Thai and Indian flavors with Susan Feniger and Mary Sue...

SUSAN FENIGER AND MARY SUE MILLIKEN BEGAN AS SEPARATE CAREERS IN HIGH SCHOOL.

MARY SUE IN MICHIGAN, SUSAN IN OHIO.

LATER, SUSAN TRAINED AT THE CULINARY INSTITUTE OF AMERICA, AND MARY SUE AT THE HILTON HOTELS IN CHICAGO.

THE TWO EVENTUALLY MET AT ONE OF CHICAGO'S TOP RESTAURANTS, "THE LE PERROQUET" WHERE THEY APPRENTICED UNDER FAME CHEF OWNER, JOVAN.

AFTER A SEASON IN FRANCE FOR EACH, THEY FINALLY TEAMED UP TOGETHER IN 1982 AT CITY CAFE IN LOS ANGELES WHERE THEIR FOOD WAS ACCLAIMED FOR ITS ORIGINALITY AND EXCELLENT QUALITY.

MORE RECENTLY, MARY SUE HAS PLUNGED INTO THAI CUISINE AFTER EXTENSIVE TRAVELS THERE AND SUSAN HAS BEEN EXPLORING INDIA.

WE VISITED THEM AT THEIR RESTAURANT CALLED, "CITY" AND WE WENT INSIDE THEIR BUSY KITCHEN WHERE WE PEERED INTO THEIR TANDOORI OVEN.

THEN WE ACCOMPANIED THEM TO CHEF MARY SUE'S HOME KITCHEN DESIGNED FOR HER BY HER ARCHITECT HUSBAND, FOR A LESSON IN CONTEMPORARY, FAR EASTERN, VEGETARIAN COOKING.

THEY'RE A LIVELY PAIR OF TEACHERS AS YOU WILL SEE.

FIRST A REFRESHING THAI SALAD WITH THREE KINDS OF RIPE MELON DRESSED WITH A SPICY SAUCE.

TODAY WE'RE GOING TO START WITH A THREE MELON SALAD WITH THAI, SHRIMP AND PEANUT SAUCE.

THIS IS A DISH ON OUR MENU AT CITY RESTAURANT AND IT'S INSPIRED FROM A TRIP I TOOK TO BANGKOK.

A LOT OF THE DISHES ON OUR MENU ARE INSPIRED FROM DIFFERENT CITIES FROM AROUND THE WORLD AND THE FOOD THAT WE'VE EATEN ON THE STREETS THERE.

ONE OF THE REASONS I LOVE THIS DISH IS BECAUSE IT TAKES MELON AND YOU'RE ABLE TO USE MELON IN A WAY THAT'S VERY DIFFERENT FROM WHAT WE TRADITIONALLY DO.

WE BEGIN WITH A THAI FISH SAUCE.

NOW THIS COULD BE MADE FROM DRIED SHRIMP, DRIED OYSTERS, ANCHOVIES, AND IF THIS IS NOT AVAILABLE FOR YOU, YOU COULD ALWAYS USE SOY SAUCE AS A REPLACEMENT.

AND THAT WILL WORK JUST FINE AND THE NEXT INGREDIENT IS A COCONUT PALM SUGAR.

NOW THIS IS SIMILAR TO BROWN SUGAR IN FLAVOR, BUT IT'S A LITTLE MILDER AND BROWN SUGAR MAKES A FINE SUBSTITUTE.

NOW THE NEXT INGREDIENT IS THE, ARE THESE KAFFIR LIME LEAVES.

NOW THESE HAVE AN INCREDIBLE BOUQUET, BUT IF YOU CAN'T GET A HOLD OF THIS, YOU CAN ALWAYS USE FRESH LIME ZEST WHICH IS JUST THE GREEN OF THE LIME AND WHAT WE DO IS THE SMALL TRICK WHERE, WE USE PLASTIC WRAP, WE WRAP IT AROUND A ZESTER AND THEN BEING CAREFUL NOT TO GET ANYTHING OTHER THAN THE GREEN OF THE LIME BECAUSE THE WHITE OFTEN IS VERY BITTER, WE TURN THE LIME AND THEN WE UNWRAP THE PLASTIC WRAP AND THIS MAKES IT VERY EASY TO GET YOUR ZEST OFF IT.

WITH THE BACKSIDE OF A KNIFE, I JUST SCRAPE MY KNIFE ALONG THE PLASTIC AND YOU CAN SEE THEN YOU HAVE THE ZEST.

