The Coming of Fall

     There is one reason I've been waiting for fall. For coldness and chilly toes and red noses (my nose gets very red when it's cold, all the time. It's a curse.) I have been waiting to be able to turn my oven onto 400 degrees for an hour and more without my apartment getting like a sauna. And I've been waiting to do this for one special reason: Roast Chicken.

     There is something about fall weather that calls out roast chicken to me. Maybe its the sudden thunderstorms of Philly that keep getting me soaked and cold, or the long dreary gray walks under sunless skies, but a perfectly golden roast chicken with crispy skin and moist insides just sounds better and better all the time. Which is why I made a roast chicken on Thursday night.

 

     But let me tell you, this was not any roast chicken. This was a celebration dinner with my friend KK who was visiting. It was also an opportunity to roast lovely slices of sweet potato underneath the chicken, so they could catch all the chicken drippings. Deliciousness. It was a roast chicken that was accompanied by the Disney movie Tangled because that is what grown up chicken-roasting college girls watch. And it was the most perfect roast chicken I have ever eaten.

     Partially, it's the recipe. I use Nigella Lawson's super simple roast chicken recipe: stick half a lemon inside the chicken, massage its breast with butter and salt and pepper, and place it in a 400 degree oven: that's it. But maybe it was me using an entire lemon instead of half, or brining the chicken for an hour before roasting it, or the accidental purchase of the best chicken at the store- but this roast chicken turned out to be the moistest chicken I (and KK) have ever eaten.

     I cannot even fathom telling you how good it was. You will just have to make it yourself, cut through that crispy skin into the succulent meat because both dark and white were equally delicious, and find out for yourself the perfection in the simplicity. Then find out again the next day when you make roast chicken sandwiches out of the leftovers and sit there chewing on the couch going: Ahhhh who knew leftover chicken could be so delicious.

Simple Roast Chicken
Adapted from Nigella Lawson's How to Eat

1 Whole Chicken for Roasting
Salt
Sugar 
Cloves (optional) 
1 small Lemon 
1 tbsp Butter
Pepper

This recipe starts with buying a whole chicken for roasting. Once you bring it home, if you are planning to cook it the same or the next day, take out its giblets and stick it straight into a large bowl filled with water, a tablespoon of salt, a tablespoon of sugar, and 2 cloves (optional). If the chicken is for the next day, cover it and place it in the fridge in its brining bowl. (Whenever you plan to cook the chicken, try to brine it overnight before because this means it stays extra moist.) If you are cooking the chicken the same day, try to let it sit in its brine for at least an hour, to get it all moistened up.

Once you are ready to cook, pre-heat your oven to 400 degrees. Take the chicken out of the water, allowing all the water inside it to drain out. Pat it dry thoroughly with paper towels because otherwise the skin won't get crisp. Next, stuff a small lemon inside the chicken (I tend to look at my chicken first and then go out and buy the largest lemon I think will fit inside it). Once that is done, take half of your tablespoon of butter and massage it into the chicken Under the skin of the breast into the meat itself. Take the rest of the butter and rub it around on the skin of the chicken. Then, sprinkle a little salt and pepper onto your hand, and massage that under the skin into the breast of the chicken. Get yourself a little more salt and pepper and rub it over the rest of the chicken. You don't need a lot, just a sprinkling.

Once the chicken is duly massaged, place it on a roasting rack on top of a roasting pan and into the oven. Nigella says it takes 15 minutes per pound plus ten minutes. I generally have my chicken in the oven for about an hour, and the best way of checking if its done is to stick a knife into it and see if the juices coming out are red (not done) or clear (done!).

Note: I never roast my chicken alone. In the roasting pan, I generally spread a generous amount of olive oil. I either cube up russet potatoes or slice sweet potatoes thinly and then turn them around in the olive oil so they get nice and coated. I try to spread them apart in a single layer, then I sprinkle them with salt, pepper, and some spices if I have anything (generally a little paprika and red chili powder on potatoes, and cinnamon and a little bit of honey over the sweet potatoes). If you have a large chicken, the vegetables will probably be done before the chicken, so take them out about 45-50 minutes into cooking time regardless of your chicken. Leftover roast veggies go great in roast chicken sandwiches!

