Returning to My Roots

    

     Sometimes, you have to work with what you have. That sometimes is pretty much all the time regarding cooking and me lately. I need to start shopping based on things I want to make. Instead I shop like this: I need a fruit (bananas), I need a cheese (this takes the longest), I need 2 vegetables (mushrooms!...and something random), I need 2 frozen foods because I know I will not cook once I get home from Trader Joe's after starving all day today, bread, sandwich meat...and there we have the constants of my ten things I buy every week (I leave room for a little miscellaneous..eggs? pasta? what don't I have at home? Toothpaste. You know, that kind of thing).

     The issue with this grand new shopping system is that while I have the ingredients needed to throw together my everyday meals (there's been a lot of omelettes lately), I never seem to have the right things for a Recipe. But then I had a revelation. Isn't that what I used to blog about when I blogged everyday oh so long ago? I just used to write about my everyday meals because isn't that The Point. That everyday meals can be made in college, that they can be super simple and not require a Recipe? No more capitals in the middle of sentences from now on, promise.

 

 

     Here's another revelation. I totally missed my one year anniversary of blogging. I feel like I don't deserve it anyway due to my winter break hiatus... But this is my 100th post. Wow. You know, I constantly contemplated my 100th post, and how I would make something super fancy and super special. But in a way, this is much more fitting. Here am I, college student with fridge full of my 10 weekly items, telling you that a little thinking out of the box and scrounging around your apartment is all you really need to make a special meal just for any old weeknight.

     So, here's what I actually made: mushrooms (obviously) and pasta. Simple. But no jars of tomato sauce because just because we are in college doesn't mean we can't make sauce! It doesn't take that long, I promise. Here's what it took me: I chopped up mushrooms, I cooked the mushrooms, I took them out and used the same pan to cook down some red wine, chicken broth, and spices. I added my pre-cooked pasta (which I cooked to just al-dente) and my mushrooms, and simmered everything together. Grand total: 20 mins. Use what you have on hand! Google recipes and find new ideas! But keep cooking, and your everyday meals won't seem everyday anymore, they will be 100th post worthy.

Red Wine and Mushroom Pasta

Note: Feel free to use any seasonings you like. Thyme, oregano all go well with basil, or as substitutes. Red chili flakes are of course optional, but they don't add a lot of heat to this just a little flavor. Also, I used the honey because my wine was Super acidic and I really didn't like its taste that much, so honey is a good...rounder-outer of the flavor. Use your taste buds to guide you! Also, use spaghetti or any other long/strand pasta you like, I just do think the long-strand types would work better than other kinds.

1 tsp Crushed Garlic (or 1 Garlic Clove, minced) 
2 tbsp Olive Oil 
10 oz Baby Bella Cremini Mushrooms (or really, any kind of mushrooms you like)
1/2 tsp Salt
1 tsp Dried Basil
1 tsp Italian Seasonings
1/2 tsp Red Chili Flakes
1/2 cup Red Wine
1/2 cup Chicken OR Vegetable Broth (Or 1/2 cup Water and 1/2 bouillon cube) 
1/2 tsp Honey
2 servings Linguine, Just-Cooked (i.e. take them out when they are still rather al-dente)

     Roughly chop your mushrooms, including the stems. In a very large frying pan, heat 1 1/2 tbsp of olive oil at medium high heat. Once it is hot, and 1/2 tsp of the crushed garlic, and allow it to sizzle for a minute. Then, add in the mushrooms and salt. Stir them around well, and then let them sit evenly on the pan and cook for 3-4 minutes, only stirring occasionally. Once they are darker and tender, and releasing some juices, transfer the mushrooms into a separate bowl. Try to the get the juices to stay in the pan.

     Add the remaining 1/2 tbsp of olive oil, and the remaining 1/2 tsp of the garlic to the same pan at medium-high heat. Allow them to sizzle for a minute, then stir in the basil, Italian seasoning, and red chili flakes if using. Stir in the pan for a minute or two, then add the wine and broth (or water and cube). Mix everything together well, adding the honey if needed, and then leave for 5 minutes. Allow the alcohol to evaporate off and the sauce to become thicker. Once it looks slightly (not A lot, just slightly) more viscous, add in the just-cooked pasta. Stir the pasta into the sauce, it will absorb the color and should start absorbing the flavors. Leave at a simmer for a few minutes, until the sauce has reduced further and most of it seems absorbed into the pasta, and then add the mushrooms. Simmer everything together for a few minutes until the mushrooms are hot again, and serve!