WITHOUT YOUR ZESTER GETTING TOO DIRTY, AND THEN THE NEXT INGREDIENT IS THAT WE TAKE FRESH LIME JUICE.

NOW WHENEVER I'M SQUEEZING A FRESH PIECE OF CITRUS, I ROLL IT TO RELEASE THE JUICES, AND THEN IF I DON'T HAVE A JUICER AROUND, I TAKE MY KITCHEN FORK, PUT IT INTO THE PIECE OF FRUIT, SQUEEZE THE FRUIT AND TURN THE FORK.

NOW OFTEN THIS IS HANDY BECAUSE SOMETIMES YOUR LIMES WILL BE SO HARD YOU CAN'T GET ALL THE JUICE OUT.

AND THEN THE NEXT INGREDIENTS THAT GO INTO THE THAI MELON SALAD ARE THE TOASTED PEANUTS - THESE ARE THE UNSALTED PEANUTS, AND THEN THE DRIED SHRIMP.

NOW DRIED SHRIMP IS SOMETHING THAT YOU CAN FIND IN THAI MARKETS OR ALL ORIENTAL MARKETS, SOME LATIN MARKETS.

THEY'RE KIND OF A SALTY CONDIMENT AND WHEN WE GRIND THEM UP WHICH WE'RE GOING TO DO IN THIS LITTLE FOOD GRINDER, THEY USE THEM ALMOST LIKE SALT.

THAT'S RIGHT, IN THIS DISH YOU WANT TO BE VERY CAREFUL BECAUSE THE DRIED SHRIMP ARE SALTY, THE FISH SAUCE THAT WE ADDED IS SALTY.

THAT'S WHY WE WANT TO USE UNSALTED PEANUTS SO YOU CAN HAVE SOME CONTROL OVER HOW MUCH SALTINESS YOU HAVE IN THIS DISH.

NOW, WE'RE GOING TO CHOP THESE REALLY FINELY, GRIND THEM UP TILL WE GET A NICE, WELL ALMOST A POWDER.

THERE WE GO AND THEN WE'RE GOING TO GO AHEAD AND ADD THE PEANUT.

WE JUST WANT TO HAVE A ROUGH CHOP OF THE PEANUT ACTUALLY.

SOMETIMES YOU HAVE TO BE CAREFUL IF YOU DO IT TOO MUCH, THE OIL, IT BECOMES LIKE PEANUT BUTTER AND SO THAT'S WHY YOU ADD IT AT THE END.

NOW THERE IS NO OIL IN THIS SALAD DRESSING AT ALL EXCEPT FOR THE ONLY THING IS THIS LITTLE BIT OF PEANUTS, THAT ADDS A LITTLE RICHNESS TO THE DRESSING FOR THE MELON SALAD.

AND I JUST, I'M GOING TO STIR THIS AND SOMETIMES IT MAY BE ADDITIONAL JUICE THAT YOU NEED TO ADD IF THE PEANUTS AND THE SHRIMP ABSORB TO MUCH.

YOU WANT TO MAKE SURE THE SUGAR'S ALL DISSOLVED, SO THAT'S WHY I'M STIRRING HERE TO MAKE SURE THE SUGAR GETS DISSOLVED.

SO FIRST WE'RE GOING TO CHOP GARLIC, SO I TAKE A CLOVE OF PEELED GARLIC AND NOW, I'M GONNA, YOU USE A ROCKING MOTION AND I WANT TO GO AHEAD AND SLICE REAL THIN SLICES, AND I'M USING AS A GUIDE THIS MIDDLE KNUCKLE ON MY FINGER KEEPING MY THUMB IN THE BACK AND THEN ROCKING THE KNIFE TO GO RIGHT THROUGH THE GARLIC AND THEN TURN IT AND CHOP IT AGAIN, THROUGH THE OTHER DIRECTION.

AND THEN KEEP CHOPPING HERE TO MAKE IT A NICE FINE CHOP.

SO THEN, THERE'S OUR CHOPPED GARLIC AND I'M GONNA ADD JUST A LITTLE BIT MORE THAT WE HAVE ALREADY CHOPPED HERE.

AND THE SERRANO CHILES.

NOW, THESE ARE A VERY SPICY CHILE, AND THE SEEDS ARE THE SPICIEST PART, WHAT WE DO, WE LIKE SPICY FOOD, SO WE GO AHEAD AND AGAIN, USING A ROCKING MOTION AND CUTTING IT AT AN ANGLE, WE CUT THIN SLICES WITH THE SEEDS IN.