What to Do?

     It rarely happens that a day comes and I have no idea what I am going to cook. There are either days where I know there is no way I am making anything or days where I know exactly what to do. But, days like this? Days where I am going through my grocery list in my mind and nothing is inspiring me even though I have a whole exam to procrastinate for? These days are rare. I don't like them. I need clarity, Right Now. Maybe if I talk it out with you that will help.

This is my life 

Me: Hi.
You: Hello.
Me: I have frozen chicken, but I was going to make curry on Thursday with that.
You: I thought you promised NO you would make Asian food on Thursday?
* Note: You are knowledgeable
Me: Oh. Right. So, should I make pork shoulder on Thursday? Should I make the chicken curry today?
You: That would make sense.

     Yay! Thank you all you people. You may think that was all a show, but I had no intention of making chicken curry at all today. And now I do! This talking to you, or the internet I suppose, thing really works. Especially if the you or the internet is just your alter ego. The internet does contain a lot of people alter egos. It is interesting to think about, my thoughts spin wildly out of control. But now they have a direction: chicken curry.

It was good...I promise, I just couldn't take proper pictures...

     OK, well, I have chicken. I also have spinach! I would totally have forgotten and it would have wilted, that would have been sad. I was having a conversation with CV once where he said that he thinks he has only ever eaten baby spinach and not real spinach. And, right then, I could not remember the difference between baby spinach and spinach at all. I think I have got it (kind of): you have to prep spinach by taking the backbone out of it (you know, that stick in between the leaf) and spinach is darker and..um..crinklier. Baby spinach is lighter, flatter, and easier to cook with because it requires less prep! But I bought spinach, and I'm pretty sure saag chicken (which is what I plan to make) would not be saag chicken with baby spinach.

Cooking With Katch Part I: Dinner

    

     Katch came back to the kitchen on Sunday! For those who don't know, Katch is a free-lance photographer (who has her own blog: http://katchiree.com/blog/). She came to take pictures for my blog once before when I made the blood orange olive oil cake and the coconut chicken curry. On Sunday, we went with the same theme: one curry and one dessert. Life is so easy when one is consistent! And that way I get one guilty pleasure and one staple meal for the week, so everyone's happy.

     I love cooking with Katch because someone else is taking pictures! Which means I don't have to wash my hands every five minutes in order to use the camera (I wonder if I told you that last time too, well, it makes me Really happy so I'm just emphasizing). Also, then the pictures come out looking beautiful and amazing. Even when they are of such unbeauteous things as mushrooms. Though, I do love mushrooms.

     While KK was visiting this weekend, she also bought these mangosteens. These are a fruit I had never heard of before. They taste kind of like sweet tarts inside, and they are very hard and tough to open unless you have a knife (as we found out while trying to eat them on the train home from H-Mart - where we bought them). I'm not sure I like the taste, but they are very interesting to look at, so I saved some for Katch to photograph:

     And then we actually started cooking. We made the dessert (to be displayed tomorrow) first, but I am posting the curry today (obviously). It is a fancier curry than normal, which also seems to be a theme when Katch is around. Why is it fancy? Because it has cashews! And a couple of extra spices I don't normally use. The difference a few ingredients makes astounds me.

     Look at the picture below, doesn't this look more like a restaurant curry? Slightly thicker, a little creamier, and all because of a little change in ingredients and technique. So, when you are in the mood to try something a little more upscale than my homey cooking, try out this curry! The ingredient list only looks long because I used more than the regular number of spaces. More importantly, this curry tastes just as gorgeous as it looks. The chicken is ridiculously tender, hurrah for chicken thighs, the cashews add a little crunch but melt away in one's mouth, and the curry itself is spicy and thick and full of the subtle flavors of all the different spices. It makes me want to go home and eat more right now.  If only.

