Butter Chicken

This version of Indian butter chicken was lusciously creamy and subtly spicy. My entire house smelled like butter while it cooked- wonderful! According to the article, butter chicken was created in the early 20th century as a way to soften leftover tandoori chicken with tomatoes, butter, and cream. Genius.

I served it over brown Basmati rice along with warm naan on the side to soak up all of the sauce. We also had roasted asparagus.

The recipe was adapted from Bon Appétit, contributed by Rick Martinez. I marinated the meat for 3 hours, reduced the number of cardamom pods, and used the fenugreek leaves but omitted the fenugreek seeds.

For the Marinade:

• ½ cup whole-milk Greek yogurt
• 4 garlic cloves, grated
• 1 tablespoon fenugreek leaves, optional
• 1 tablespoon finely grated ginger
• 2 teaspoons kosher salt
• 2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs

For the Sauce and Assembly:

• ½ cup (1 stick) cultured or unsalted butter, divided
• 1 3-inch cinnamon stick
• 3 to 5 green cardamom pods
• 1 whole clove
• 2 teaspoons fenugreek seeds, optional
• 2 medium onions, sliced
• 2 serrano chiles, split lengthwise (seeded, if desired)
• Kosher salt
• 4 garlic cloves, grated
• 1 tablespoon finely grated ginger
• 1 tablespoon fenugreek leaves, optional
• 1 tablespoon garam masala
• 1 teaspoon paprika
• ½ teaspoon ground turmeric
• 2 28-ounce cans whole peeled tomatoes
• ½ cup heavy cream
• chopped cilantro, Brown basmati rice, and naan, for serving

To Make the Marinade:

1. Whisk yogurt, garlic, fenugreek leaves, if using, ginger, and salt in a medium bowl.
2. Add chicken and toss to coat.
3. Cover and chill at least 1 hour and up to 3 hours.

For the Sauce and to Serve:

1. Melt 4 T butter in a large wide pot over medium heat.
2. Cook cinnamon, cardamom pods, clove, and fenugreek seeds, if using, stirring, until slightly darker and fragrant, 1–2 minutes.
3. Add onion and chiles, season with salt, and cook, stirring occasionally, until onion is golden and beginning to caramelize, 8–10 minutes.
4. Add garlic and ginger and cook, stirring, until very fragrant and ginger starts to turn golden and sticks to bottom of pot, 2–3 minutes.
5. Add fenugreek leaves, if using, garam masala, paprika, and turmeric and cook, stirring, until very fragrant, about 1 minute.
6. Add tomatoes, breaking up into pieces with a spoon, and cook until brick red and most of the liquid is evaporated, about 1 minute.
7. Using a potato masher or large spoon, smash tomatoes and continue to simmer, uncovered, until sauce is the consistency of a thick ragù, 40–50 minutes.
8. Discard cinnamon stick (leave other whole spices).
9. Transfer mixture to a blender and purée until smooth. (I used a Vitamix.)
10. Cut remaining 4 T butter into pieces. Add butter and cream to blender and purée until creamy; season with salt.
11. Return sauce to pot and bring to a simmer. Meanwhile, preheat broiler.
12. Arrange chicken in a single layer on a wire rack set inside a foil-lined rimmed baking sheet.
13. Broil until chicken starts to brown in spots (it will not be cooked through), 7–8 minutes per side.
14. When cool enough to handle, cut into ¾” pieces.
15. Add chicken to simmering sauce, cover, and cook until chicken is cooked through, 8–10 minutes.
16. Top chicken and sauce with cilantro. Serve with rice and naan alongside.

Note: Butter chicken can be made 3 days ahead. Let cool; cover and chill.

Indian Tomato Rice

I couldn’t stop myself from trying- and sharing- one more recipe in Christopher Kimball’s Milk Street: The New Home Cooking book. 🙂 This recipe was inspired by Madhur Jaffrey’s tomato rice recipe in Vegetarian India.

This quick and versatile dish can be served as a side with seafood, chicken, or, as Kimball suggests, a simple fried egg. We ate it as a light meal with sautéed chard with garlic and cumin. I loved the layers of spices. I used serrano chiles instead of bird’s-eye chiles.

