Kitchen Korma

Ahh India...land of beautiful lashes, amazing smells, beautiful colors, Saris, Ganesha, Kali, sacred cows and the amazing, exotic food...I have always wanted to go...for now I settle for the food. I want to eat that country.

Different regions have different styles. The more north you go the more spicy and more meat. The more south, the milder and more vegetarian. I'll teach you how to cook them all, at home, for cheap :)

Spices! India has a long history of the best and most diverse spices in the world. The markets are rich with the exotic. Often cheap and easy to haggle.
For a beginner, I recommend starting with blends until you become comfortable. Sweet Curry Powder, Hot Curry Powder, Gahram Marsala, Rojan Josh, Vindeloo, and Ground Ginger are good starter spices. Later cardamom pods, corriander, star anise and cassia cinnamon are great additions.

Yoghurt is important, as is cream and coconut milk. Depending on the dish you are making. They make sauces rich and creamy. They add tart and sweet elements important depending on what you are making.

Let's begin with a simple chicken curry. I start by taking a cup or so of yoghurt, some curry powder, I like hot but you can use sweet or both. Mix these together. Place 1lb of chicken cut to bite size pieces. Stir, cover and place in the fridge.

Next, start prepping the other stuff. I personally like potatoes and tomatoes and a whole sweet onion in my curry; but you can add peas, eggplant, squash, zucchini anything you like. Cut veggies to approximately the same size. Place in mixing bowl.

Begin the cooking process by taking a few table spoons of unsalted butter and melt it in a Dutch oven. If you don't have a Dutch oven and large pot will do, the heavier the better. I like to go from stove to oven, but, if your pot cannot do this you can do it all on the stove.

When the butter is melted, add a couple more teaspoons of curry powder and one teaspoon ground ginger and a pinch of salt to the butter. Heat for a few minutes over medium heat to release the oils in the spices. This is important. Add about a tablespoon of oil. I use olive, but any high heat oil will do, raise the heat a little to med/high and add your onion. Let that sweat for a few.

Start adding your chicken a few pieces at a time. Letting it brown up a little. Add your veggies and enough stock or water to just become even with your other ingredients. Cover reduce heat to low. Or place into a 225 degree oven.

Cook low and slow until the potatoes are nice and tender, takes approx. 2 hours but, check now and again. The slow process makes all of the flavors mingle and the chicken and potatoes, beautifully tender. At the very end stir in more yoghurt until nice and creamy. Add kosher salt and pepper to taste.

Serve with Raita and Naan; Or chutneys of your choice.
- Adree Does Eat