# Fishing camp curry paste.



## moikel (Sep 23, 2014)

I head out to camp in a week. I take my seafood curry paste with me & do Malaysian fish curry with the few fish we keep each day.

I am going to set out step by step how I make this version .Its got a few short cuts & might be easier for people to find ingredients.

I catch an international flight that stops in Darwin I get off it continues on to an Asian destination. Its 4 hours then about 80 minutes by puddle jumper to Endyalgout Island in Arnhem Land, tribal Aboriginal country.

35c there today 100% humidity build up to the wet season.

I have to grab some fresh turmeric & a few other things to get it all together.

We throw hard bodied minnow lures on bait caster outfits at these guys in the Mini Mini River system.













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Thats a barramundi one of Leah's favourite fish.I think these are better eating.Golden Snapper.













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Or these.Threadfin salmon.













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Plenty of crabs as well but its serious crocodile country so you have to be a bit careful.













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My curry paste will work with any white flesh fish or seafood.It can also be used as a rub or a baste if you want to be versatile.

Give me a day or so.Its a bit of a production


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## dirtsailor2003 (Sep 23, 2014)

I'll be watching for your step by step.

Looks like a great time fishing!!!


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## moikel (Sep 23, 2014)

It will work a treat with halibut ,ling cod or similar . I sometimes use it as a rub on tuna steaks  you  seem to catch plenty of them!


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## dirtsailor2003 (Sep 23, 2014)

Sounds great Mick! I just saw a recipe for a lingcod curry pie that sounded interesting.


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## moikel (Sep 23, 2014)

dirtsailor2003 said:


> Sounds great Mick! I just saw a recipe for a lingcod curry pie that sounded interesting.


Curry is one of those things that has heaps of variants .I have been making pastes for years in different styles. 

My go to now is Malaysian ,one for seafood another for meat. I still make a Thai,West Indian & Sri Lankan to order but not that often.

If you get the paste right you dont need any other spices or aromatics.

This SOB used to hang out at the boat launch.Christened Albert by a former camp cook,who couldnt cook,could drink was probably a fugitive from justice & definitely crazy.

When I said to current cook "I am just going to make something for the boys I wont make a mess in your kitchen."She replied thats what the last SOB  said before I shot him & fed him to Albert!"
	

	
	
		
		



		
		
	


	





I think she was joking.













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## moikel (Sep 24, 2014)

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## moikel (Sep 24, 2014)

This is going to take me 2 days! 
Proportions it's pretty loose I can say currently it's 500 gm garlic, 25 habaneros , 3 x ginger the size of my hand,10x finger size bits of turmeric , 2x big bunches cilantro including roots, 20 x red shallots. 25 x kaffir lime leaf, 12 x limes juice & rind, 2 jars shrimp paste, grated palm sugar about size of deck of cards.
Spices I am tinkering with I have 2 x 250 gm packets Baba's fish curry powder but I may have to grind some extra based on the list on the packet,I am going to be short otherwise.
I have deliberately left out lemon grass & galangal to hard on blades,really fibrous .
The trick here is a good consistency so I will add peanut oil & not stupid hot .Its got to be balanced. If it's to hot I add more shallots ,ginger etc. it's about balance. 
I will end up with about 3 kg of paste .2 tabs should make a fish curry for 6 people.


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## moikel (Sep 24, 2014)

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## moikel (Sep 24, 2014)

Fresh turmeric more orange than yellow so it's leaning that way colour wise.500gm curry powder might be right .I will let it sit overnight,re blitz it in food processor to get consistency right then make a quick prawn curry to see where I am at on heat level.
Food processor making unhelpful noises ,fingers crossed it don't throw a shoe before this is  done. 
I have 4 kg! Curry powder,cumin,coriander,fenugreek,fennel,chilli,Dahl,turmeric  pepper other spices?












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## leah elisheva (Sep 24, 2014)

Oh my God!!! First off, that Barramundi could just be held up and win applauds and bows and, well, (I'll keep this thread clean), but WOW, what a fish!!!!!??? Wow!

Secondly, the turmeric and all that's going on, I am glued! I am excited to see where this leads! Bring it!!!

Just seeing the alligator/crocodile (I love putting them both in risotto) but what fun stuff you've got going on here! Keep on!!! And share your drinks in our wine group too if able!!!

Happy travels!!!!!!!!!!!! Cheers! Leah (So impressed and hungry)!!!!!!


