Serving
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Potato Curry, Sumatra
Indonesia / California   -  
Serves
Effort:
Sched:
DoAhead:		 4 w/rice  
***
1-1/4 hr  
Yes		 Faced with serving a mixed couple, I modified my highly successful Chicken Curry, Sumatra to a vegetarian version. It was easy to make both because most ingredients could be made in one batch and split between the two recipes. The vegetarian version was also very successful, but is more complex than the chicken version because it is made up from simpler flavors.






9
3
2
4
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4
4
3
3
4
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2
10
1/3
2
1/4
2-1/2
1/2
2
1/4 		oz
oz
oz
oz
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oz

cl
oz

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T
oz
c
t
t
t
t

in 		Potatoes (1)
Tofu,fried (2)
Tofu Skins (3)
King Trumpets (4)
-- Paste
Coconut Cream (5)
Chilis dry (6)
Garlic
Onion
Candlenuts (7)
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Oil
Coconut Milk
Water
Coriander Seed
Turmeric
Salt
Palm Sugar (8)
Salam Leaf (9)
Galangal
    Prep   -   (25 min)
  1. Cut POTATOES.into chunks about 3/4 inch square and 1/2 inch thick, or however you like. Hold in cold water until needed.
  2. Cut FRIED TOFU and KING TRUMPETS into chunks of similar size to the Potatoes. Cut TOFU SKINS however makes sense for the form you have. Usually strips can be tied into knots so they're not too stringy. Mix all.
  3. Without shaking up the can, open a 14 ounce can of Coconut Milk. Skim 4 ounces of the thick cream off the top for the paste. Reserve the rest for the curry.
  4. Grind the CHILIS to powder in your spice grinder. Crush GARLIC and chop fine. Slice ONION thin and chop fine. Crush Candlenuts. Mix all together in a large mortar and pound to paste,
  5. Mix Coconut Cream into the paste until it is all even.
    6. Run   -   (35 min)
  6. In a spacious sauté pan or wok, heat Oil moderately hot. Stir in Paste and fry stirring until aromatic, about 1 minute.
  7. Stir in drained Potatoes and Tofu mix until coated with paste, the stir in all Remaining items. Simmer slowly, covered, stirring often until Potatoes are tender, about 1/2 hour. Check liquid now and then to make sure it doesn't dry out.
  8. Serve hot with plenty of steamed jasmine rice.
NOTES:
  1. Potatoes:   White Rose potatoes work well, or Red potatoes. Avoid "Gold" potatoes which disintegrate if cooked a little long. For details se our Potatoes page. Actually Taro Roots would be more authentic and would work fine, but I prefer potatoes.
  2. Deep Fried Tofu:   Cubes of deep fried tofu are available in practically any Asian market. You can cut the to the desired size. You can make them yourself by deep frying cubes of firm tofu until light golden. For details see our Tofu Page.
  3. Tofu Skins:   I use fresh skins because they are available here, but dried skins (Bean Curd Skin Sticks) are more widely available. Soak them until flexible and tie strips into knots. For details see our Tofu Page.
  4. King Trumpet Mushroom:   These are now grown in California and available in just about any Asian market here. They range from large to huge. For details see our Fungus page.
  5. Coconut Cream:   No, you don't have to open a whole can - see instruction step 3.
  6. Chilis:   Thai or Arbols are good. Four makes a pretty mild curry. For details see our Chili Page.
  7. Candlenuts:   If you don't have these, substitute 4 raw Macadamia Nuts or 5 raw Cashews or 9 raw almonds. For details see our Candlenut page.
  8. Palm Sugar:   If you don't have this, substitute a lightly refined sugar like Turbinado - a little less tasty but tolerable.
  9. Daun Salam page.
  10. U.S. measure: t=teaspoon, T=Tablespoon, c=cup, qt=quart, oz=ounce, #=pound, cl=clove in=inch

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