 

Cashew Chicken Curry

4 large Chicken Thighs, De-skinned and De-boned
2 tbsp Vegetable Oil
1 mid-sized Yellow Onion, Finely Chopped
1 Garlic Clove, Minced
1/2 tsp Turmeric
1 tsp Coriander
1 tsp Garam Masala
3 Green Cardamom Pods
6 Black Peppercorns 
2 1/2 tbsp Plain Yogurt
1 tbsp Tomato Paste
1/3 cup Cashews, Finely Chopped (or Processed in a Food Processor or Grinder)
1 cup Cremini Mushrooms, Sliced
1 cup Water 
1/2 tbsp Lemon Juice

Chicken Prep: Trim the chicken thighs and cut them into 1'' cubes. While chopping onion, garlic, cashews, soak the pieces of chicken in a large bowl of water with a tablepoon of salt and a tablespoon of sugar until they are needed.

For the Curry: 

First, heat the oil in a large saucepan at medium heat. Add the pieces of chicken (do in more than one batch if adding all the chicken will crowd the pan) and cook the chicken on both sides, so each piece is sealed. Take the pieces of chicken out and place them in a bowl, setting aside for later. Return the pan to the heat, add more oil if necessary, and add the chopped onions and garlic, sauteeing until the onions are translucent and the garlic is slightly browned. Then, add the turmeric, coriander, and garam masala. After stirring and frying for a minute, add the peppercorns and cardamom pods. After allowing them to fry for two minutes, add the yogurt and tomato paste. Fry up while stirring constantly, allowing all the ingredients to combine thoroughly. Add the cashews and continue stirring until they are coated in the spice mixture. Add the mushrooms, the chicken, the cup of water, and the lemon juice. Stir everything together and let it cook at medium heat for five minutes. Then, reduce the heat to medium-low and allow it to simmer for ten minutes. The chicken and mushrooms should be tender and the curry should be fairly thick. If this is not the case, lower the heat and continue simmering for another five minutes.

Almost There

     

     It's almost my spring break! Did you know? It starts this Friday. I cannot wait to have no class at all and nothing to do...except study for the quiz and two midterms I have directly after break, but hush. I have other things to think about. Such as: since I only have two days left in Philly, I really need to use up my groceries- carrots, chicken, yogurt, milk. That's not so bad. On top of which, I haven't cooked for rather a long time, and I need some curry to help me survive till Friday.

Artistic Marinade

      You know, people keep asking me how I get the time to cook, etc. while I have school. Here's the great thing about writing this blog: I always have food to eat (except on days without cooking), I don't eat out at all (so I am saving money- Yay!), I probably spend as much time cooking/eating with people as we would spend eating out, and cooking a real meal does not take that much more time or effort than frozen food. Especially when you are trying to heat up frozen food and you manage to set off the smoke detector and it just won't turn off for a very long time. That was me, yesterday, in the five minutes right before I had to leave for work. As numerous people told me: There is a lesson in this, just stick to cooking!

     So, that is what I am going back to doing, and I am so happy. Making a simple curry is just the most relaxing thing of all. I defrost and brine my chicken, mix up some yogurt marinade / curry base, dump the chicken in it, cut up some of my carrots (would it be ok to put my last bok choy in a curry? hm. I suppose not. I must cling to the last shreds of my authenticity), and it all simmers away. I love knowing my dinner will be a full and delicious meal.

I can't help that it's yellow...it just is yellow!

      So, carrots, yogurt, milk, chicken. All check. Delicious curry dinner, certified by PN who had some (of course), check. She ate it without anything because I was too lazy to simmer it down into thickness, and it did make a very good soup that way. For my part, I had some on rice with more yogurt because that is the way I do. The carrots were nice and soft, the curry was flavorful and not too spicy, the chicken was perfectly cooked. Yay food!

Carrot and Yogurt Chicken Curry 

1 lb Boneless Skinless Chicken Thighs 
1 cup Yogurt 
1/2 cup Milk 
1 tsp Ground Coriander
1 tsp Garam Masala 
1/4 tsp Turmeric
1/4 tsp Ginger Powder 
1/8 tsp Salt 
1/8 tsp Red Chili Powder
2 Green Cardamom Pods 
2 tbsp Vegetable Oil 
3 mid-sized Carrots, Diced

Chicken Prep: 

Soak the chicken thighs in a large bowl filled with water, a spoon of salt, and a spoon of sugar. After preparing your marinade, take the chicken thighs out and cut them into bite sized pieces (1 in cubes).

