Indian Summer

I used to be intimidated by Indian cooking and never thought I would be able to pull it off.  I finally got over that fear and just picked up a bunch of spices and played with them.  Once I got familiar with the spices, I was on a roll.  I'm still a novice with Indian and have plenty more to learn, but if you are looking for a beginners recipe, I highly recommend trying one of these. I served all three dishes for dinner one evening and it really came together nicely.  The Roasted Eggplant dish compliments the Chicken Curry, and the Mint Chutney  adds a refreshing taste to both the dishes. The meal is best served with Basmati rice and Naan bread.  I didn't have any Naan bread, and I haven't figured out how to make it yet, so I substitute with toasted pita and it was just as delicious!


Indian Chicken & Red Potato Curry

Ingrediants

1 package of chicken thigh or breast (approx 2.5 lbs) cut into 1 1/2 - 2 inch pieces

4 small red potatos - cut into 1 1/2 -2 inch pieces

1 tbs olive oil 

3 cloves of garlic

1 grated 1" ginger piece

1 cup water

1/4 cup yogurt

2-3 tbs tomato sauce

2 bay leaves

5 whole cloves

1 tsp cumin

1 tsp turmeric powder

1 tsp curry powder

1 tsp red chilli powder

1 tsp sugar

2-3 sprig of cilantro for garnish

 

  

Cooking Instructions

Place 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a large skillet over high heat. Add garlic, grated ginger, chicken and potatos. Brown the chicken and reduce heat to medium and cover for about 15 mins. Mix 1 cup water, 1/4 cup yogurt and 2-3 tablespoon of tomato sauce in separate bowl and set it aside for a bit.  Come back to the chicken and add all the spices (2 bay leaves, 5 whole cloves, 1 tsp cumin, 1 tsp turmeric power, 1 tsp curry power, 1 tsp red chili powder, 1 tsp sugar). Add the water, yogurt and tomato sauce mixture into the skillet. Let it come to a boil and reduce heat to a simmer and cover for an additional 15 mins. Garnish with a few sprigs of coarsely chopped cilantro on top.

The aromatic sent of spices in  your house is an indication that the dish is ready.  If the sauce has not thicken a bit after 15 mins, uncover it and leave on low simmer for another 5 mins.  Should be ready to serve when potatoes are tender and sauce is slightly thickened.  I like to accompany this dish with Basmati rice.  Naan bread would be a nice touch, but if you do not have you can always substitute with some toasted pita bread.

Indian Roasted Eggplant

Ingredients

3-4  Chinese eggplants depending on size, approx 2 1/2 lbs total (I prefer Chinese eggplant because they are smaller and easier to cook and has a nicer flavor than Western eggplant).

1 medium brown onion, chopped

2 tbs canola oil

2 tsp salt

1 tsp sugar

3 tsp coriander

3 tsp cumin

2 tsp turmeric

1/2 tsp cayenne

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 1" piece of ginger, grated

1 small jalapeno, chopped (opt)

14 oz can fire roasted tomatoes

14 oz can chickpeas, drained and rinsed

1 cup spinach (opt)

1/4 cup coarsely chopped cilantro

Cooking Instructions

Broil eggplant in oven until the skin is charred on the outside and the pulp is nice and soft in the inside.  You can usually tell when the eggplant is ready by the aromatic roasted smell.  Remove skin and set aside in a colander to remove excess moisture. In the meantime, add 2 tbs canola oil, chopped onions and 2 tsp salt into a medium size pot over high heat.  Cook until onions are golden brown and a translucent. Add the garlic, ginger, and jalapeno.  Stir for a while and then add sugar and spices (1 tsp sugar, 3 tsp coriander, 3 tsp cumin, 2 tsp turmeric, 1/2 tsp cayenne). Cook until you get a nice fragrant.  Stir in eggplant and can of roasted tomatoes (including the juice). Cook until liquid has evaporated and you have a thick consistency.  Reduce the heat a bit. This may take up to 20 mins.  When close to done, stir in the chickpeas, spinach and cilantro.

Mint Chutney

Ingredients

1 cup yogurt (Trader Joe's Plain Organic Yogurt is my favorite to use)

1 bunch coriander leaves

3/4 bunch of mint leaves

5 cloves garlic, minced

1 1" ginger piece, grated

2-3 tbs water

1 tsp cumin powder

1 tsp amchur powder (find at local Indian market)

1/4 of small jalapeno (opt)

2 tsp salt (to taste)

 

Cooking Instructions

Set aside yogurt and blend all other ingredients in a blender or food processor. When well blended, add mixture into the yogurt. Mix well and you may add salt if it is still bland.  Don't make the mistake of blending the yogurt in the blender.  You will not have the desired thick consistency that makes the Chutney so nice and refreshing.

The Art of Cooking

The art of cooking is about layering, mixing, and creating flavors.  Ingredients become the paint and you become the artist.

I'm no professional chef or feel that I have any exceptional cooking skill.  I stumbled upon cooking because as a youth, I became tired of the Cambodian and Teo Chew food my mother prepared.  Western food was seldom cooked in our household and the only time I experienced it was at the school cafeteria or at a friend's house.  Inspiration often came from dining at friend's homes.  I was always too shy to ask for recipes or how the dish was prepared, so I became observant of what I was eating.  I picked the meal apart with my eyes, identified the ingredients visually and identified the ingredients with the taste in my mouth.  I would return home to try to replicate the meal for my brother and sister.  To my surprise, it always came out pretty good and sometimes even better than what I had originally.

It is ironic that my start in cooking came from the need to experience something different from Cambodian and Teo Chew food.  Now, I enjoy eating and cooking Cambodian and Teo Chew food more than ever.  Having filled that yearning of having all sorts of Western food since my ability to drive, I have come to appreciate the bold and exotic flavors of Cambodian cuisine and the simplicity of  Teo Chew dishes.  I'm so thankful for my cultural background because it has helped me gain such a large flavor pallet and a true appreciation for every kind of food.  My goal is to create a few signature dishes from every region in the world.  Although most of the recipes found in this journal will be from South East Asia, I'll occasionally dabble into other parts of the world through inspiration from friends, family, restaurants and the infinite food programs I watch.

I hope friends and family will cook a few dishes from this blog, but most of all it is a way for me to document and preserve a lot of the Cambodian cooking my mother has taught me.  Storing it in my head won't do me any good, so this is a great opportunity to have it down in writing and share it with anyone who is interested.

Enjoy and happy cooking!