Wednesday 1 October 2014

Zarina's Mbaazi wa Nazi Curry Bowl

       
In celebration of this cool and crisp month, I welcome the
month of October,
 accompanied by Zarina's Mbaazi wa Nazi
Curry full of vibrant spices, colour and life.
 This curry bowl acts
as a blanket, except for your insides, as we approach the 
cooler days and crisper mornings.  Let the fresh ginger 
and garlic work its magic by boosting your immune system, 
among many other benefits.  This deeply nourishing 
and re-energizing curry bowl is a beautiful way to start October. 
Your body will thank you later.  This curry is simply, everything. 
My advice? Grab an oversized sweater, sit on a cozy chair and 
look out at autumn while the colourful leaves collapse to the 
ground.  Take you're first comforting bite, and the rest is history.


Ingredients:
2 tbsp. of canola or olive oil.
1 can of coconut milk.
6 eggs, hard-boiled and peeled.
1-2 cans of 2% skim milk or almond milk.(use the empty coconut milk can)
8 cloves garlic, puréed or finely chopped.
½ tsp. of finely chopped fresh ginger.
3 long green/red chillies, finely chopped.
½ bunch of cilantro, finely chopped; remove leaves from 
stalks if you're feeling keen.
1 bunch spinach.  Remove stalks with one big twist. 
 Rinse and clean thoroughly in colander.
2 tomatoes, medium sized, chopped. (Use three if using Roma tomatoes)
½ white onion, medium sized, finely chopped.
1 lemon, quartered.
1 can pigeon peas, thoroughly rinsed.
Himalayan salt, to taste. (typically ½ to 1 teaspoon)
Tablespoon of cumin seeds, finely ground using mortar/pestle.
¼  teaspoon of cinnamon,
1 teaspoon of turmeric (add slightly more if desired.)
½ teaspoon of paprika.
½ teaspoon of cayenne pepper.

Instructions:
1.  Hard boil the eggs; ten minutes of boiling ought to do it.
2. Make your jasmine rice.  The dish you'll make below should take around 
40-60 minutes, so time it right.
3. 1 exceedingly large pot.  Add oil.  Medium heat. 
Add garlic and onions.  Hear the sizzle?
4.  Add chillies, cumin, cinnamon, turmeric, paprika and cayenne. 
You should be stirring all these vibrant ingredients with a wooden spoon. 
Let the spices cook a little.  It should be sort of dry, soaking up the oil. 
Note:  If your eyes are burning due to the chillies cooking,
you're doing things right. If you're not coughing, something is wrong.
5.  Add tomatoes, they add moisture.  Nice gentle steady mixing. 
That's what the base of good curry looks like.
6.  Add coconut milk and the milk to the pot.  Still on medium heat.
7.  Add salt.
8.  Add the rinsed pigeon peas, straight from the strainer to the pot, no problem.
9.  Add spinach.  I know, the leaves look a little ridiculous 
taking up all that space.  Talk to me in ten minutes.
10.  Add the hard boiled eggs.
11.  Drop the heat to a little below medium heat. 
Let this simmer for 40-60 minutes.  Might be a little less if 
you're cooking with gas/flame.   Stir gently every few minutes. 
Do not over-boil.  Hang out by the stove while you 
stir and talk with your tipsy, hungry friends.
12.  Stir gently from time to time.  That quarter wedge of lemon 
(to be served on edge of bowl) is the last fresh 
thing that you'll see; at this point things can, and will get ugly.

-- This recipe of deliciousness could not have been accomplished 
without the lovely, Zarina.  A simple "thank you" is not enough 
for passing this Tanzanian curry recipe with me. Thank you 
so much  for sharing this comforting bowl of pure love with us.  

Relish, Consume & Enjoy.



4 comments:

  1. Love the blog! This recipe sounds delicious, a perfect way to enter Autumn. Thanks very much, I can't wait to try it out!

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  2. I'm glad you think so! Hope the recipe goes well for you, and thank you! :)

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  3. This was heaven even though I made mistakes! I will try it again with my husband thank you!!

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  4. I'm so thrilled you enjoyed this curry recipe!! I agree, it is heavenly. Thank you!

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