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## dirtsailor2003 (Sep 24, 2014)

When I first saw the photo on my phone I thought the red things were sugar coated strawberries, I guess those are the habs, and not nice and sweet like sugar coated strawberries!!!!


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## moikel (Sep 24, 2014)

dirtsailor2003 said:


> When I first saw the photo on my phone I thought the red things were sugar coated strawberries, I guess those are the habs, and not nice and sweet like sugar coated strawberries!!!!


Out of the freezer,not in season yet. I have gone way over quantity wise ,situation normal
	

	
	
		
		



		
		
	


	





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I need to test run it then see where its at. Certainly smells right.


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## moikel (Sep 24, 2014)

Leah Elisheva said:


> Oh my God!!! First off, that Barramundi could just be held up and win applauds and bows and, well, (I'll keep this thread clean), but WOW, what a fish!!!!!??? Wow!
> 
> Secondly, the turmeric and all that's going on, I am glued! I am excited to see where this leads! Bring it!!!
> 
> ...


That girl was about 105 cm.We put anything over 80cm back,breeding females. Aussie record somewhere around 140cm. Hell of a fish on bait casting tackle.

Turmeric one of those super foods ,now in season.

I will rub some tuna or such & grill it for you soon.


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## moikel (Sep 24, 2014)

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That's the fresh turmeric . Hands still stained.
You could short cut this right down to garlic,ginger,shallot,chilli,lime curry powder & shrimp paste, bit of palm or brown sugar,some veg or nut oil.
For meats just use a different curry powder,back of the lime,leave out the shrimp paste.


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## moikel (Sep 25, 2014)

I think this guy has the camp record to date. That blue tour shirt is pre 2010 not sure which year. He is still talking about it
	

	
	
		
		



		
		
	


	

















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## leah elisheva (Sep 25, 2014)

Now THAT'S a fish! (To be said with "That's a knife" accent).

And that fresh turmeric is incredible! You need to open a restaurant HERE! Please!

Happy Thursday! This all sounds divine!

Cheers! - Leah


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## moikel (Sep 25, 2014)

The actual process is garlic & shallots some salt in the FP first then ginger,turmeric & chilli. Then cilantro ,lime leaf,oil lime juice & zest. Into a big bowl. Curry powder next ,shrimp paste with the oil off the top,more oil to get consistency right then sugar. Manual mix.

Let it sit over night. TEST 
	

	
	
		
		



		
		
	


	





.Then adjust as needed remix .

I will get fish fillet for tonight ,prawns for lunch .Just rub with  prawns in paste then toss on grill plate hard & fast.That will give me a pretty good read on where it sits.

No 2 batches ever the exact same anyway.
	

	
	
		
		



		
		
	


	





Thai curry here is either  ,red, green ,yellow or jungle( no coconut milk sort of a stir fry) .I have moved to Malaysian style over the years fish or meat colour irrelevant. I used name them yellow peril ,a red menace & jungle rumble but now its just fish camp ,meat lovers as I attempt to be more PC in my middle years.


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## moikel (Sep 25, 2014)

I will get this test underway,went with black tiger prawns.

I will use the heads to make a stock for this fish curry tonight.

Fish market on a friday was a dumb call.Tour bus after tour bus ,Asian people eating at prices that can't get back home.

They go silly for these guys













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## moikel (Sep 25, 2014)

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They were ready without any of the paste ingredients burning. Sort of thing you can do on your grill with any similar seafood.

Paste needs an adjustment ,little under on the heat.First time thats ever happened


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## dirtsailor2003 (Sep 25, 2014)

Moikel said:


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Ummmmm, Yummmmm!!!!


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## welshrarebit (Sep 26, 2014)

Moikel said:


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The first time I cut up a fresh turmeric I thought it was a rotten ginger root and threw it away! :biggrin:

I do something like your short cut version: ginger, garlic, shallot, lime juice, fish sauce (patis), lemongrass (the white part), kaffir leaves, sambal, sweet chili sauce, mint, basil, cilantro, sesame oil, and most of the time I mix that in with a basic teriyaki glaze. We use to run it as a special at my last job and it was so popular the chef put it on the menu. I still sometimes run it at my current job. 

Edit: I found a pic of this on my phone from over a year ago:













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I honestly don't remember what kind of fish this is but has the thai glaze, grilled pineapple relish, baby bok choi, black thai rice, shrimp, kaffir beurre blanc, scallions, white and black sesame seeds, and micro shiso leaves to finish...

