Pumpkin-Peanut Curry

We all know how I love to attempt Asian food. Most times, I fail. It never seems to taste quite right/authentic. But I must say, this recipe is pretty darn good. As I was cleaning up, I found myself scraping the pot with a spatula and eating the leftover sauce. That's right. I'm not ashamed.

I've adapted it a bit because after I made the original recipe, I realized it needed more protein and less weird-texured-ness. So...goodbye, eggplant. I love pumpkin and peanut butter, so this recipe was right up my alley. A final note - the garnishes (peanuts and cilantro) are a must. They really add a nice crunch and brightness to the dish.

On a side note - making rice in a crock pot...I don't recommend it. Unless you like eating your curry served over a steaming bed of clumpy wallpaper paste. Oh well, it was an experiment worth trying.

 

Pumpkin-Peanut Curry

Serves 6-8

Ingredients:

• Boneless skinless chicken breast, cubed or canned chickpeas (probably 2 cans)
• 2 tablespoons peanut oil (olive oil or vegetable oil is fine, too)
• 1 large onion, sliced into 1/4-inch slices
• 3 large cloves garlic, diced
• 2 tablespoon diced fresh ginger (about a one-inch nub of ginger)
• 1 (14 ounce) can chopped tomatoes
• 1 (15 ounce) pan pure pumpkin (such as Libby's)
• 1 (15 ounce) can unsweetened coconut milk
• 2 tablespoons red Thai curry paste
• 2 teaspoons fish sauce
• 2 cups low sodium vegetable stock (chicken stock can be substituted)
• 1/2 cup all natural creamy peanut butter
• 1/4 cup light brown sugar
• Juice from half a ripe lime
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 4 teaspoons sriracha sauce
• 1/2 cup chopped cilantro for garnish (Thai basil or regular basil may be substituted)
• 1/2 cup chopped unsalted peanuts for garnish
• 2 cups jasmine rice, prepared according to package instructions

Directions:

1. Heat oil in a large heavy pot about two minutes. Add onion and saute until soft, about four or five minutes. Add garlic and ginger and saute another three minutes, careful not to burn the garlic.
2. Add chicken or chickpeas and stir well to coat with the oil, onions, garlic and ginger, about three minutes.
3. Add tomatoes, pumpkin, coconut milk, curry paste and fish sauce, stir together very well to incorporate all ingredients, about four minutes.
4. Add stock, peanut butter and brown sugar. Stir ingredients in well and bring entire pot to a simmer. (You should see little bursts or bubbles, not a rapid boil.)
5. Allow pot to simmer about 10-12 minutes, stirring often.
6. Add lime juice and salt and pepper to taste.
7. Add sriracha sauce to adjust heat level to your liking.
8. Serve peanut pumpkin curry with jasmine rice and garnish the top with fresh chopped cilantro and crunchy peanuts. Lime slices make a nice garnish too.

Kumara (Sweet Potato) Tandoori Salad

I know it's been years since I've posted on the Cookery Nookery, but funemployment = cooking for/with people! I've tried some new recipes, made some old favorites, and this is the first one that is post-worthy. I made it for dinner with a friend, and it turned out great, and was super easy. Here it goes!

Kumara (Sweet Potato) Tandoori Salad
From Skinnytaste.com

Makes 4 servings

Ingredients:

• 20 oz (2 medium) sweet potato, peeled and diced 1-inch cubes
• 2 tbsp coconut oil (or olive oil) - I used olive oil
• 1 1/2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar 
• 1 tbsp brown sugar
• 1/2 tsp kosher salt
• 1 tsp cumin
• 1 tsp curry powder
• 1 red bell pepper, sliced in fine strips
• 1/4 small red onion, sliced fine
• 4 cups baby spinach

For the salad dressing:

• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1 1/2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar 
• 1 tsp honey
• 1 tsp kosher salt
• 1 tsp cumin
• 1 tsp curry powder 

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 400°F.  Mix the sweet potato with 2 tbsp of oil, vinegar, brown sugar, salt, cumin and curry powder. Make sure the sweet potato is well coated, then them onto a large non-stick baking tray.

Bake 15-17 minutes, toss then bake for additional 15-17 minutes, or until cooked through.

While the sweet potato is cooking, mix the salad dressing together in a large bowl and add the onions.

Remove the roasted sweet potatoes from the oven and while still hot, toss them into the large bowl with the salad dressing and let them cool before tossing with the bell pepper and spinach.

Divide equally between 4 plates. Serve with Coconut Rice (recipe below)

Coconut Rice

Adapted from Sandra Lee (http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/semi-homemade-cooking-with-sandra-lee/coconut-rice-recipe/index.html)

Makes 4 servings

Ingredients

1 cup jasmine or basmati rice 
1/2 cup water 
3/4 cup canned light unsweetened coconut milk
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

2/3 cup frozen peas, thawed

Cilantro

Directions

Rinse and drain rice in cold water. Place in a saucepan with water, coconut milk, and salt. Place the pot over high heat and, bring the liquid to a boil. Stir and reduce the heat to the lowest possible setting and cover the pot tightly with the lid. Continue cooking for 15 minutes.

