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Thursday, July 19, 2012

Lamprais (Lomprijst)

(Original recipe)


Introduction

History has shown that Sardine canapes can never replace Russian Caviar made from the finest selection of Sturgeon roe, nor can any Sparkling wine be an acceptable substitute for Dom Perignon Champagne, nor will the discerning indvidual wear a mother-of--pearl brooch at a Royal Investiture when she owns one adorned with pearls from Mannar (off the NW coast of Ceylon.) Similarly connoisseurs of fine dining, gourmets and others who crave for exquisite cuisine of the highest quality, will always want the best and never settle for anything less; they will opt for the authentic Dutch Lomprijst ('LAMPRAIS), with its unique flavour when baked in plantain (banana) leaves, and which when correctly prepared according to the recipe , is a rich, wholesome meal for any occasion. 
The Lamprais, is one of the two cornerstones of Dutch Burgher cuisine, the other being the Breudher. However, over past decades, either for reasons of convenience, or non availability of ingredients or to cater to a vegetarian or non- beef/pork eating clientele, essential characteristics of the lamprais were removed or modified, and the 'hybrid' product continued to be advertised as lamprais, (or incorrectly , 'lumprais', 'lampreys', 'lumprice' etc). In short, there is no such thing as 'chicken or mutton or fish lamprais'. Some 'bastardized' recipes include "brinjal pahi', 'cucumber sambol" and even 'pappadam" !!! Even the highly overated recipe published on the web by Dame Deloraine Brohier has to be taken with a pinch of burgherised salt !
No 1 quality "samba" rice is the best choice among the different types of parboiled rice in the market .

A lamprais will ALWAYS consist ONLY the following dishes:
1. Lamprais Curry
2. Frikkadels
3. Brinjal (Egg fruit)) paella
4. Chilli & Onion sambol
5. Pawn blachang
6. Ash Plantain fries
7. The Rice

The authentic recipe of each component lamprais dish and its method of preparation follow.

1. Lamprais Curry

Ingredients

1 small fowl, 1/2 lb beef, 1/4 lb mutton, 1/4 lb lean pork, 1/4 ox liver,(optional) , 1 dst spn sliced red onions,1 dst spn ghee or dripping, 1/4 tspn fenugreek , 1 dst spn roasted curry powder ( corriander,white cummin,sweet cummin), 3" piece of rampa, 25 dry chillies ( roasted dark and ground), 1/4 lb dried prawns ( roasted and pounded), 1/2 stem lemon grass, 10 cardamoms(ground), a sprig of curry leaves, juice of 1 lime, 1 tblspn vinegar, 5 cloves garlic(chopped), 3 slices green ginger, 1/4 tspn of cinnamon, 1/2 tsp saffron, 3 cups thick coconut milk, salt.

Method

Partially boil the fowl, beef, mutton, and ox liver, and keep the stock(***see note at end) for boiling the rice .Cut the diferent meats and the pork and the fowl (removing all the bones) into very small pieces and place in a clay 'chatty' pot with the coconut milk, the ground ingredients, garlic, ginger, cinnamon, fenugreek , and half each of the onions, rampa,lemon grass and curry leaves, and boil until the meat is tender. Add the prawns , cardamoms and lime when the curry is half cooked. Heat the ghee in another clay 'chatty pot' and fry the remainder of the ingredients. Then turn in the meat preparation and allow to simmer for a few minutes longer. Add salt to taste.

2. Frikkadels (Dutch forced meat balls)

Ingredients:

1 lb minced beef, 1 thick slice of bread (slightly roasted & grated), 1 tblspn chopped red onions, 1 1/2 tsp sweet cummin (slightly roasted and ground), a pinch of saffron, 1 tsp chopped fennel, 3 cloves of garlic,(chopped), 2 slices green ginger (chopped) 1 tsp powdered cinnamon, 5 cloves, pepper and salt, 1 egg, juice of 1/2 lime, biscuit powder, ghee for frying.
Method: 

Season the meat with peppr, salt, cloves and cinnamon; add the onions and grated bread and moisten with the lime juice and egg slightly beaten. Mix well together and make into small balls.Dip in the beaten egg, roll in biscuit powder and fry in hot ghee.

