Breath of the Wild #63: Pumpkin Stew

Ingredients: Fortified Pumpkin or Sun Pumpkin, Goat Butter, Fresh Milk, Tabantha Wheat

Description: "Simply simmer a pumpkin to make this dish. A favorite in Kakariko Village."

It says simply simmer a pumpkin, so we'll keep it quite simple! I've got some leftover part-cooked squash (basically pumpkin) from the freezer, half a big onion, chicken stock, and ingredients for a bechamel sauce.

Browning the onion at first.

Then in goes all that nice pumpkin, a block of stock, and why not a big bay leaf? We're feeling fancy.

Thats had some nice stewing time, lets make up the sauce.

Hmm, how do we make this again...? Flour and butter into a paste first right?? is this too much flour?

And then slowly mix in the milk... yeah i think ive made too much.

This is probably a job for the whisk. Hey it looks less lumpy in the photo!

I made loads so I'll use half of it in the stew and half for another stew.

I haven't considered the seasoning on top... hmm.. how about dried oregano? Why not.

***

Its thick and warming, shame im currently in a heatwave... I dunno if its cause it was frozen but without blending, the pumpkin has a not ideal fibrous lumpy texture. Putting in in the blender would be much nicer. Its basic, but im still content with it.

Breath of the Wild #62: Carrot Stew

Ingredients: Any Carrot, Goat Butter, Fresh Milk, Tabantha Wheat

Description: "This simple stew sat simmering for a long time to bring out the sweetness of the carrots."

Ok, well, this is awkward, but I went ahead and did the pumpkin stew first. So you can look forward to me fumbling that one and making the bechamel sauce in the next recipe. For this we have the carrots and half an onion, and the butter, milk and flour already combined into a homemade bechamel (white) sauce. And some stock and seasonings.

Oops all my other pots are in the wash so ill get this needlessly massive one. Pumpkin pan for the carrot stew and not the pumpkin one... how ironic...

Anyway, frying up the onion and big chunks of carrot.

The pumpkin one was a bit blands so this time im going to go ham on seasonings. I'm adding celery salt, white pepper and paprika.

And then the stock and sage can go in with the water. I'll let it simmer for half an hour.

And when its nearly there, dump all that leftover bechamel in there!

*****

Wow! I nailed this one. The stew is so thick and creamy, the spices really pop and I really do think I brought out the sweetness of the carrots! This is so good!

Breath of the Wild #61: Seafood Curry

Ingredients: Any Porgy or Snail, Hylian Rice, Goron Spice

Description: "This dish brims with treasures from the sea. Its spice packs a kick, so it's not for kids."

I'm cheaping out a bit on this one. I'm out of crab claws, I just got plenty of penang curry paste & coconut milk, a load of leftover mixed seafood and some leftover vegetables to use up. Also jasmine rice and some seaweed salt for garnish.

The rice can go in the steamer while we boil up the rest of this.

I'm even out of onions, but sometimes its nice to keep it simple. We've just got boiled carrots and potatoes to go with the seafood.

A generous scoop of the curry paste, and ill boil the vegetables in some hot water to soften them up.

They are looking soft, we've left plenty of room for a whole can of coconut milk and those sea "treasures".

In goes the coconut milk and seafood! I can add a bit of water if it gets a bit too thick.

Hmm, its tasting a little bit sour and unbalanced... I have some of this in the fridge, lets bring in this secret weapon, a teaspoon or two of this!

***

The spice definitely packs a delicious kick, but I dunno it tastes a little funny? Is one of the ingredients a bit aged...? or maybe its just got a strong clammy flavour from the mussels. I had the leftover seafood chowder for lunch so maybe im just sick of seafood!? Wellll it tastes pretty good with the rice still.

Breath of the Wild #60: Gourmet Poultry Curry

Ingredients: Raw Whole Bird, Hylian Rice, Goron Spice

Description: "Once served in Hyrule Castle, the poultry used in this dish is immensely high quality."

