Curious about curries? Most of us have tasted a curry or two, but how about one from Myanmar (a.k.a. Burma)? Susan Chan's new cookbook, Flavors of Burma, is generously spiced with curry recipes - though, interestingly enough, most don't require curry. Confused? Chan explains that Burmese curries are distinctively curry-like, due to the ingredients and cooking methods, but that most don't contain curry powder at all. Learn about this curious phenomenon in Chan's book, which has a meaty introduction with information on everything from Burmese weather to cultural events. As for the other recipes, home cooks will be thrilled to learn that they won't have to schlep to a gourmet food store - the most common ingredients in Burmese cuisine are easily found at the average grocery store. The result is delicious, exciting, and accessible ethnic cuisine.

Featured Recipes:

• Double Fried Fish Curry
• Chicken Curry with Coconut Milk
• Egg Curry with Dried Shrimp

Double Fried Fish Curry
From Flavors of Burma by Susan Chan, Hippocrene Books 2003
Adapted by StarChefs

Yield: 4 Servings

Ingredients:

• ½ teapoon Kosher salt
• 1 inch piece of fresh ginger, run through a blender to make juice
• 3 gloves garlic, minced
• 1 teaspoon tumeric powder
• 1 pound makerel or king fish fillets
• 2 tomatoes, medium size
• 5 ½ Tablespoons vegetable oil
• 1 large yellow onion, finely chopped
• 2 teaspoons sweet paprika
• 4 teaspoons fish sauce
• ¾ cup water
• 3 fresh chilies

Method:
Marinate the fish fillets in the mixture of the salt, ginger, garlic, and tumeric for 15 minutes.

Slice one of the two tomatoes into thin slices, and cut the other tomato into quarters (wedges). Reserve. Meanwhile, heat the vegetable oil in a high-sided, heavy-bottomed frying pan. Add the marinated fish fillets and fry over medium heat for 3 to 5 minutes on each side or until the fish is completely cooked. Remove from the frying pan and drain on paper towels.

Add the chopped onions to the frying pan and sauté over medium heat for about 5 minutes or until the onions are transparent in appearance. Add the thin slices of tomato and the paprika, and continue to cook over medium heat for about 4 minutes or until the tomato slices dissolve. Add the fish sauce and ¾ cup water, cover, and cook over low heat for 2 minutes.

Return the fried fish fillets to the frying pan and simmer over low heat for 6 to 8 minutes. Continue to simmer until the sauce is reduced, leaving the thick tomato and onion sauce and a clear, oily layer on the top. Garnish with the fresh chilies, chopped, and with the tomato wedges. Serve immediately, usually over a bed of plain rice.

Chicken Curry with Coconut Milk
From Flavors of Burma by Susan Chan, Hippocrene Books 2003
Adapted by StarChefs

Yield: 4 Servings

Ingredients:

• 2 pound chicken breast
• 3 medium yellow onions
• 1 small piece fresh ginger
• 3 cloves garlic
• 3 fresh chilies
• 4 Tablespoons vegetable oil
• ½ teaspoon tumeric powder
• ½ teaspoon sweet paprika
• 2 teaspoons fish sauce
• 4 ounces coconut milk
• 4 ounces water
• ½ teaspoon salt

Method:
Wash the chicken and chop into small pieces. Slice one of the three onions finely and reserve.

In a food processor, combine the remaining two onions, ginger, garlic cloves and chilies, blending well.

Heat the vegetable oil over medium heat in a sauté pan. Add the sliced onion and tumeric powder and fry for about 3 minutes until golden brown. Remove the onion from the oil and reserve. Add the blended garlic mixture to the oil and fry for about 2 minutes. Add the chicken pieces, paprika, and fish sauce and stir well for about 8 minutes or until the chicken pieces are brown.

Add the coconut milk and water and bring to a boil. Return the fried sliced onions to the pan, add the salt, and simmer on low heat for about 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. Serve immediately.

Egg Curry with Dried Shrimp
From Flavors of Burma by Susan Chan, Hippocrene Books 2003
Adapted by StarChefs

Yield: 6 Servings

Ingredients:

• 1 Tablespoon dried tamarind
• ¼ cup lukewarm water
• 6 large eggs, hard-boiled and shells removed
• 2 ½ Tablespoons vegetable oil
• 2 medium yellow onions
• 3 cloves garlic
• 2 fresh chilies
• 2 medium tomatoes, chopped
• 2 Tablespoons dried shrimp, pureed or ground
• 1 teaspoon sweet paprika
• ½ teaspoon tumeric powder
• 4 teaspoons fish sauce
• 1/3 cup water
• ½ bunch fresh parsley, for garnish

Method:
Soak the dried tamarind in ¼ cup of warm water for 15 minutes. Squeeze the tamarind to get the juice and mix well with the water. Remove and discard tamarind pieces.

Heat the oil in a large frying and add the hard-boiled eggs whole to the pan. Scorch them over low heat, turning frequently to fry all sides evenly, for about 5 minutes. Remove the eggs from the pan and drain on paper towels.

In a food processor combine the onions, garlic and chilies. Add the puree to the pan and fry over medium heat for about 3 minutes or until the onions are transparent in appearance.

Add the tomatoes and the dried shrimp and cook for 3 to 5 minutes or until the tomatoes are cooked thoroughly. Add the paprika, tumeric, fish sauce, 2 tablespoons of the tamarind juice/water mixture, and 1/3 cup water and simmer over low heat for 3 to 5 minutes or until a tomato sauce is formed.

Add the fried whole hard-boiled eggs and continue to cook for 4 to 5 minutes. Garnish with the chopped fresh parsley and serve immediately.