Sunday Salan: Classic Murgh Masala (Chicken Curry)

I have warm memories growing up of my mother preparing this sort of curry in some shape or form almost every Sunday. Back when we were younger and less adventurous, this was our non-veg meal of choice. Sometimes they would be potatoes, sometimes we would have it with bread, and sometimes we would have it for dinner. It’s the best meal for a lazy Sunday afternoon, one where all you want to do is eat, drink a few beers, binge on Netflix, and then fall asleep in front of the TV. Too bad I don’t have time for that in college because if I did, I’d assure you that not a lot of work would be getting done!

Enjoy this as next Sunday’s salan (gravy)!

Recipe: Classic Murgh Masala 

My take on a traditional North Indian chicken curry. 

Serves 4

Ingredients

• 1 large white onion
• 1 Serrano pepper, use Thai or bird’s-eye peppers for more heat
• 6 garlic cloves, peeled
• 3 tablespoons fresh ginger, peeled
• 4 tablespoons vegetable oil, adjust to personal preferences
• 6 green cardamom pods, lightly crushed
• 6 cloves
• 2, inch-long, flat cinnamon sticks (desi cinnamon)
• 6-9 whole black peppercorns
• 4 bay leaves
• 1/2 teaspoon ground turmeric
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 2 teaspoons ground coriander
• 14 oz crushed tomatoes
• salt, to taste
• 1.5 pounds boneless and skinless chicken thighs, cut into 1-inch chunks
• 2-3 cups water
• 1/2 teaspoon dried fenugreek (kasuri methi) leaves, optional
• 1/4 cup fresh cilantro leaves and stems, finely chopped
• lime wedges, for garnish

Method

Place the onion, Serrano pepper, garlic, and ginger into a blender or food processor and grind until the mixture resembles a fine, but not liquidy, paste

Heat the oil in a, large heavy-bottom pot, such as a dutch oven or a Moroccan tagine, over medium-high heat. Once hot add the cardamom pods, cloves, cinnamon sticks, and peppercorns. Allow the whole spices to sizzle in the oil for minute before adding the blended onion, serrano pepper, and ginger-garlic mixture. Saute this wet masala mixture over medium-high heat for about 8-10 minutes, till the onions are starting to brown. 

Add the bay leaves, turmeric, cumin, coriander, and salt to the wet masala and cook out these spices for a minute before adding the crushed tomatoes to free any browned bits sticking to the pan. Continue cooking this mixture, stirring continuously and adding about 1/2 cup of water in intervals, for about another 10 minutes over high heat, till an oily sheen begins to appear on the surface.

Add the chicken pieces and mix vigourously to coat the pieces in the masala. Brown the chicken over high heat for another 10 minutes. Then add 1 1/2 to 2 cups of water (enough to create a sauce) and bring the mixture to a boil. Reduce the heat to a simmer and cook the curry over low heat for another 20 minutes, till the chicken has cooked through and the sauce has thickened slightly. Adjust the seasoning at this stage if needed.

Add the dried fenugreek leaves, if using, and cook for another five minutes. Garnish the curry with fresh cilantro leaves and serve with steamed rice or crusty baguette slices to mop up all of the delicious juices. Finish with a squeeze of lime juice on top. 

 

Mother of Baingan: West African Peanut Stew

It’s fun to trace the journey of spices. Originating predominantly in India, these goodies must have reached East Africa through trade and eventually traversed the continent till they reached the west coast, where they inflected themselves into the flavors of the local cuisines. So many Indian standbys: coriander, fenugreek, cumin, cloves, black pepper, and more were found in this stew recipe that I just couldn’t help but think of the possible resemblance that it might have to a standard chicken curry. Well, I was wrong.

It is just a couple of changes that give this dish a visible and tastefully unique identity. It’s definitely more bulky than the curries we make. Eggplant or baingan is savored with the utmost relish in a multitude of ways across India, yet almost all of them are vegetarian preparations. Who would have known that an eggplant’s heartiness makes it the perfect partner for almost any kind of meat? Then there’s the addition of okra, a practice that perhaps traveled over with the slave trade to Louisiana, where it got incorporated into the famous gumbo. The vegetables in this stew are not petty. They are practically on the same level as the chunks of chicken, seared in the pan until brown and caramelized.

The peanut butter though, was a revelation. Lending a rich and nutty creaminess, it sets this stew off the edge, rounding out the flavor with its mellow tones and thickening it much like how cashew paste is used to thicken Mughal style curries in North India. Sure peanut butter is probably not what is used in West Africa. It’s far more likely that fresh nuts are ground laboriously with a mortar and pestle until they resemble a coarse paste. Therefore, do be sure to use a high quality, all natural peanut butter in this recipe. That means no corn syrup, oil, or any other synthetic material should be in the ingredient list! I happen to love the fresh, grind-it-yourself peanut butter available at Whole Foods. It maybe a bit more expensive, but the taste is far more superior, and buying just the amount you need will not set you back that far.

This stew has got heat, meat, bulk, grit, tang, and a little sweet. It’s undoubtedly a complete meal and one that will have your guests showering you with rounds of praise.