Back to indian style, this time I've got a butter chicken paste and some turkey. The recipe on the back of the paste sachet says I should get cream and ground cashews, check. And onions, oops I forgot to get those. Maybe some garlic and ginger will make up for that? Oh also don't mind that horrifying lump in a black tub on the right, thats a frozen slow-cooked turkey thigh.

For the rice I'm steaming it with turmeric, garam masala, cardamom pods and some shredded mint and coriander.

Bit of garlic and ginger to in ghee to start us off.. does this butter curry paste even have butter in it...?

Browning the chopped up turkey breast fillets.

Then I add the paste and let that sizzle for a couple mins..

Now a bit of water and that frozen turkey thigh can go in to thaw. I probably should have defrosted it beforehand, but we can just simmer this until its definitely warm. After all, its already cooked.

I'll just use my blender on the cashews. Yep thats ground!

In go the cashews and cream. The turkey leg will have added plenty of fat as well. It's got to be "immensely high quality"!

As that cooks for a bit longer we can plate up the rice which is gently aromatic.

*****

All round nailed it! The curry is mild and creamy, but the cashew powder adds a nice depth of flavour. This feels like what that first korma should have been. Maybe some vegetables and paneer would make this even better, but that's not in the brief.

Breath of the Wild #59: Prime Poultry Curry

Ingredients: Raw Bird Thigh, Hylian Rice, Goron Spice

Description: "The secret to this curry's flavor is taking it off the heat while you add the spices."

Middle curry! I've got bird thighs, and the graphic also had drumsticks so ill do a couple drumsticks as well. Ugh, effort. I wanted to mix it up from the indian curries a bit and use this thai style penang paste that I really like.

I forgot what I put in the rice last time... im adding turmeric to make it yellow, a bit of salt and garam masala. Swish it around and steam it. 

Since its prime, and im making a stewed curry, lets throw in a couple veg. I've got onions, coriander and some water chestnuts too!

I started browning the chopped thighs and a couple whole drumsticks, and then added the onions and a bit of water too.

Once they are looking a bit more cooked I throw in the water chestnuts, and a few tablespoons of that curry paste... I know it says to "take it off the heat when adding spices" but we're about to add some cold liquid, much the same if you ask me.

And chase it up with the coconut milk. We can add more curry paste if its looking a bit pale.

Once thats had a good while on the heat ill throw in the chopped coriander, I also have chopped chives for the garnish.

Here's the mixed up rice, looking good and yellow.

*****

Can't fault the flavour, it's so good! I have no idea why i tried to eat this with chopsticks though, off a plate, look at it. Silly. Anyway yeah its really good I would make it again, but skip the bone-in meat.

Breath of the Wild #58: Poultry Curry

Ingredients: Raw Bird Drumstick, Hylian Rice, Goron Spice

Description: "The savory meat pairs well with the aroma of spice in this common curry."

Return of the korma! time for the poultry version of the basic meat curry. The most basic version of chicken I can think of is probably this boneless wing meat. It's cheap. This one features yellow rice so we can add in some spices to that I think. I got some chives for topping as well, but no other veg. I didn't end up using that pineapple relish jar so ignore that.

I'll yellow it up by mixing in plenty of turmeric, and then ive got some salt, pepper, cumin seed and coriander in there.

Just give that a mix. Sorry i forgot to take an "after" pic of the rice but youll see it in a bit.

Frying up the chicken chunks in butter. Already less watery than the pork I cooked from frozen so thats good. I guess I can also just add a bit of salt and pepper and coriander, since that other korma was so bland.

Splat in the korma, very classy, can leave that to simmer for a while. 

And for the garnish, instead of the seaweed salt im gonna try and bring in that missing onion flavour with plenty of chopped chives.

***

Huge improvement over that pork korma. A bit more going on with the flavours, the chicken is cheap but not tough. Buuuut... well.. it's still a bit bland isn't it? I can't really say its an above average curry. Maybe korma just isn't that good?