AND WHAT YOU CAN DO ALSO IF YOU'RE AFRAID OF HAVING A DISH BE TOO SPICY, IS JUST CHOP YOUR CHILES, KEEP THEM ON THE SIDE HERE AND THEN ADD THEM AS YOU WOULD SALT OR PEPPER, JUST ENOUGH AND THEN TASTE IT, AND THEN ADD A LITTLE BIT MORE.

YOU DON'T PUT IT ALL IN AT ONCE BECAUSE THEN YOU MIGHT, YOU CAN'T TAKE IT BACK OUT.

THE NEXT INGREDIENT I WANT TO TALK ABOUT IS FRESH CILANTRO.

WE USE THIS QUITE A BIT IN OUR FOOD.

IT'S USED IN THE THAI KITCHEN, THE INDIA KITCHEN, THE MEXICAN KITCHEN.

YOU DON'T HAVE TO BE VERY CAREFUL ABOUT GETTING JUST THE LEAVES THEMSELVES, THE STEMS HAVE A LOT OF FLAVOR.

THEY'RE WONDERFUL TO USE IN THIS SAUCE.

SO, I'M JUST PICKING SOME OF THE LEAVES OFF AND SOME OF THE STEMS.

I'M GONNA TAKE A LITTLE BIT EXTRA FROM HERE, THEN I'M GONNA CHOP JUST LIKE MARY SUE WAS CHOPPING, AGAIN WITH THE ROCKING MOTION, BEING CAREFUL NOT TO OVERCHOP SO THAT WE LOSE ALL THE FLAVOR ON THE BOARD, THAT WE ACTUALLY KEEP IT IN THE CILANTRO ITSELF.

AGAIN, I TURN ALL THE LEAVES, CHOP ONE MORE TIME FOR A ROUGH CHOP, AND THEN THIS IS ALL GOING INTO THE BOWL.

THEN I'M GONNA MIX AND THAT'S GOING TO BE THE END OF OUR SAUCE.

AND I'M GONNA START ON THE MELON.

NOW, WHEN CHOOSING A MELON, I LIKE TO LOOK FOR IT BEING PRETTY SOFT AND AFTER PUSHING IN AND IT'S PRETTY SOFT, I SMELL, AND IF IT HAS A REAL STRONG MELON KIND OF SWEET PERFUMEY SMELL, THEN I KNOW THAT ONE'S GOING TO BE NICE AND FLAVORFUL.

SO, WHAT YOU WANT TO DO, IT'S HARD TO CUT A ROLLING TARGET.

SO THE FIRST THING YOU DO IS SLICE OFF THE ENDS AND THEN IT GIVES YOU A FLAT SIDE TO WORK ON.

AND THEN YOU WANT TO, YOU WANT TO GET THE RIND OFF AND YOU WANT TO GO NOT TOO DEEP BUT DEEP ENOUGH SO THAT YOU'RE DOWN TO THE NICE RIPE FLAVORFUL MELON.

YOU GO AHEAD AND CUT IT IN HALF,...

THERE, AND THEN YOU WANT TO SCRAPE THE SEEDS OUT, THERE WE GO.

AND THEN WE'RE GOING TO DICE IT.

WE USE THREE MELONS IN THIS DISH AND THEY'RE ALL DICED THE SAME WAY.

SO I FIRST CUT ALL HORIZONTAL CUTS, ABOUT THREE-QUARTERS OF AN INCH.

AND THEN USUALLY JUST A COUPLE PIECES AT A TIME BECAUSE EACH PIECE HAS ITS OWN KIND OF SHAPE.

AND ALSO, ONE THING THAT WE ALWAYS DO IN OUR KITCHEN IS THAT YOU CAN SEE THAT THERE'S ONE STATE OF THE PRODUCTS TO THE LEFT OF MARY SUE AND EVERYTHING THAT SHE'S FINISHED WITH SHE PUSHES TO THE RIGHT.

THIS SAVES TIME AND ONE OF THE KEYS IN COOKING, IS THAT YOU WANT TO FIGURE OUT THE WAY YOU CAN SAVE THE MOST TIME POSSIBLE.

AND THAT'S OUR GOAL, IS TO MAKE FOOD BE AS SIMPLE AS POSSIBLE AND AS DELICIOUS AS POSSIBLE.

