Chicken Vindaloo

Okay okay now, Thursday’s were never my laundry day gosh why did I make it one now!!! Yeah it was all about the Memorial Day weekend and the hangama out here changed my Thursday harmony into an ordeal!!! Yeah carrying that big - oh not so big though neatly, oh I hear you ask me why neatly for a laundry bag and the answer is that me he he he, sorted bags down 3 straight floors, hey I missed the half fleet of stairs to the basement mmmh huh(clearing my throat) with the laundry detergent yuhooo I realized I missed my keys in there, locking me out… So anyways half way down why bring the world down for that (wicked to myself), I chose the nicest or may be the cleanest washers and dumped the load in with the detergent. So how do I get in now??? Simple as long as the Apartment Managers is reachable why worry, very energetically I reached his apartment door!!!

Knock knock!!! Knock Knock!!! No one answered, he is an old man he usually takes his time to check on the door I waited, almost a minute then my worry meter started peeking up ha ha know why my Chicken Vindaloo was on the stove, I see you guys laugh at me!!! Knock Knock ok what now I walked to the main door of the apartment kept the door open, not locking me into the parking lot, rang his bell no one yet!!! The next thing that came to my mind was the fire alarm that will go on when my vindaloo will be charred and smoking out of the pan, oh okay now turning my worry meter down, I said to myself its gonna be fun… But what about the trouble that I will be causing oh Ramya how could you be so irresponsible??? Thinking what to do I stood there waiting to take refuge at anyone whom I would encounter that day!!! I knew my a coupla apartment was empty and the cleaning guys were working there okay I am gonna give a try buzzing other apartments, I could hardly take charge of laughter when I write this but the heights of desperateness was high when I concluded that!!!

Luckily before I made a fool out of myself I heard a car come and park looking at that my joy found no bounds oh that was my apartment manager, I told him that I locked myself out while I had my Chicken Vindaloo waiting to be treat good, on the stove he smiled and said “I thought you were the most responsible gal, who has not yourself out of your apartment”. I replied “don’t judge me by this incident”… Finally I was in and the aroma was amazing when I walked in the door!!! This Chicken Vindaloo recipe is from Madhur Jaffrey, I did make a lot of changes to the recipe but the base is from MJ’s book “from Curries to Kebabs recipes from the Indian Spice trial”. MJ has it as duck Vindaloo but I comfortably substituted Chicken. MJ says, Vinho means Wine Vinegar and alhos means Garlic and probably originated from the Portuguese – Indian colony – our famous Goa!!! For more info you gotta get hold of her book!!!



Ingredients:

Onion – 1 large cut into half rings
Ginger – 2 inches, grated
Garlic – 6-7 large plum pods, crushed
Mustard Seeds – ½ tsp
Fenugreek Seeds – ¼ tsp
Chicken – close to 2 lbs
Tomato – 2 medium chopped
Cooking Oil – 3 tbsps
Curry Leaves – a few
Salt to taste
Sugar – a pinch
Vinegar – 2-3 tbsps
Bay Leaves – 2 nos.
Water – ½ cup optional

Powder:

Turmeric Powder – ½ tsp
Paprika – 2 tbsps
Red Chilies – 3 nos.
Coriander Seeds – 1 ½ tbsp
Cumin Seeds 1 ½ tbsp
Pepper Corns – 10 nos.
Nutmeg – a dash
Garam Masala – 1 tbsp (Cinnamon, Cloves, Cardamom Seeds)

Method:

Dry Roast Red Chilies, Coriander Seeds, Cumin Seeds, Pepper corns, Cinnamon, Cardamom Seeds, and Cloves, blend them to a smooth powder then add the Turmeric Powder, Paprika and freshly grated Nutmeg. Set aside.

In a large skillet heat Cooking Oil and add the Bay Leaves when the Oil is hot. Add the washed Chicken to it and let it cook until a coat of brown is formed or color is changed. Remove and set the Chicken aside do the same with the remaining Chicken. Do not add any extra Oil.

Now when all the Chicken is done remove the Bay Leaves from the Oil, add the Mustard Seeds and Fenugreek Seeds when they splutter add the Onions and Curry Leaves, fry until translucent. Throw in the grated Ginger and pressed Garlic when the aroma leaves add the powder and stir well and cook for a few minutes.

