For Otto, the explorer
th e nutmeg trail a culinary journey along the ancient spice routes
Eleanor Ford
COnten How spice changed the world 6 Cultural diffusion along the spice routes 10 Golden nutmegs: the rise & fall of spicy excess 16 Cooking with spice 20 choosing, using & layering – a journey of flavours A note on the recipes 44
ts the first spice 46 Ginger’s fire & thunder
black gold 68 A family of peppercorns
The kebab empire 90
fragrant & floral 98 Petals, barks & other delights
Layers of spice & rice 116
the fiery import 124 Chillies arrive in Asia
Chillies in this book 129
lime leaves & lemongrass 152
Fresh spice pastes
earthy notes 178 Cumin loves coriander
Curry & conquerors 183
spice crescendo 206 Heady flavours & complex blends Redrawing the world 226 Spice miscellany 240
Timeline 242
Sources & further reading 248 Acknowledgements 249
Index 250
Chongqing hot glass noodle broth Suan la fen
China
Serves 2 One can’t consider chillies without visiting Sichuan,
FOR THE TOPPINGS
China’s spiciest region. It was here that the fruits
1 tablespoon neutral oil
first blazed into the country having crossed over
2 tablespoons raw red-skinned peanuts
the Himalayas, and here where they are used most
1 spring onion (scallion), sliced
keenly, combined with the piquancy of native
1/3 celery stalk, finely chopped
Sichuan peppercorns.
2 teaspoons zhaicai (pickled mustard stems), chopped
This lip-puckering hot-and-sour broth comes
Small handful coriander (cilantro) leaves
from the city of Chongqing, also famous for eye-wateringly fiery hotpots. Sweet potato noodles are made fresh by Sichuanese vendors,
Cook the sweet potato noodles following packet
who pass batter through sieve-like holes directly
instructions. It may suggest pre-soaking overnight
into boiling water, but can be bought dried in
but this can be fast-tracked to a few minutes using
Chinese supermarkets. Seek them out for their
warm water, if needed. When tender and slippery,
glorious, slippery transparency, which makes an
drain and rinse. Set aside.
agreeable contrast to the riot of crunchy toppings.
Prepare your toppings. Heat a wok over medium–
This is good made with Sichuan spiced chilli oil
high heat, add a slug of oil and when shimmering,
(page 137), in which case you can omit the sesame
add the peanuts. Stir-fry for 30 seconds, then
seeds but keep in the garlic, even if you’ve added
reduce the heat to low and continue to fry, stirring
it to the oil.
often, until the nuts are a deep golden brown. Remove with a slotted spoon and drain on kitchen paper.
250g (9oz) sweet potato noodles 350ml (scant 11/2 cups) unsalted vegetable
Divide the seasonings between two serving bowls.
or chicken stock
Heat up the stock and pour half in each, stirring to mix. Add the noodles.
FOR THE SEASONINGS
Sprinkle the toppings over and eat at once.
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped 2 tablespoons Chinese chilli oil, plus 1 tablespoon sediment 2 tablespoons chinkiang black vinegar 2 tablespoons light soy sauce 1 teaspoon toasted sesame seeds 1/2 teaspoon roasted, ground Sichuan pepper THE NUTMEG TRAIL
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Pork shoulder vindaloo Vindaloo
India
Serves 3–4 An assertive, almost pickle-sour braise resulting
FOR THE SPICE PASTE
from three continents’ ingredients and ideas
4 teaspoons Kashmiri chilli powder
coming together. It is notably not, however, the
1 teaspoon fine sea salt
vindaloo that has evolved in British Indian curry
3/4 teaspoon ground cumin
houses, which holds the dubious honour of being
3/4 teaspoon ground coriander
the hottest dish on the menu. Here, the intensely
3/4 teaspoon black mustard seeds
red masala comes from Kashmiri chilli powder,
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
which brings more in colour and flavour than heat.
