I can't count the amount of times I have made one of my long-running best recipes, One-Skillet Hamburger Meal, just because it's easy and delicious. Or some pan-fried pork chops and Red Cabbage with Apples & Bacon. I have a lot of favorites.
So, if it appears that all I do is make Indian meals, that would be an incorrect assumption.
Dinner of Chicken Korma, Barley Khichdi and Chutneys |
I do, however, have a fascination for Indian flavors, and I do spend a lot of time researching them. India is a pretty big place. It is about a third of the size of the United States, yet has more people! Netflix has a show called "Raja, Rasoi Aur Anya Kahaniyaan" that while subtitled (a problem for some), is a fascinating journey through India and how and why the foods are distinct in some regions, how they came to be there, the influences of differing ruling systems, etc. India has a lot of different food regions. Similarly to the U.S. with southern cooking, northeastern cooking, midwest styles and so on. Here in the U.S., we have mainly been introduced to northern Indian styles of cuisines in the restaurants, at least in buffets I have sampled. This style is delicious, no doubt about it, but recently I have been delving into other areas and searching for what other styles of cooking exist there, and what other foods or food combinations exist.
Yesterday however, I fell back on north Indian style foods, and made a Chicken Korma. Korma, whether made with lamb beef may be substituted) or chicken, is made with a "gravy" thickened with ground nuts, usually blanched, peeled almonds, but sometimes with cashews. I have a Lamb Korma recipe that is truly exceptional, and this chicken recipe is not too far different - only just a little bit. Whole, cut up chicken could be used, though the cooking time would need to be far longer. I chose skinless, boneless chicken breasts, but skinless, boneless chicken thighs would work as well. And, I used cashews for this dish. It tasted so wonderful that my husband and I just kept commenting over it. Here is my recipe:
Chicken Korma |
Chicken Korma
Serves 4 to 6
2 pounds skinless, boneless chicken, cut in cubes
¾ cup Greek yogurt
2 tablespoons water
1 tablespoon rosewater
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon white pepper
¼ to ½ teaspoon saffron threads, crushed
¼ teaspoon ground turmeric
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2 to 3 tablespoons oil or ghee, plus a bit more for cooking chicken
1 onion, chopped
3 to 4 cloves fresh garlic, minced
2 tablespoons fresh ginger, minced
1 - 3 green chilies, minced (remove seeds for less heat)
¾ cup raw cashews
¾ cup water or chicken stock
3 to 4 teaspoons Garam Masala
¼ cup heavy cream, optional
At least 2 hours before beginning the meal, combine in a large bowl the yogurt, 2 tablespoons water, rosewater, salt, white pepper, saffron and turmeric. Stir to mix well, then add the cubed chicken and stir to coat all the chicken pieces. Cover and set in the refrigerator for 2 or more hours.
Heat a skillet and add in the ghee or oil of choice. Add the onions and saute them over medium low heat until lightly golden, then add in the garlic, ginger and green chilies. Continue to cook, stirring, until the onions are nicely golden but not browned. Pour the contents of the skillet into a blender container and add in the cashews, water or stock and Garam Masala. Blend the mixture to a fine puree. This sauce can be made ahead, even a day ahead, then refrigerated until needed.
Heat a large skillet and add in more oil or ghee and pour in the blender contents, then the chicken with all its marinade. Stir well and bring the mixture to just boiling. Lower heat to just a simmer, cover the pan and cook, slowly for about 25 minutes, or until the chicken has cooked through. If desired, add the heavy cream and stir in. Goes well with Chapatis, Parathas, Naan or rice.
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moong dal |
So, in creating a grain and lentil dish, I used hulled barley, moong dal (mung beans that have been peeled and split) and added in some cabbage. I look for ways to get cabbage and other cruciferous vegetables into my husband's diet without him really being able to pick it out (in the case of cauliflower, for example, which I shred) or truly taste it. In this instance, I got rave reviews from him on both the Korma dish and this Barley Khichdi. High praise, indeed!
Barley Khichdi |
Barley Khichdi
Barley Khichdi |
½ cup hulled barley
¼ teaspoon turmeric powder
½ cup moong dal
1 tablespoon oil or ghee
½ teaspoon cumin seeds, whole
½ teaspoon asafetida
1 - 2 shallots, minced
1 - 2 cloves fresh garlic, minced
1½ cups finely shredded cabbage
1 teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
pinch Kashmiri red chili powder, or more if you like heat
Place the barley into a large saucepan with 2 cups water and bring to boil. Add the turmeric and cook over low heat for 20 minutes. Rinse the moong dal in water repeatedly until the water drains off mostly clear. Drain well and add to the barley, with a little more water only if needed. Cook for about 10 more minutes, until both the barley and dal are tender, not mushy. If there is still water in the pan, either drain it, or if it is very little, simply turn off the heat and leave the pan on the burner to dry out.
In a skillet, heat the oil or ghee and once hot, add the cumin seeds and asafetida and let them sizzle for a bit. Add in the shallot and saute until the shallots are well softened. Add the garlic and saute for a minute or two, until fragrant, then add in the cabbage, salt, pepper and chili powder. Saute, stirring until the cabbage is tender, about 5 minutes, then add the contents of the skillet to the saucepan of barley mixture and stir well. Garnish with cilantro or curry leaves, if desired.
My passion is teaching people how to create a harmony of flavors with their cooking, and passing along my love and joy of food, both simple or exotic, plain or fancy. I continue my journey in ethnic and domestic cuisines, continuing my journey to explore diverse culinary experiences and hopefully to start you on a journey of your own. Join me also at A Harmony of Flavors on Facebook, and Pinterest.
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