Recipe: West African Peanut Stew

Recipe from Saveur

Ingredients:

• 1/3 cup canola oil, adjust to your preferences, I may have used a bit less
• 2 pounds skinless chicken thighs, bone-in
• salt, to taste
• 1/4 cup ginger, peeled and finely chopped
• 1 large yellow onion, diced
• 4 dried chiles de arbol (also known as japones or simply red chiles in the Indian market)
• 1 teaspoon ground coriander
• 1 teaspoon ground turmeric
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/3 teaspoon fenugreek seeds
• 3 cloves, whole
• 2 tablespoons tomato paste
• 3/4 cup peanut butter
• 1 cup diced tomatoes
• 1 pound eggplant, peeled and cut into 1-inch cubes
• 1/4 pound okra, whole or cut into 1-inch pieces
• 1 fresh red or green chile, sliced
• roasted peanuts, for garnishing
• lime wedges and lime juice, optional for serving

Method

Heat the oil in a dutch oven or heavy-bottomed casserole pot over medium-high heat. Once hot, season the chicken thighs liberally with salt and pepper and add to the pot, browning until golden brown, about 5 minutes per side. Transfer the chicken to a plate and set aside.

Add the onions and arbol chilies to the residual oil in the pot, cooking for about 5 minutes until softened. Add the ginger and garlic and cook the mixture for another 3 minutes. Add the spices and cook for another minute until fragrant. At this point, add the tomato paste and caramelize it along with aromatics for three minutes. Stir in the peanut butter and tomatoes, and cook out this masala until the oil separates and begins to pool along the sides. This should happen within five minutes.

Return the chicken thighs to the pot along with 6 cups of water and bring the mixture to a boil. Immediately reduce to a simmer and cook for 25 minutes, until the chicken is about halfway done. Then add the eggplant and okra and cook for another 30 minutes, until the chicken is cooked through and vegetables are tender. Adjust the stew for seasoning and add a squeeze or two of lime juice if necessary. Stir in the chopped red/green chile and serve with steamed basmati rice, lime wedges, and crushed peanuts for garnishing.

Feeling Cozy: Homestyle Salmon Curry

It’s very rare that I find the need to have an “occasion” in order to prepare something special. After all, how can we possibly show our love for others if we don’t find time to love ourselves? I decided to take a dish perfect for a lazy Sunday afternoon and make at a whim on a stress-free Thursday night. Easy midweek gratification for an overworked college student.

I’d say that this curry only requires about 30 minutes to make, provided that you have all your mis en place in order. I chose to puree my onions, ginger, and garlic in the food processor, both to save time and to create a smooth base that would serve as the aromatic beginnings to this curry, enriched with dressings of coriander, turmeric, and a little curry powder for good measure. Do prep your salmon before you start. Cut it into chunks and let it marinate for a bit in turmeric, paprika, and salt. Revered cookbook author Madhur Jaffrey (whose daughter, Sakina, is excellent on House of Cards) says that turmeric helps to draw the fishiness out of fish and believe me it does, along with adding a wonderful smokiness to it all.

I added some potato into the mix, mostly to add some bulk because the salmon I was working with was particularly ratty. I guess that’s what happens when you buy your fish at a discount grocery store. However, a good piece of salmon can easily hold its own in this dish, so just add a little more if you want to omit the potato. Either way, this recipe will transport you to a balmy beachfront, where life is easy and the food is excellent.

Recipe: Homestyle Salmon Curry

Ingredients

For the Salmon

• 3/4 pound salmon filet, cut into chunks
• 1/2 teaspoon turmeric
• 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper or hot paprika
• salt and pepper, to taste

For the Curry:

• 1 medium onion, coarsely pureed
• 1 inch piece of ginger, peeled and pureed
• 2 cloves of garlic, pureed
• 1/2 of a Serrano, jalapeno, or Thai chili pepper
• 1/4 cup diced tomatoes
• 2 small-medium red potatoes, peeled and cubed
• 1/4 teaspoon black mustard seeds, optional
• 1/2 teaspoon turmeric
• 1 teaspoon ground coriander
• 1 teaspoon curry powder
• 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper or hot paprika
• 1/4 to 1/2 cup unsweetened coconut milk, adjust to your liking
• 3 tablespoons fresh cilantro, chopped
• salt to taste

Method

Begin by prepping the salmon. Remove the skin, if any, and cut into 1-2 inch chunks. Place the salmon pieces in a bowl and toss with the turmeric, cayenne/paprika, and salt. Allow the salmon to sit and marinate while you prepare the curry.

To make the curry, start by throwing the onion, ginger, garlic, and chili pepper into the food processor. Process until smooth but not completely liquefied (a little coarseness is fine).

Heat some oil (about 2-3 tablespoons) in a large saucepan over medium high heat. Once hot, add the mustard seeds (if using) and allow them sputter and crackle in the oil for a minute or two, being careful not to burn them. Then add the onion/ginger/garlic mixture and cook until softened and translucent, about 5 minutes. Add the turmeric, ground coriander, cayenne/paprika, and curry powder, cooking out the spices for about a minute. Add the tomatoes and some water to loosen any bits stuck to the bottom of the pan and cook out this wet masala until an oily sheen begins to appear along the edges, about 5 minutes. At this point, add the potatoes and enough water to cover them (about a 1/2 cup or so) and the coconut milk. Bring this mixture to a boil and reduce to a simmer, cooking for about 20 minutes, until the potatoes are soft and knife tender. If the water has reduced substantially, add some more to regenerate a sauce. Add the salmon pieces and cook for another five minutes, till the fish is completely cooked through. Adjust to taste with salt and more coconut milk if needed. The essence is that you want the coconut flavor to be there, but you don’t want the curry to be overtly creamy. Garnish with fresh cilantro and serve your salmon curry warm over steamed basmati rice.

Cooking Notes:

• If you don’t have black mustard seeds on hand, that’s okay. I like the slight bitterness they add. Also, I feel that the combination of mustard seeds and coconut milk gives this curry a distinct South Indian note. However, the overall flavor of your curry won’t suffer if you omit them.
• This curry could also work well with a firm-fleshed white fish, such as cod, or comparable pink-fleshed fishes such as Arctic char or trout.