Marinade and Curry:

In a large bowl, mix the yogurt, milk, ground coriander, garam masala, turmeric, ginger powder, salt, and red chili powder. Add the bite sized pieces of chicken and mix in thoroughly. Leave for ten minutes. Meanwhile, peel the carrots and dice them.

Then, heat the oil in a large saucepan. Add the cardamom pods and fry them for a minute. Next, draining the chicken of as much liquid marinade as possible, sear the chicken on both sides at medium heat. Don't crowd the pan: you can sear one batch of chicken, place it in a bowl, and then sear another batch. Once all the chicken has been seared, dump it all back into the saucepan, pour in the marinade, and add the carrots. Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer the curry for ten minutes or until the carrots are soft. If you want the curry thicker, simmer for slightly longer. 

The Most Comfortable Foods

Because you need comforting foods on dark dark nights. And the moon is beautiful. 

     I have a philosophy. It is that, in cooking, nothing can go wrong. You probably don't agree. You are probably looking at me like I'm crazy. Because you're thinking, of course things go wrong when you cook! You could not add enough of something or add too much of something and now you're left with a mess instead of something delicious. Well, to clarify, I'm not saying that everything always turns out absolutely mouth water-ingly delicious. But, I think you can end up with good, satisfying food nine out of ten times that you cook. This is probably why, whenever I read a recipe for something I want to make yet don't have all the ingredients for, I just substitute away until I can make it out of things in my pantry. And if I have things I want to use that aren't called for in a recipe, I just throw them in. If you always do this within reason, knowing what flavors tend to taste good together, things really will be all right.

My dinner: An experiment in substitutions     

  
     This is a good philosophy to have when you sometimes buy ingredients you don't know what to do with. For example, when you end up up buying an entire gallon of whole milk because you were not thinking. Somehow, my mental notes that I needed three cups of whole milk for chocolate pudding and that I was out of milk for my oatmeal and cereal eating got muddled in my mind. Ah well. So, what could I use whole milk for? Mac and Cheese! But, I didn't have the other -perhaps you would think absolutely necessary- components for Mac and Cheese: cheddar cheese (which everyone says is the best for this purpose) and elbow macaroni. 

     So, maybe its not a traditional Mac and Cheese. But, it is penne pasta baked in a creamy mozzarella sauce with chicken and topped with cheese. That is comfort food enough for me. And, it was easy enough to make, bake, and admire in the hour between my lab and work. Yay! The saddest thing though was that I didn't have time to eat any of it before I left for work. And, though it was creamy, and the chicken moist, and the top crunchy and golden when I finally got to eat it, I missed out on that bubbly just-out-of-the-oven cheesiness. That and the remaining cups of whole milk mean there might be a less healthy Mac and Cheese coming up shortly. Still, I now have one, filling, not-too-unhealthy, protein-inclusive (I have to say it, its making me feel better that my dinner consisted of delicious oozing cheese and pasta) Mac and Cheese that-bakes-up-to-make-a-good-dinner-and-lunch-for-the-next-day recipe in my repertoire. And that can never be a bad thing.

And...this is how much was left after my dinner....I was hungry OK. 

Baked Macaroni and Cheese with Chicken
Very Loosely Adapted from Southern Living 

Serves 2 (Double Recipe for a Square Pan if you are a normal person who doesn't only cook in loaf pans. This will allow you to save it up for more than two meals or share it with someone! Hurrah) 

1 cup Penne Pasta (or Elbow Macaroni) 
1 piece Chicken Thigh 
1 cup Milk (not skim) 
1 tbsp Butter
1 tbsp Flour
1/4 tsp Salt 
1/8 tsp Black Pepper 
10 oz Shredded Mozzarella Cheese (or Sharp Cheddar, which is more traditional)

Pre-heat oven to 400 degrees. Then, lightly grease your loaf or square pan. Next, boil the water for the penne pasta and cook it. Set the pasta aside. Also, trim the excess fat from the chicken thigh and cut it into bite-sized (approximately 1 inch) cubes.