Browning Butter

 

     Dear people, I wrote this post a long time ago....and then....I never posted it. But, it still holds true! More posts soon!

 

      Have you ever browned butter? Placed a tablespoon or two of butter in a pan and cooked it lightly until it turns a light brown color and then cooked things in said butter or put it in your baked goods? If you have, you are a very smart person. I wish I had been like you earlier. If you haven't, you should - sometime soon. Because it is very very very worth it.

     I don't actually think I've ever smelled anything as delicious as the fragrance that floated up when I dumped a box-worth of sliced brown mushrooms into two tablespoons of browned butter. Just thinking about it is making my mouth water. Like actually.

     And delicious smells are important. Linguine covered in a fall-inspired pumpkin brown butter sauce and mushrooms is important. Full stomachs are important. Because people, it is cold outside. It snowed...what is with that? Why did it snow????? But moving past that, life can get tiring. One can get so worn down by school that one (i.e. me..ahem ahem) can stop caring about anything but the stress of work work work essay essay essay exam exam exam. And that is not good.

     So, one needs to stop and smell the roses...or butter...you know what I mean. Its worth it to take a little bit of your day to chop up those mushrooms and make some delicious (note: hearty, slightly pumpkin-y, a little rich, with that depth of brown butterness) sauce and just let everything go. Or make anything you want! Just stand by the stove or over a mixing bowl and stir stir....and relax a little. Then maybe go out...or see some friends! And forget work for a bit. Because after tonight I get a real life BREAK from work for a few days....and I want you to get one too.

Browned Butter Mushroom Pumpkin Sauce

2 tbsp Unsalted Butter
1 box Brown Mushrooms, Sliced
1/2 tsp Salt
1 tsp Black Pepper
1/8 tsp Nutmeg (maybe a little heavy 1/8th of a teaspoon, but to your own taste - I like nutmeg)
1/4 tsp Ginger
3/4 cup Canned Pumpkin
1/3 cup Chicken Broth (or vegetable broth, so this can be veggie-friendly)

In a large frying pan at medium-low heat, cook the butter. Stir it so it melts, then allow it to cook for 2 minutes until it is a light brown color. Once that is done, dump in all the sliced mushrooms. Make sure they get coated in the butter, and cook them for two minutes. Add the salt, pepper, nutmeg, and ginger, stirring into the mushrooms. Then, add the canned pumpkin, stirring it in, and lastly the chicken broth. Once everything is mixed together, allow it to simmer for 3-4 minutes, so that it thickens. Once the sauce is nice and thick, serve with your pasta of choice. I used linguine that I cooked as the sauce was cooking.

PIZZA!!!!!

    

     I love pizza. It makes me happy. The gooey cheese strands suspended in air as you hold up a perfect slice of Domino's (yes, Domino's!)...just the thought of it makes my mouth water. But you cannot have Domino's all the time. Especially if you are eating dinner by yourself on a week night, there are some limits to one's pizza eating capabilities- or mine at least.

     So what do I do on such weeknights? I make my own pizza! And why is this possible? Because I went to Trader Joe's and bought the amazing pizza crust! I am such an ad for their pizza dough. I've used it three times, in every one of my pizza recipes. I just can't help it, it's so convenient, and so good, and only a dollar! (Definitely also the third time I've said that.)

     I also had lovely fresh vegetables. There's something about a pizza loaded with tons of veggies but also some fresh mozzarella cheese that is just irresistible to me. It is so healthy! Obviously that's not why its irresistible though, sigh, that would be because of the lovely golden cheese. If things were irresistible to me based on healthiness life would be so easy. Instead my mom keeps telling me both sides of my family have diabetes, and I better watch out on the sugar. The desserts will be back though. Don't worry. I was healthy today, I can be unhealthy tomorrow!

     But for today, we are going to stick with my lovely mushroom, spinach, and tomato pizza. I didn't even use pizza sauce! Once you break out of the tomato sauce / cheese mold of pizza making, pizza can not only get a lot healthier, it can also come in endless forms. So, I just sauteed up my veggies, cut some nice slices of tomatoes and dried them out on the pan (otherwise you will get soggy pizza, I am sad to say), then dumped them all over my lovely pizza crust - which was off course brushed with olive oil. That makes up for a sauce all by itself. Then it baked. Then I ate it. And it was delicious. But that's redundant, you knew that already. How could it not be! So if you are staring at those fresh veggies with tired eyes, put them on pizza and everything will be OK again.

