Photo credit: Michelle Hondl
A night of fierce competition, guests were treated to eight delicious curries from Vancouver's top chefs as they battled to be crowned the Curry Cup Champion at the BC Chefs' Table Society's 3rd Annual Curry Cup.
Chefs participating included Trevor Bird (Fable Restaurant), Andrea Carlson (Burdock & Co), Clement Chan (Torafuku), Justin Cheung (Longtail Kitchen), Jonathan Chovancek (Cook Culture), Westley Feist (Showcase Restaurant), Tret Jordan (Homer Street Cafe) and Roger Ma (Boulevard Kitchen).
The event raised funds for Growing Chefs, a non-profit society that puts chef volunteers into Vancouver's elementary schools to teach children about growing and cooking food.
Photo credit: Michelle Hondl
The winning dish, and the coveted title of Curry Cup Champion went to chef Roger Ma from Boulevard Kitchen and Oyster Bar for his Balinese Chicken Currey. The runner-up and People's Choice award went to chef Westley Feist from Showcase Restaurant at the Marriott Hotel for his Coconut Shrimp and Scallop Currey.
Photo courtesy of Boulevard Kitchen
Chef Roger Ma’s Winning 2016 Curry Cup Recipe:
Balinese Chicken Curry, Lawar Awan, Lemon Basil Yogurt, Crispy Chicken Crackle
Serves 6-8
Spice Paste
Yields approx. 800g paste
6pc candlenuts
8g toasted coriander seeds
6g toasted black peppercorn
12 shallots, minced
6 long red chilies, seeded and sliced
10 fresno chilies seeded and sliced
8 garlic cloves, chopped
4 lemongrass stalks, white part only, sliced and pounded in motar and pestle
80g galangal, chopped
10g ginger, chopped
20g fresh turmeric, chopped
25g palm sugar
60g coconut oil
100g shallot oil (oil used to crisp up shallots)
20g shrimp paste (Toasted)
2 kaffir lime leaves
fish sauce to taste
Combine all ingredients in a food processer or robot coupe and pulse into a thick paste.
Curry Stock
2 onion halves, burnt on a stovetop until black
1 thumb-sized piece ginger, burnt and then sliced
8 cloves crushed garlic
3 stalks pounded lemongrass
2 kaffir lime leaves, rubbed between hands to release oil
5 stalks green onion
3g black peppercorn, toasted
3g coriander seed, toasted
6pc chicken legs
5 L chicken stock
Blanch the chicken legs in simmering water for 1 minute and remove. Combine all ingredients together in a stockpot and cover with chicken stock. Bring to simmer and cook for 4 hours. Strain and reserve chicken leg meat. Shred, cool and reserve.
Chicken Legs
4 boneless skin-on chicken thighs, 5pc per thigh
Brined in 4% brine for 1 hour 15 minutes with kaffir lime leaves, toasted black pepper and coriander, thai chili, lemongrass stalks, fresh cilantro, ground turmeric, ginger, galangal, brown sugar, fish sauce. After brine, let dry and then sear skin in heavy bottom pan for nice caramelization. Set aside and finish braising in curry.
For the Curry
80g medium dice russet potato
1lbs eggplant, oblique cut then deep fried
300g curry paste
3L infused chicken stock
4pc brined chicken thigh
1 can Aroy-D coconut milk
400g Japanese eggplant (cut into 2cm pieces, fry in 350F oil, drain on paper towel)
60g coconut oil
fish sauce to taste
palm sugar to taste
lime juice to taste
Heat up coconut oil in a wide and shallow pot (rondo). Toast the curry paste until fragrant. Add diced potato and continue to cook until coated with paste. Add the stock and the coconut milk and stir. Season with fish sauce, sugar and lime juice, add chicken legs and braise until tender. Adjust curry flavour with stock and coconut milk. Break up the potatoes to thicken the curry and add eggplant and the remaining potatoes. Adjust seasoning and continue to simmer until the vegetables are cooked. Continue to adjust seasoning so that the curry is balanced in flavour. After the curry is cooked, remove thighs, dice and fold back in. Finish with fresh cilantro leaves.
Long Bean Salad
400g long beans
30g toasted coconut flakes
5 Tbsp of coconut milk
1 Tbsp lime juice
Blanch long beans until bright green and tender, but still al dente. Slice into 1 cm pieces. Reserve 100g curry paste and mix with coconut milk and lime juice. Season with fish sauce, palm sugar and lime. Mix in some of the shredded chicken leg meat from the stock. Mix beans and dressing together and season.
Lemon Basil Yogurt
½ lb lemon basil
½ cup Greek yogurt
fish sauce to taste
sugar to taste
Blanch and purée the lemon basil. Mix with Greek yogurt. Season with fish sauce and sugar.
Fried Chicken Crackle
skin removed from 4 chicken legs
salt
cayenne pepper
lime zest
Scrape fat off of skin. Season skin with salt and cayenne pepper. Lightly dredge skin in seasoned flour and gently fry in hot oil (at 350°F) until bubbles have disappeared. Drain excess oil on paper towel. Season with salt, cayenne pepper and fresh grated lime zest.
TO FINISH
Serve curry, bean salad and lemon basil yogurt over hot jasmine rice. Garnish with cilantro leave, sliced chilies and fried chicken crackle.
Recommended BC Wine Pairing:
Evolve Cellars 2014 Riesling. ($16.99)
"Lime juicey with floral notes and a touch of honey sweet. Well balanced citrus and peach, smooth and full-bodied with a seamless palate." Good value.
Evolve Cellars was launched in 2015 by Okanagan wine royalty, Christa-Lee McWatters-Bond, daughter of the legendary Harry McWatters. Christa-Lee has grown up in the BC wine industry since birth. Located on Summerland's Bottleneck Drive, Evolve Cellars has a spectacular view of the vineyards overlooking Okanagan Lake.
