Tag: #MeeraSodha
So Eat It, Just Eat it (Roasted Cauliflower with Cumin, Turmeric and Lemon)

So Eat It, Just Eat it (Roasted Cauliflower with Cumin, Turmeric and Lemon)

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When I was a kid there was a definite hit list of vegetables we absolutely hated.  My brother and I had all sorts of tricks to avoid eating them.  We would stuff our mouths full of peas, run to the bathroom and spit them out.  We weren’t too big on brussels sprouts or cauliflower either, we would drop them in our napkins and again run to the bathroom to toss them out.  In defense of these veggies, our vitriol came not from the veggies themselves, but from the method of preparation.  Peas were often from a can (uh-huh, how many of you remember canned peas, greenish-gray mush balls-bleah). Cabbage and cauliflower were boiled-just the smell emanating from the kitchen would make us run and hide.  Brussels sprouts were absolutely horrible, bitter, sulfurous, and barely edible.

These days the quality of today’s produce is so much better. We can go to our local farmer’s market and find just picked brussels sprouts and cauliflower, vine-ripened tomatoes or corn that was still on the stalk that morning.  We have also discovered new ways to cook said vegetables that are INFINITELY better than boiling or steaming.

FOR EXAMPLE. I love roasted vegetables.  Roasting brings out the sweetness in veggies like cauliflower or brussels sprouts, making them absolutely delicious. Perusing Meera Sodha’s Made in India I came across a recipe for Roasted Cauliflower with Cumin, Turmeric, and Lemon. My first thought? Oh yeah, SO making that.

The recipe, like many in the book, calls for a mortar and pestle to grind the spices.  I know what you are thinking, oh please, you don’t have a mortar and pestle do you?  Way back when I graduated from pharmacy school I received a set of spatulas from Eli Lily (pharmaceutical gorilla) and a mortar and pestle.  They have served me well…just not in my profession.  The spatulas and the mortar and pestle were long ago re-purposed and added to my culinary gadget collection.  The mortar and pestle proved to be the perfect tool for grinding spices and making the spice paste for this dish.

The cauliflower is blanched for a quick minute, seasoned with the spice oil which gives it a vibrant golden yellow hue.  Pop it in the oven for a quick roast and yep, dunzo, dinner is ready.  A bowl of warm cauliflower, crispy on the edges, creamy in the center seasoned with cumin and turmeric in just thirty minutes.  I am thinking about adding cubed potatoes the next time I make this, a riff on Aloo Gobi.

Excuse me it’s time for me to run TO the dinner table.

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Roasted Cauliflower with Cumin, Turmeric and Lemon

Ingredients

  • 1 large head of cauliflower around 1 1/4 pounds
  • 2 teaspoons cumin seeds
  • 1 to 1 1/4 teaspoons salt
  • 1 teaspoon chili powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground turmeric
  • 5 tablespoons canola oil
  • 1 lemon

Instructions

  • Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line two oven trays with foil and bring a deep-sided pan of water to a boil.
  • Wash the cauliflower, pull off the leaves from around the side, and discard. Break the cauliflower into small, fairly even-sized florets and set aside.
  • Put the cauliflower into the saucepan of boiling water and blanch for 1 minute, then drain really well. Let it dry for around 5 minutes in its own steam; if it is waterlogged it won’t crisp up nicely in the oven.
  • Using a mortar and pestle, grind the cumin along with the salt, then add the chili powder and turmeric, followed by the oil. Mix it all together really well.
  • Lay the cauliflower out onto trays in one layer and drizzle the spicy oil over it. Make sure the cauliflower is well coated
  • Put trays in the oven for around 30 minutes, shaking them every 10 minutes or so to ensure the florets roast and brown evenly. If they start to burn, loosely cover them with foil.
  • Put the roasted cauliflower in a dish or bowl, and squeeze the lemon over the top before serving.
  • Adapted From “Made in India” by Meera Sodha

Happy birthday Claire!
Good Morning Mr. Phoods (Cilantro Chutney Chicken Curry)

Good Morning Mr. Phoods (Cilantro Chutney Chicken Curry)

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Good morning Mr. Phoods:

The dish you are about to take-on requires that you answer the following questions.  Your answers will determine whether you should proceed with this post or not.

Do you like cilantro?

What does cilantro taste like to you?