SO WE HAVE THE CANTALOUPE AND WATERMELON CUT ALREADY.

AND WE'RE GOING TO ADD TO IT THE HONEYDEW, WHICH MAKES A REALLY, THE PRESENTATION VISUALLY, YOU GET A REALLY PRETTY LOOKING SALAD.

WE WOULD SERVE IT LIKE THIS ON A BUFFET AND THEN YOU WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT YOU GET PLENTY OF SAUCE ON THE MELON SO THAT WHEN YOU GO TO ACTUALLY SERVE, YOU CAN TOSS THE MELON AND YOU MAKE SURE THAT ALL OF THE MELON IS COATED WITH A LITTLE BIT OF THE PEANUTS AND SHRIMP.

THAT'S CERTAINLY IMPORTANT IN THIS, IS THAT YOU HAVE ENOUGH DRESSING AND THAT EVERYTHING IS TOSSED WELL.

AND THE FINAL GARNISH ARE A FEW CILANTRO LEAVES SPRINKLED ON TOP.

SOMETHING ELSE THAT I THINK IS IMPORTANT TO KNOW IS THAT THIS IS A GREAT SAUCE TO PREPARE BECAUSE AT TIMES WHEN MELONS AREN'T AS DELICIOUS AS POSSIBLE, YOU CAN TAKE THIS SAME DRESSING, USE IT ON FRESH GREEN BEANS AND MAKE IT A GREEN BEAN SALAD WITH THE PEANUT AND SHRIMP DRESSING.

AND THAT'S A GREAT DISH TOO.

SO YOU CAN DO THIS DISH IN THE SUMMER AND IN THE WINTER.

NOW, FOR A SPINACH AND EGGPLANT CURRY, A REALLY DELICIOUS DISH THAT CAN BE A FIRST COURSE OR A MAIN COURSE OR A VEGETABLE ACCOMPANIMENT.

CHEFS MARY SUE AND SUSAN WILL SHOW US HOW TO SAUTE EGGPLANT WITHOUT DROWNING IT IN OIL AND THE INDIAN WAY OF MAKING YOUR VERY OWN CURRY.

THE DISH WE'RE GOING TO BE DOING TODAY IS A CURRY OF SPINACH AND EGGPLANT.

I SPENT A FAIR AMOUNT OF TIME IN INDIA AND ONE OF THE THINGS I WAS MOST AMAZED BY WAS ALL THE DIFFERENT SPICES THAT THEY WOULD USE IN MAKING UP A CURRY AND I THINK IN THIS COUNTRY, OFTEN IT'S MISTAKEN THAT YOU COULD GO INTO THE GROCERY STORE AND BUY CURRY POWDER AND THAT THAT'S THE WAY TO BEGIN A CURRY.

WHAT'S REALLY GREAT AND WHAT WE LEARNED THERE WAS THAT YOU TAKE THESE DIFFERENT MIXTURE OF SPICES; THAT'S WHAT MAKES UP A GREAT CURRY AND IT'S JUST AS EASY AS BUYING CURRY POWDER.

SO I'M GOING TO BEGIN WITH USING FRESH CRACKED PEPPER, NOW THAT'S CERTAINLY SOMETHING THAT'S CRITICAL IN EVERY CURRY...

IN ALL COOKING, FRESHLY GROUNDED BLACK PEPPER IS REALLY OUR CHOICE, WHENEVER POSSIBLE.

NOW AFTER THAT, I'M GONNA TAKE A LITTLE BIT OF CLOVES, YOU DON'T WANT TO USE TOO MUCH BECAUSE CLOVES ARE VERY POWERFUL.

A LITTLE BIT OF CORIANDER, AGAIN, VERY, VERY STRONG, SO YOU DON'T WANT TO USE TOO MUCH.

CAYENNE POWDER, YOU CAN SEE HOW GREAT THE COLORS ARE, THIS IS WHAT IS JUST SO AMAZING TO ME.

CUMIN IS ONE OF THE HEAVIER INGREDIENTS WE USE IN ALMOST ALL CURRIES, CUMIN POWDER.

TURMERIC, OF COURSE, ONE OF THE MOST BEAUTIFUL INGREDIENTS, BUT AGAIN, YOU DON'T WANT TO GET IT ON YOUR CLOTHES BECAUSE YOU'LL NEVER GET IT OUT.

