It may feel basic to you - but the chicken is without a doubt one of the kings of the kitchen • The "On the Way to Being a Chef" section goes into the basics and traditions of the poultry world, including the craft of dismantling
Aromatic and not pungent.
Carrie Masaman
Photo:
Ofek Sagi
Whatever you say, there is nothing about chicken.
Schnitzel, roasted polka, stir-fry, stew.
And of course we must not forget the secret ingredient of any diet - chicken breast.
There is no grandmother who does not have a favorite chicken dish, and there are also those who will tell how they were allowed to disassemble the chicken when they were children.
Nowadays almost no whole birds are bought for dismantling at home and in restaurants even though it is economical.
It's not really worth the effort, what's more we got used to eating as goats and calves mostly.
For previous columns:
Lesson 1: The day I decided to start cooking
Lesson 2: The building blocks of any cook
Lesson 3: Egg, for nothing?
Lesson 4: Not for investors only
Lesson 5: Not as complicated as you thought: this is how to make crispy dough
Lesson 6: Cook loves fish?
Depends on whether they need to be output
Chicken is the most popular meat in the world.
This is also due to its price - the growth of poultry is fast for example from raising cattle, and therefore it is cheaper - but also the delicate taste, the effort and the recipient, the taste of the house.
Chicken is suitable for all cooking methods and goes well with many flavors, both strong and delicate.
In a chicken lesson as part of our studies at Danon, we learned two dishes that originated in Asian cuisine, and how not - we disassembled whole poultry.
A little MSG will not hurt
In one of the dishes in the cooking lessons we used monosodium glutamate.
"What?", You ask, "this synthetic flavor and unhealthy substance in a cooking school?". Well yes, all the drama surrounding monosodium glutamate is actually a myth that must be shattered. , And using it to the extent that it adds to foods the fifth flavor - the coveted ommi.
The umami taste is actually a taste of glutenic acid - an amino acid found in meat, mushrooms, seaweed, for example, as well as fermented foods such as anchovies, parmesan, soy, miso and fish sauce.
The taste is sometimes linked to a salty taste, but it increases flavor in a different way from salt.
And as with snacks, adds to the fun, satisfying and addictive.
The MSG can be bought as it is in Asian stores and thus, to an extent, add more flavor to your life.
This is how you will upgrade the purchased curry
After the demonstrations and the dismantling of the birds, we, the students, went to prepare a curry dish from Saman with chicken.
The curry originated in India and has rolled into various and bizarre versions across Asia.
The basic meaning of curry is a spicy stew.
The stew is made on the basis of a ready-made spice paste, or you make it yourself, for example in Thailand, where in every kitchen fresh curry is crushed in a mortar and pestle.
The yellow curry powder we know from the writer is actually masala - a dry spice mixture.
Curry dishes are a star in my kitchen, they are delicious, and mostly simple and easy to prepare.
Vegetables and / or protein (usually chicken or tofu), purchased curry family + coconut milk and DONE.
In the class we also used ready-made curry paste, but we upgraded it with the addition of dry and fresh spices that intensified the flavors and turned it into curry masman - literally: Muslim curry - which usually contains chicken or lamb and the prominent aroma is of cardamom, cinnamon and nutmeg. More will be obtained in a curry prepared at home, but the combination of a quality ready-made ointment with spices yields very good results.
Chicken in curry masman
Ingredients for 4 servings
500 grams of chicken (or half and half chickens and chicken breast) in cubes
2 tablespoons curry paste Masman
400 grams coconut milk
2 potatoes
6 shallots
3-4 tablespoons roasted peanuts
4-5 tablespoons fish sauce
2 teaspoons tamarind puree
2 Tablespoons demerara sugar
2 cinnamon sticks
4 whole dried peppers
2 tablespoons
water
oil
as needed
Salt and pepper
To serve:
Crispy shallots (optional)
roasted peanuts
coriander leaves
250 g jasmine rice + 500 g water
How to prepare:
Jasmine rice - Rinse the rice and boil with the water in a small pot without salt.
After boiling, transfer to the lowest heat and cook for 20 minutes.
We will prepare the curry - in a deep pan, fry the curry puree in very little or oil or a little coconut milk.
As you begin to bring up aromas, add the coconut milk and mix well.
Add the chickens (if you incorporated chicken breast, save it for addition later).
Add the whole shallots together with the cinnamon and dried pepper.
Bring to a gentle boil over low heat.
Meanwhile, cut the potatoes into 3 cm cubes,
season carefully with two tablespoons of fish sauce and a tablespoon of sugar. Add the potatoes and peanuts and cover. Cook to soften the potatoes and onions for about 15-20 minutes. Stir gently occasionally. Oil may rise during cooking. Okay, that does not mean the stew has disintegrated.
Taste and adjust seasoning to balance. Add tamarind (or any other sour taste ...), sugar and fish sauce if necessary, salt and pepper.
(If you decide to use chicken breast, it's time to add it to the number minutes until ready.)
serve the dish with jasmine rice at the bottom, and peanuts and cilantro Klooim over.
optional: extra crispy shallots Heat oil for deep-130-140 degrees. cut shallot finely mandolin and wrapped them in cornstarch / flour potatoes.
For a few minutes until happy with the boiling oil, then cool until crispy.
The author participates in a multidisciplinary cooking course, as a guest of the Danon School of Culinary Excellence.
For more details on the school and to contact us click here