If you answered NO and it tastes like soap exit NOW by clicking on MII consolation 

If you answered yes and yumminess, I LOVE cilantro…your mission, should you decide to accept it, will be to run to the store for cilantro, boneless chicken, peanuts, garlic, and onions and make this dish. As usual, if you or any other MII fans (Made In India) should be caught while making this dish you will be required to….invite me over for dinner. If not, the secretary (again me) will disavow any knowledge of you.

Yes, Meera Sodha’s Cilantro Chutney Chicken from her book Made In India is that good.  It inspired me to create this homage to one of my all-time favorite TV shows.

Start by making the chutney.  The chutney is sweetened with brown sugar, umami filled from the cilantro, and tangy from the lemon juice. The peanuts give it body. The green chili adds a spicy finish.  If you can’t find Indian green chilis, you can use jalapenos or serranos, not quite the same but will work in a pinch.  If you have extra chutney after making the chicken, spread it on some naan or crackers. Make it in a blender or food processor.  thin the chutney with a bit of water if it seems too thick.

This cilantro chicken curry is very user-friendly. Despite being a newbie at cooking Indian cuisine, this dish was not intimidating and very “doable” and took just minutes to make.  First, saute boneless chicken with onions and the garlic-ginger paste, then add the cilantro chutney and simmer until the chicken is tender. That’s it!

Top with the reserved caramelized onions. This dish is delightful.  Every bite is a flavor explosion.    It’s a great one-pot meal perfect for a quick weekday dinner.

On its way to becoming caramelized onions, yum.

Quick and easy…if you should decide to accept this Mission Possible, you’ll be handsomely rewarded.

Garnish with the onions and cilantro.  Serve with warm Naan and fragrant Basmati Rice.

Enjoy!

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Good Morning Mr. Phoods (Cilantro Chutney Chicken Curry)

Prep Time 17 minutes

Ingredients

Ginger Garlic Chili Paste

  • 2- inch piece of ginger peeled and roughly chopped
  • 6 cloves of garlic roughly chopped
  • 3/4 fresh green chili roughly chopped (seeded if you prefer less heat)
  • salt

Chicken

  • 1 3/4 pounds skinless boneless chicken thighs, chopped into 3/4 x 1-inch pieces
  • 6 tablespoons cilantro chutney recipe follows

Caramelized Onions

  • 2 tablespoons canola oil
  • 2 onions finely sliced

Cilantro Chutney

  • 4 ounces cilantro
  • 2 ounces peanuts unsalted and unroasted
  • 4 tablespoons lemon juice
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 4 teaspoons brown sugar
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground turmeric
  • 2 to 3 small fresh green chilis roughly chopped (seeded if you prefer less heat)

Instructions

Chicken Curry

  • Throw the ginger, garlic, and green chili into a mortar and pestle, along with a pinch of salt, and bash up to a coarse paste.
  • Put the oil into a wide-bottomed, lidded frying pan on a medium heat. When it’s hot, add the onions and fry, stirring occasionally, for 6 to 8 minutes, until they are starting to turn golden. Transfer half of the onions to a bowl and put to one side.
  • Add the ginger, garlic, and green chili paste and cook for around 3 minutes. Put the chicken pieces into the pan, sear them on all sides and add the chutney. Stir the chutney, pop the lid on, and turn the heat down to medium-low. Cook for around 15 minutes until the chicken is cooked through and tender.
  • In the meantime, transfer the onions from the bowl into a small frying pan and continue to cook them on a medium heat for another 10 to 15 minutes, until they are dark brown, soft, and sweet, then take them off the heat.
  • Add 1/2 teaspoon of salt (or to taste) to the chicken little by little, until it tastes just right, then take it off the heat.
  • Scatter the caramelized onions over the top of the curry just before serving. Serve alongside some steaming hot basmati rice or a pile of hot, homemade chapatis.

Chutney recipe instructions:

  • To wash the cilantro, fill a bowl full of cold water and put the cilantro in it. Move the cilantro around in the water, then take it out and shake off the excess water.
  • Roughly chop the stems and leaves and put them in a blender. Add the peanuts, lemon juice, salt, sugar, turmeric, and 2 small chilis, and pulse them in the blender until the mixture has a smooth, almost pesto-like consistency. Add some water to help the mixture to blend if necessary. The result should be a smooth cilantro chutney which is equally sweet, fiery, and lemony. Add the remaining chili, or more lemon juice, salt, and sugar to balance it to your taste, then spoon it into your clean jar.