Penang Shallot Relish Chung Gao Jai Recipes

CRANBERRY-SHALLOT RELISH

Steps:

• Heat oil in heavy large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add shallots and sauté until beginning to brown, about 8 minutes. Add Marsala and sugar and stir until sugar dissolves. Add cranberries, curry powder and mustard. Bring to boil, reduce heat to medium and boil gently until berries pop, stirring occasionally, about 7 minutes. Remove from heat and mix in ginger. Cool. Season relish to taste with salt. Cover and refrigerate. (Can be prepared 3 days ahead. Keep refrigerated.)

GEORGIAN PICKLES

Steps:

• 1. Combine the vinegar, water, salt, and sugar in a nonreactive saucepan and bring to a boil over high heat. Remove from the heat and stir in the garlic, cilantro, dill, and hot peppers. Let the mixture cool to room temperature, about 1 hour. Correct the seasoning, adding sugar to taste.2. Meanwhile, trim the lettuce and cut into 1-inch wedges. Rinse the tomatoes and cucumbers under cold running water, blot dry with paper towels, and prick 5 to 6 times with a fork. Cut the watermelon, both rind and flesh, into 1-inch wedges. Divide the vegetables and melon among three clean 1-quart jars. Add enough cooled pickling mixture to cover. Press a piece of plastic wrap directly on top of the mixture in each jar to keep the vegetables submerged.3. Cover the jars, placing another piece of plastic wrap between the mouth of the jar and the lid. (The second piece of plastic wrap will prevent the vinegar from corroding the metal lid.) Let the vegetables pickle, in the refrigerator, for at least 3 days. The pickles will keep, tightly covered in the refrigerator, for several weeks.Makes about 3 quarts enough to serve 10 to 12

LEMONGRASS SAMBAL

Steps:

• 1. Place the lemongrass, shallots, garlic, chile, tomato with its juices, the ginger, turmeric, and palm sugar in a food processor. Process to a coarse paste. Add the Tamarind Water, sweet soy sauce, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Process to blend.2. Heat the oil in a wok or frying pan over medium heat. Add the lemongrass mixture. Cook, stirring with a wooden spoon, until lightly browned and very fragrant, about 10 minutes. Season to taste with additional salt and pepper. Cool to room temperature before serving. This delicious sambal will keep, tightly covered in the refrigerator, for up to 1 week.Makes about 1 1/4 cups enough to serve 4 to 6

GUYANESE MANGO FIRE RELISH

Steps:

• Combine the mangoes, chile, garlic, 2 teaspoons salt, the sugar, 1/3 cup lime juice, and 2 tablespoons water in a blender and purée until smooth. Add more water as needed to obtain a thick but pourable sauce. Correct the seasoning, adding more salt or lime juice as necessary. The relish will keep, tightly covered in the refrigerator, for up to 1 week.Makes about 2 cups enough to serve 8

HAITIAN SLAW / PIKLIZ

Steps:

• 1. Prepare the dressing. Combine the vinegar, sour orange juice, salt, pepper, and cloves in a 2-quart crock, jar, or large nonreactive bowl. Whisk until the salt dissolves.2. Stir in the cabbage, carrots, celery, onion, scallions, garlic, and chiles. Cover the crock with plastic wrap and let the slaw pickle in the refrigerator for at least 24 hours before serving. Stir several times to ensure even curing. The slaw can be made up to a week in advance store, tightly covered, in the refrigerator.Serves 8 to 10

PINEAPPLE ACHAR

Steps:

• Combine 1 tablespoon each fish sauce, lime juice, and sugar in an attractive bowl and whisk until the sugar dissolves. Stir in the pineapple and chile. Taste for seasoning, adding more fish sauce, lime juice, or sugar as necessary the mixture should be sweet, fruity, tart, and a little salty. Serve immediately.Makes about 3 cups enough to serve 6

MOROCCAN SHALLOT RELISH

Steps:

• Combine the shallots, parsley, oil, and lemon juice in a mixing bowl and toss to mix. Add 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper and toss again. Correct the seasoning, adding more salt, pepper, and lemon juice, if desired. The relish is best served within 2 hours of preparing.Makes about 1 cup enough to serve 4

PENANG SHALLOT RELISH / CHUNG GAO JAI

Steps:

• Place the shallots in a large bowl and add 1/2 cup lime juice, 1 1/2 teaspoons salt, the sugar, 1 tablespoon sambal ulek, and the water, stirring until the sugar is dissolved. Correct the seasoning, adding salt, lime juice, or sambal ulek to taste. The sambal will taste good right away and even better after 30 minutes, as the flavors blend and merge.Makes about 1 1/4 cups enough to serve 4 to 6