Vegetable Korma

This original, super easy and delicious recipe is from Cooking Light magazine: they had a bad time as a magazine for a while (about 2 years ago) but I think they have improved a lot and now they are a high quality magazine with wonderful recipes: I look forward to receiving my new issue in the mail because they always have a number of recipes that I want to try! Check the recipe here.

Chicken Tikka Masala

It’s been a couple of years that Tanya, Camilla and I and our families get together before Christmas for a potluck dinner. We used to work at the same company but not anymore, so we catch up with personal things and see the kids growing up. We also go for walks and scrap booking (that has been a while!).

Every year we had a food “theme”. We had fondue, pasta and this year, Indian food. Camilla made keema and basmati rice. Tanya made egg curry and dahl. I made saffron rice and chicken tikka masala. Everything was to die for!

This is a simplified version of the chicken tikka masala. You can make your own garam masala, which I usually do. I prefer to use equal amounts of cream and and half and half instead of cream only. The final dish turns out lighter and a little thinner than the original. I also use cayenne pepper instead of chilies, that way it’s easier to control the spiciness. Today I am serving the dish with cashew nuts and saffron rice.

Chicken Tikka Masala

Serves 6 to 8

Ingredients:

Chicken Tikka

1/2 teaspoon  ground cumin  

1/2 teaspoon  ground coriander  

1/4 teaspoon  cayenne pepper  

1 teaspoon  sea salt  

2 pounds  boneless, skinless chicken breasts cut in 1” cubes 

1 cup  plain yogurt

2 tablespoons vegetable oil  

2 garlic cloves, minced

1 tablespoon  grated fresh ginger  

Masala Sauce

2 tablespoons  vegetable oil  

1 medium onion, chopped

2 garlic cloves, minced

1 tablespoon grated fresh ginger  

1 fresh Serrano chile , ribs and seeds removed, flesh minced or 1 teaspoon cayenne (for more heat, leave seeds on, for less heat add less pepper with no seeds or ¼ teaspoon cayenne)

1 tablespoon  tomato paste

1 tablespoon  garam masala

1 can diced tomatoes

1 ½ cup water 

½ teaspoon sea salt  

½ cup  heavy cream or half and half

1/4 cup  chopped fresh cilantro leaves  

Directions:

Combine cumin, coriander, cayenne and salt in small bowl. In large resalable plastic bag, whisk together yogurt, oil, garlic, and ginger and the spice mixture. Add to chicken to bag. Seal and shake well to cover the chicken thoroughly. Refrigerate overnight.

Heat oil in a large pan over medium heat, add onion and cook, about 10 minutes or until it starts browning. While the onion is cooking, mix garlic, ginger, pepper, tomato paste and garam masala in a small bowl. Remove onion from pan and add the chicken. Discard the marinade. Sautee chicken until all sides are sealed, about 5 minutes. Return onion and spice mix to pan, stir and cook about 3 minutes or until fragrant. Add canned tomatoes, water and salt. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to low and simmer for about 25 minutes. Stir in cream or half and half and cilantro just before serving. Adjust salt.

Saffron Rice

Saffron Rice

(From Curried Flavors, Maya Kaimal MacMillan)

Serves 6 to 8

Ingredients:

2 C basmati rice, well washed

1/2 t saffron threads

2 T warm milk

1 cinnamon stick

4 whole cloves

4 cardamom pods, slightly crushed

1 T oil

3 1/4 C water

1 1/2 t salt

½ cup broken raw cashew nuts or blanched slivered almonds

1/3 cup raisins

1 tablespoon Ghee or butter

Directions:

Soak the saffron in warm milk for 10 min.

Boil the water.

Add oil, cinnamon, cloves and cardamom to a pan, at medium heat.

When the spices start to release their fragrance, add the rice and fry for a couple of minutes, until the rice is shinny and coated with the oil.

Add the boiling water, saffron, lower the heat and cover.

Cook till all the water is absorbed.

In a small frying pan over medium heat, fry nuts and raisins in ghee or butter until nuts turn redish brown. Stir thoroughly into rice and serve.