Yield: Serves 3 to 4

• 1 cup white Basmati rice, rinsed
• 1 1/4 cups water
• 2 T tomato paste
• 2 T grapeseed or other neutral oil (I used canola oil)
• 1 tsp cumin seeds
• 1 tsp coriander seeds
• 1 tsp brown or black mustard seeds
• 2 serrano or bird’s-eye chiles, stemmed and halved lengthwise
• 1 garlic clove, finely grated
• 1 tsp finely grated fresh ginger
• 1 1/2 tsp kosher salt
• 1/2 pound cherry or grape tomatoes, quartered
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro leaves

1. In a bowl, combine the rinsed rice with enough cold water to cover by 1 inch. Let soak for 15 minutes. Drain the rice very well
2. In a 2-cup measuring cup, combine the 1 1/4 cups water and tomato paste; whisk until dissolved. Set aside.
3. In a large saucepan over medium, combine the oil, cumin, coriander, mustard seeds, chiles, garlic, and ginger. Cook until the seeds begin to pop and the mixture is fragrant, about 1 minute.
4. Stir in the rice and salt and cook, stirring, until coated with oil, about 30 seconds.
5. Stir in the water-tomato paste mixture and bring to a simmer.
6. Cover, reduce heat to low and cook until the water has been absorbed, about 15 minutes.
7. Remove from the heat, add the tomatoes and let sit, covered, for 5 minutes.
8. Stir in the cilantro, fluffing the rice with a fork.

Punjabi Chickpeas with Potato (Chole or Chana Masala)

The freshly mixed masala spice blend in this recipe was wonderful. I absolutely love full-flavored vegetarian meals like this traditional dish- and this is such a delicious version. It was heavenly and rich served with a dollop of whole milk Greek yogurt on top.

This recipe was adapted from Milk Street: The New Home Cooking by Christopher Kimball. (another successful dish!) We ate it with brown Basmati rice and warm naan.

Yield: Serves 4

• 1 large red onion
• 4 T sunflower, canola, grapeseed or other neutral oil, divided
• 1 1/2 tsp ground coriander
• 1 tsp ground cardamom
• 1 tsp sweet paprika
• 1/2 tsp cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp ground cloves
• 1/4 tsp freshly ground nutmeg
• 1/8 tsp cayenne pepper
• coarse salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1 tsp cumin seeds
• 3/4 pound russet potatoes (about 2 medium potatoes), peeled and cut into 1/2-inch cubes
• 1 T finely grated fresh ginger
• 3 garlic cloves, finely grated
• 1 T tomato paste
• 1 1/2 cups water
• two 15 1/2 oz cans chickpeas, drained
• 1 T lime juice, plus lime wedges, to serve
• 1/4 cup coarsely chopped cilantro leaves, plus more to garnish
• chopped fresh tomatoes, thinly sliced Serrano chilies, and whole-milk Greek-style yogurt, for serving, as desired

1. Using a food processor or the large holes of a box grater, grate the onion, then transfer to a mesh strain and drain.
2. In a small bowl, stir together 1 tablespoon of the oil with the coriander, cardamom, paprika, cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, cayenne, 1 1/4 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper.
3. In a 12-inch skillet over medium-high, heat the remaining 3 tablespoons of oil. Add the cumin seeds and cook, shaking the pan, until the seeds are fragrant and darken, 30 to 60 seconds.
4. Add the drained onion and cook, stirring frequently, until the moisture has evaporated, 1 to 3 minutes.
5. Add the potatoes, reduce heat to medium and cook, stirring frequently, until the onions begin to brown and a fond forms on the bottom of the pan, 6 to 8 minutes.
6. Add the ginger, garlic, and tomato paste, then cook for 1 minute, stirring constantly.
7. Clear the center of the pan, then add the spice paste tot he clearing and cook, mashing and stirring until fragrant, about 15 seconds.
8. Stir in the vegetables.
9. Add the water and bring to a boil, scraping up all of the browned bits.
10. Add the chickpeas and return to a boil, then cover, reduce heat to low and cook until the potatoes are tender and the oil separates from the sauce at the edges of the pan, 13 to 15 minutes.
11. Off the heat, stir in the lime juice and cilantro.
12. Taste and season with salt and pepper.
13. Serve with lime wedges, chopped tomatoes, chiles, and yogurt, as desired.