For the sauce, first microwave the milk for 1 minute. Meanwhile, melt the butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Then, whisk in the flour until smooth and cook, while whisking constantly, for 1 minute. Gradually whisk in the warm milk and cook the mixture for five minutes while whisking constantly, until it has thickened. Next, whisk in the salt, pepper, and 8 oz (1 cup) of the cheese. Spoon in the cooked pasta and raw chicken cubes. Pour the pasta, chicken, and sauce into the pan. Top with the remaining cheese. Bake for twenty minutes, or until it is golden and bubbly. 

A Quick Fix

     

     Sometimes, you do not have the time. It is not a Saturday to leisurely watch Challah dough rise. It is not a Wednesday night without work to bake cookies. No, it is a Sunday. The Sunday before the first chemistry exam of the semester no less. And on such a Sunday, there is no time. So, breakfast and lunch got by on Challah bread and Veggie Curry respectively. They were delicious and comforting to the less-than-happy Chemistry studier. But, now its dinner time. What's a dinner I can make in ridiculously little time and yet still feel happy blogging about? It was an easy question to answer: Soy Sauce Chicken.

     This is not my recipe. It comes to me from my friend SZ who got it from her mom. Arriving at SZ's apartment in NYC late one night after the two hour bus-ride from Philly, I was starving. She put this dish together in no time flat, and it was amazing. Filling, warming, healthy, and with all the necessary ingredients for a good meal: chicken, veggies, Flavor. I have been wanting to replicate it ever since I got home. 

     Of course, I'm probably going to be committing blasphemy when I put this dish together. Unlike SZ, I do not have fresh ginger root on hand. I also don't remember the exact proportions, or even ingredients she used. I do remember: 1 part soy sauce to 2 parts water (and I didn't even stick with that...) But that was as good a starting point as any. I hope she and her mom forgive my changes, they are done with an eye to what is in my fridge and pantry, not because I didn't love the original. Now, to wing it!

     I started with the basics: soy sauce, water, ginger, garlic, onions, and the piece of chicken. Then, I realized I had a lot of soy sauce and water, and a very small piece of chicken. I was already bemoaning the lack of mushrooms, which SZ had put in the dish, to soak up some liquids. Then I remembered! Udon noodles in the fridge. And, that is how my dinner came to be. It was filling, the chicken was moist and delicious, and the udon noodles had soaked up the gingery-soy saucy flavor. I did miss those mushrooms though, add them if you make this dish! They take it above and beyond. Still, I now feel full and prepared to tackle thermodynamics in all its varied forms.

Soy Sauce Chicken

Serves 1 (To multiply simply add more chicken thighs and the other ingredients in proportion to how much chicken you have. If you are not using an entire packet of udon, you could probably fit another chicken thigh in the amount of liquid I have given and be absolutely fine; I had a lot of sauce left over after my dinner.)  

1 Chicken Thigh

1/4 cup Soy Sauce 

3/4 cup Water 
1 tbsp Sugar 
1/2 tsp Lemon Juice

1/2 Onion, Finely Chopped

1/4 tsp Ginger Powder

1 clove Garlic, Minced    

1/2 cup Baby Spinach 

1 packet Udon Noodles (optional) 
1 cup Mushrooms, sliced (optional; recommended) 

In a small saucepan set to medium heat, add and mix the the soy sauce, water, sugar, lemon juice, onion, ginger powder, and garlic. Trim the excess fat off of the chicken thigh, and place it in the mixture. (You do not have to cut the thigh into pieces.) Simmer the mixture and chicken for fifteen minutes, turning the chicken once in a while if it is not fully covered in liquid. Then, add the udon noodles and/or mushrooms (if using). Stir in, and simmer mixture for another fifteen minutes. Serve! 

Curries Make the World Go Round

Look at that steam!