Remove the pot from the heat and let stand 10 minutes, covered. Fluff with fork, stir in peas and cilantro, and serve.

Chicken tikka masala

Since there's been a post-drought, I thought I'd put up two new recipes (see light guacamole for the other).

A couple months ago, I tried Indian food for the first time. Delicious. I had no idea what I was eating and it sort of just blended together on my plate and I ate lots and lots of naan bread with it. Ever since then I sometimes get an Indian craving, mostly for something saucy and spiced (not necessarily spicy). A couple weeks ago I satisfied this craving by ordering some chicken tikka masala for takeout. It was delicious but kind of expensive. I found this recipe online and wanted to see if I could make it for myself.

Overall this recipe is surprisingly easy. There's two parts: the chicken part and the sauce part. The chicken gets marinaded in yogurt and spices and then grilled (I broiled mine). The sauce gets put together and then the two get mixed together. And that's it. You're done. I ate mine with regular rice (didn't want to buy the special kind) and store-bought naan bread. It turned out pretty darn delicious, not quite as awesome as the kind you get from an Indian restaurant but it certainly hits the spot (and is cheaper, and healthier, see notes).

(Not my picture, but that's what it looks like)

Chicken tikka masala

1 cup yogurt
1 tablespoon lemon juice
2 teaspoons ground cumin
1 teaspoon cinnamon
2 teaspoons cayenne pepper
2 teaspoons ground black pepper
1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger
salt to taste
3 boneless, skinless chicken breasts

1 tablespoon butter
1 clove garlic, minced
1 jalapeno pepper, finely chopped
2 teaspoons ground cumin
2 teaspoons paprika
salt to taste
1 (8 oz.) can tomato sauce
1 cup heavy cream
1/4 cup fresh cilantro

1. In a large bowl, combine yogurt, lemon juice, 2 teaspoons cumin, cinnamon, cayenne, black pepper, ginger, and salt. Stir in chicken, cover, and refrigerate for 1 hour.

2. Preheat a grill for high heat. Lightly oil the grill grate. Thread chicken onto skewers, and discard marinade. Grill until juices run clear, about 5 minutes on each side.

3. Melt butter in a large heavy skillet over medium heat. Saute garlic and jalapeno for 1 minute. Season with 2 teaspoons cumin, paprika, and 3 teaspoons salt. Stir in tomato sauce and cream. Simmer on low heat until sauce thickens, about 20 minutes. Add grilled chicken, and simmer for 10 minutes. Transfer to a serving platter, and garnish with fresh cilantro.

Notes and tips:
1. I didn't use the cayenne or jalapeno peppers. Other reviewers said the recipe was too spicy and I didn't want to buy these things. I sprinkled in some crushed red pepper to taste instead. I also didn't want to buy fresh ginger and just used ground ginger.
2. I don't have a grill so I used a broiler pan. I just set the broiler to high and then flipped the chicken every 5 minutes until it was done (I used a meat thermometer). This method worked out fine, the chicken was cooked through but was not burnt on the outside.
3. Based on the comments of other reviewers, I doubled the sauce part of the recipe. It's one of the best parts, to soak up all that sauce with rice and bread. In hindsight this probably made too much sauce, so I would go with maybe 1.5.
4. I am usually against using heavy cream in recipes if I can avoid it. Instead of cream, I used fat-free half and half to make a bit healthier. You probably can't tell the difference.

Curried Split Pea Soup

My mom got a new crock-pot this Christmas which translated into me getting her old crock-pot. She also got a crock-pot cookbook and I saw this recipe in it. I was excited to try this out for many reasons: 1) I wanted to try out my new crock-pot, 2) I have leftover Christmas ham in the freezer and need ways to use it, 3) I have a fondness for split pea soup, and 4) this recipe adds curry to the soup. My first experience with split pea soup was at a coffee shop near the U of M and it was a sort of curry-like soup and I really liked it. I was hoping this recipe would add some flair to split pea soup and remind me of the first time I had it (and really, really liked it).

I always feel like I don't eat enough vegetables so it was a nice change of pace to buy a whole bunch of veggies at the store. The recipe calls for yellow split peas, the store only had green and I don't know if there's any difference.

The night before I chopped all the veggies, rinsed and picked the peas over for small stones (none found) and chopped the ham in small pieces. I wanted to do very little work early in the morning and in either case, it wasn't a whole lot of effort. In the morning I just dumped the veggies, peas, ham and spices into the crock-pot and gave it a quick stir to mix (morning effort: less than 5 minutes).

I then added my chicken broth and water and was set. I cooked it at low for about 8 hours. I wanted my peas to be mushy and thicken the soup more than be tangible peas.

After 8 hours, my soup was ready. I ate it with a bread roll. An easy supper. And I know it doesn't look pretty; it's pea soup, what do you expect?

Verdict? A really good, easy soup. I might make some more at a later date. The curry flavor was not too strong and it added some flair to the soup. It was also nice because it's a thicker soup (I'm not a huge fan of broth soups as they don't feel very filling) but still pretty healthy (unlike creamy soups). I think the next time around, I might add some cubed potatoes because it would have been a nice addition.


