A tribute to my MOM…

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
I was the youngest of three. Growing up with two older boys could have its own advantages… promise I won’t go for many details… I was in the kitchen with my grandmother and mom very early on in my life. They both have different styles of cooking. My grandmother mainly did her cooking when I was young with clay pots using fire. My mom used saucepans and a gas stove and in between with a hot plate using electricity. Growing up in 70s and 80s was fun when I look back. I am gal who loves history but not crazy about it.

Any way one of the recipes that I enjoy with my husband is this simple chicken curry that was highly influenced by mom and she uses this base with mutton, sheep, or lamb. Not my favorite but my husband’s. I usually use this base with chicken.

It is yummy and simple but I don’t know your cooking style and strengths but I am pretty sure this is an achievable recipe. If you are up to south Asian cooking you should give this a try.
I usually use chicken thigh with bones, but if you don’t like the dark meet you can go for chicken breast.

What you need… a small coffee grinder this is a must have equipment for south Asian cooking to add the fresh dried herbs to flavor your dishes. A nice big sauté pan because I like to cook this fast and it usually help to distribute the heat evenly.

Ingredients:-
Part A
1 ½ tbs coriander seeds
3 tbs cumin seeds
3 tsp black pepper seeds (adjust this according to your palette)
10 – 15 cardamom seed pods (seeded)
1 ½ tsp rice (uncooked)
10- 13 almonds
½ tsp mustard seeds

Part B
4 tbs sour cream
½ can of small tomato paste
1 tsp red chili powder
½ tsp yellow powder
salt according to your taste

Part C
2/ tbs of cooking oil or butter
1 big white onion
Small Green Chilies whole (adjust to your tolerance of spiciness, you can omit this)
Garlic & Ginger
Curry leaves or coriander leaves

Part D
2lbs chicken with thighs clean and cut if you like you can debone

Method
Place all the ingredients in part A in the coffee grinder and pulse it until it is powdered. Add the part A and part B to the chicken and mix well. Add the oil/butter to the sauté pan and sauté garlic and ginger for about 2 minutes in medium heat. Then add the white onion and sate it until translucent. If you are using curry leaves add them now if you are using coriander/ cilantro adds them when you are done cooking very last. Now add the mixed chicken mix to the pan and sauté in medium high heat until brown.

Finally add one ½ cup of water to the chicken bowl that you mixed in and wash all the spices it will be stick to the bowl because of sour cream. Add this water finally to the chicken and cook for about 20 minutes until chicken is cooked through in medium low heat covered with a lid. Now add the cilantro leaves and serve with warm basmati rice.

Quote of the day “ let go when you really want to hold on”

Enjoy!