Keema-Pulao

My friend Camilla always talks about Keema, she says it’s one of her favorite dishes. I have this grass fed ground beef and I am in an Indian cooking mode, so why not make Keema? Camilla, I hope this is like the Keema you make. Of course Tanya (our common Indian friend) needs to give her blessing, but she is in India right now. 

I served it with a good shredded carrot and cabbage salad.

Keema-Pulao

(Adapted from http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Kheema-Pulao/Detail.aspx)

8 servings

Ingredients

3 cups basmati rice

2 tablespoon vegetable oil

2 large onions, minced

1 tablespoon garlic paste

1 tablespoon ginger paste

1 teaspoon ground turmeric

1 teaspoon garam masala

1 teaspoon ground cumin

2 tomatoes, chopped

1 pound ground beef

salt to taste

1/2 cup frozen green peas (optional)

4 green chile peppers, halved lengthwise

1 tablespoon ghee (clarified butter)

1 cinnamon stick

1 black cardamom pod

2 bay leaves

4 whole cloves

5 cups boiling water

1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro

Directions

Place the basmati rice in a large container and cover with several inches of cool water; let stand 30 minutes. Drain.

Heat the oil in a large pan with a heavy bottom; fry the onion, garlic paste and, ginger paste in the hot oil until the onions are caramelized and golden brown, about 10 minutes. Stir the turmeric, garam masala, and cumin into the mixture; allow to cook together for 30 seconds. Add the tomatoes and cook until the oil separates, about 10 minutes. Crumble the ground beef into the tomato mixture; season with salt and cook until the beef is no longer pink, about 15 minutes. Mix the frozen peas and the green chile peppers into the beef.

Heat the ghee in a large skillet over medium heat. Cook the cinnamon stick, cardamom pod, bay leaves, and cloves in the ghee until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add the rice to the spice mixture; cook until the rice smells nutty, 1 to 2 minutes more. Spread the rice with the spices over the beef mixture, but do not stir. Gently pour the water over the rice and season with salt; bring the mixture to a boil for 2 minutes. Cover, reduce heat to low, and continue cooking until the rice is tender, 12 to 15 minutes. Remove from heat completely and allow to sit covered another 20 minutes. Garnish with cilantro to serve.

Tandoori Chicken

The Tandoori Masala composition can vary a lot. The first time I made it, I started with a basic recipe I found online. Then I adjusted the formula to my taste in subsequent meals. Some recipes call for fenugreek or mace. Some ask for cloves. Some ask for powdered herbs, some for seeds. Some recipes ask for powdered ginger and garlic, some for fresh. In my opinion, it’s better to make a fresh mix each time and not store it, as the fragrance can fade over time. I also prefer to use fresh ginger and garlic. But it all depends on the time you have and ingredient availability. The end result is always delicious.

Tandoori Chicken

Ingredients:

2 lb chicken pieces of your choice with skin and visible fat removed

1/2 Tandoori Masala recipe

1 cup yogurt (preferably regular)

1 tablespoon oil

1 lime or lemon juice

Sea salt to taste

½ teaspoon chili or cayenne pepper powder

Tandoori Masala Ingredients:

2 tablespoons cumin seeds or 1 ½ tablespoons cumin powder

2 1/2 tablespoons coriander seeds or 2 tablespoons coriander powder

¼ tsp turmeric powder

1 tsp garlic powder or 3 fresh garlic cloves, minced

1 tsp ginger powder or 1 tablespoon grated ginger

½ to 1 tsp red chili or cayenne pepper powder

¼ tsp clove powder

1 tsp cinnamon powder

1 tsp orange or red food coloring (optional)

Directions:

To make the tandoori masala, if using seeds, dry roast the cumin and coriander seeds in a pan on a low flame, till they begin to release their aroma. Remove from fire and cool. Grind seeds in a grinder. Add all ingredients and mix well.

Make slits in the chicken pieces with a knife. Mix lime, salt and chili pepper in a small bowl. Rub the lime mixture into the chicken slits. Combine yogurt and tandoori masala in a bowl. Mix well. Add the yogurt mix to a large plastic bag or a glass bowl. Add the chicken to the mix and toss well, making sure all the pieces are well coated. Drizzle the oil and toss. Marinate in the fridge for 6 to 24 hours.

