In the kitchen: Homemade curry and Turkish-style coffee

Turmeric and coconut curry with clams and sea beans, a creation of chef Louis Tikaram, from E.P. & L.P.

July 13, 2016 3 AM PT

Curry is one of those dishes found the world over, the particular style influenced by local ingredients and regional cuisine. For chef Louis Tikaram, the dish is largely inspired by the Fijian Indian-style curries he enjoyed as a child at his grandmother’s home in Fiji. The chef of E.P & L.P. in West Los Angeles shares the secrets and recipe to his signature turmeric and coconut clam curry.

SIGN UP for the free In the Kitchen newsletter >>

We’ve also been thinking a lot about coffee, lately, particularly the thick Turkish-style brew savored in tiny demitasse-type cups. Now you can learn how to make it at home. We also stopped to check out all the incredible peaches and nectarines showing up in farmers markets, and take a look at Patric Kuh’s excellent new book, “Finding the Flavors We Lost.”

— Noelle Carter

MAKE LOUIS TIKARAM’S TURMERIC AND COCONUT CLAM CURRY

Chef Louis Tikaram’s turmeric and coconut clam curry is built using a base curry paste that includes a heady mix of fresh shallots, galangal, garlic, Thai green chiles, turmeric, roasted shrimp paste, lemon grass and dried Puya chiles. But once the paste is made, the final curry comes together in minutes, whether you’re fixing it for company or as a simple dinner after a long workday. Tikaram shares the recipe.

Louis Tikaram, the young chef at E.P. & L.P., makes turmeric and coconut curry with clams and sea beans.

SAVOR A CUP OF HOMEMADE TURKISH-STYLE COFFEE

The rich, thick brew goes by a number of names depending on the location — Greek coffee, Armenian coffee, Lebanese coffee, ibrik coffee — but the method for making Turkish-style coffee is fairly consistent and simple. Combine fine, powder-like coffee in a small long-handled pot with a touch of sugar to sweeten, and maybe a hint of spice, and heat. Learn how to make it at home, as well as where to find the coffeepots and sets.

WHAT TO DO WITH ALL THE PEACHES AND NECTARINES IN SEASON

Aside from the texture of the skin — fuzzy versus smooth — there’s not that much difference between peaches and nectarines, the fruits are so closely related. And both are a summer staple in the kitchen, whether you grill them for desserts or salads, or fold them into pies or cook down into jams or preserves. We share tips for selecting the fruit, as well as some of our favorite recipes.

“FINDING THE FLAVORS WE LOST”

Longtime Los Angeles magazine restaurant critic Patric Kuh has a new book out exploring the term “artisan” and its relationship to the current food scene. “Finding the Flavors We Lost” profiles a handful of artisans, tracing the fascinating backstories of various foods and drink to give history and context to the current food movement.

LONG DAY? FIX THIS CHICKEN AND CANTALOUPE SALAD FOR DINNER

Some nights, the last thing you want to do is slave over a hot stove fixing dinner. So grab a rotisserie or smoked chicken from the supermarket on your way home and give this salad recipe a try. It pairs the chicken with fresh cantaloupe, arugula and a Champagne vinaigrette for a simple meal with no cooking required.