AND, CARDAMON AND CORIANDER LOOK VERY MUCH THE SAME AND WITH BOTH OF THEM YOU WANT TO USE JUST A LITTLE BIT, NOT TOO STRONG.

THAT MAKES THE BASIS OF MANY DIFFERENT CURRIES, ANY VARIATION ON THESE SPICES IS OKAY, HOWEVER YOU WANT IT, BUT THIS IS WHAT WE'RE USING FOR THIS PARTICULAR DISH.

NOW, WE'RE GOING TO BE USING JAPANESE EGGPLANT, BUT YOU CAN USE DOMESTIC, THE LARGER EGGPLANT.

WE TEND TO PREFER THE JAPANESE EGGPLANT BECAUSE THEN YOU GET SKIN ON ALL OF THE PIECES AND WHAT WE DO WHEN WE'RE CUTTING THIS IS, WE'LL CUT OFF THE ENDS AND THEN WE ALSO MIGHT CUT OFF IF IT'S THINNER DOWN AT ONE END, WE MAY CUT THOSE OFF AND CUT THAT IN A DIFFERENT WAY, BECAUSE OUR GOAL HERE IS TO HAVE ALL EVEN, THE SAME SIZE PIECES.

SO I'M GONNA CUT IT IN QUARTERS AND THEN I'M GONNA CUT IT IN QUARTER MOONS.

NOW, IF ALL THESE PIECES OF THE EGGPLANT ARE THE SAME SIZE, THEN THEY TEND TO COOK AT THE SAME RATE AND THAT'S WHAT YOU'RE LOOKING FOR.

NOW WHAT WE DO IS, ADD THIS EGGPLANT, ADD A LITTLE BIT OF KOSHER SALT TO THE EGGPLANT.

THERE WE GO.

THEN I'M GONNA MIX THIS, AND WHAT THIS WILL DO IS, THE LARGE KERNELS OF KOSHER SALT WILL DRAW OUT THE WATER FROM THE EGGPLANT.

THIS IS CRITICAL WHEN YOU'RE SAUTEING EGGPLANT.

IF YOU DIDN'T REMOVE THE WATER, THIS WILL ACT LIKE A SPONGE AND SO WHEN YOU GO TO SAUTE IT WILL ABSORB THE OIL AND ONE OF YOUR GOALS I'M SURE FOR YOU, AND IN OUR HEALTH-CONSCIOUS WORLD, IS TO NOT BE EATING A LOT OF OIL, SO THIS IS CRITICAL IN HERE.

THEN WHAT WE'LL DO IS, WEIGHT IT DOWN WITH A PLATE SO THAT IT WILL HELP TO REMOVE SOME OF THE WATER, AND THEN WE'LL PUT IT UNDER A BOWL SO THAT WE'LL HAVE THE WATER CAUGHT SOMEWHERE.

AND WE'LL LET THAT SIT FOR ABOUT 20, 30 MINUTES TILL ALL OF THE WATER IS REMOVED FROM THE EGGPLANT.

MEANWHILE, I'M GONNA DICE AN ONION AND ONION, AGAIN, IS ONE OF THOSE THINGS THAT'S IN ALMOST ALL CURRIES.

NOW THE REASON WE DO THIS RATHER THAN TO CHOP IT IN A MACHINE IS THAT WE HAVE VERY LITTLE ONION JUICE THAT GETS, THAT IS RELEASED FROM THE ONION AND WHEN WE GO TO SAUTE IT WE CAN GET A REALLY NICE SAUTE AS OPPOSED TO A BOIL FROM HAVING TOO MUCH JUICE.

NOW DON'T YOU HAVE SOME CURE FOR THIS, NOW THIS WAS A VERY STRONG ONION AND WE KEEP TRYING TO FIGURE OUT IF THERE IS SOME CURE IN ORDER TO STOP YOUR EYES FROM WATERING BUT OBVIOUSLY YOU CAN SEE THERE WE DON'T HAVE ONE YET.

THE NEXT INGREDIENT WE'LL BE USING IS THE SPINACH.

FIRST WHAT WE'RE GOING TO DO IS REMOVE THE STEMS FROM THE SPINACH, THEN WHAT WE'LL DO IS PLACE IT INTO A LARGE BOWL OF WATER SO ALL THE SPINACH IS IMMERSED.

AND THIS IS HOW WE WASH ALL OF THE GREENS IN THE KITCHEN.

SPINACH, OR LETTUCES, LETTING GRAVITY DO ALL OF THE WORK, PULLING ALL OF THE DIRT DOWN TO THE BOTTOM OF THE BOWL.

