Quest for Curry: Cinnamon This Time

I’ve been trying to find a “just right for me” curry for awhile.  This is a variant of a variant of another recipe I’ve been tweaking, trying to find just the right “edge.”  Last time it was oregano, this time cinnamon.

2 tbsp olive oil
1 1/4 cups light coconut milk (one 14 oz can)
2 tbsp soy sauce
2 tsp sugar
1/4 tsp red pepper powder
1/2 tsp lemon juice
1 1/2 tbsp minced garlic
1 1/2 tbsp curry powder
1/4 tsp cinnamon powder
3 tbsp dried basil (should be 1/2 cup chopped fresh)

1) Shake can of coconut milk. Mix sugar, soy sauce, coconut milk.
2) Place the olive oil, red pepper, lemon juice, garlic, curry powder in a wok/pan.  Sautee on high until fragrant (once it starts sizzling this is only about 10-30 seconds).
3) Add milk mixture to the pan/wok.  Add basil if dried.  Add cinnamon  Bring to boil then simmer.  Simmer until it thickents, about 3-5 minutes.
4) If using fresh basil, stir in now and serve.

OK so my quest . . . continues.  I get heat but not enough flavor.  The cinnamon is better than oregano and adds a nice kick (it may in fact be too much) but it’s still a bit high on heat over flavor.  Not quite sure where to go – tempted to just get rid of the red pepper powder.

Served over peas and brown rice, 1 cup each.  Nice meal.

– Steven Savage

Steven Savage is a Geek 2.0 writer, speaker, blogger, and job coach.  He blogs on careers at http://www.fantopro.com/, nerd and geek culture at http://www.nerdcaliber.com/, and does a site of creative tools at http://www.seventhsanctum.com/. He can be reached at https://www.stevensavage.com/.