This story and recipe is by Carolyn Boquist, one of the home chefs who is participating at at UBC Farm on June 10.
My sisters and I grew up in a bi-racial family. My mom left the Philippines in her mid-20s and my dad is ethnically from Goa (India) and born and raised in Hong Kong. This marriage of cultural influences meant we went for dim sum regularly (where my Dad ordered in perfect Cantonese), ate curries and chapatis, Filipino food, and anything out of my moms North American cookbook. My parents hosted dinner parties all the time. As their daughters, we dutifully handed out appetizers, made sure the drinks were topped and helped with the clearing of the plates.
My parents were a great team. They also kept a vegetable garden. This meant we went through the beet years, (even to this day two of my sisters cant stand the sight of them) and the zucchini years (who knew you could make so many dishes with zucchini?). There were plums and apples that turned into jams and chutneys.
Now, I am a busy working mother of two. I am co-owner of a contemporary design shop on Cambie Street called Walrus. My sisters and I are as close as any parents could hope their children to be. We love food, cook and bake from scratch.We are doing our best to raise our children in the same manner we were raised. We are rooted in family, where contributing to the household is not rewarded with money, but with the expectation that we all have to take part in our home lives.
I love my mixed nationality and I hope my kids do too, because theyre even more mixed than I am!
Serves 6 - 8
Masala Paste:
10 dried whole, red chillies (or according to taste)
2 tsp cumin seeds
1 tsp black peppercorns
10 cardamom seeds
2 inch cinnamon
1 tsp fenugreek seeds
1 1/2 tsp black mustard seeds
Blend above ingredients in a coffee grinder and grind until smooth.
Mix the following and add to the ground ingredients:
1/4 cup white vinegar
2 tsp brown sugar
1/2 small can tomato paste
Stir well and set aside.
Lamb curry:
1 kg lamb loin roast, cut into 1 cubes
2 medium onions sliced
1/4 - 1/3 cup oil
2 Tbs finely chopped garlic
2 Tbs finely grated ginger
1 Tbs coriander powder
1 tsp turmeric powder
1 1/2 cup water
salt to taste
In a heavy bottomed pan, fry onions until well caramelized. Add the garlic and ginger and sauté until browned. Remove onions, garlic and ginger from pan and set aside.
In small batches with the oil remaining in the pan, brown the meat and set aside. Return onion mixture to pan and add masala paste, turmeric and coriander. Stir and sauté for a few minutes or until oil floats to the top. Add the lamb, salt and water. Stir and simmer, covered, for about an hour, stirring occasionally.