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
The dish is from the Catholic community of
1/2 teaspoon ground turmeric
Goa, with roots in a Portuguese pickled pork dish
4 cloves
called carne de vinho e alhos. Fifteenth-century
4 green cardamom pods, seeds only
spice-seekers from Portugal brought the notion
4 garlic cloves, minced
to India, where it acquired local spices. Another key
3cm (11/4 inches) ginger, peeled and minced (1 tablespoon)
addition were chillies, also newly imported by the
60ml (1/4 cup) wine vinegar
Portuguese from the Americas. It is a dish forged in a time of empire building and appropriation, but emerges as an exemplar of integration.
Mix together all the ingredients for the paste in
Choose a slightly fatty cut of pork for unctuous
a bowl. Toss in the pork, staining it brick red, and
results, and make a day ahead if you can. This will
marinate for 2–3 hours, or overnight in the fridge.
allow the flavours to mellow and mingle.
Over a medium heat, warm the oil in a casserole pan and fry the onion until soft and pale golden. Add the pork and its marinade and cook, stirring
500g (1lb 2oz) pork shoulder, cut into 3cm
frequently, for 5–10 minutes until the spice paste
(11/4 inch) chunks
starts to brown.
3 tablespoons neutral oil 2 large onions, finely sliced
Stir in the tomatoes, tamarind and jaggery. Loosen
3 medium ripe tomatoes, chopped
with a small splash of water. Bring to a bubble
2 teaspoons tamarind paste
then cover and turn the heat right down. Simmer
2 teaspoons jaggery or brown sugar
for 1 hour or more, stirring occasionally. The pork should be tender and the masala thick and clinging – partially remove the lid towards the end of cooking if it needs to reduce. Rest before serving or make in advance.
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Curried udon noodles Yaki udon
Japan
Serves 2 A quick and immensely satisfying one-wok meal.
1 tablespoon neutral oil
Get cooking now and you could be eating in
1 onion, thickly sliced
15 minutes, or read on for a little history.
8 shiitake mushrooms, sliced 50g (2oz) mange tout (snowpeas)
In the past 150 years, Japan has become a nation of curry lovers with a heavily Japanised influence on
2 baby bok choy, quartered
the Indian flavours. Curray, as it is locally known, is
3 spring onions (scallions), cut at an angle into 3cm (11/4 inch) pieces
served donburi-style over rice with pickles, cooked into rich noodle soups or stuffed into the slightly
2 garlic cloves, minced
sweet buns of every convenience store. It is also a
300g (101/2oz) fresh udon noodles (or 200g/7oz dried, cooked)
favourite for school lunches and the home cook with whole supermarket aisles dedicated to provisions,
1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
including curry spice blends sold in mild, medium
2 scant teaspoons curry powder
and (only nominally) hot. Much like Western curry
Grinding of black pepper
powders, the base of these is turmeric, coriander
3 tablespoons mirin
and cumin, with aroma from spices including
2 tablespoons Japanese soy sauce
cardamom, cloves and fennel. Unique to Japan
Juice of 1/2 a lime
are caramel slabs called curry roux. Made from fat, flour, curry powder and soy sauce, these melt
OPTIONAL TOPPINGS
in the pan to a smooth brown sauce.
Pink pickled ginger Aonori (dried seaweed powder) or shredded nori
A couple of theories for curry’s introduction
Toasted sesame seeds
to the country could explain the flour-thickened sauces. It may have crossed from Shanghai, where there was a large Indian population, the
Heat the wok, then add the oil and onion and fry
flour-thickener being an influence from Chinese
to soften. Add the shiitake, mange tout, bok choy
cookery. Or it could have been introduced via the
and spring onions and cook for 5 minutes more
British, who held India under colonial rule and were
over a medium–high heat, stirring frequently.
themselves fusing Indian flavours with roux-based
Add the garlic and cook for just a minute longer.
stews. Either way, the habit is now fully ingrained
Untangle the noodles into the wok then toss
in Japanese cuisine, acting as comfort food that
through the sesame oil, curry powder and a
can be eaten without the need of ceremony.
generous grinding of black pepper. Add the mirin
Chewy udon noodles might be curried either in
and soy sauce and let the noodles warm through
a thick soup (using curry roux) or quickly stir-fried
and soak up most of the sauce. Spritz in the lime
yaki-style (with curry powder) as here. The bitterness
juice and remove from the heat. Portion into bowls
of the bok choy plays off beautifully against the
and, if using, scatter with the toppings.
gloss of the salty-sweet, earthy-spiced mirin.
