Chicken Curry Recipe
Ingredients:
Cooking Directions:
1. In medium frying pan warm 4 tbsp oil/ghee in a pan and fry 3 chopped onions until golden on medium heat (approximately 8-10 minutes or so – depending on heat level)
2. Once onions take on golden brown color add 1 tbsp minced ginger-ginger paste, and 1-2 Green chilies.
3. When garlic takes on a bit of brown color add 2 chopped tomatoes and salt to taste (more salt can be added later as needed)
4. Cook until tomatoes are cooked and incorporated into onions. The tomatoes will start taking on a bit of darker color (approximately 5 minutes or so)
5. Add 2 tbsp curry masala and let spices cook for a couple of minutes
6. Add fresh coriander - cilantro chopped - about 1/2 fist full
7. Add 1-.1.5 lbs boneless chicken meat - coat chicken with the ingredients in the pan and add more salt if you would like
8. Let the chicken cook for a couple minutes and then add about 1 cup water to create a thick curry 9. Let chicken cook and add more water (1/2 – 1 cup water)
10. Continue to cook, a little boiling is good – avoid a vigorous boil or the chicken will get tough
11. Mix in some yogurt to get a bit more of lighter taste
12. For richer taste mix in heavy cream instead of yogurt – this optional but quite yummy!
Notes:
· It is useful to have ingredients measured and prepared before you begin cooking this delicious curry.
· This recipe can be adjusted to your taste - Cooking this type of a dish is an art
· Add Salt to taste
· For a spicier add more MDH Curry masala during step number 5
· For less spicy curry only add ½ green chili
· For richer curry add extra ghee 1 tbsp and a little extra heavy cream
· If curry to spicy when it is done – add in 1-2 tbsp yogurt, mix toughly
Basmati Rice – Aromatic Indian Rice
· Serves 2-3
· Preparation approximately 22-25 minutes
Ingredients:
· 1 cup Basmati rice
· 2 cup water
· ¼ cup – ½ cup frozen peas (thawed)
· 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
· 1.5 tbsp Ghee
Salt to taste
· 1-2 pinch Saffron (optional)
Cooking Direction:
1. Rinse rice under water and drain
2. In 4-quart saucepan (or medium pot) add rice, water, cumin seeds, ghee, saffron- bring to a boil.
3. Once boiling Reduce heat to simmer and cover pan - Low heat. Cook slowly for approximately 15-20 minutes.
4. Carefully stir rice a few times to prevent sticking
5. Stir in thawed peas about 10 minuets in to cooking and cover.
6. Rice will be done when water is absorbed by rice.
7. Let stand for 5 minutes
Notes:
· If rice is not fully cooked – add more water as needed, stir rice, and continue to cook on low heat.
· Cooking times and water needed will depend on level of heat.
· Once you can cook basic basmati rice, there are endless variations on what you can add to flavor the rice including vegetables, onions, spices, raisins – be creative!
Raita - Yogurt Sauce
· Serves 2-4
· Preparation approximately 10-15 minutes
· This is a very simple sauce to make as an accompaniment to be served with your main dishes. It is very cooling and adds a unique flavor to complement spicy curries. Very commonly eaten along side a variety of curry dishes with roti and rice. Very useful for tempering spiciness.
· 1.5 cups plain yogurt (whole or non-fat)
· Juice of ½ of lemon – approximately 2 teaspoons
· ½ to ¼ teaspoon pepper – according to taste
· ½ to ¼ teaspoon red chili powder – according to taste , leave out for milder raita
· ½ teaspoon garam masala
· Salt to taste
· ½ onion chopped fine (optional)
· 1 cucumber shredded -peeled or unpeeled (optional)
Preparation Directions:
1. In a medium to large bowl mix yogurt, all spices, salt, lemon juices
2. Thoroughly blend yogurt and spices until smooth consistency
3. Add in onion or cucumber and thoroughly incorporate. Your Raita is done!
Notes:
· Garnish with chopped coriander and or thinly sliced onions
· There are endless variations on riata.
· Add shredded carrots
· Add chopped mint
· Pan fry 1 chopped onion, and ¾ diced tomato, with ¼ teaspoon black mustard seeds and add to riata
· Add garlic paste or approximately 2 cloves minced
Chai – Indian Tea with spices
· Quick and simple Chai using a convenient Chai masala – mixture of spices
· Serves 2-3
· Preparation time 10 minuets
Ingredients:
· 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon of tea masala – add approximately 1/8 teaspoon of tea masala per cup
o Badshah Kamal Tea Masala or MDH Tea Masala -
· 2 bags Tea – approximately 1 tea bag per cup
o PG tips Pyramid tea bags
o Brooke Bond Red Label bags (loose or bags)
o Lipton Yellow Label Tea (bags)
o For loose black tea - approximately 2 teaspoons loose black tea leaves per cup
o Tea – Darjeeling, Assam, Ceylon, English Breakfast
· 1/2 to 3/4 cup Milk – about ¼ cup mile per cup of tea (whole for richer tea, 2% or skim – for lighter tea)
· 1.5 cup Water – about 3/4 cup mile per cup of tea
· Sugar to taste
Preparation Steps:
1. In small pot bring water to a boil
2. Add spice mix and tea – continue to a boil for about 3-4 minutes
3. Add milk bring to boil again and remove from heat
4. Let tea stand for a couple of minutes before serving
5. Add sugar to taste
Notes:
· Be sure to remove and tea bags prior to serving
· If loose tea is used be sure to strain out tealeaves prior to serving