Currying Flavor in a Stir-Fry

by Dana Jacobi for The American Institute for Cancer Research

The actual word comes from kari, the Tamil word for sauce. In India, curries are still an entire category of soupy, highly spiced dishes meant to be eaten with rice. The Colonial British altered Indian curry so Westerners came to think of curry as a spicy, yellow-sauced main dish made with chicken or shrimp, served accompanied by rice and garnishes like toasted coconut. In Thailand, curries are seasoned with a moist paste that may include lemongrass, cilantro, basil and a handful of chile peppers. These curries can be green or red, not just golden. The Vietnamese favor a milder, golden dish made with pre-made curry powder.

We are told that Indian cooks do not use prepared curry powder, instead blending a mixture of spices selected to suit the specific dish being prepared. It is time to modify this belief. In Indian food stores you find many spice blends, like garam masala, a cinnamon-brown combination including cloves, black pepper, cardamom and more. Curry masala and other spice mixtures are also readily available. Indian cooks use them when making curries, usually in amounts that will use them up in a few weeks, before the spices lose their flavor.

Curry powder as we know it was created during the British Raj as a convenient distillation of Indian flavors. It has no fixed combination of ingredients, so there are many blends that vary in flavor and heat. My favorite, called Madras Curry Powder, is only mildly hot. I use it to make Jamaican-style curry, using chicken (rather than the traditional goat), or with Singapore noodles - rice noodles stir-fried with green peas, onions, shrimp and scrambled eggs. I also make this Chinese curry, a stir-fry with asparagus and shrimp. It is excellent served over brown rice.

Chinese Shrimp Curry - Makes 4 servings

1 Tbsp. cornstarch
2 tsp. curry powder (or more, according to taste)
1/2 tsp. sugar
1 Tbsp. reduced-sodium soy sauce
3/4 cup low-sodium, fat-free chicken broth
3 tsp. canola or peanut oil, divided
8 asparagus, cut in 1-inch pieces
1 red bell pepper, seeded and diced
1/4 lb. sugar snap peas (about 20), strings on both edges removed
2 tsp. peeled ginger, grated or minced
1 large garlic clove, minced
3/4 lb. medium shrimp, peeled and deveined
3 cups hot cooked rice, preferably brown

Combine cornstarch, curry and sugar in a small bowl. Mix in soy sauce, then chicken broth. Set aside.

In a wok or heavy skillet, heat 1 tsp. oil over high heat. Add asparagus, pepper, peas, ginger and garlic. Stir-fry until vegetables are brightly colored, about 1 minute. Transfer them onto a plate with a slotted spoon.

Heat remaining 2 tsp. oil. Add shrimp and stir-fry until they turn pink, about 1 minute. Return vegetables to the pan. Stir sauce mixture to recombine and pour into the pan. Simmer gently until shrimp are white in the center, about 2 to 3 minutes. Serve immediately over hot cooked rice.

Per serving: 334 calories, 7 g. total fat (less than 1 g. saturated fat), 43 g. carbohydrate, 24 g. protein, 5 g. dietary fiber, 375 mg. sodium.