International Food Night

What a great idea. A potluck dinner party with an international food theme. All guests were asked to bring an international dish, appetizer, entree or desert of their choice. The invite from Des and Liselotte also specified to wear a hat or head covering...I wasn't sure were that would fit into the evening, but I have a collection of hats and didn't sweat it too much.

What to cook was the question. I love most ethnic cuisines and we frequently steal recipes from other countries for our dinner creations. After considering Ethopian, Indonesian and Vietnamese I settled on a curry dish. Afraid I would mess up when trying new recipes, I figured, there was nothing to go wrong with a curry. I usually create my own versions of curry, depending on what I have in my fridge and larder. This time, I choose to "research" curries and loosely follow a recipe. I had hoped to used some fruit in it as well, as I enjoy the tangy surprise and unexpected texture fruits add to curries. Alas, the recipe I finally settled on didn't call for fruits, but used almonds in it's curry paste. It was called Badami Murgh or Chicken Curry with One Hundred Almonds and was from Northern India.

Ingredients:

Paste:

• finely chopped garlic
• finely grated fresh ginger
• fresh, green chilies
• teaspoon fennel seeds
• ground almonds
  
• oil
  

Process in food processor to paste. Fry in oil until fragant and popping. Add spices

Spices

• ground coriander
• ground cumin
• ground turmeric
• Star anis
  

Fry for one more minute, then transfer into large skillet. Add

• chicken (cut into cubes)

Coat chicken with curry paste and fry chicken until browned and cooked through. Puree

• fresh tomatoes
  

and add to chicken mixture. Add

• cinnamon stick
• star anis
• gloves
• fresh fennel bulb cut in wedges
  

Bring to boil, then simmer for 30 min. Remove star anis, gloves and cinnamon stick. Just before serving add

• fresh chopped coriander
• diced tomato
• yoghurt
  

Serve with

• naan bread
• roasted almonds
• fresh coriander
• chopped green chilies

There were no left overs....so I assume everybody liked it. Other creations included Vietnamese spring rolls, a Maroccan dish with chicken and philo pastry, a very flavourful Iranian rice dish with safron, Indonesian chicken satay and Cornish pasty.

As for the head gear. I chose to match the dish and wore my Nepali Sari - wrapping the scarf around my head. Got two votes. Maureen's Vietnamese hat - matching her Vietnamese spring rolls - won 1st with three votes.