SO YOU SEE I'M PULLING IT UP OUT OF THE WATER.

THEN THE FINAL STEP OF WHERE WE'RE GOING TO GO IS TAKE OUR EGGPLANT THAT WE'VE HAD WEIGHTED DOWN FOR THE LAST TWENTY MINUTES, AND WHAT WE ARE GOING TO DO IS TAKE THIS OFF,... YOU CAN SEE THE WATER THAT'S BEEN RELEASED BY SALTING THE EGGPLANT AND WEIGHTING IT.

THERE'S ALSO SOME WATER LEFT ON TOP THERE, THE EGGPLANT'S KIND OF SWEATED A LITTLE BIT.

WHAT WE'LL DO IS TRY AND DRY THE EGGPLANT COMPLETELY, BECAUSE THIS IS A VERY IMPORTANT STEP THAT YOU MAKE SURE THE EGGPLANT IS PATTED COMPLETELY DRY.

THERE WE GO.

NOW AT THIS POINT WHAT WE'RE GOING TO DO IS GO OVER TO THE STOVE AND START THE COOKING PROCESS.

OKAY, NOW, WE'RE GOING TO START BY CLARIFYING A POT OF BUTTER.

WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO DO IS GET THE PURE BUTTER FAT, WE WANT TO REMOVE THE MILK SOLIDS, REMOVE THE WATER FROM THE BUTTER, THIS IS WHY WE'RE COOKING IT FOR ABOUT TWENTY MINUTES UNTIL IT BECOMES COMPLETELY CLARIFIED.

NOW, AS YOU CAN SEE, THIS LITTLE POT OF BUTTER THAT'S BEEN CLARIFIED, THE MILK SOLIDS HAVE SUNK DOWN TO THE BOTTOM, WE HAVE THE BUTTER FAT AND THEN THERE'S A LITTLE BIT OF MILK SOLIDS THAT FLOAT ON THE TOP AND WE'RE JUST GOING TO TAKE THOSE OFF AND THEN WE'RE READY TO USE IT.

OKAY, AND NOW WE'RE GOING TO GO AHEAD AND TOAST THESE BLACK MUSTARD SEEDS, WHICH WE HAVE A PAN DRY, WE'RE GOING TO SAUTE THEM REAL GENTLY, THE PAN'S ALREADY PRETTY WARM.

WHAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN IS THE OILS ARE GOING TO COME OUT OF THE MUSTARD SEEDS AND THEY'RE GOING TO START TO POP AND TURN GREY.

IN INDIA, ALL OVER, YOU'LL FIND THAT YOU GET THE ESSENCE OF SPICES BEING COOKED EITHER IN DRY HEAT OR IN ACTUALLY CLARIFIED BUTTER.

IN ORDER TO BE ABLE TO RELEASE THOSE OILS, THE WAY TO DO IT IS THIS, AND YOU CAN GET, YOU CAN SEE THAT IN COOKING, A LOT OF WHAT WE, HOW WE JUDGE THE WAY TO COOK THINGS IS NOT ONLY THROUGH LOOKING AT IT, BUT ALSO YOU CAN HEAR, YOU CAN SMELL, AND THAT SOMETIMES DETERMINES WHAT MAKES A CHEF REALLY GREAT AND A CHEF WHO JUST FOLLOWS THE BOOK, SO THERE'S ALL YOUR SENSES YOU WANT TO USE WHILE YOU'RE COOKING.

SO YOU CAN SEE, YOU CAN SMELL THE MUSTARD ESSENCE, AND YOU THEN YOU CAN HEAR THEM POPPING AND YOU CAN SEE HOW THEY'RE TURNING.

I'M GONNA GET THEM A LITTLE BIT, NOW, ALMOST ALL OF THE SPICES THAT WE USE WE COOK FIRST IN SOME FORM OR ANOTHER, THIS ONE JUST HAPPENS TO BE A DRY SAUTE AND THAT'S JUST ABOUT DONE.

WE'RE GOING TO POUR IT INTO A DISH AND RESERVE IT FOR LATER.

I'M GONNA USE A HEAVY BOTTOM PAN NOW.

THIS IS GOING TO BE FOR SAUTEING OUR EGGPLANT.

I WANT TO GET MY PAN GOOD AND HOT, THEN I'M GONNA ADD IN MY CLARIFIED BUTTER TILL WE GET IT SO IT'S SMOKING.