Winter Squash & Wild Mushroom Curry

This dish was quick to prepare and was absolutely fabulous. The biggest mistake I made was not doubling the recipe! I made it for an early birthday celebration dinner for my mom. We topped it off with a birthday pear snacking cake for dessert. 🙂 It was a great autumn comfort food meal.

This recipe was adapted from The New York Times, adapted from Madhur Jaffrey’s “Vegetarian India,” contributed by David Tanis. I increased the amount of squash, mushrooms, and garlic. Any type of wild or cultivated mushrooms could be used such as royal trumpets, oyster, shiitakes, chanterelles, or cremini mushrooms; I used a combination of cremini and shiitake mushrooms. The recipe below is double the original recipe. We ate it served over brown Basmati rice with warm naan on the side.

Yield: 8 Servings

• 6 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 20 to 28 ounces butternut or other winter squash, peeled and diced in 1/2-inch cubes
• coarse salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 2 to 4 small whole green chiles, such as jalapeño or serrano
• 6 medium shallots or 1 small onion, finely diced
• 1 teaspoon black mustard seeds
• 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
• handful of fresh or frozen curry leaves, optional (basil leaves could also be substituted)
• 8 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 teaspoons ground coriander
• pinch of cayenne, or more, to taste
• 1 teaspoon turmeric
• 2 1/4 pounds mushrooms, preferably a mix of cultivated and wild, trimmed and sliced 1/8-inch thick
• 15 oz can coconut milk
• 4 tablespoons lime juice (from 1 lime)
• cilantro sprigs, for garnish

1. In a wide skillet, heat oil over medium-high heat. When hot, add squash cubes in one layer. Season with salt and pepper. (This may be done in batches.) Cook for about 2 minutes, letting cubes brown slightly, then flip and cook for 2 minutes more. Use a slotted spoon to lift squash out, and set aside.
2. Cut a lengthwise slit in each chile to open it, but leave whole. (This allows the heat and flavor of the chile to release into the sauce without making it too spicy.)
3. Add shallots to skillet, salt lightly and cook, stirring, 1 minute.
4. Add mustard seeds, cumin seeds and curry/basil leaves and let sizzle for 30 seconds, then add garlic, coriander, cayenne, turmeric and chiles. Stir well and cook for 30 seconds more.
5. Add mushrooms to pan, season with salt and toss to coat. Continue to cook, stirring, until mushrooms begin to soften, about 5 minutes.
6. Return squash cubes to pan, stir in coconut milk and bring to a simmer.
7. Lower heat to medium and simmer for another 5 minutes.
8. If mixture looks dry, thin with a little water. Taste and season with salt.
9. Just before serving, stir in lime juice. Transfer to a warm serving dish and garnish with cilantro leaves.

One Year Ago:

• Sesame-Citrus Soy Chicken with Garlicky Bok Choy

Two Years Ago:

• Balthazar’s Cream of Mushroom Soup

Three Years Ago:

• Roasted Vegetable Moussaka

Four Years Ago:

• Vegetable (& Chicken) Pot Pie with Puff Pastry Crust

Shrimp in Green Mole

I am a HUGE fan of a flavorful green sauce. This one did not disappoint. I would have just gobbled up the sauce with rice, but I served it with shrimp for the rest of the family. 😉 The shrimp is cooked in the wonderful sauce, so it was also delicious!

This recipe was adapted from The New York Times, contributed by Martha Rose Shulman. I loved the contrasting texture from the crunchy, pan-toasted pumpkin seed garnish. Excellent.

Yield: Serves 4

• ½ cup hulled untoasted pumpkin seeds
• ½ pound tomatillos, husked, rinsed and coarsely chopped
• 1 serrano chile or 1/2 jalapeño (more to taste), stemmed and roughly chopped
• 3 large romaine lettuce leaves, preferably the outer leaves, torn into pieces
• ¼ cup chopped white onion, soaked for 5 minutes in cold water, drained and rinsed, plus more for garnish
• 2 garlic cloves, peeled
• ¼ cup tightly packed chopped cilantro, plus cilantro leaves and sprigs for garnish
• 1 ½ cups chicken stock
• 1 tablespoon canola or extra-virgin olive oil
• ½ teaspoon cumin seeds, ground
• Kosher salt and black pepper, to taste
• 1 pound medium-large tail-on shrimp, shelled and deveined (I used 21-25 count per pound)
• brown Basmati rice, for serving

