Burmese Shrimp Curry and Smoky Napa Stir-Fry

I am insanely jealous of Naomi

Duguid. This writer, photographer, cook

and traveller has made a career out seeing of the world and bringing it home in

cookbooks. What a dream job for a foodie

with wanderlust! Duguid has written six

books about Asian cooking alone and this year came out with “Burma: Rivers of

Flavor” (Artisan 2013). The book won the

International Association of Culinary Professionals (ICAP) 2013 award for

Culinary Travel for Naomi and her co-author Jeff Alford. Burma, or Myanmar, is a country steeped in

mystery. An ancient civilization, it

became a British colony in the 1800s and only gained independence in 1948. Unfortunately Independence heralded the

arrival of one of the longest civil wars ever recorded. In fact, it was untouched by the outside

world for generations and really has only opened up in 2010. As a result, it is

one of the least-developed countries in the entire world.

To

get to know its culture, what better way to learn than through its food. That’s what Duguid has done in her book. It not only features recipes, it tells the

story of the country through amazing photographs of its geography and its

people. At the crossroads of China, India and Thailand, it absorbed the

influences of its neighbors and then created a cuisine all its own. The country of 50,000,000 people is filled

with ethnic groups that also influence what it eats and where. The Buddhists avoid beef and the Muslims

avoid pork. There’s a healthy vegetarian

culture but most recipes call for fish or meat broths.

In the end, what you learn about Burma is that

its cuisine is unlike any other Asian style of cooking. It took techniques from

China, breads and biryanis from India and shares ingredients found in Thai

cooking. The techniques may be the same but the food is

decidedly not. I chose to make two

dishes that immediately caught my eye: One was for a simple shrimp curry and

the other for a stir-fry of cabbage that was recommended as

a side dish to accompany it. These

recipes were very simple to make. And

their ingredients are easy to find in any large supermarket—particularly one

with an Asian food aisle. In fact, aside

from the Fish and Oyster Sauces, you don’t even have to haunt that aisle to put

these dishes on your dinner table. Even

the chiles they contain are given a list of easy-to-find chile

substitutes. What was amazing about

these results is that this not fire-eating Asian or Indian cuisine. If

anything, Andrew and I might have squirted a little sriracha into both because

we like heat. But you could probably

serve this to a young child without getting a grimace. Tomatoes are a great foil for shrimp and this

dish is beautiful to look at. Although the original recipe gave the lime as an

optional ingredient, do not leave it out. It elevates the entire dish. The side dish, a stir fry of Napa Cabbage,

gets its somewhat smoky flavor from the Oyster Sauce but again, it’s mild and tame.

Here are the recipes for a dinner that you

can get on the table in well under an hour.

Recipe for Burmese Shrimp Curry from

Naomi Duguid’s “Burma:Rivers of Flavor.”

Serves 4. Under 30 minutes to make.

medium, and cook, stirring frequently, until softened and translucent, about 2

minutes.

2. Add the tomatoes and cook for several minutes at a medium boil,

stirring occasionally, until the tomatoes are well softened and the oil has

risen to the surface.

3. Add the water and fish sauce, bring to a medium boil, and add the shrimp.

Cook for several minutes, or until the shrimp start to turn pink, then toss in

the minced chiles and salt, stir briefly, and remove from the heat. Taste and

adjust the seasoning if necessary.

4. Turn out into a bowl, top with the coriander leaves, if using, and put out

lime wedges, if you wish. Serve hot or at room temperature.

Recipe for

Smoky Napa Cabbage Stir Fry from Naomi Duguid’s “Burma: Rivers of Flavor”

Serves 4. Takes under 30 minutes to make.

1 scant

Tbsp. oyster sauce

1. Cut the

cabbage crosswise into ¼-inch strips, then slice them crosswise to make

bite-sized pieces (You should have 4 loosely packed cups.). Place in a bowl of

cold water to wash thoroughly, then lift out, drain and set aside.

2. Pour the

hot water into a small bowl, add the oyster sauce and stir well. Set aside.

3. Place a

medium or large wok or large deep skillet over high heat. Add the oil, then

lower the heat to medium-high and stir in the turmeric. Add the chiles, shallot

and ginger and stir-fry about 30 seconds, until the shallot starts to soften. Raise

the heat to high, add the chopped cabbage and salt, and stir-fry, tossing and

pressing the greens against the hot sides of the pan. When they have wilted and

softened, about 2 to 3 minutes, add the oyster sauce mixture. Bring to a boil,

turn and stir for another 15 seconds or so to distribute flavors and finish

cooking the greens, then turn out into a wide shallow bowl. Serve hot or at room temperature.