Vegetable curry and pork chops.

Tonight, I didn't want to go to the store, so I made do with what I had.  It was pretty good.  The pork chops were a little on the thin side.  I coated them in a mixture of bread crumbs, ground coriander, ground cumin and salt.  Then pan fried them in a little oil.  I served it with a vegetable curry (that I made up), rice, flatbread and chutney and yogurt.

The curry:  Heat 3 tbsp oil.  Add 1 tbsp cumin seeds and a pinch of asafetida.  Add 2 chopped onions, 3 diced red potatoes and 4 sliced and peeled carrots.  Cook until almost tender.  Add 6 garlic cloves, 1 inch ginger and 2 serrano peppers chopped in a mini food processor.  Cook 2 minutes.  Add 3 chopped tomatoes, 1/4 tsp cayenne, 1/2 tsp turmeric, 2 tsp coriander and 2 tsp cumin.  Add salt to taste.  Add 1/2 can coconut milk.  Simmer until tender.  Add 1 can rinsed white beans.  Add 1 cup frozen peas.  Heat through.

Another type of sausage: Moong dal, pork and lamb

Put in cuisinart:  8 large garlic cloves, 2 inches of chopped ginger, 3 serrano peppers and pulse until chopped small.   Put 4 tbsp oil in pan.  When hot, add a couple tbsp of each:  cumin seed, mustard seed, and coriander seeds.  When they begin to pop, add garlic mixture and cook about 2 minutes.  Turn off heat.

Rinse moong dal.  Soak for an hour.  Cook in boiling water until tender.  Drain and cool.

Grind about 2 pounds each of lamb stew meat and pork shoulder.  Mix with a couple of tbsp red wine vinegar, the spice mixture, ground pepper  and 3 tbsp salt.  Add moong dal and stir in.

Stuff, still not pretty, but quite tasty.

The past few days: Goat and lentils

Red Goat Stew (adapted from Madjur Jaffrey)  Put 1 inch cubes ginger, 8 peeled garlic cloves, 4 tbsp water in blender and make a smooth paste.  Heat 10 tbsp veg oil in pan.  Brown the goat in several batches.  (we had "goat chunks"  I have no idea what part of the goat we used!)  Remove meat.  Add 10 cardamon pods, 2 bay leaves, 6 cloves, 10 peppercorns, and one cinnamon stick.  After a few seconds, add one chopped onion.  Stir and fry 5 minutes.  Put in ginger-garlic paste.  Stir 30 sec.  Add 1 tsp ground coriander, 2 tsp ground cumin, 4 tsp paprika, 1 tsp cayenne, and 1 1/4 tsp salt.   Stir and fry 30 seconds.  Add meat back to pan.   Add 6 tbsp yogurt, one tablespoon at a time.  Stir and fry 3-4 minutes.  Add about 12 oz water.  Bring to boil.  Cover and turn heat to low.  Cook 2 hours or until meat is tender.  Stir often.  Sprinkle 1/4 tsp garam masala and freshly ground pepper and stir. 

Moong dal and red lentils with browned onions.  This was from Madjur Jaffrey.  I liked it, but I would increase all the spices.  Combine 6 oz each of moong dal and red split lentils with 2 pints of water and 1/2 tsp tumeric.  Bring to a boil.  Simmer until tender, about an hour.  Add 1 1/2 tsp salt.   Meanwhile heat 4 tbsp oil.  Add a pinch of asafetida.  Quickly add 1 tsp cumin seeds.  Stir until they begin to pop.  Add 5 dried hot chilis.  When they begin to darken, add one thinly sliced onion.  Cook until browned.  Pour over cooked lentils.

Indian Sausage and Smothered Pork

I don't think Indian Sausage exists, but I've been itching to spice a sausage with Indian flavors.  I think I could have used more garlic, ginger and serranos.  Cut 2 1/2 pounds of pork shoulder into 1 inch chunks.  Keep cold.  Heat 1 tbsp oil.  Add 1 tbsp cumin seed and mustard seed, 1 1/2 tsp coriander seeds.  Turn off heat when they begin to pop.  Finely dice 3 garlic cloves, 1 inch ginger and 1 serrano.  Add to seeds.  Add 1 1/2 tbsp salt and some freshly ground pepper.  Add meat to spices.  Put through grinder on small holes.  Add 1/4 cup ice water and 1/4 cup white wine.  Mix with electric mixer for 2 minutes.  Cook.

Smothered pork:  adapted from Madhur Jaffrey.  Dice 1 pound pork shoulder.  Mix with 1 small diced onion, 1 inch grated ginger, 1 chopped tomato, 1/2 cup finely chopped cilantro, 1 diced serrano, 1/4 tsp turmeric, 2 tsp garam masala, 1 tsp ground cumin, 1/4 cup yogurt,  1 tbsp tomato paste, and 3/4 tsp salt.  Heat 3 tbsp oil.  Add 4 minced garlic cloves.  Add meat and cook on med high for a couple of minutes.  Add 1/2 cup water and simmer, covered, 1 hour.  At this point I added green beans and cooked another 20 minutes.  (I wanted a one pot meal)  Cook uncovered for about 10 minutes.  There was quite a bit of fat on the top, so I took out the meat and vegetables.  I cooked the sauce on high for a couple of minutes.  Then I let it sit and skimmed off the fat.  Serve over rice and yogurt.  (This had a heat that gradually built.  I'm not sure why it got so spicy.  Maybe I had a particularly spicy serrano.)

Grilled chicken with aloo mattar gajar

This month's usual table setting

Madjur Jaffrey's grilled chicken.  Mix: 1 tbsp coarsely ground peppercorns, 1 tbsp paprika, 1/2 tsp cayenne pepper, 1 tbsp garam masala, 2 tsp ground cumin, 2 tsp dried oregano, 1 1/4 tsp salt, 1 minced garlic cloves, 3 tbsp veg oil, 2 tbsp lemon juice and 2 tbsp yogurt.  Rub all over chicken thighs.  Grill.  (Not very spicy, tasted like juicy grilled chicken)

Toast 1/2 tsp cumin seeds.  Set aside.  In a bowl mix 2 tbsp olive oil, 1 tbsp red wine vinegar, 1/2 tbsp lemon juice.  Whisk.  Add 2 tbsp garlic, minced, 1/4 cup thinly sliced onions, 1 sliced tomato, 1/2 sliced cucumber.  Sprinkle cumin seeds on top and toss.

This recipe is from The Best of Indian Cooking.  It's one of the kid's favorites.   Heat 1 tbsp oil.  Add 1 tsp cumin seeds.  When they begin to pop, add 4 tsp oil and 1 sliced onion.  Cook on med low for 10 minutes.  Add 1/2 tsp each of:  chili powder, turmeric, ground coriander, and salt.  Stir.  Add 2 large peeled and sliced carrots and 1 large peeled and sliced potato.  Stir to coat vegetables.  Cook, covered, 15 min.  Stir in 2 tbsp water and cook, covered, 5 more minutes.  Add 1 cup defrosted peas.  Cook another 5 minutes, covered.  Garnish with chopped cilantro.

Another recipe for cooking rice.  This turned out nicely.  Bring 10 cups of water to a boil.  Add 2 cups basmati rice.  Cook, simmering vigorously, partially covered 8 minutes.  Drain and return to pot.  Cover until ready to serve.

Jack and Sam