1. Heat a heavy straight-sided skillet or a saucepan over medium heat and add pumpkin seeds. Wait until you hear one seed pop, then stir constantly until they have puffed and popped and smell toasty, about 3 to 5 minutes. Do not let them darken beyond golden or they will taste bitter. Transfer to a bowl and allow to cool. Remove 2 tablespoons to use as garnish and set aside.
2. Place remaining cooled pumpkin seeds in a blender or Vitamix, and add tomatillos, chile, lettuce, onion, garlic, cilantro and 1/2 cup chicken stock. Cover and blend mixture until smooth, stopping the blender to stir if necessary.
3. Heat oil in the skillet or saucepan over medium-high heat. Add cumin and let it sizzle for a couple of seconds, then add puréed tomatillo mixture.
4. Cook, stirring often, until sauce darkens and thickens, 8 to 10 minutes. It will splutter, so be careful. You can hold the lid above the pot to shield yourself and the stove, or set the lid on the pot to partly cover it.
5. Add remaining cup of chicken stock, bring to a simmer, reduce heat to medium-low and simmer, uncovered, stirring often, until sauce is thick and creamy, 10 to 20 minutes. Season to taste with salt.
6. Season shrimp with salt and pepper. Shortly before serving, bring mole sauce to a simmer and add shrimp. Simmer 5 to 8 minutes, until the shrimp are cooked through but still moist.
7. Serve over rice, garnishing each serving with toasted pumpkin seeds, diced onion, and cilantro.

Note: The sauce can be made up to three days ahead and kept refrigerated until ready to use it. Alternatively, it can be frozen, just whisk or blend to restore its consistency after thawing.

Three Years Ago:

• Rick Bayless’ Red Mole Enchiladas with Shredded Chicken

Four Years Ago:

• Tacos with Tangy Cilantro Chicken
• No-Bake Vegetarian Enchiladas
• Smoky Tomatillo Salsa

If you like this you may also like:

• Pork Chile Verde

Squash & Pork Stir-Fry

I’m sure you’ve rushed around the grocery store thinking you’ve purchased the necessary ingredients to throw together a “quick” weeknight meal. Right? I thought that was the case for me… When  I started to prepare this dish, I realized that I had ground pork instead of pork sausage and butternut instead of kabocha squash. I’m blaming holiday stress and distraction. (Well, truth be told, the squash was a conscious substitution- no fabulous kabocha to be found.)

This recipe was adapted from Bon Appetit, contributed by Chris Morocco. I doubled the recipe, used ground pork instead of pork sausage (oops!), seasoned accordingly, butternut instead of kabocha squash, and cashews instead of peanuts. I also omitted the sugar. I roasted the squash instead of steaming and sautéing it. We let the dish stand alone, but it would also be wonderful accompanied by rice. Delicious!

Yield: 4 Servings

• 1 medium butternut or kabocha squash, cut into 1-inch pieces, approximately 4 cups
• 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, divided
• 1 pound (80 percent lean) ground pork
• 1 tsp coarse salt, plus more for squash
• 1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper, plus more for squash
• dash or two of red pepper flakes, to taste
• 1 tsp dried oregano
• 1/2 tsp dried thyme
• 1/2 tsp paprika
• 6 garlic cloves, sliced
• 1 large shallot, chopped
• 2 serrano chiles, seeded and sliced
• 1 T finely grated peeled ginger root
• 1/4 cup fresh lime juice (from 1 large lime)
• 4 tsp fish sauce
• 4 scallions, thinly sliced
• salted, roasted peanuts or cashews and chopped cilantro, for serving, as desired

1. Pre-heat oven to 425 degrees, preferably on convection roast.
2. Toss squash with 1 T olive oil and season liberally with salt and pepper. Place squash on a parchment paper-lined rimmed baking sheet and roast in the oven until tender, about 25 minutes. Let cool slightly.
3. Meanwhile, heat remaining 1 tablespoon of oil in a large skillet. Add pork, 1 teaspoon salt, 1/2 teaspoon ground pepper, red pepper flakes, oregano, thyme, and paprika; cook, breaking into large pieces and stirring occasionally, until browned and cooked through, about 5 minutes.
4. Add garlic, shallot, chiles, and ginger and cook, stirring often, just until softened, about 2 minutes.
5. Add roasted squash, lime juice, fish sauce, and scallions; toss to combine.
6. Serve stir-fry topped with nuts and cilantro, as desired.

