Macanese Curry

My Macanese husband makes Macanese curry all the time. Macanese Curry is similar to Japanese curry because most recipes use Japanese curry bricks. However, Macanese curry is distinctive because it is often is made with coconut milk. My husband grew up with his mom regularly making Macanese curry for their large family of 9, using chicken, carrots, and potatoes. Since we have been together, he has adapted the recipe to make it vegetarian, often using impossible meat to make vegetarian meatballs. He also adds a wider variety of vegetables beyond the basic carrots and potatoes. We generally add a green vegetable like broccoli or broccolini, as well as a few crunchier additions like water chestnuts, crushed peanuts, and baby corn.

We usually don’t measure ingredients when we make Macanese curry, but I have written up some amounts for you. Feel free to adjust amounts or swap out vegetables you have on hand.

Eventually my husband created a Macanese curry dumpling filling. The filling recipe has a dryer and more chopped texture. It is so delicious, especially in steamed dumplings. Find the recipe here.

Note that you can easily make this recipe vegan by adding a few tablespoons aquafaba to the veg meatballs instead of an egg.

Oblique cut for carrots

I like to cut carrots for stews on the oblique cut. It is essentially a rotating diagonal. This creates an attractive diamond shape that allows carrots to cook through evenly because of increased surface area. Start by slicing a carrot at a 45 degree angle. Rotate the carrot a quarter turn, then slice the next piece at a consistent 45 degree angle. Continue to rotate the carrot each time you slice at a 45 degree angle.

Macanese Curry

Macanese curry is distinctive because it is often is made with coconut milk. My husband grew up with his mom regularly making Macanese curry for their large family of 9. He has adapted the recipe to make it vegetarian, often using impossible meat to make vegetarian meatballs. He also adds a wider variety of vegetables beyond the basic carrots and potatoes.

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Ingredients

  

• 2 tablespoons light oil or coconut oil
• 1 yellow onion, finely chopped
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 tablespoon minced ginger
• 1 teaspoon turmeric (optional)
• 2 large carrots
• 2-3 potatoes, cut into a 3/4-inch dice
• 7.8 ounce package Japanese curry brick (we like Hot or Extra Hot)
• 14 ounce can coconut milk
• 1 cup baby corn
• 1/2 cup sliced water chestnuts
• 1 small head broccoli, cut into small florets
• about 1 cup water, or more for consistency

For the Vegetarian Meatballs

• 1 package Impossible plant based meat
• 1 egg
• 1 garlic clove, grated
• about 1/2 cup bread crumbs
• 2 big pinches salt
• black pepper

To serve

• crushed peanuts
• white rice

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Instructions

 

• Heat the oil in a large sauté pan or Dutch oven. Add the chopped onion. Sauté several minutes until starting to color. Add the garlic and ginger. Cook 2 minutes.
• Peel the carrots and potatoes. Cut the carrots using the oblique cutting technique. Start by slicing a carrot at a 45 degree angle. Rotate the carrot a quarter turn, then slice the next piece at a consistent 45 degree angle. Continue to rotate the carrot each time you slice at a 45 degree angle. Cut the potatoes in a 3/4-inch dice. Add both carrots and potatoes to the pan. Sauté 2 minutes.
• Chop the Japanese curry bricks into small pieces. Add them to the pan, along with the coconut milk. Stir to dissolve. Add about a cup of water. Bring to a boil, then lower the heat to a simmer.
• Drain the cans of baby corn and water chestnuts. Add them to the pan. Stir, then cover to let simmer about 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.
• Meanwhile, make the vegetarian meatballs. Combine all of the vegetarian meatball ingredients in a medium mixing bowl. Adjust the amount of breadcrumbs to get a good consistency. Use your hands to roll the mixture into small balls, arranging them on a clean plate. Heat a skillet (I use cast iron) to medium heat. Add 1-2 tablespoons oil, then arrange the balls evenly across the skillet. Cook a couple of minutes until the bottoms are cooked, then flip them over to cook the other side for another few minutes.
• Cut the broccoli into small florets. Add it to the curry. You want to add it later in the process so it does not overcook.
• After a couple of minutes, add the vegetarian meatballs.
• Gently simmer until the potato is cooked. At this point you may want to add more water for a looser consistency.
• Crush the peanuts lightly in a mortar & pestle. Either stir the peanuts into the curry or garnish them on top of the curry. Serve with rice.

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