mixture to sit for about 1 hour for the lime juice to soften the papaya.
• TAMARIND GLAZE: 1 cup tamarind paste 1/4 cup sliced shallots 2 tablespoons garlic, chopped 1/2 cup lemon grass, sliced 2 Kaffir lime leaves 2 Thai bird chiles 1/2 cup crushed rock sugar 1 tablespoon whole cumin seed, toasted 2 quarts chicken stock or water Salt and pepper, to taste
• In a medium, non-reactive pot, combine the tamarind paste, shallots, garlic, lemon grass, Kaffir lime leaves, Thai bird chiles, rock sugar, cumin seed, water, salt and pepper. Simmer lightly for about one hour until the glaze is thick and syrupy. Strain and season with salt.
• DUCK BREAST 4 (6 1/2-ounce) duck breasts 1 cup tamarind glaze Salt and pepper, to taste
• Using a sharp knife, score the duck skin, in half- inch intervals. Season the duck with the salt and pepper and place skin side down on a hot grill. Be careful of the errant flames that may flare up. Continuously brush the duck with the tamarind glaze as it cooks. Flip the duck when the skin is very golden and continue to brush with the glaze. Cook for about 7 minutes more for medium rare. Allow the duck to rest for 3 minutes before slicing.
• GARNISH: Red corn tortillas Canola oil, for frying 1 teaspoon ground cumin 1 teaspoon salt 1/4 cup sliced scallions
• Using a sharp knife, cut the tortilla into thin strips. Fill a fryer or medium heavy pot 1/3 full with oil and heat over high heat to 350 degrees. Add the tortillas and fry until crispy. Drain on paper towels and sprinkle with the cumin and salt.
• PLATING Place a hot tamale on each plate and make a cut down the center. Squeeze the 2 sides together, like you would to a baked potato. Thinly slice each duck breast and fan it out, skin side up, around each tamale. Place a mound of the salsa in the center between the duck and tamale, and top with the tortilla. Drizzle some of the remaining glaze around the plate and sprinkle with the sliced scallions.
• Wine suggestion: Bedford Thompson Cabernet Franc 1995

POUSSINS WITH TAMARIND GLAZE

Steps:

• First make the tamarind glaze. Put all the ingredients except the ground ginger and chaat masala in a medium saucepan with 500ml water. Boil for 20 minutes, stirring frequently, until reduced by about half and slightly syrupy. Strain into a bowl to remove all the spices, stir in the ground ginger and chaat masala and leave to cool.
• Pour half the glaze into a large bowl and set another 4 tbsp aside to serve (The rest will keep in the fridge for up to a month for a sauce or marinade.) Whisk in the oil and cumin and add the poussin. Cover and marinate in the fridge for half an hour at least - overnight is ideal.
• Preheat the oven to fan 180C/conventional 200C/gas 6. Lift the poussin pieces out of the marinade and lay on a roasting tray. Roast for 30 minutes, basting with the cooking juices and the leftover marinade every 5 minutes until the poussins are lacquered and sticky.
• To serve, mix the reserved glaze with 1 tablespoon water and drizzle over the poussins on 4 plates. Serve with a mushroom risotto and poppadums.

SPICY TAMARIND-GLAZED GRILLED CHICKEN WINGS

Steps:

• Whisk tamarind purée, fish sauce, brown sugar, red pepper flakes, cumin, and 1 tsp. Diamond Crystal or ½ tsp. Morton kosher salt in a medium bowl until combined and a loose paste forms. Set tamarind glaze aside.
• Pat wings dry with paper towels, then season all over with remaining 2 tsp. Diamond Crystal or 1 tsp. Morton kosher salt. Place in a large bowl; add half of tamarind glaze and toss to coat. Chill 15 minutes. Set remaining glaze aside.
• Meanwhile, place onion in a bowl of ice water and set aside.
• Prepare a grill for medium indirect heat (for a charcoal grill, bank coals on one side of grill; for a gas grill, leave one or two burners off). Arrange wings on grate over indirect heat, making sure not to overcrowd. Brush top of each wing with some reserved glaze. Cover and grill 15 minutes. Uncover, turn wings over, and brush other side with glaze. Re-cover and grill until wings are golden brown and a thermometer inserted into the thickest part of a wing registers 165°F, about 15 minutes.
• Brush wings with more glaze, then move over direct heat and grill until charred in spots, 1-2 minutes per side.
• Transfer wings to a platter. Drain onion and place on paper towels; pat dry. Scatter onion over wings and top with cilantro. Serve with lime wedges for squeezing over.