It’s time for the Tomatoes now, cover and cook until Tomatoes turn tender. Next in order is the Chicken, drop them and mix well and cover and cook. You can add Water if you want more gravy but the Chicken itself will give away a ton of water, not a ton literally though. Adjust Salt and throw in the Sugar finally add the Vinegar to it and cook for a few minutes. Tada Chicken Vindaloo is ready!!!

Servewith: Rice or Roti



We all know about Jo of Sugar & Everything Nice, she had a giveaway a month ago for her first blog anniversary; the event was simple write a comment and her husband would choose from those who commented!!! She sent in these cute Wine Bottle Holders I found them lying on my door step on Tuesday (16th June 2009)had to wait a couple of day before I could click these nice pictures of them… For those who do not know her, she is an amazing cook and a baker, do visit her!!!

Am sending Chicken Vindaloo to

Viki's -- The Potluck - Chicken

Potato Cauliflower Curry

After about 10 days, when I step back to my space it’s all so new and suddenly my typing speed has come down oh my, have I become lazy after the short break or call it my usual disappearing act!!! Now that I have recovered slowly and my reader has gone to take my place… Oh definitely there is some work going on behind the screens to set that right, apologize for my absence in your blogs!!!

Sick and getting well and roaming all around to fix chores and finally cooking had gradually decreased during the last 10 days, but suddenly a realization that I was missing homemade food!!! So I instantly checked my pantry to make a quick curry, Potatoes peeked out promptly raising its hands, and then the raffling sound in my refrigerator reminded me of the poor lil too large a Cauliflower waiting to be made into a nice curry… In just a brief notice I unearthed all my vanished energy, oh the idea of cooking made me run in and out of the kitchen, I had to ask myself, where was the sick gal I saw a few minutes back??? By the end of the hour I realized my hands were full with chappathis on one side and the curry on the other!!!



Ingredients:

Potato – ¾ large diced
Cauliflower Florets – 3-4 cups
Onion – 1 large
Curry Leaves – a few
Mustard Seeds – ¼ tsp
Bay Leaf – few
Turmeric Powder – ¼ tsp
Chili Powder – ½ tsp
Red Chilies – 5-6 nos.
Cinnamon Stick – 1
Cloves – 3 nos.
Cardamom – 2 nos.
Pepper Corn – ½ tsp
Coriander Seeds – 1 tbsp
Cumin Seeds – 1 tbsp
Fenugreek Seeds – ¼ tsp
Coconut – grated or Pieces ¾ cup (divided into ¼ cup and ½ cup)
Tamarind – lime size
Cooking Oil – 3 tbsps
Salt to taste
Hot Water – 1 cup
Ginger – 1 inch
Garlic – 4 nos.

Method:

Heat a non stick pan, add a few drops of Oil and fry half of the Onions and set aside. In the same pan fry the Red Chilies, Coriander Seeds, Fenugreek Seeds, Cinnamon Stick, Cloves, Cardamom and Cumin Seeds, until aromatic and set aside. Now fry ¼ cup of Coconut in the pan and add it the Onions, Tamarind and the Spices, using some hot water grind it to a paste and leave it aside. In the meantime soak the remaining Coconut in hot water, blend and strain the Coconut Milk. Mince or crush the Garlic and Ginger using a garlic press.

In a heat bottomed pan, heat 2-3 tbsps of Oil, add the Mustard seeds, the reserve of Onion, Curry Leaves and Bay Leaves. Next goes the crushed Ginger and Garlic sauté until the raw smell disappears. Add the Spice Paste, Turmeric Powder, Chili Powder and some Water, after about a couple of minutes add the diced Potato and cook until Water disappears. Throw in some Salt and Water and cover and cook until the Potatoes are half done.

Now when the Potatoes start turning color add the Cauliflower Florets and cook for about 10 mins, then pour the Coconut Milk and cover and cook until done.

Serve with: Roti or Rice

P.S.: I like it spicy and love it when the color turns red, do reduce the Red Chilies a lil if you like it mild.

