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Chicken Curry

Curry Chicken2

  • 1 pound chicken thighs, with or without bones, without skin
  • ½ cup non-fat Greek yogurt
  • 2 tablespoons half and half
  • 3 garlic cloves, minced
  • 2 inch fresh ginger, grated
  • Juice of one lemon
  • 2 teaspoons salt
  • 2 teaspoons garam masala

Mix the yogurt, half and half, garlic, ginger, lemon juice, salt and garam masala in a bowl. Add to a zip lock bag with the chicken and marinate in the fridge overnight or at least 2 hours. Keep aside.

  • 1 medium yellow onion, cut in half
  • 1 cup cherry tomatoes, washed
  • 1 cup chicken broth
  • 2 green cardamoms, crushed
  • 2 cloves

Add the onion, tomatoes, chicken broth, cardamom and cloves to a medium pan. Bring to a boil and simmer covered for 30 minutes or till everything is soft and mushy. Blend in a blender till smooth.

  • 2 tablespoons extra light olive oil
  • ½ cinnamon stick
  • Salt
  • ½ cup cilantro, chopped

Heat a large saucepan with the olive oil and cinnamon stick. Add the blended onion mixture and sauté on medium heat for 10 to 12 minutes, stirring constantly. Add the chicken including the marinade. Mix well and cook on a medium heat covered for 20 minutes or till the chicken is cooked through. Take the lid off and turn the heat up to cook the extra moisture off, about 5 minutes, stirring constantly. Check for seasonings and garnish with cilantro.
Chicken Curry1

Chicken with Almond and Cilantro Curry
  • 1 pound chicken thighs, skinless and boneless, cut into 2 inch pieces
  • ½ cup full fat yogurt
  • ¼ cup half and half
  • ¼ cup fresh mint
  • ½ cup fresh cilantro
  • 2 inches fresh ginger, peeled and cut
  • 1 teaspoon garam masala
  • 2 teaspoons salt

Add the yogurt, half and half, mint, cilantro, ginger, garam masala and salt to a blender and blend till a smooth sauce is formed. Transfer to a mixing bowl with the chicken pieces and marinate for at least 2 to 3 hours, preferably over night.

  • ½ cup slivered almonds
  • ½ cup hot water

Soak the almonds in the hot water for an hour and then place in a blender and blend till a smooth paste is formed, keep aside.

  • 2 tablespoons butter
  • ½ teaspoon mace
  • ½ teaspoon nutmeg
  • 1 teaspoon black cumin seeds
  • 1 cinnamon stick, ½ inch
  • 1 medium onion, chopped

Heat a heavy saucepan with the butter. Add the mace, nutmeg, black cumin seeds and cinnamon stick. Saute on medium heat for 30 seconds. Add the onion and sauté on medium heat for 2 to 3 minutes. Add the almond paste and sauté for another 4 to 5 minutes, stirring constantly. Add the chicken with the marinade and bring to a boil. Lower the heat to a simmer and cover with lid and cook for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. Take the lid off and check for seasonings. Turn the heat up to cook off any excess moisture. Mix well and serve warm with rice or rotis.

Curried Chickpeas
  • 2 cups dried chickpeas, soaked overnight or at least 5 to 6 hours
  • 2 tablespoons extra light olive oil
  • 2 tablespoons butter or ghee
  • 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
  • 2 teaspoons coriander powder
  • 2 inch cinnamon stick
  • 3 cloves
  • 1 large cardamom
  • 2 medium shallots, chopped
  • 2 garlic cloves, chopped
  • 1 inch fresh ginger, chopped
  • 1 14 ounces can diced fire roasted tomatoes
  • Salt
  • ½ cup cilantro, chopped

Heat a pressure cooker or regular saucepan with the oil and ghee. Add the cumin, coriander, cinnamon stick, cloves and cardamom. Saute on medium heat for a minute. Add the shallots, garlic and ginger. Saute for 3 to 4 minutes, stirring constantly. Add the tomatoes and sauté for another 3 minutes. Add the chickpeas with the soaking liquid. Bring to a boil. If using the pressure cooker, cook for about half an hour. If using regular saucepan, cook for at least an hour or till the chickpeas are soft but not mushy. Check for seasonings and garnish with cilantro.

Pumpkin Gelato

Pumpkin Gelato

  • 1/2 cup pumpkin puree
  • ½ cup evaporated cane juice (sugar)
  • ½ vanilla bean, split in half
  • ¼ teaspoon ground cloves
  • ½ cinnamon stick
  • 2 cups whole milk
  • 2 tablespoons corn starch
  • 2 tablespoons whole milk to mix in the cornstarch

Ice cream maker

In a medium saucepan, heat the milk, vanilla bean, ground cloves and cinnamon stick on medium heat. Once bubbles begin to form on the edges, add the cornstarch mixed in with 2 tablespoons milk. Cook till the mixture begins to thicken, about 2-3 minutes and forms a custard consistency. Add ½ cup pumpkin puree and mix well. Remove from the heat. Strain and refrigerate overnight or at least 2 hours.

Pour the chilled mixture into an ice cream maker and follow the manufacturers instructions. Freeze the gelato for at least an hour once it is done.

Chicken Korma

Chicken Korma

  • 1½ skinless chicken thighs, cut into ½ inch pieces

Marinade

  • 1 cup non-fat Greek yogurt
  • ½ cup low-fat sour cream
  • ¼ cup half and half
  • ½ medium yellow onion, minced
  • 1 garlic clove, minced
  • 2 inch ginger, grated
  • 2 teaspoons salt
  • ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper

Mix the yogurt, sour cream, half and half, onion, garlic, ginger, salt and cayenne pepper in a medium bowl. Add the chicken pieces and marinate for at least 2 to 3 hours if not over night.