     I hope you are thinking, Yay Curry! But, I would understand if, instead, you are thinking: another curry? But you just posted a curry! Well, to that I have to say: This blog is called Curries and Cakes, so I need to have curries plural! And, more relevantly, I ran out of said other curry, and I need food to eat and food to freeze for everyday non-blog living. Even though, I do wish I could live off of cakes and cookies. (Those Cocoa Cookies by the way....still soft and delicious...and addictive.) 

A full meal! (There is rice underneath, it is hiding.)

     This curry will also be different after all. It will be a full meal curry. It will have all my servings of meat and vegetables in one. So, when I need to be rushing off to work or class because I have just rushed in from work or class, all I have to do is make some rice, dump on said curry (and yogurt), and eat really really fast. To that end, this curry has in it: chicken, tomatoes, mushrooms, and baby spinach. I know my last curry was tomato-ey too, and the pizza had tomatoes on it, but do you see a trend? I bought tomatoes and tomato paste. Tomatoes must be finished before we can move onto other horizons. And, I used up most of the ones I had left in this recipe. Yay! Furthermore, this is a very different flavored curry from the last one. Hurrah for the power of different spices.

     I also just really wanted to have a curry with mushrooms. I love them. They are delicious, and soft, and delectable in curries because they soak up all the flavor. But before I get to the curry, did you know that you are not supposed to wash mushrooms? It ruins their flavor --- my mother and the Food Network told me. Instead, you take a damp paper towel or wash cloth, and you (gently) wipe of all the dirt off the top and underside of the mushroom. (I will not judge you if you still wash mushrooms, this is just what everyone would do in an ideal Mushroom Lovers World.) Also, aren't mushrooms just beautiful?

Beautiful mushrooms

     As a side note, you could easily make this curry vegetarian by just ignoring all the chicken steps. You also don't need to have the spinach. I actually just threw it in last minute because I realized I had some in the fridge. But, it does add a nice green note and make the curry even better for you. Also, if you don't own some of the spices, just omit them! If you only have garam masala, coriander, and turmeric, the curry will survive --- and still be more flavorful than most other foods. You do definitely need to own mushrooms. Still, I only bought one regular sized (8 oz) box of them the day I made this curry and then used them all up. So, I didn't even have to worry about excess mushrooms sitting waiting to be cooked in the fridge! Lastly, I used chicken thighs for this recipe. Even though I used breasts in the last curry, it was because I was in a hurry when I cooked it. ALWAYS use thighs when you can. You have to trim off the excess fat (don't obsessively trim off all the fat, like I used to do, because the point is to leave a little on), but they stay moist and extra tasty in curries. 

     This curry was again very easy to make and very flavorful. Its a little spicier than the last due to the black peppercorns and garam masala, which together add a bit of kick. It has the softness of the mushrooms and the spinach, the tanginess of tomatoes, plus the pungency of all the spices together. A very satisfying dinner, all in all.

Chicken and Mushroom Curry 

Makes 8 servings 

1 lb Skinless, Boneless Chicken Thighs

1 cup Button Mushrooms, Sliced

4 tbsp Vegetable Oil 

2 Black Peppercorns

2 Cardamom Pods 

1/4 tsp Turmeric 

1 Onion, finely chopped

1 tsp Ground Coriander

1/2 tsp Garam Masala 

1/4 tsp Ginger Powder 

1 clove Garlic, minced 

2 Tomatoes, diced 

1/2 tbsp Tomato Paste 

1/2 tsp Salt 

3/4 cup Water 

1/2 cup Baby Spinach 

Chicken Prep: Fill a large bowl with water. Add a tbsp of sugar and a tbsp of salt. Submerge chicken thighs while getting other ingredients together.

Cooking the Chicken: 

Cut the chicken thighs into 1 inch cubes. Heat 2 tbsp of oil in a large pan. Add the chicken and cook it on both sides to seal. Place the chicken in a bowl, and discard the oil. Set the chicken aside until needed.