Chickpeas Curry

Sick and that too on the verge of entering summer is really pathetic, it simply means missing all the fun around!!! Anyways it’s still cold and breezy seems like a long way to summer yet… I did manage with some leftovers yesterday not much of cooking it was all rest and that made me feel sicker though… Today I did decide not to plunge into the sickness mood anymore but just hit on and cook something nice and cozy… Last night I soaked a cup of Garbanzo’s today the first thing that came to my mind was chickpeas curry… It’s also called as Channa or Kabuli Channa, my grandma considers this as a North Indian dish to be even more precise it’s a Sindhi style curry!!! And hey guys thanks for your comments I am kinda okay now but still the sore throat lingers and the temperature has kinda pitied me and gone down…



Ingredients:

Chickpeas – 1 cup soaked over night
Onion – 1 large finely chopped
Tomato – 2 large deseeded a ground to a paste
Cinnamon Stick – 1 ½ inches
Cardamom – 4 nos.
Cloves – 4 nos.
Bayleaf – 2 nos.
Asafetida – a dash
Cumin Seeds – 1 tbsp
Pepper Corn – 15 nos or 1 tbsp
Turmeric Powder – a dash
Chili Powder – 1 tbsp
Garam Masala – 1 ½ tbsps
Coriander Powder – 2 tbsps
Cooking Oil – 3 tbsps
Amchoor Powder – 1 tsp
Pepper - 2 tsps
Salt as required
Water

To Grind

Onion – 1 medium
Garlic Pods – 7-8 nos.
Ginger – 2 inches
Water

Garnishing:

Cilantro



Method:

Soak Garbanzo/Chickpeas over night with 5-6 cups of Water. In a cooking pot/cooker put the soaked Chickpeas along with the Water, Salt, Pepper Corns, Cinnamon, Cloves, Cardamom, Bayleaf, and Asafetida, cook until the Chickpeas are soft and fluffy. If using a pressure cooker, cook for 3-4 whistles. Meanwhile make a fine paste of all the ingredients under the “to grind” with some Water. Grind the tomatoes and set it aside.

In another pan heat the Cooking Oil and add the chopped Onions and cook on medium heat until they turn transparent. Now mix the Onion, Garlic and Ginger paste and cook until Oil oozes out. Now throw the Masalas one by one (Coriander Powder, Garam Masala, Turmeric Powder, Amchoor Powder, Pepper, and Chili Powder) cook for a few minutes.

Then goes the pureed Tomatoes, it might take a few minutes until the curry changes color. Now strain the Chickpeas and remove the masalas, since the flavors will be used up by now, retain the cooked Water. Drop in the Chickpeas and adjust Salt cover and cook for 5-10 mins, use the retained Water to make a gravy. Garnish with Cilantro.

Serve with: Roti or Batura

Spinach Rasam

The entire last week was hectic with relatives come over and the cooking and cleaning oh ok after that I took a days off having fun oh was there something wrong with that surely yeah the pollen rate in the air shot up sky high and I was completely alright the entire day but gosh today morning the sneezing saga started and haven’t found an end to it… Somehow I managed making lunch today – Radish sambhar, Okra in Tamarind sauce (Mullangi Sambhar and Bendakaya Pulusu) but later the sneezing was uncontrollable and I was almost sick just wanted to go back to bed… Somehow I wanted to have Rasam, most of the time it’s used as a digestive aid and many a times an aid for cold, fever and sore throat…

Spinach Rasam is a very common and most often made while I get cold, missed Mom she always had them ready for me whenever I needed it… I felt ok after having it, the sore throat slightly disappearing but still sneezing and somehow its keeping me away from visiting other blogger friends see you guys soon today or tomorrow!!!



Ingredients:

For dry frying and powder:

Channa Dhal – 1 tbsp
Pepper – 1 tbsp
Coriander Seeds – ½ tbsp
Cumin Seeds – ¾ tbsp
Asafetida – ½ inch piece
Curry Leaves – 10-12 nos.
Red Chilies – 4 nos.
Water

For Tempering:

Cooking Oil – ½ tsp
Mustard Seeds – ½ tsp
Curry Leaves – few
Red Chilies – 1 nos.

For the Rasam

Tamarind – 1 small lime size
Turmeric Powder – ½ tsp
Water – 3-4 cups
Spinach – 10 leaves
Salt to taste

Method:

Dry roast all the ingredients mentioned and powder them, use some Water to make a paste while grinding itself. Heat a pan, pour the powdered mixture with Water and cook for a min. Meanwhile paste Tamarind with Water and strain the pods off retaining the Tamarind Water, mix the Tamarind Water and Turmeric Powder to the paste and let it cook for a few mins. Now add the Spinach Leaves and cook for few more mins. Adjust Salt and while its hot in another pan heat oil and the tempering ingredients mix into the Rasam.

Serve with: Rice