Coconut Curry Chicken

Source: Food & Wine magazine - December 2000

You can make the dish ahead, and refrigerate for up to two days.

1/4 cup whole unsalted cashews
1 pound skinless, boneless chicken
breasts, cut into 1-inch pieces
Salt
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1/4 teaspoon black mustard seeds
1/4 teaspoon cumin seeds
1/4 teaspoon ground coriander
1 tablespoon curry powder
1 medium onion, thinly sliced
1 teaspoon finely grated fresh ginger
1 garlic clove, minced
1 (14 ounce) can unsweetened coconut milk
1/4 cup frozen peas
2 tablespoons chopped cilantro

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Spread the cashews in a pie plate and bake for 5 minutes, or until fragrant and lightly toasted.
Transfer to a plate to cool.

Lightly season the chicken with salt.
In a large, deep skillet, heat 3 tablespoons of the oil until smoking.
Add the chicken and cook over moderately high heat until golden brown, about 1 1/2 minutes per side.
Transfer the chicken to a plate and reduce the heat to moderate.

Add the remaining 1 tablespoon of oil to the skillet and heat until smoking.
Add the mustard seeds and cook for about 1 minute, or until they stop popping.
Add the cumin seeds, coriander and curry powder, and cook, stirring occasionally, until fragrant, about 1 minute.
Add the onion, ginger and garlic, and cook until the onion softens, about 10 minutes; if the mixture seems dry, add up to 1/4 cup of water to prevent sticking.

Stir in the coconut milk and bring to a boil.
Reduce the heat to low.
Return the chicken to the skillet and simmer until cooked through, about 5 minutes.
Stir in the peas and cook for 1 minute. Transfer the curry to a bowl, sprinkle with the cilantro and cashews and serve.

Makes 4 servings.

Gajar Ki Kheer (Carrot Pudding)

4 cups milk
2 tablespoons long-grain rice
2 cups firmly packed peeled and grated carrots
1/2 cup granulated sugar
2 tablespoons slivered blanched almonds
1/2 teaspoon ground cardamom
1 teaspoon rose water (optional)
1/4 cup heavy cream
1/4 cup chopped pistachios

Combine the milk and rice in a large, heavy saucepan and bring to a boil over moderate heat, stirring frequently.
Reduce the heat and cook uncovered at a slow boil for 20 minutes, stirring frequently.

Add the carrots and continue cooking uncovered for 15 minutes, stirring frequently.

Add the sugar and almonds and cook an additional 10 minutes, stirring frequently, until the mixture begins to stick to the bottom of the pan.

Remove from the heat and allow to cool to room temperature.
Stir in the cardamom, optional rose water, and cream.
Chill thoroughly. When chilled, the pudding should have a consistency slightly thinner than rice pudding, but it should not be runny.
Add a little milk if it is too thick.

Serve garnished with chopped pistachios.

Serves 6 to 8.

Jallebis (Sweet “Pretzels”)

Jallebis are made in India only by professionals in pans 2 to 3 feet across!

1 package yeast
1/4 cup warm water
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 cup rice flour or cornstarch
1 1/2 cups water
1/4 teaspoon saffron or a few drops yellow food coloring
Oil for deep frying
3 cups granulated sugar
2 cups water
1 teaspoon rose water

Dissolve yeast in warm water.
Mix flour, rice flour, water and saffron; then add yeast mixture.
Let stand at least 1/2 hour.

Boil sugar and water for 5 minutes.
Keep warm but not enough to cook it more.
Add rose water just before using.
Pour batter into a plastic squeeze bottle such as for dispensing catsup.
Squeeze batter into hot fat at 375 degrees F in pretzel shapes and fry until lightly brown, turning once.
Lift from fat, drain and drop directly into sugar/water syrup.
When clear and full of syrup, remove and drain, placing on serving platter.
Do not use the same slotted spoon in the hot fat as in the syrup, as it splatters badly.
It helps to have 2 people cooking, 1 frying and 1 taking the jallebis out of the syrup.
Be careful not to let the fat get too hot.
A small pan is safer than a large one.

Makes about 50 jallebis.