Cooking the Curry: 

Heat 2 tbsp of vegetable oil in a large pan. Add the peppercorns, cardamom pods, and turmeric, and fry them for about 2 minutes at medium heat. Next, add the onions and fry them until they are translucent. Mix in the ground coriander, ginger powder, garam masala, and garlic, stirring while frying for 2 minutes. Then, add the tomatoes, tomato paste, water, and salt. Stir to mix thoroughly. Bring the mixture to a boil and then simmer for five minutes. Next, add the chicken and mushroom to the pan. Simmer on low heat for ten minutes, then stir in the spinach. Simmer for another five minutes, or until the curry is at the thickness that you want it. (Note: If you think the curry has gotten too thick for your liking, just add some water! The consistency should be what you want it to be.) 

A Curry!

     In honor of my friend OK, to whom I promised this and other curry recipes a long time ago, here is my first ever curry posting! I made this chicken curry a week ago actually and froze it. But having eaten it again for dinner a few days ago, I realized it is delicious. The recipe deserves to be posted. Furthermore, it illustrates my firm belief that Indian food is ridiculously easy to make. I mean, I'm not talking about naan or the other fancy foods that restaurant chefs spend hours preparing. I'm talking about the regular old, but still delicious and flavorful, Indian lentils, meat curries, and vegetables that I eat at home almost every day. Once you own some coriander, cumin, and red chili powder, you can really make any curry recipe! Even I don't own the more obscure spices here at school, but my curries are still my best meals. 

     This is one extra satisfying and simple chicken curry. It has a tomato paste base, a few spices, and some chicken breast. I was riffing off the "Chicken Madras" recipe in Mridula Baljekar's "Best-ever Curry Cookbook," since I didn't have my mother on hand to advise me on how much of each spice to add. The recipe called for fenugreek, fresh ginger, garlic, curry leaves and fresh green chillies. I did away with all of them or substituted with powders. Thankfully, it didn't harm the curry an iota (though I suppose it isn't traditional "Chicken Madras" anymore..ah well). Eating this curry with plain yogurt (yes, Indians eat curry with yogurt) and some defrosted mixed veggies (from where? from Trader Joe's!) I realized two things. First, that I hadn't eaten a full meal in days, and second: it tasted like home.

     I am going to do a more in-depth curry posting later, but as I do have a midterm tomorrow, I am going to cut this short. If you have never made curry before, start with this one! Its ridiculously easy, and it tastes delicious. The curry is lovely, tomato-ey, and not too spicy, but very flavorful (of course if you want spice, you can add back those fresh green chilies). And, the chicken prep is what my mom always does, so I do it too. Without further ado, here's the recipe:

Yay for a balanced meal! Also, this plate composing thing is far harder than it seems.

Chicken Madras 
(Loosely Adapted from Mridula Baljekar's Recipe in "Best-Ever Curry Cookbook") 

Serves 4

1 lb Chicken Breasts, Skinned
3 tbsp Tomato Paste 
1/4 tsp Fennel Seeds 
1/4 tsp Ginger Powder (or 1 tsp Fresh Root Ginger, Grated) 
1 1/2 tsp Ground Coriander 
1/4 tsp Garlic Powder (or 1 tsp Crushed Garlic) 
1/4 tsp Chili Powder 
1/4 tsp Turmeric 
2 tbsp Lemon Juice 
1 tsp Salt 
1 1/4 cups Water 
3 tbs Vegetable Oil 
2 Small Onions, Diced 

Prep for Chicken: Fill a large bowl with water. Add a tablespoon of sugar and a tablespoon of salt. Submerge chicken breasts while preparing curry base. 

Curry Base: 

In a medium bowl, mix the tomato paste, fennel seeds, ginger (whether powder or grated), ground coriander, garlic (ditto),  chili powder, turmeric, lemon juice, salt, and water.

Preparing Curry:

First, cut the chicken beasts into small cubes (about 1 inch). Heat the oil in a large pan, and fry the onions until translucent. Then, add the chicken and cook it on both sides to seal. Pour in the curry base and stir to make sure the ingredients are well mixed. Finally, lower the heat and simmer for 8-10 minutes.