One Year Ago:

• Turkey & Spinach Curry

Two Years Ago:

• Panko-Crusted Mustard Salmon
• Velvet Chicken with Mustard Sauce

Three Years Ago:

• Pea Risotto
• Caramel Chicken

Four Years Ago:

• Butternut Squash & Bacon Quiche
• Pork Chops with Mustard Cream Sauce

If you like this you may also like:

• Thai One-Pot

Thai Pork Tenderloin Salad with Napa Cabbage

I received the most beautiful Napa cabbage in my CSA share this week. The leaves are so tender, and yet crunchy, they are absolutely perfect for a salad. This dish caught my eye because it was so colorful, bright with flavor, healthy, and a little bit “out of the box” for me.

This recipe was adapted from The New York Times, contributed by Melissa Clark. I am bringing it to share at Fiesta Friday #88, co-hosted by Julie @ Hostess at Heart and Liz @ Spades, Spatulas, & Spoons. Happy October!

Yield: 4 to 6 servings

For the Marinade & Dressing:

• 1 ½ to 2 pounds boneless pork tenderloin (usually 2 tenderloins)
• ⅔ cup minced shallots (about 4 shallots)
• ⅔ cup chopped cilantro leaves and tender stems
• 5 tablespoons light brown sugar, separated
• 6 garlic cloves, minced in a garlic press
• 5 tablespoons soy sauce
• 5 tablespoons peanut or grapeseed oil
• Juice and zest of 4 limes
• 3-inch piece peeled ginger root, grated
• 2 tablespoons Asian fish sauce
• ½ teaspoon coarse salt, more to taste
• 1 to 2 Thai bird, serrano or jalapeño chile peppers, seeded and minced

For the Salad:

• 8 cups Napa or regular cabbage, thinly sliced (about 1/2 of a large head)
• 5 whole scallions, trimmed and thinly sliced
• 2 small Kirby or Persian cucumbers, thinly sliced
• 1 red bell pepper, thinly sliced
• 1 ½ cups cilantro leaves
• 1 ½ cups mint leaves (I omitted the mint)
• 1 cup basil leaves
• 1 ¼ cups roasted cashews or peanuts, toasted and chopped
• ¼ cup unsweetened coconut chips or large flakes, toasted, optional

1. In the bowl of a food processor, combine shallot, cilantro, 2 tablespoons of the sugar, garlic, soy sauce, peanut or grapeseed oil, lime zest and juice, grated ginger, fish sauce, salt and chile. Pulse to mince the shallots, cilantro, garlic, and chiles- as well as to combine the mixture.
2. Remove three-quarters of the mixture; reserve to use as the dressing. Add the remaining 3 T sugar and purée until a smooth, loose paste forms. This is the marinade.
3. Pat the pork dry with a paper towel. Place tenderloin in a large bowl and spread the paste all over pork. Marinate at room temperature for 2 hours, or cover and refrigerate up to 24 hours; turn the tenderloin occasionally. (I marinated the meat for 12 hours in the refrigerator.)
4. Light the grill or heat the broiler and arrange a rack at least 4 inches from the heat. (Mine was about 6 inches away.) Grill or broil pork, turning occasionally, until well browned and meat reaches an internal temperature of 135 degrees, 4 to 10 minutes per side depending upon the heat of your broiler or grill. Keep an eye on it so it doesn’t overcook. Let meat rest while you prepare the salad. (Or, cook the pork 1 or 2 hours ahead and serve it at room temperature.)
5. In a large bowl, combine the salad ingredients, reserving the herbs, cashews and coconut. (I omitted the coconut.)
6. Whisk the dressing and use just enough to dress the salad, tossing to combine. Let sit for a few minutes for the flavors to meld, then right before serving, add herbs and toss again.
7. To serve, slice the pork. Arrange salad on a platter or serving plates and top with sliced pork. Scatter cashews and coconut on top, drizzle with a little more of the remaining dressing, to taste, if desired.

Two Years Ago:

• Chili-Lime Pork Tenderloin with Corn Salad

Three Years Ago:

• Pork Tenderloin with Apples & Leeks
• Smothered Pork Chops with Cornbread