It all started with a pop-up at Mina Test Kitchen back in 2016.
Curry and Mina in the kitchen(Courtesy of International Smoke)
Today, it's zero surprise that International Smoke, the restaurant collaboration between Bay Area heavy-hitters Micheal Mina and Ayesha Curry, has stayed the course, with full-service restaurants in San Francisco and Las Vegas.
International Smoke celebrate global culinary cultures through wood-fired foods, and recently launched a new family-style tasting menu called Fuego. One of the new menu's most popular dishes is Curry’s cornbread, which comes smothered with Thai red curry butter.
She generously shared the decadent recipe with us, commenting that what sets it apart from your standard version is the incorporation of coconut milk and curry paste. The coconut milk (and butter!) gives the cornbread a light and creamy texture, while the curry adds a bit of flavor nuance and a light spicy kick.
Secret Recipe: Ayesha Curry's Cornbread with Curry Butter
(Courtesy of International Smoke)
Ingredients
Makes about 15 three-ounce muffins
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
3/4 teaspoon baking powder
3/4 cup (1.5 sticks) butter, at room temperature
1/3 teaspoon kosher salt
3/4 cup sugar
3 eggs, at room temperature
1 1/3 cup yellow cornmeal
3/4 cup sour cream
1 1/2 teaspoons Thai red curry paste
1/2 can (6.75 ounces) coconut milk
2 tablespoons minced green jalapeño pepper (seeds removed)
Preheat oven to 325 degrees.
Sift together flour, baking powder, and baking soda in a small bowl.
Using a whisk or mixer fitted with a whip attachment, whip the room temperature butter, sugar, and salt until light and fluffy (about 3 minutes).
Add the room temperature eggs one at a time and scrape down the bowl and mix thoroughly.
Add the cornmeal, mix and scrape down.
Add the sifted flour, baking powder and baking soda, mix until halfway combined.
Add the sour cream, coconut milk, curry paste and jalapeños, continue mixing until homogenous.
Fill greased muffin tins 3/4 full with batter.
Bake at 325 degrees in a convection oven with the fan on for 12 minutes, check and rotate, bake 8 minutes more. If using a conventional oven, cook for 30 minutes.
The cornbread should be golden brown but baked all the way through. If not, give it another 3-4 minutes.
Let cool before taking out the muffin tins.
Glaze the cornbread muffins with curry butter (recipe below).
Curry Butter
1 stick butter
1/4 cup whole milk
3/4 teaspoon Thai red curry paste
1 tablespoon honey
Melt the butter with the milk on low heat. Whisk in curry paste and honey to emulsify. Cool the butter down to room temperature. When pliable, it can be used to spread on the cornbread.
