A Taste of India

I finally decided to open my Asian cookbook.  I hadn’t looked at it in years, let alone make any of the recipes.  Because of the complex flavors of Indian dishes, I thought the actual cooking would be complicated.  When I read a recipe for Braised Curried Chicken I could not believe how easy it was. 

The central spice in this recipe is curry powder.  This magical Indian spice is composed of four basic spices:  coriander, cumin, fenugreek and turmeric.  A few more may be included, and the combination will depend on the spice company bottling it.   As you can imagine, the possibility for various combinations is endless. 

For my first attempt, I wanted to use a premium curry so I went to a specialty spice shop--Penzeys.  I found one called Maharajah, and in addition to the four basics, it also contains cardamom, ginger, nutmeg, fennel, cinnamon, white pepper, black pepper, cloves, red pepper and saffron.  I also learned that many curry powders don’t include saffron because of its cost but this one does.  Saffron adds the bright yellow color and a subtle but distinctive flavor. 

The main attraction of this recipe was how easy it was to prepare.  Aside from chopping the vegetables, it’s two simple steps:  browning the chicken, and adding everything else to the pot and cooking it.  It’s also a perfect recipe for a slow cooker.  You can load it in the morning and have it ready at dinnertime.  The finished product is as tasty as any dish you’d order in a fine Indian restaurant. 

 

Braised Curried Chicken

1 chicken, cut into serving-size pieces

3 T oil

½ C green pepper, cut into chunks

2 stalks celery, cut into 1” pieces

2 white onions, sliced in rings

3 cloves garlic, sliced

1 T fresh ginger, sliced

2 T curry powder

1 t cinnamon

¼ t cumin

½ C golden raisins

½ t salt

2 t soy sauce

1 shake red pepper flakes (optional)

2 14oz cans chicken stock

 

In a large stew pot or Dutch oven, heat the oil. Lightly brown the chicken.  Add the stock and the other ingredients and bring the pot to a boil.  Lower the temperature to a simmer, cover and cook 45 minutes.  That’s it and it’s ready to plate.  I served it with steamed jasmine rice.  It’s the perfect vehicle for this curry and gravy.  However, the flavor of the curry is so wonderful that any rice, noodle or other side would taste just as delicious.

 

Enjoy your taste of India!

©Pauline Boren 2010

Any questions or comments?  Contact me at conservativecook@gmail.com.

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