201
earth y n o te s
Spiced beef mArtAbAk Martabak
Indonesia
Makes 14 These crunchy pastry envelopes stuffed with a
Heat 1 tablespoon of oil in a frying pan over a
juicy meat filling are one of Indonesia’s most
medium heat. Cook the shallot, garlic and ginger
popular street food snacks. Their origins are
to soften. Stir through the spices so you are hit by
thought to be halfway around the earth in the
their fragrance. Add the beef and salt, breaking up
Indian communities of Yemen, from where they
the mince and stir-frying until brown and cooked
spread with traders across the Muslim world,
through. Cool, or chill if making in advance.
adapting significantly to the flavours of each port.
When you are ready to cook the martabak, stir the
The name is universal, a lingering linguistic clue
eggs, spring onions and herbs into the filling. Lay
to the shared origin, whether you are snacking
a few wonton wrappers on a flat surface. Spread a
in Bangkok, Brunei or Kuwait.
spoonful of filling on each square and lay another
Watching kaki lima vendors make savoury
square on top. It should lie flat with the filling almost
martabak is pure performance art as they deftly
to the edge. Press the edges so they are more or
stretch dough until translucently thin, then fold it
less sealed. Repeat to use up all the ingredients.
around the filling. I have an easy cheat for those of us less adroit, using wonton wrappers, which
In a large frying pan, heat enough oil for shallow
crisp and bubble beautifully in the hot oil.
frying over a medium heat until shimmering. Fry the martabak in batches for about 1 minute on each side. They should be blistered and golden.
Neutral oil, for shallow frying
Drain on kitchen paper and serve at once.
2 shallots, finely chopped 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
EAT WITH
1cm (1/2 inch) ginger, peeled and minced (1 teaspoon)
A good chilli sambal or dipping sauce is essential.
1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
You could try the Ginger chilli sambal (page 63).
1/4 teaspoon ground cumin 1/4 teaspoon ground turmeric 1/2 teaspoon ground chilli 250g (9oz) minced beef 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt 2 large eggs, beaten 3 spring onions (scallions), finely sliced Handful celery leaves or parsley leaves, chopped 28 wonton wrappers (approx. 280g/10oz)
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Griddled pita stuffed with sumAc-spiced meAt Arayes
Middle East and Levant
Serves 4 A wonderful addition to the kebab culinary canon
Mix together the minced meat, tomato paste,
and a reversal of the usual order of things, as meat
pine nuts, spices, salt and parsley.
is wedged into pita bread before being griddled. In
Cut the pita breads down one side and spread
Arabic, arayes means ‘brides’ and here she is, the
the filling in each in a thin and even layer. Brush the
delicately spiced filling, enveloped in the arms of
outsides with olive oil.
her groom, the bread. The marriage is undeniably burger-like but even quicker to prepare and with
Heat a griddle pan to medium–high. Grill the
enticing sour and smoky notes from the sumac
pitas, pressing down with a spatula and flipping
and paprika.
occasionally. A quarter turn in the pan will give you
These kebabs work well made in advance and
crisscross markings. They will probably take about
packed up to cook on a campfire, if you are that
8–10 minutes in total, depending on your bread and
way inclined.
how rare you like your meat. The pita should be well toasted and the meat cooked to a juicy pink or well done.
450g (1lb) beef or lamb mince
Serve drizzled with pomegranate molasses.
1 heaped tablespoon tomato paste (concentrated purée) 1 heaped tablespoon pine nuts, toasted
EAT WITH
1 heaped teaspoon ground sumac
Crunchy salad with tomatoes, herbs and perhaps
1 heaped teaspoon smoked paprika
a tahini dressing. You can make one by mixing
3/4 teaspoon ground allspice
Greek-style (strained) yoghurt with a minced
3/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
garlic clove, a few spoonfuls of tahini and
3 tablespoons finely chopped parsley
seasoning with salt.
4 large pita breads Olive oil, for brushing Pomegranate molasses, to serve
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