Chicken Salna

A very simple, minimal work recipe for spicy, aromatic, creamy salna to go with hot parotta! 

1 tablespoon oil
1 tablespoon fennel seeds
1 teaspoon black peppercorns
2 sprigs of curry leaves (15-20 leaves)
2 large onions, thinly sliced (preferably red onions)
3 roma tomatoes, chopped
1 heaping tablespoon coriander powder
1/2 teaspoon turmeric
1/2 teaspoon pure red chili powder
3/4 cup grated coconut (frozen or fresh)
1 tablespoon oil
1 cinnamon stick
1 bay leaf
1 star anise
3 cloves
3 cardamom pods
1/2 teaspoon fennel seeds
1.5 lbs chicken, chopped into small pieces (about 1/2 inch pieces, preferably bone in, thighs)
1 serrano chile, slit lengthwise
1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder
4 cups water
2 teaspoons salt + salt to taste

Heat oil in a large pot.  Add fennel seeds, black peppercorns and curry leaves.  Let them splutter for about 30 seconds then add the onions and saute until lightly browned. (About 7-10 minutes.)  Add tomatoes and saute for another 5 minutes, until softened.  Stir in coriander, turmeric and chili powders and stir well to combine.  Last, stir in the grated coconut and saute for 3-5 minutes.  Switch off heat, remove the onion-tomato mixture and put in a bowl to cool.

Meanwhile, add another tablespoon of oil to the same pot.  When hot add the cinnamon stick, bay leaf, star anise, cloves, cardamom pods and fennel seeds.  When aromatic add the chicken pieces, serrano chile, turmeric powder and salt: stir to combine.  Pour over this enough water to cover the chicken (about 4 cups).  Bring to a boil then cover the pot, turn heat to low and simmer for 15 minutes. 

Put cooled onion-tomato mixture into a blender and blend with a little water until smooth.  Pour into the chicken mixture and stir to combine.  At this point you may need to add a little water to bring salna to desired consistency.  (Salna is typically made up of mostly gravy, minimal chicken - not too thick but not watery.)  Bring to a boil, reduce heat to low and cover and cook for another 15 minutes. Add salt to taste.

Serve with: parotta, idli/dosa, chapati, biryani/rice...

Peas Pilau

2 cups of basmati rice
2 tablespoons butter or ghee
1 teaspoon cumin seeds
1 cinnamon stick
1 bay leaf
4 cloves
4 green cardamom pods
1 medium onion, chopped
1 tablespoon ginger garlic paste
2 teaspoons salt
1 cup green peas, frozen
3 cups water

Place rice in a bowl with just enough cold water to cover it.  Set aside.

Melt the butter over medium heat in a skillet.  Add the cumin seeds, bay leaf, cloves, cardamom and cinnamon stick and saute until fragrant, just under a minute.  Add the onions and saute until lightly browned.  Add the ginger garlic paste and saute for a minute.  Last, stir in the peas and salt.  Switch off heat.

Drain the rice, and place in a rice cooker along with the pea mixture and water.   Cook according to manufacturers instructions. 

Slow Cooker Curried Butternut Squash Soup

1 butternut squash, peeled, seeds removed and cubed (approximately 1")
1 small onion, finely chopped
1/2 teaspoon cumin powder
1/2 teaspoon coriander powder
1/4-1/2 teaspoon pure red chili powder
1 teaspoon madras curry powder
2 cups chicken broth
2 cups water (or enough to cover the squash)
salt
black pepper

Place all ingredients in the slow cooker.  The water should just cover the squash, so adjust amount accordingly.  Turn to the slow cooker setting to high and cover and cook for 4 hours. Turn off the cooker and and allow to cool.  Using a slotted spoon, scoop the cubes of squash into a food processor or blender and puree.  Return to the slow cooker and stir well.  Add salt and pepper to taste.  Garnish with a spoon of plain yogurt and a sprinkle of roasted pumpkin seeds.

Indian Grocery Essentials

This is part 3 of the Indian "Essentials" postings.  If you haven't already visited parts 1 and 2, you can find them here: Indian Pantry Essentials and Beyond the Indian Pantry Essentials.

These are the fresh items which I like to have on hand for Indian cooking, non-vegetarian and vegetarian.  