If I didn't use the teri sauce I would do my own version of "evil jungle prince" and use the same ingredients above but use coconut milk instead.

I also save the green part of the lemongrass and cook that in with some jasmine rice to serve with this dish. Very tasty! I've also served it with pad thai noodles and one time I made "pad thai" risotto! 

It looks like you are having a lot of fun and eating some good fish! 

I'll be following this thread... Thumbs Up


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## moikel (Sep 26, 2014)

Great looking plate!Love your work welsh rarebit ! That's sounds Thai & very tasty .Great food for warmer climates.
I bought ling cod for curry . I will get that underway shortly.


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## leah elisheva (Sep 26, 2014)

Wow, that plat looks beautiful too Welshrarebit! Now I must find fresh turmeric!

Mick you plant the seed of suggestion with such great stuff! Cheers! - Leah


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## moikel (Sep 26, 2014)

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Good colour ,I decided not to process it further my FP sounds like I have stripped a gear wheel.


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## welshrarebit (Sep 26, 2014)

Moikel said:


> Great looking plate!Love your work welsh rarebit ! That's sounds Thai & very tasty .Great food for warmer climates.
> I bought ling cod for curry . I will get that underway shortlyI bought ling cod for curry . I will get that underway shortly.



Got the big bag...:110:




Leah Elisheva said:


> Wow, that plat looks beautiful too Welshrarebit! Now I must find fresh turmeric!
> Mick you plant the seed of suggestion with such great stuff! Cheers! - Leah



I bow humbly to your creations...


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## moikel (Sep 26, 2014)

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Prawn heads & shells,fried few kaffir lime leaves green stalk off spring garlic,,cilantro stalks bit of ginger,splash of white wine some water. Mash shells with potato masher cook it off for 10 minutes,strain that will go into curry 50 /50 with coconut milk.


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## moikel (Sep 26, 2014)

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I used lite coconut milk & the stock I made so it was a little thin sauce wise but I  am on a diet( sort of)
It was a great curry,it was a little under on the heat but you can just use more paste.
I need to be in the middle chilli wise ,I don't know how every body likes . I can give it a bump with a little booster of chilli & bits for those people who take it hotter. Just remix it as I batch it up into jars.


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## moikel (Sep 26, 2014)

I forgot to set out basics of curry .Its just a large red onion chopped & fried in some peanut oil till soft add curry paste about a fat tab for this meal enough for lunch  left over. Keep it moving ,don't let it burn when it's giving off all the good aromas .Add stock,stir bubble a bit .Add coconut milk stir ,gentle simmer add fish cook until done. You can bump the curry paste along the way if you think you are under . It goes really well as the base for mussels in a curry broth.

I do like to do what is known here as jungle curry,I have no idea how it got that name.

Its just really a stir fry that suits quick cooking seafood ,no coconut milk .Just marinate seafood in paste loosened up with a bit of fruit juice or such,then you can char grill it .Or you can rub a whole fish or fillets  & wrap it in a banana  leaf put it in the smoker.

The only thing that can really screw up is if you burn the paste.


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## leah elisheva (Sep 27, 2014)

You would have a fabulous cooking show! I'd watch!


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## reinhard (Sep 27, 2014)

This has been some learning process!! Not only great cooking skills but the great fishing you have there.  Thank you for a wonderful thread.  Reinhard


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## moikel (Sep 27, 2014)

Reinhard said:


> This has been some learning process!! Not only great cooking skills but the great fishing you have there.  Thank you for a wonderful thread.  Reinhard


Thanks very much.Glad you liked it. 

That particular fishing is a once a year thing for me.Its the far tropical north & has a price tag. I couldn't live up there its just to humid but its a great place to visit. My day to day fishing is these guys,













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In my kayak ,great tasty fish .I can normally catch my lunch poking around the river amongst the oyster leases at Greenwell Point.


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## moikel (Sep 28, 2014)

BTW .Loomis make a series of rods just for the barramundi fisherman here in partnership with Shimano. I will buy myself either a Loomis or  St Croix  when I land in Darwin.  Barra can get to 70 or so pounds in saltwater over a 100 in fresh water lakes where they don't have to move as much. They won't breed in fresh but they do grow big. One landed that went 97 pounds by a guy in a kayak.
	

	
	
		
		



		
			






Hell of a fight on casting tackle.


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