Cambodian chicken curry or pie filling (Kyneton bakery)

Serves 4-6

Ingredients

CURRY PASTE

  • 100 g lemongrass powder
  • 2 cloves garlic
  • 1 tsp turmeric
  • 2 kaffir lime leaves
  • 20 g galangal
  • 3-5 curry leaves
  • 10 g chilli powder (optional)
  • 10 g annatto seeds (curry leaf seed)

Blend in a food processor till smooth or paste.

Ingredients for CURRY

  • 100 ml olive oil
  • 1 L coconut milk
  • 1 L chicken stock
  • 100 g brown sugar
  • 70 g chicken seasoning
  • ½ tsp salt
  • 2 kg diced chicken
  • 300 g diced sweet potato
  • 300 g potato
  • 300 g diced carrot
  • 200 g diced eggplant (optional)

Slurry (for pie filling only)

  • 175 g cornstarch
  • 220 ml water

Method

1. Heat olive oil in a pot, when hot add all curry paste and stir till lightly brown.

2. Add chicken and stir well till lightly cooked and then add coconut milk, simmer for 10 minutes.

3. Add Curry Ingredients: brown sugar, chicken seasoning, salt and all vegetables, and bring to boil.

4. Mix the thickening agent and water and all the slurry until it is well combined.

Note: This step is only for making pie filling only.  For a complete meal, this can be served with rice, bread roll or vermicelli noodles if you don’t want to stuff your puff or shortcrust pastry sheets.


Fig and fennel pull-apart bread

A Nordic, more savoury dough to be enjoyed with butter and black coffee – easy to make.

Ingredients

  • 125 g(4½ oz/½ cup) Greek-style yoghurt
  • 1 large egg, at room temperature
  • 3 Tabs olive oil
  • 2 tsp dried instant yeast
  • 225 g (8 oz/1½ cups) plain (all-purpose) flour, plus extra for dusting
  • 225 g (8 oz/1½ cups) wholemeal (whole-wheat) flour
  • 1 Tab raw sugar
  • ½ tsp salt

Filling

  • 185 g(6½ oz/1 cup) soft dried figs, chopped
  • 30 g(1 oz) butter, melted
  • 100 g(3½ oz) fennel bulb, very thinly sliced
  • 1 tsp crushed fennel seeds
  • 1 tsp sea salt
  • 2 Tab dark brown sugar

    This recipe makes 1 x 800 g ( 1lb 12 oz ) loaf.

    Rising time 45 minutes

    Mix the yoghurt, egg and olive oil together in a bowl with 170 ml (6 fl oz/⅔ cup) of water until well combined. Stir in the instant yeast to dissolve.

    Gradually add the flours, sugar and salt and mix everything together to form an elastic dough, then tip onto a clean floured work surface and knead for 2–3 minutes until smooth. Transfer the dough to a lightly greased bowl, cover with a clean tea towel and leave to rise for 30 minutes.

    While the dough is rising, prepare the filling by putting all the ingredients in a bowl and gently tossing together.

    Once risen, transfer the dough to the work surface and form into a snake-shaped log about 60 cm (24 in) long. Fold the log back on itself to create a ‘U’ shape with a trough running down the middle of the dough.

    Line the trough with the filling ingredients then, holding the end of the dough with two ends, twist the opposite end clockwise three times on itself. Filling will go everywhere, but you can stuff it back in the right places once you have your basic twisted shape. Place the shaped loaf in a greased and floured 25 cm x 12 cm (10 in x 4½ in) loaf tin and set aside to rise for another 15 minutes.

    Preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F/Gas 4).

    Once risen, transfer the loaf tin to the oven and bake for approximately 40 minutes, or until the loaf is lightly golden and sounds hollow when tapped. Turn out and serve warm, spread with butter and accompanied by a pot of coffee.

    Cook’s notes

    Oven temperatures are for conventional; if using fan-forced (convection), reduce the temperature by 20˚C. | We use Australian tablespoons and cups: 1 teaspoon equals 5 ml; 1 tablespoon equals 20 ml; 1 cup equals 250 ml. | All herbs are fresh (unless specified) and cups are lightly packed. | All vegetables are medium size and peeled, unless specified. | All eggs are 55-60 g, unless specified.