Preheat the grill to medium heat and lightly oil the grate. Spray oil in the chicken pieces and quickly sear both sides of the chicken. Reduce heat and cover the grill. Cook until meat is no longer pink and juices run clear.

Or you can cook the chicken in the oven: preheat broiler. Cover a baking pan with foil and spray the foil with cooking spray. Lay chicken on greased foil and spray with more cooking spray. Broil until it starts browning and turn. Brown the other side. Lower temperature to 350 F. Bake for approximately 10 minutes or done.

Top with onion slices while grilling.

Garnish cilantro and lemon wedges.

Lamb Chops with a Spicy Rub (Indian)

This is the third year we are buying a whole lamb. The lamb we buy is kind of green as it’s raised non-commercially in a small bull farm and my friend Debra brings it for us when she goes visit her mom in South Dakota.

My sister Nancy sent me this recipe after she went to an Indian cooking class. The preparation is very simple and the spice combination is perfect. We love this dish. Today I am serving it with Portuguese Style Broccoli Rice and mini-shiitakes from Hazel Dell farms. Yum.

Lamb Chops with a Spicy Rub (Indian)

4 servings

Ingredients:

1 teaspoon finely grated fresh ginger (about 2-inch

piece)

1 teaspoon finely grated garlic (about 2 large cloves)

3/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper

1/2 teaspoon cumin seeds, finely ground (or use ground cumin)

1/2 teaspoon coriander seeds, finely ground (or use ground coriander)

1/4 teaspoon ground turmeric

8 lamb rib chops (about 1 pound 4 ounces)

3 tablespoons canola oil

Directions:

In a bowl, mix together the ginger, garlic, salt, cayenne, cumin, coriander, and turmeric to form a thick, slightly dry paste. Rub the chops well with this mixture and put in a big zippy to marinate for at least 4 hours and up to 12 hours in the refrigerator.

Heat the broiler or grill. Sear the lamb chops 4 to 5 minutes each side for rare. Let rest 10 minutes before serving.

Garam Masala Yellow Split Pea Soup with Coconut Milk

I guess it's fall and it's time for soup! 

Don't get discouraged by the long list of ingredients for this recipe. Indian recipes are always long but most of the ingredients are spices, which I believe, one should always have handy.

Garam Masala Yellow Split Pea Soup with Coconut Milk

(Adapted from James Peterson’s, Splendid Soups)

8 Servings

Ingredients:

1 medium to large size onion, finely chopped

1 tablespoon coconut oil, ghee

3 garlic cloves, finely chopped

1/2 teaspoon turmeric

1 cup of yellow split peas soaked overnight

1 cup of brown rice

8 cups of water

1 14 ounce can of coconut milk

2 cups baby spinach

Sea Salt

Tadka

1 tablespoon coconut oil, ghee or butter

3/4 teaspoon ground cardamom

1/4 teaspoon cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon cloves

1/4 freshly ground pepper

1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper

Directions:

In a large pot over medium heat cook the onions and turmeric for about 5 minutes in the coconut oil, and then add the garlic. Cook for a total of about ten minutes, or until the onions are soft and turn translucent.

Add the water, peas and rice to the pot and bring to a simmer. Turn down low, and cook until the peas and rice are cooked and very soft (about 45 minutes).

Using your handy immersion blender, blend to desired consistency (we like it mostly pureed, but with some texture left). Or use your regular blender or food mill.

Make the tadka by melting the coconut oil in a small saucepan. Add the spices and stir until you can smell the spices drifting upwards to you. Don’t burn! Whisk into the soup.

Add the coconut milk and spinach, and bring back to a simmer, adding salt to taste, and serve.

Notes:

-       You can use chicken or vegetable broth instead of water

-       You can use butter instead of the coconut oil or ghee

-       Instead of the spice mix in the tadka, you can use 1.5 teaspoon of garam masala

-       You can use lentils instead of yellow split peas

-       You can use asparagus, broccoli, or any other green vegetable instead of spinach

-       You can use a pressure cooker, 25-30 minutes cooking time