Curried Split Pea Soup
Makes 4 servings (5 cups), cooking time: 4-5 hours on high, 6-8 on low

1 lb. dried yellow split peas, rinsed and picked over for stones
1 lb. cooked ham, diced (2 1/2 cups)
1/2 cup diced onion
1/2 cup diced carrots
1/2 cup diced celery
1 fresh thyme spring
1 Tbsp curry powder
1 Tbsp minced garlic
1 tsp each kosher salt and black pepper
4 cups low-sodium chicken broth
4 cups water
2 Tbsp minced fresh thyme leaves

1. Combine peas, ham, onion, carrots, celery, thyme sprig, curry powder, garlic, salt and pepper in a 3-4 quart slow cooker; add chicken broth and water.

2. Cover soup; cook until peas are tender, high heat for 4-5 hours or low heat for 6-8 hours. Remove thyme sprig. Mash peas to thicken soup, if desired. Stir in minced thyme leaves.

Curry Chicken Pot Pie

I had some leftover chicken breasts and while delicious, I was getting tired of chicken and rice (not to mention I polished off the rice before the chicken). In an attempt to jazz that chicken up, I looked up some recipes from Alton Brown (easily my favorite person on the Food Network). I found this one for Curry Chicken Pot Pie that looked promising and I documented my attempt for your reading and viewing pleasure.

The ingredients for said pot pie, nothing too crazy:

I did make some changes to the original recipe (which is posted at the end). Instead of the frozen vegetable mix, I used a can of corn, some frozen peas, some leftover carrots (I think I used three) and a few potatoes that I picked up at the Farmer's Market. I also forgot to buy celery when grocery shopping so I used slightly more onion instead and added some garlic. And instead of puff pastry (which is a bit pricey) I used Pillsbury crescent rolls...flaky, puffy, perfect.

Handy tip regarding onion chopping: I used to be horrible at chopping onions as all those layers would start moving about and I could never neatly chop them. Then I learned this trick (not sure if it's standard onion cutting procedure and I'm just slow), cut the onion in half, splitting the root end in two. Then cut slivers of onion up to the root but being careful not to cut completely through (think of it as almost fanning the onion out). The root end keeps everything together and you can get a nice, neat chop, shown here:
I sweated the onions in some butter while I heated up the chicken stock and milk,

And in the meantime, I assembled my vegetable medley, with the vegetables uncooked, peas still frozen and the potatoes cubed and boiled, all in all, it totaled about four cups:

After the onions cooked for a bit, I added two cloves of garlic and a bit more butter. As they say, butter, butter, butter makes everything better, better, better.

After those cooked for a bit and smelled delish, I added the flour and curry powder and things got thicker and smelled super.

The hot milk and chicken stock were added next and I let that cook for a few minutes until it seemed like a thick soup.

My vegetable medley and leftover cubed chicken (a cut up rotisserie chicken would be good here) were added to the mix and things looked good. I intended to cook this in one pot but it was a little full.

I spread everything out into a foiled lined pan (easy clean up, my friends) and packed it down to get rid of any trapped air (a tip from good ol' Uncle Alton). For the top, I just unrolled the crescent dough and poked some holes with a fork to let the steam escape and then just plopped it on there.
After being in a 400 degree oven for 25 minutes, things were looking golden brown and delicious.

Finished product and a tasty looking dinner:

Overall, I enjoyed this recipe, the curry was nice and not too overpowering. However there are a few things I would do differently. First, I probably should have cooked my vegetable medley (as the original recipe does). The corn and carrots were a bit too crunchy and probably would have benefited from a little cooking. Second, it was a little soupy. This may have just been because I was impatient and dug into it as soon as it came out of the oven. Next time I'll cook the pre-vegetable and chicken stage a bit more to get things nice and thick. But don't get me wrong, this stuff is good, like crunchy, flaky crescent rolls with a curry sauce soaked underbelly good.


Curry Chicken Pot Pie

4 cups frozen vegetable mix, peas, carrots
1-2 tablespoons canola oil
3 tablespoons butter
1 cup chopped onion
1 cup chopped celery
1 1/2 cups low sodium chicken broth
1/2 cup milk
3 tablespoons flour
1 teaspoon curry powder
2 tablespoons dried parsley
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground pepper
2 cups cubed cooked chicken
1 package puff pastry

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.

Toss frozen vegetables with canola oil and spread evenly onto a sheet pan. Place into oven and cook until golden brown.

In a saute pan heat 1 tablespoon of butter and sweat the onion and celery. In another saucepan, heat the broth and milk. Add 2 more tablespoons of butter to the celery mix and cook out the water. Add the flour and curry and cook for 1 to 2 minutes. Whisk in the hot milk mixture and cook until thickened. Add the parsley, salt and pepper. Toss the browned vegetables and the chicken. Pour into a shallow baking pan, or a large terra cotta pot base, lined with foil, and top with 6 to 8 circles of puff pastry. Place into the oven and cook until puff pastry has browned and the mixture is hot and bubbly, about 25 minutes.