  • ½ cup cashews soaked over night in ½ cup hot water

Blend the cashews with the water into a paste. Keep aside.

  • 2 tablespoons extra light olive oil
  • 1 teaspoon black cumin seeds (shaahi zeera)
  • 2 green cardamoms, crushed
  • 1 ½ inch cinnamon stick
  • 3 to 4 cloves, crushed
  • 1 large or 2 small yellow onions, minced
  • 3 garlic cloves, minced
  • ½ cup cilantro, chopped

Heat a deep saucepan with the oil. Add the cumin, cardamom, cinnamon and cloves. Cook on medium heat for about 30 seconds. Add the onions, garlic, cashew paste and cook medium heat for at least 20 minutes, stirring constantly. Add the chicken with the marinade and bring to a boil. Lower the heat and cover and cook for 20 to 30 minutes. Check every 10 minutes, making sure it doesn’t stick to the bottom of the pan. Take the lid off and turn the heat up to medium high and let the excess moisture evaporate- another 10 minutes stirring constantly. Check for seasonings and garnish with cilantro.

Malaysian Style Pork Coconut Curry

If you are in the mood for a really, really yummy dish and don’t mind turning the oven on for a few hours- this recipe is for you… truly one of my favorites…I had a version of this at a yummy Singaporean restaurant in the city and I still dream of the yumminess….

  • 3 tablespoons peanut oil
  • 2-3 pounds pork shoulder, cut into 2 inch pieces with excess fat taken off
  • ½ cup all purpose flour
  • Salt
  • 1 star anise
  • 3 to 4 cloves
  • 1 cinnamon stick
  • 10 to 12 curry leaves

Spice Paste

  • 4 garlic cloves
  • 1 cup chopped shallots
  • 3 to 4 dried red chilies, seeds taken out and soaked in hot water for 10 minutes
  • 2 teaspoons coriander seeds
  • 2 teaspoons cumin seeds
  • 1 teaspoon turmeric
  • 1 tablespoon shrimp paste (Asian store)
  • 2 lemongrass (white part), chopped

Process all spice paste ingredients in a food processor until a paste is formed. Keep aside.

  • 1 can full fat coconut milk
  • 3 to 4 cups chicken broth
  • 3 to 4 medium yellow potatoes, peeled and cut into 2 inch pieces
  • Salt
  • Sugar

Heat a large, heavy saucepan with the peanut oil. In the meantime, dredge the pork pieces in the flour and then sprinkle them with a bit of salt. Brown the pieces in the hot oil, in batches for at least 3 to 4 minutes on each side. Set the pork aside and add the star anise, cloves, cinnamon stick and curry leaves. Saute on medium heat for 1 to 2 minutes. Add the spice paste and sauté on medium heat for 4 to 5 minutes, stirring constantly. Add the pork pieces, coconut milk and chicken broth. Bring to a boil and lower the heat to a simmer and cook with the lid on for at least 3 to 4 hours. Add the potatoes half an hour before serving. Reduce the gravy according to taste and serve with coconut rice.

 

Apple Cardamom Trifle

I thought I would do a bunch of desserts for the upcoming holidays.. this is one of my favorites…

Apple Filling

  • 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
  • 4 large apples, Pink Lady and Honey Crisp, peeled and cut into 1 inch pieces
  • 1 cinnamon stick
  • 3 cardamom pods, seeds taken out and crushed
  • ½ cup sugar
  • ½ cup apple cider
  • Juice of half a lemon

Place the butter in a large frying pan. Add the apple pieces, cinnamon stick, cardamom seeds and sugar. Stir constantly until the butter melts on a medium heat. Add the cider and lemon juice and bring to a boil. Lower the heat and cover with lid for ten minutes or till the apple pieces are soft but not mushy. Bring to room temperature and refrigerate. Take out of fridge a few hours before assembling. Divide into two portions.

Vanilla Custard (Gale Gand Recipe)

  • 2 cups 2% milk
  • ½ vanilla bean, split lengthwise
  • 6 egg yolks
  • 2/3 cup granulated sugar
  • ¼ cup cornstarch
  • 1 tablespoon unsalted butter

In a medium saucepan, heat the milk and vanilla bean to a boil over medium heat. Immediately turn off the heat and set aside to infuse for 10 minutes. In a bowl, whisk the egg yolks and granulated sugar until light and fluffy. Add the cornstarch and whisk vigorously until no lumps remain. Whisk in ¼ cup of the hot milk mixture until incorporated. Whisk in the remaining hot milk mixture, reserving the empty saucepan.
Pour the mixture through a strainer back into the saucepan. Cook over medium high heat, whisking constantly, until thickened and slowly boiling. Removed from and heat and stir in butter. Transfer to a storage bowl. Cover with plastic wrap to eliminate skin forming. Refrigerate overnight. Divide into two portions.

Cinnamon Whipped Cream

  • 8 oz Mascarpone cheese
  • 1 cup whipped cream
  • 2-3 tablespoons powdered sugar
  • 1-2 teaspoons powdered cinnamon

Whip the mascarpone cheese, whipped cream, sugar and cinnamon till stiff peaks form.

One pound cake, sliced, divided into two layers
One trifle bowl

Assemble the trifle by starting with a layer of pound cake at the bottom. Cover with one portion of the apples and then the custard. Repeat the process one more time and top with cinnamon whipped cream. Refrigerate for at least 4 to 5 hours before serving.

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