3. Brinjal paella

Ingredients

4 medium sized brinjals (Egg fruit), 1 tblspn each of pounded maldive fish, sliced red onions,corriander seed, ground mustard seed, 1 1/2 tspn white cummin and 1/2 tspn sweet cummin (ground together), 1 tblspn sugar, 1/4 stem lemon grass, a small sprig of curry leaves,4 cloves of garlic(chopped), 3 ripe chilles (sliced), 3 slices of green ginger (chopped), 2" piece of cinnamon, 2" piece of rampa, 1 wine glass coconut vinegar, 1 1/2 oz. tamarind (squezeed in salt water), coconut oil, salt, 1 teacupful thick coconut milk, a pinch of ground saffron and 20 dry chillies (ground).
Method:

Slice the brinjals lengthwise, rub over with salt and saffron and fry in oil. Mix the ground ingredients with the vinegar and tamarind and mix in the rest of the ingredients, except the coconut milk and sugar. Heat 2 tblspns oil in a "chatty' pot and when very hot turn in the brinjal mixture , add the coconut milk and let it simmer on a slow fire for about 15 minutes, stirring all the time. Mix in the sugar just before taking off the fire.

4. Chilli & Onion Sambol

Ingredients


1/2 lb finely sliced bombay onions , 1/4 lb sliced red onions,3 chopped green chillies, juice of 1/2 lime, salt.

Method.:

Mixed the sliced onions with the chillie. Moisten with the lime juice.Add salt to taste. Keep in fridge till required for use.

5. Prawn Blachang

Ingredients:


1/2 lb dried prawns ( roasted and pounded), about 15 dry chillies roasted , 1 1/2 tblspns roasted coconut , 3 cloves garlic, 3 slices green ginger chopped fine, 4 oz chopped red onions, juice of 2 large limes, 1 tablespon sugar, salt.
Method:

Grind together the prawns, chillies, onions, garlic, ginger and then moisten with the lime juice. Mix well after adding salt to taste. Keep in a closed container in fridge till required for use.


6. Ash Plantain Fries


Ingredients:

4 medium sized ash plantains, 2 tspn saffron powder, salt, vegetable oil.
Method:

Skin the plantains and cut into rectangular lengths ( 1 1/2 " x 1/2" x 1/2" approx.). Mix well with saffron and salt to taste . Deep fry in oil.

7. The Rice

Ingredients:


1 1/2 measures white rice (parboile) 1/4 lb ghee, 1/4 lb gr red onions, 20 pepper corns, 6 cloves, 4" piece of rampa, 1/2 stem lemon grass, a sprig of curry leaves, 3" piece of cinammon, 15 cardamoms (powdered), salt.

Method:


Heat the ghee in a 'chatty', and when very hot put in Ω of the onions, a small piece each of the rampa, curry leaves and lemon grass and stir until the onions are fried. Then turn in the rice (which must be washed well) and stir for a few minutes. Then add the stock and the rest of the ingredients (except the cardamoms) and boil until the rice is almost cooked , at which time stir in the cardamoms and continue to boil till the rice fully cooked..

(** The Stock: 1 lb of breast bones could be kept to boil in about 4 bots. of water. The water used to partially boil the chicken, pork etc should then be added to this beef stock and kept to boil for a further 5 minutes. (Hot water may be added to the stock to have the correct quantity in which to boil the lamprais rice .)

Packeting & Baking

Items needed:

1, About 8-12 plantain leaves , cut into pieces of approx 16" x 12", washed, and wiped dry and thereafter warmed by holding over a flame, till the leaf loses its moisture and crispness. (Care must be taken not to burn the leaf).
2. Thick coconut milk.
3. Baking tray .
Method:

Put about a large teacupful of rice on each leaf. Pour two dessertpoonsful of thick coconut milk over the rice.Arrange a little each of the previously prepared dishes on the rice. Place 2 frikadels and 2or3 ash plantain fries on the side of the rice.Then fold up the leaf, making it into a neat oblong packet. Fasten the two ends with a piece of ekel . Place all packets in the baking tray, and bake in a moderately hot oven (300∫ F) for about 15 minutes, when you see the plantain leaves just starting to turn brown. 

Tuesday, June 7, 2011

Oriental Beef Salad

Ingredients:

1 lb. boneless beef sirloin OR top round steak, cut 3/4 inch thick
1/4 c dry sherry
1/4 c low-sodium soy sauce
1 tbsp. cornstarch
3 tbsps. vegetable oil, divided
8 oz. mushrooms, sliced
1 6-oz. package frozen pea pods, defrosted
4 c. lettuce, thinly sliced
Crisp chow mein noodles (optional)
Red bell pepper slices (optional)


Directions:

Cut beef steak into 1/8-inch thick strips. 

Combine sherry, soy sauce and cornstarch; pour over strips, stirring to coat.

Heat 2 tbsps. oil in wok over medium high heat.

Add mushrooms and pea pods; reserve.

Drain marinade from beef and reserve.

Add remaining oil to wok. Stir-fry beef strips (1/2 at a time), 1 to 2 minutes.

Return vegetables, beef and marinade to wok; cook and stir until sauce thickens.

Serve beef mixture over lettuce. Garnish if desired.
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