
Recipe: Lemon Curry Stir-Fry
by Dave Bealer

I come from a long line of good cooks...actually, it's more like a
wide line of good cooks.  Wizardry in the kitchen is the family
blessing, but eating too much of our conjurations is the family
curse.  Back in the mid-eighties I became fascinated with stir-fry
cooking.  This isn't too surprising, since I've always liked oriental
food.

It wasn't long before I started creating my own recipes.  One of my
more unusual creations is a sauce inspired by episode #33 of Monty
Python's Flying Circus.  That's the episode where various characters
throughout the program stop in mid-sentence and say, "Lemon curry?"
So here it is, my Lemon Curry Stir-Fry recipe:

     Sauce:
     -----
       2 teaspoons curry powder (mild or hot)
       1 tablespoon concentrated lemon juice
       2 slices fresh ginger root (minced)
       1 tablespoon Rice Vinegar
       1 tablespoon Rice Wine
       1 tablespoon Light Soy Sauce
       1 teaspoon minced garlic
         ground Szechuan Pepper (to taste)
         ground telicherry (black) pepper (to taste)
       2 tablespoons Peanut Oil


     Meat:  3/4 pound - 1 pound chicken, beef, or whatever you have
                 laying around.  Dice meat into cubes.

     Veggies:

     I always use diced onions, either green onions or spanish
     onions. Usually I include carrots, green peppers, fresh
     mushrooms and bean sprouts, when available.  Oriental tradition
     is to dice and/or slice the veggies into sizes/shapes similar to
     the meat.  For further oriental authenticity, you might try
     adding some canned (or fresh if you can get them) Bamboo Shoots
     and Water Chestnuts. 

 Directions:
 ----------
   Put peanut oil into hot wok, coat sides.
   Add ginger and garlic.  Fry for about 30 seconds.
   Add Onions and carrots.  Fry for about 2 minutes, while adding
     ground pepper (both kinds).
   Add meat and fry until slightly brown.
   Add green peppers, mushrooms.  Fry for about 2 minutes, while
     adding wine, vinegar, soy sauce, lemon juice and curry powder.
   Add bamboo shoots and/or water chestnuts, if used.  Fry for 1
     minute.  
   Add bean sprouts (or other soft vegetables), if used.
   Fry for about 30-45 seconds.
   Remove from heat.

If you REALLY want to go for the full Monty Python effect, why not
try SPAM as the meat in this dish?  If you need some, I have an
unopened can of SPAM left over from a Monty Python party/film
festival I hosted a couple years ago.                           {RAH}
                                                                 