Grocery Essentials

Onions
Garlic
Ginger
Tomatoes
Curry leaves, fresh (if possible!)
Coriander/cilantro leaves
Mint leaves
Coconut, grated (frozen)
Coconut, whole (fresh)
Assorted Vegetables (which I find are widely available in the USA and commonly used in Indian cooking)
    potatoes, okra, eggplant, leafy greens (i.e. spinach, fenugreek leaves), radishes (daikon or common red), cabbage, carrots, green beans, and more
Mixed vegetables (frozen)
Green peas (frozen)
Green chiles (I recommend serrano peppers)
Yogurt (plain)
Heavy cream
Eggs
Chicken thighs, bone in, skinned (I do NOT recommend chicken breast for Indian cooking unless I specifically state so on a particular recipe.  It is too dry.)
Chicken drumsticks, skinned
Mutton (goat meat)
Shrimp (raw, deveined, frozen)
Fish (frozen catfish, tilapia, and salmon pieces are my favorites, but my husband loves kingfish)

Beyond the Indian Pantry Essentials

Due to popularity of my previous blog post on the Indian pantry essentials, this list is for those interested in the next level of Indian cooking!  Of course, this list is not exhaustive, and is based on the method of cooking I am most familiar with: south Indian cuisine.

The Indian Pantry Essentials part one is available here.

Now, onto the list.

Beyond the Indian Pantry Essentials:


Dried curry leaves
Ghee (clarified butter...substitute unsalted butter if necessary)
Cashews (raw, pieces, unsalted)
Almonds (raw, pieces, unsalted)
Cumin powder
Chaat masala (not really a must have, but I love the taste...it goes back to the 90's when I first tasted it when my dad brought some home from a business trip to India)
Urad dal (black lentil, outer skin removed to leave white interior)
Moong dal (mung bean)
Chana (chickepeas)
Fenugreek seeds
Coriander seeds (whole)
Poppy seeds (white)
Cumin powder
Chana dalia (roasted gram
Asoefatida
Saffron
Vermicelli
Pearl tapioca
Rava (cream of wheat)
Golden raisins
Atta (whole wheat flour)
Gingelly oil (light sesame oil - the Asian sesame oil is darker and has a different flavor)
Coconut oil
Coconut milk (canned)

I hope to add to this list as items come to mind.

What about you?  Indian food lovers, what would you recommend? 

Coconut Chutney

An accompaniment to dosa, idli, vada, pakora, baji, and more...

1 cup grated coconut
2 green chiles, roughly chopped
1 clove garlic
1 quarter size piece of ginger
2 tablespoons rough chopped onion (optional)
water
salt
1/4 teaspoon cumin seeds
1/2 teaspoon mustard seeds
1/4 teaspoon urad dal
10 curry leaves
1 tablespoon oil

Combine coconut, chiles, garlic, ginger and onion in a blender (mixie).  Blend well, adding just enough water to keep the blender running smoothly.  (Or, add to your desired consistency, noting that the chutney will thicken slightly as it sits.)  Add salt, to taste.  When done blending, the coconut mixture should be just smooth.  This will take 3-5 minutes depending on the efficiency of your blender.  Put the mixture into a bowl, set aside.

Heat oil in a small frying pan - add seasonings: cumin, mustard, urad, curry leaves, red chiles.  When mustard seeds pop, turn off the heat and pour the seasonings and oil into the coconut mixture.  Stir until combined. 

Sweet Potato Fry

1/2 teaspoon mustard seeds
1/4 teaspoon cumin seeds
1/3 teaspoon urad dal
10 curry leaves
1 tablespoon oil
1/4 teaspoon turmeric powder
3 sweet potatoes, peeled and chopped into 1/2" cubes
1 teaspoon sambar powder (or substitute 1/4 teaspoon chili powder, 1/4 teaspoon cumin powder, 1/2 teaspoon coriander powder)

Heat the oil in a shallow pan, add the mustard, cumin, urad dal and curry leaves.  When the mustard seeds pop and the urad turns golden brown, add the turmeric, then the sweet potatoes,  Stir fry for several minutes over high heat, then cover and turn heat to low.  Allow to steam-cook for about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.  The potato should be slightly firm at this point.  (Fork tender.)  Add the sambar powder, stir fry for another couple minutes until potato is well coated. Switch off heat and leave it covered until ready to eat - the steam from the potato as it cools will finish cooking the potato.