OFTEN TIMES I THINK PEOPLE IN HOME KITCHENS DON'T GET THEIR PANS AND THEIR COOKING MEDIUM HOT ENOUGH SO THAT THE COOKING PROCESS IS COMPLETELY CHANGED.

NOW, THIS IS SOMETHING THAT'S VERY IMPORTANT, YOU'LL SEE HERE, WE DON'T WANT TO ADD THE EGGPLANT UNTIL THE BUTTER BEGINS TO START SMOKING.

THIS WAY WE BEGIN TO SEAR THE EGGPLANT RATHER THAN HAVING THE EGGPLANT ACTUALLY ABSORB THE BUTTER AND YOU'LL END UP WITH A LESS GREASY PRODUCT IN THE END.

WE'RE GOING TO GO AHEAD AND ADD THE EGGPLANT.

LET ME TRY ONE MORE.

THERE, NOW THAT'S THE SOUND YOU WANT TO HEAR.

SO, IF YOU HAD A SMALLER PAN YOU WOULD WANT TO USE ABOUT HALF AS MUCH EGGPLANT AND DO IT IN TWO BATCHES BECAUSE ONE THING YOU WANT TO DO IS ALLOW IT TO COOK AT A HIGH HEAT UNTIL IT'S ALL SEARED AND THEN TAKE IT OFF THE FIRE.

SO WE WANT TO CONTINUE COOKING THAT UNTIL THE EGGPLANT IS REALLY SOFT, IT'S IMPORTANT WITH EGGPLANT THAT YOU COOK IT ALL THE WAY THROUGH, THEN I'M GONNA REMOVE IT, IT DOESN'T LOOK LIKE THERE'S TOO MUCH EXCESS BUTTER, BUT CERTAINLY ANY EXCESS BUTTER THERE IS YOU WANT TO LEAVE IN THE PAN.

AND THEN AT THIS POINT THEN WHAT WE'RE GOING TO DO IS BRING A HEAVY BOTTOM PAN ON SO THAT WE CAN THEN CONTINUE AND START SAUTEING THE ONIONS.

AND AS WE START TO COOK THE ONIONS IN THE HOT BUTTER, THEY'RE GOING TO DO SOME CARAMELIZING, WHICH IS THE IDEA.

NOW AFTER THEY START TO SWEAT A LITTLE BIT, WE ADD THE SALT, BEING CAREFUL JUST TO ADD A LITTLE BIT, BECAUSE NOW WE'VE SALTED THE EGGPLANT AND WE WANT TO JUST PUT A LITTLE BIT OF SALT IN WITH THE ONIONS AND THEN AT THE END WE CAN ADJUST THE SEASONINGS SO WE HAVE THE CORRECT AMOUNT OF SALT ALTOGETHER.

AND THESE ARE GOING TO SWEAT AND TURN A DEEP, GOLDEN BROWN, THAT'S GOING TO TAKE ABOUT 10 MINUTES OR 15 SOMETIMES.

OKAY, NOW THIS IS PERFECT.

YOU CAN SEE HERE WE'RE BEGINNING TO GET THAT CARAMELIZATION, YOU CAN SEE THAT ALL EVENLY WE'VE GOT THIS COATED, NOW AT THIS POINT WOULD BE WHERE WE WOULD WANT TO ADD THE GARLIC AND THE GINGER FIRST.

SO WE ADD THE GARLIC AND THE GINGER BEFORE THE REST OF THE SPICES, WE MIX THAT IN SO THAT THE CLARIFIED BUTTER CAN START TO COOK THE GARLIC AND GINGER, IT RELEASES THE OILS, YOU'LL BEGIN, YOU'LL KNOW WHEN TO ADD THE SPICES BECAUSE YOU'LL START TO GET THE ACTUAL ESSENCE, YOU'LL START TO SMELL THE GARLIC COOKING, YOU'LL SMELL THE GINGER COOKING, AS SOON AS YOU BEGIN TO SMELL THAT, THAT'S WHEN YOU WANT TO GO AHEAD AND ADD THE SPICES IN.

YOU WANT TO COOK THEM UNTIL THEY'RE WELL COOKED, BUT YOU DON'T WANT TO BURN THEM.

SO, IT TAKES ABOUT 2 OR 3 MINUTES AND YOU SHOULD REALLY STAY RIGHT HERE WITH THE POT.