Mushroom, Spinach, Tomato Pizza

1 16 oz ball of Trader Joe's Pizza Dough
OR Enough Pizza Dough for a 12'' diameter thin-crust pizza 
2 tbsp Olive Oil 
1 Large Tomato, Cut into thin round slices 

1 cup Baby Spinach Leaves
1/2 cup White Button Mushrooms, Sliced
1 tsp Oregano 
1 tsp Basil 
1/2 tsp Black Pepper
1/2 tsp Salt 1/4 cup Mozzarella Cheese (I used half of the Ball of Mozzarella cheese you can get at TJ's)

If your pizza dough is in the fridge, make sure to take it out 20 minutes before you plan to use it. And pre-heat your oven to 425 degrees.

In a large frying pan, heat 1 tbsp of olive oil at medium heat. Once it is heated, add the spinach and mushrooms. Allow the spinach to wilt, then add the basil, oregano, and salt. Mix everything, cooking for about a minute. Then, place the spinach and mushrooms in a separate bowl. Take the thin slices of tomato and lay them on the bottom of the pan, allow them to cook for a minute on both sides, letting excess liquid run off the slices.

Take a large baking sheet and smear it with a little olive oil. Roll out the pizza dough a little and then put it on the baking sheet and press it down until it fills most of the sheet. Brush 1 tbsp of olive oil all over the top of the crust. Top it with the tomatoes, and then the spinach and mushroom mixture. Sprinkle the pepper over the top. Lastly, roughly shred the mozzarella if it was in a ball and sprinkle it liberally all over the pizza (if you want more than my recipe called for, go for it!) Then, bake it at 425 degrees for about 10 - 15 minutes, until the crust is golden brown and the cheese is golden. Take the baking sheet out and allow the pizza to cool on the baking sheet for a few minutes, then transfer it to a cutting board. Cut and eat!

The Last of the Catch Ups

     Hey! After these recipes we will finally arrive at foods I made this week and not last week before I left for Boston. Yay me! Yay for how much I cooked before I left! Look at how generally healthily I ate. Obviously, that has all gone downhill this week (six brownies do not a meal make) but still. Makes me feel nice to look at all those veggie recipes. And finally, I did cook something with meat in it last week. Hallelujah!

Fixings for a quick meal

     Today is a day for exclamations, apparently. Sorry, I'm just a little happy because two of my classes were cancelled today, and then I skipped the other one. Random mid-week vacation! Hush, a girl deserves a break sometimes. Even if she just had one and got to go home. School is tough and stressful. Staying up all night to make foods, which you will hear about tomorrow and after, is necessary stress relief. Class in which I generally spend all my time blogging is unnecessary stress. Hurrah for strangely circular stress related sentences!

I miss this dinner. I want more.

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.

An Invasion Part II

     So, I have a confession to make. Today's dish is not all mine, it is mainly my mother's. It's just, I did do some of it (the topping)...and it is too good an opportunity to pass up. An opportunity to talk about something oh so wonderful and new and exciting that I have never done before: fresh pasta.

Look at all the pretty pasta!

     Is fresh pasta hard to make? Not really. It doesn't take a lot of ingredients, just flour and eggs. It does also take a pasta machine, which I'm sure all of you don't have. You could roll the pasta out by hand. Yes, it would probably be frustrating and take a long time. But I think I might do it back at school one day, probably a day right before a midterm when I just cannot study....you will just have to wait and watch.

     The mushroom topping was actually a spur of the moment thing. The vegetarians in the house (my father) obviously could not enjoy the boeuf bourguignon I made earlier, so I was thinking of making a mushroom bourguignon. But, with my mother's inspired pasta making, we came up with something new! No mushrooms in bourguignon, but a mushroom sauce / topping, whatever you would like to call it, for the pasta. Something light and fresh and summery - mushrooms and tomatoes and parsley.  

     Even with its vegetarianism, the pasta was much appreciated by my brother and his friends who came over for dinner yesterday. In all its mushroom and tomato glory, they gobbled it up. Hurrah! But how could anyone not appreciate fresh pasta? Soft and silky and not overpowered by the slightly sweet tomatoes and soft mushrooms and bright parsley. Light and so easy to eat far too much of, I do love remembering a good meal. 

