Curry is really not a summer food. It takes a lot of time to get your mise en place in order, which you should be doing anyways, but more importantly, it's terribly hot here in Beirut in the summer. Miserably hot. I'm from Arizona, and I think I'd prefer hell to Beirut in August since I hear it's a dry heat.
But since our friend Dylan made it into town this week, we thought we'd have him over to celebrate his arrival and to obviate the need to go out, which is expensive and terrible and usually not plausible with a 2 year old. The butter chicken, in contrast, was delicious and pretty cheap. Someone calculated the cost of the naan as $.16 a serving, which is reasonable even for a cheapskate such as myself.
For those of you who don't have Dora (a part of town where the domestic workers congregate on Sundays with great Filipino and Sri Lankan food) a mere 10 minute bus ride away, spices may be problematic. Fenugreek leaves are amazing, but good luck finding them. I make my own garam masala because I have a spice grinder and lots of weird whole spices, but you can use generic "curry powder" if you really want. It'll taste different, but that's not always bad. Mine is a Punjabi inspired sort.
Try making the naan, it's well worth it. Otherwise, serve this with basmati and you'll be very happy with the results. It's less "authentic" than some recipes, more authentic than most, but it tastes really freaking good.
Garam Masala Ingredients
5 green cardamoms
6 black cardamoms
4" of cinnamon stick
1/8 cup whole cumin
1/4 cup whole coriander seeds
2 bay leaves (I stem and vein them)
1 tbsp peppercorns
1 tbsp turmeric
1 tbsp paprika
1 tsp fenugreek
1 1/2 tsp dry ginger
1/8 tsp nutmeg
Step 1: Put in a spice grinder and blend. Make sure it's a grinder you'll never use for coffee, these tastes will not be coming out of it anytime soon.
Murgh Makhani Ingredients
8 boneless skinless chicken thighs
1 1/2 large onions
5 ripe red tomatoes, skinned, cored and seeded
1/2 cup crushed tomatoes
1/3 cup red bell pepper
2 inch piece of ginger minced finely or turned to paste
6 garlic cloves, minced finely
2 tbsp fresh cilantro/coriander leaves chopped
juice of 1 lemon
5 cashews powdered
2 cups water
1/3 cup cream
2 tbsp butter
2 tbsp cooking oil
salt
Spices and herbs:
1 tsp turmeric
1/2 tbsp garam masala
2 bay leaves
1/2 tbsp dried fenugreek leaves
1 tsp fenugreek
1/2 tbsp ground coriander
1 tbsp muscovado or other poorly processed sugar
Step 1:
Marinate the chicken in the juice of 1 lemon and some salt for about 30 minutes. While this is going on, prep your vegetables and skin, seed and blend your tomatoes with the crushed tomato.
Step 2:
Heat the oil in a deep pan on medium high until very hot, then put in your chicken thighs. Let them brown violently on both sides, then remove and put on a plate.
Step 3:
Turn down the heat to medium and melt the butter, then add your onions and red peppers. If you're using sriracha, you don't need the peppers, but they add a nice flavor. Sweat the onions until they're clear.
Step 4:
Add the garlic and ginger pastes, stirring frequently
Step 5:
Add your sugar/spice mixture and stir to combine.
Step 6:
Add the tomato mixture and stir to combine, then add salt. Your kitchen should smell glorious by now.
Step 7:
Add the water, then cover and cook on low heat for about 15 minutes. Now might be a good time to get going on your naan and rice.
Step 8:
Remove the bay leaves and blend your chunky curry into a fine paste using a stick blender or a blender/food processor. Add the cashews, return the bay leaves and the chicken, cover and let simmer on low for another 20 minutes, stirring occasionally to prevent burning on the bottom of the pan.
Step 9:
when everything is the proper consistency (gravy-like), turn off the heat and add your cilantro and cream, stirring to combine. Cover and let rest for about 5 minutes, then serve next to rice and naan with a cilantro garnish.
But since our friend Dylan made it into town this week, we thought we'd have him over to celebrate his arrival and to obviate the need to go out, which is expensive and terrible and usually not plausible with a 2 year old. The butter chicken, in contrast, was delicious and pretty cheap. Someone calculated the cost of the naan as $.16 a serving, which is reasonable even for a cheapskate such as myself.
For those of you who don't have Dora (a part of town where the domestic workers congregate on Sundays with great Filipino and Sri Lankan food) a mere 10 minute bus ride away, spices may be problematic. Fenugreek leaves are amazing, but good luck finding them. I make my own garam masala because I have a spice grinder and lots of weird whole spices, but you can use generic "curry powder" if you really want. It'll taste different, but that's not always bad. Mine is a Punjabi inspired sort.
Try making the naan, it's well worth it. Otherwise, serve this with basmati and you'll be very happy with the results. It's less "authentic" than some recipes, more authentic than most, but it tastes really freaking good.
Garam Masala Ingredients
5 green cardamoms
6 black cardamoms
4" of cinnamon stick
1/8 cup whole cumin
1/4 cup whole coriander seeds
2 bay leaves (I stem and vein them)
1 tbsp peppercorns
1 tbsp turmeric
1 tbsp paprika
1 tsp fenugreek
1 1/2 tsp dry ginger
1/8 tsp nutmeg
Step 1: Put in a spice grinder and blend. Make sure it's a grinder you'll never use for coffee, these tastes will not be coming out of it anytime soon.
Murgh Makhani Ingredients
8 boneless skinless chicken thighs
1 1/2 large onions
5 ripe red tomatoes, skinned, cored and seeded
1/2 cup crushed tomatoes
1/3 cup red bell pepper
2 inch piece of ginger minced finely or turned to paste
6 garlic cloves, minced finely
2 tbsp fresh cilantro/coriander leaves chopped
juice of 1 lemon
5 cashews powdered
2 cups water
1/3 cup cream
2 tbsp butter
2 tbsp cooking oil
salt
Spices and herbs:
1 tsp turmeric
1/2 tbsp garam masala
2 bay leaves
1/2 tbsp dried fenugreek leaves
1 tsp fenugreek
1/2 tbsp ground coriander
1 tbsp muscovado or other poorly processed sugar
Step 1:
Marinate the chicken in the juice of 1 lemon and some salt for about 30 minutes. While this is going on, prep your vegetables and skin, seed and blend your tomatoes with the crushed tomato.
Step 2:
Heat the oil in a deep pan on medium high until very hot, then put in your chicken thighs. Let them brown violently on both sides, then remove and put on a plate.
Step 3:
Turn down the heat to medium and melt the butter, then add your onions and red peppers. If you're using sriracha, you don't need the peppers, but they add a nice flavor. Sweat the onions until they're clear.
Step 4:
Add the garlic and ginger pastes, stirring frequently
Step 5:
Add your sugar/spice mixture and stir to combine.
Step 6:
Add the tomato mixture and stir to combine, then add salt. Your kitchen should smell glorious by now.
Step 7:
Add the water, then cover and cook on low heat for about 15 minutes. Now might be a good time to get going on your naan and rice.
Step 8:
Remove the bay leaves and blend your chunky curry into a fine paste using a stick blender or a blender/food processor. Add the cashews, return the bay leaves and the chicken, cover and let simmer on low for another 20 minutes, stirring occasionally to prevent burning on the bottom of the pan.
Step 9:
when everything is the proper consistency (gravy-like), turn off the heat and add your cilantro and cream, stirring to combine. Cover and let rest for about 5 minutes, then serve next to rice and naan with a cilantro garnish.
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