IT'S NOT A TIME TO LEAVE THE STOVE, YOU JUST KEEP STIRRING, AND YOU CAN SMELL THAT AROMA OF ALL OF THE DIFFERENT SPICES THAT ARE STARTING TO COOK AND THEY'RE TOASTING, THE OILS COMING OUT.

NOW THIS WOULD BE THE POINT WHEN YOU WOULD WANT TO ADD EITHER YOUR WATER OR YOUR CHICKEN STOCK OR WHATEVER THE LIQUID IS FOR YOUR CURRY BECAUSE IT STOPS THE COOKING PROCESS AND YOU PREVENT THE SPICES FROM BURNING, SO THIS IS A CRITICAL TIMING RIGHT NOW.

SO WE ADD THE WATER, WE'RE GOING TO BRING IT BACK UP TO A BOIL AND WE'RE GOING TO ADD IN A LITTLE BIT OF OUR BROWN SUGAR INTO THIS AND AT THAT POINT WE'RE GOING TO GET THE SUGAR MIXED IN HERE SO IT STARTS TO DISSOLVE, WE'RE GOING TO COOK THIS MAYBE 2 OR 3 MINUTES AND AT THAT POINT...

THE SPINACH RIGHT IN HERE WHICH IS GOING TO WILT RATHER QUICKLY.

WE'RE GOING TO ADD THAT SPINACH IN.

NOW AT THIS POINT WE WOULDN'T WANT TO COVER THE CURRY BECAUSE WHEN YOU'RE COOKING GREEN VEGETABLES, YOU WANT TO COOK IT WITHOUT A TOP BECAUSE IF YOU COOK GREEN VEGETABLES WITH A TOP, THE VEGETABLE WILL START TO LOSE ITS COLOR.

AND THIS WILL TAKE A MINUTE TO WILT DOWN UNTIL EVERYTHING'S PRETTY WELL COOKED.

AND RIGHT ABOUT THERE WE'RE GOING TO ADD THE EGGPLANT AND THE MUSTARD SEEDS.

AND THIS IS A CURRY WE DON'T WANT TO COOK TOO TERRIBLY LONG, WE WANT TO KEEP THE SPINACH LOOKING NICE AND FRESHLY COOKED AND IT DOES NEED TO COOK PROBABLY 5 OR 6 EVEN 10 MINUTES TO GET ALL OF THE FLAVORS TO MIX WELL TOGETHER.

NOW BEFORE WE LET IT COOK THOUGH, IT'S A GOOD TIME TO TASTE AND THIS IS REALLY THE MOST CRITICAL PART OF COOKING, NO MATTER WHAT IS THAT YOU TASTE IT AT EACH STAGE ALONG THE ROAD UNTIL THE DISH IS FINISHED.

YOU HAVE TO ADJUST FOR SALT, OR PEPPER, OR SPICE OR WHATEVER.

SO, I ALWAYS SMELL FIRST, AND THEN...

PRETTY GOOD, TRY IT.

YUM, DELICIOUS.

BUT ONE THING IS THAT WHEN WE COOK THIS, WHEN YOU ADD THE SEASONING AHEAD, IT MEANS YOUR END RESULT IS WAY MORE BALANCED THAN IF YOU WERE TO ADD ALL OF YOUR SALT AND ALL OF YOUR SEASONING NOW.

THAT'S WHY YOU WANT TO SEASON IT AT EACH STAGE OF THE GAME.

NOT BAD.

GREAT.

NOW HERE'S HOW SUSAN AND MARY SUE WOULD SERVE A COMPLETE VEGETARIAN BUFFET.

IT BEGINS WITH A CURRIED POPCORN APPETIZER - THAT'S POPCORN SEASONED WITH SPECIAL SPICES, AND LEMON-GINGER-HONEY-TEA OVER ICE WITH A SPRIG OF MINT, THEN THERE'S THE THAI MELON SALAD, THE MAIN COURSES ARE EGGPLANT SPINACH CURRY, ACCOMPANIED BY BASMATI RICE.

AND BY A SPICY CONCOCTION OF ORANGE LENTILS KNOWN IN INDIA, AS DAL.

WE ALSO HAVE YOGURT AND HOMEMADE PICKLED TOMATOES.

SO THERE ARE PLENTY OF GOOD THINGS TO EAT.

UNTIL NEXT TIME, I'M JULIA CHILD FOR COOKING WITH MASTER CHEFS.

BON APPETIT.

Julia Child: Bon Appétit