Oyster and Tomato Curry, made with SN2

SPICE CURRY SPICE PACK [Spice Curry Spice Pack Symphony No.2 / SN2] makes this Oyster and Tomato Curry.

Oysters take beautifully to the savour and acidity of tomato.
The trick to keeping the oysters plump is to add them right at the end, once the curry sauce is finished, and steam them briefly. The oyster liquor seeps through the tomato sauce and makes a proper spice curry.

When your spice curry turns out watery Are the whole spices in the starter bag meant to be eaten? Which spice do you add when you want more heat?

Ingredients (serves 4)

• SN2 / starter spices (the bag of whole spices): 1 bag
• SN2 / powder spices (the bag of ground spices): 1 bag
• Canned tomatoes (whole): 400g
• Onion: 1
• Naganegi (Japanese leek): 1
• Garlic: 10g grated (roughly 1–2 cloves)
• Ginger (grated): about 1 tbsp
• Oysters: about 200g
• Sugar: 2 tsp
• Salt: 1 tsp
• Soy sauce: 1 tbsp
• Balsamic vinegar: 1 tbsp (kurozu, Japanese black rice vinegar, also works; failing that, add the same amount of vinegar, lemon juice or another acidity)
• Mirin (sweet rice seasoning): 2 tsp
• Oil: 3 tbsp (use whichever oil you prefer; for this recipe we suggest white sesame oil)
• Water: 200ml

Preparation

• Grate the garlic and ginger
• Finely chop the onion.
• Cut the naganegi: 1 on the diagonal.
• Rub salt into the oysters, then rinse them under water about three times.

Method

1. Pour the oil: 3 tbsp into a pan, add the starter spices (the bag of whole spices), then set it over low heat.
   
   
2. Once the mustard seeds start to pop, add the grated garlic and ginger and stir them through the spices for about 30 seconds.
   
   
3. Add the onion, stir it through, then turn the heat to high and cook for about 12 minutes until the onion is amber, splashing in water as you go.
   
   
4. Once the onion is amber, switch to medium heat, add the canned tomatoes (whole), sugar: 2 tsp, salt: 1 tsp, soy sauce: 1 tbsp, balsamic vinegar: 1 tbsp, mirin: 2 tsp and water: 200ml, crushing the whole tomatoes as you stir them in.
   
   
5. When the tomatoes come to a gentle simmer, add all of the powder spices and stir, thinking of it as cooking the powder itself through, then simmer for about 5 minutes.
   
   
6. Add the naganegi, then the oysters, in that order, laying them on the surface of the curry as though floating them, cover the pan and simmer for a further 5 minutes.
   
   
7. Take off the lid, stir everything together, taste and adjust the salt.

That is it.

Inspice spice curry spice sets contain none of the chilli, cayenne or red pepper that usually carries the heat, so add as much as you like to suit your taste.