butter chicken

Chicken Tikka Masala
recipe adapted from bon appetit
serves 6-8

INGREDIENTS
2 lbs skinless, boneless chicken breasts, halved lengthwise (can do a mix of breasts and thighs)

For the marinade:
1/2 head of garlic, finely minced
4 inch piece of ginger, finely grated
4 tsp ground turmeric
2 tsp garam masala
2 tsp ground coriander
2 tsp ground cumin

1 1/2 cups plain full fat yogurt (not Greek)
2 tbsp kosher salt

For the sauce:
3 tbsp ghee or vegetable oil
1/4 cup tomato paste
1 onion, thinly sliced
6 cardamom pods, crushed
1/2 tsp crushed red pepper flakes

2 15oz cans whole peeled tomatoes
2 cups heavy cream
3/4 cup chopped cilantro, plus sprigs for garnish

METHOD:
1. In a small glass bowl, combine garlic, ginger, turmeric, garam masala, coriander and cumin. Set aside.

2. In a large glass casserole dish, make the marinade by mixing yogurt, salt and half of spice mixture. Add chicken and turn to coat. Cover and chill 4-6 hours. Cover and chill remaining spice mixture.

3. In a large heavy pot or Dutch oven, heat ghee over medium heat. Add onions, tomato paste, cardamom and crushed red pepper flakes. Cook, stirring often, until tomato paste has darkened and onion is soft, about 5 minutes. Add remaining half of spice mixture and cook, stirring often, until bottom of pot begins to brown, about 4 minutes.

4. Add tomatoes and crush them into the sauce, scraping up any fond that has developed. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer until sauce thickens, about 10 minutes.

5. Add cream and chopped cilantro. Simmer, stirring occasionally until sauce thickens, about 30-40 minutes.

6. Meanwhile, preheat broiler. Line a rimmed baking sheet with foil and set a wire rack inside sheet. Arrange chicken on rack in a single layer. Broil until chicken starts to blacken in spots, about 10 minutes.

7. Remove chicken to a cutting board and cut into 1-2 inch pieces. Add to sauce, and simmer, stirring occasionally, until chicken is cooked through, about 10 minutes.

8. Garnish with cilantro sprigs and serve with basmati rice, naan, a crisp green salad and Cucumber Raita.

indian cuisine essentials

Garam Masala
recipe adapted from The Spruce
makes about a 1/2 cup

INGREDIENTS:
1 whole cinnamon stick, crushed
2 tbsp cardamon seeds
2 tbsp black peppercorns

3 tbsp ground coriander

2 tbsp ground cumin
1 tsp ground cloves
1 tsp freshly grated nutmeg

METHOD:
1. In a small dry skillet over medium high heat, add crushed cinnamon, cardamon seeds and peppercorns. Toast for about 10 minutes until the ingredients have darkened slightly and give off a rich aroma. Shake and stir to toast the spices evenly.

2. Pour into a spice grinder and let cool. Set aside.

3. Add remaining spices to the same skillet and toast the same way, but only about 3-4 minutes. Pour into a small bowl. Set aside.

4. Grind cooled spices and add to the bowl. Mix well. Use immediately or store in an airtight container in a cool dry place.

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Cucumber Raita
makes about 1 cup

INGREDIENTS:
1/2 English cucumber, peeled, cut lengthwise and thinly sliced
1 tbsp cilantro, chopped
1 tbsp mint leaves, chopped
1/2 clove garlic, minced

1 cup plain full fat yogurt (not Greek)

1 tsp cumin
dash of paprika and a mint leaf to garnish

METHOD:
1. In a bowl, combine all ingredients and mix well. Cover and chill until ready to serve.

2. Garnish with a dash of paprika and a mint leaf before serving.

lotus root 2 ways

Fried Lotus Root Cake
makes about 12-14 patties

INGREDIENTS:
1/2 lbs (500g) minced pork
4-5 cups grated lotus root, about 3 sections
1/2 cup cilantro, chopped
1/4 cup green onion, finely sliced
1 tbsp minced ginger (optional)
3 tbsp corn starch
2 tbsp soy sauce
1 tbsp rice wine
1 tsp sesame oil
2 tsp salt
a few dashes of white pepper

METHOD:
1. In a large bowl, combine all ingredients and mix well.

2. Using a large spoon, form patties that are about 1 inch thick and 2 inches wide. Place in a single layer on a tray or plate. Chill patties for at least 30 minutes before cooking or do ahead and chill overnight.

3. In a large non-stick skillet, heat 2-3 tbsp of grape seed or canola oil. Using a spatula, gently place each patty in the skillet and press down to flatten to less than 1/4 inch thick. Cook 3-4 minutes per side until crispy golden brown.

4. Drain patties on some paper towels. Garnish with extra cilantro and serve with Worcestershire sauce or sriracha on the side.

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Cantonese Lotus Root Soup
serves 8-10

INGREDIENTS:
1 lbs pork shank, cut into 1 inch pieces
4-6 sections of lotus root, peeled and cut in 1/2 inch rounds
6-8 dried red dates, rinsed
1 tbsp dried apricot kernals, rinsed
3 tbsp dried goji berries (wolfberries)
salt

METHOD:
1. In a large stock pot, bring 4 litres (16 cups) water to a boil. Season pork and add to the pot.

2. Boil for 2-3 minutes and skim the surface with a ladle to remove the scum.

3. Add lotus root and remaining dried ingredients. Lower heat and simmer for 3 hours. Taste and adjust seasoning if desired. Serve hot.

homemade pesto

Pesto
makes about 2 cups

INGREDIENTS:
1 cup pine nuts
1 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
3-4 garlic cloves
10-12 cups fresh basil leaves (about 3 bunches)
2 tsp kosher salt
1 cup extra-virgin olive oil

METHOD:
1. Add pine nuts, Parmesan and garlic to a food processor. Pulse until finely ground, about 1 minute.

2. Add basil and salt. Slowly drizzle olive oil while pulsing until almost smooth, about 1-2 minutes. Adjust seasoning as desired.

3. Use immediately or store in a clean air tight glass container in the fridge up to 7 days. If storing, top pesto with a 1/2 inch of olive oil to prevent browning before securing the container with a lid.

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Linguine Pesto
serves 4-6

INGREDIENTS:
1 cup homemade pesto
2 tbsp butter, cut into small pieces
1 500g (1 lbs) package of dried linguine
1/2 cup pasta cooking liquid
coarse salt and pepper
grated Parmesan cheese for serving

METHOD:
1. In a large serving bowl, add pesto and butter. Set aside.

2. Cook linguine according to package directions until al dente.

3. Transfer pasta to serving bowl and add pasta cooking liquid. Toss vigorously with tongs, adding more liquid if needed. Taste and season as desired. Serve immediately with extra Parmesan on the side.