Pasta 

5 Eggs 

6 cups Flour 

Pour the flour into a large bowl so it is a large mound, and make a well in it. Pour in the eggs, and stir them together thoroughly (you can also mix them together in a food processor). Flour a surface and turn the dough onto it. Knead it a couple of times (not too much), and then put it back in the bowl and let it rest for about an hour. Once it has rested, divide the dough in two, roll it a little flat and start running it through the pasta roller. Run it through until you get a sheet of pasta about 1/6 of an inch thick. You may want to sprinkle it with flour to keep the sheet from sticking to itself. Once all the dough has been rolled out, cut it into thin strips (about 1/4 in thick). Sprinkle flour on the strips so they don't stick together either, and let them rest. Meanwhile, boil a large pot of water with a spoon of salt, and add the pasta. Let it cook for about 8 minutes, until it is al dente, and you are done! Drain the pasta, and then top it with the sauce. 

Mushroom Topping 

1/2 tbsp Olive Oil 

1 cup Mushrooms, diced 

1 Garlic Clove, minced 

2 tbsp Red Wine 

1 cup Parsley, chopped 

1 Mid-Sized Tomato, Diced 

1/2 tsp Salt 

1/2 tsp Pepper 

Heat the olive oil in a frying pan at medium heat. Add the garlic and the mushrooms and allow them to cook down until they are soft and browned. Add the red wine and stir it in, allowing the mushrooms to cook for a little longer. Then, add the parsley and tomatoes. Stir them in, until the tomatoes are softer and the parsley is wilted. Sprinkle on the salt and pepper to taste and stir them in.

Put the pasta in a large serving bowl and add the topping. Toss them together, and you are ready to serve! 

How Best to Cook

My view of Downtown Philly. Beautiful even on a gloomy day.

     Sometimes, the best way to cook is what I call the throw-everything-into-the-pot method. Generally, for me, this results in piping hot, veggie-rich, Asian flavored (considering the variety of Asian sauces I have now acquired) soup. Today, was no different. It was overcast and gloomy. It was cold, and as I've already been bemoaning the change in weather I will go no further with that. I missed my classes because I got sick. I was in a bad mood. What fixes a bad mood on a cold day? Not fussing over dishes I've never made before and would have to follow instructions for. Just making a good old - very comforting - soup.

Shiitake Mushrooms!

     I also have a lot of ingredients on hand, as you might have heard. I went mildly crazy at both Chinatown and Reading Terminal buying fresh fruits and veggies. You might know that I Rarely Ever have fresh produce, believing strongly in the power of the frozen food. So, what do I do with all this wealth? Well, I eat it as fast as possible, so none of it has a chance to go bad. And, when I know I can't eat an entire bush of kale (that is what it is - a bush), I boil some off to freeze it. Isn't it ironic that even when I buy fresh produce I turn it into frozen food? Ah well, that is the way of the world.

     Some of the fresh kale does make it into my soup though. Joining it are a bunch of shiitake mushrooms and a scallion, both of which I used to practice my julienning skills. Hurrah fancy Food Network words. Then, I look in my fridge. Hey! I still have more pork chops. In one goes. Life is beautiful when ingredients are on hand. And, isn't it just great that all you need for a soup base is water, soy sauce, and a little oyster sauce? I'm pretty sure you don't even need the oyster sauce, I just wanted to add a little something something more from my fully stocked pantry.

     So, for once, not only did I cook in the hour I had between class and work, I also got to eat. After a fast twenty minutes of cooking, I got a whole thirty to sit and enjoy! Imagine that. Slurping in the slightly bitter kale, the soft shiitake mushrooms, and that savory stock, I was utterly contented. Even leaving my apartment to find it chilly and snowing on my way to work didn't get me down. Everything is so different with your belly full of hot soup.

Quick Asian Kitchen-Sink Soup 

3 cups Water 
1/2 cup Kale
1/2 tsp Salt 
1 tbsp Soy Sauce 
1/4 tsp Oyster Sauce 
1/4 tsp Ginger Powder  
3 large Shiitake Mushrooms, Sliced Thinly 
1 Thin Boneless Pork Chop, Sliced Thinly (with excess fat trimmed off)  
1 Scallion, Sliced Thinly 
1 Egg  

Boil the water in a medium saucepan. Then, lower the heat to medium-low, and add the kale and the salt. Cook for about 8 minutes, then stir in the soy sauce, oyster sauce, and ginger powder. Next, mix in the shiitake mushrooms. Cook for about 3 minutes. Then, add the pork chop pieces and scallion. After stirring in, try to create an empty space in the middle of the pan (it might be hard). Crack the egg, and drop it into that space. Let it cook for a minute, not agitating it too much. Then pull it apart with long chopsticks or a spoon, just making sure all of it is cooked. This will probably only take a minute, after which you are ready to 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.)