Naan

This is the best kind of recipe...easy and awesome! I love naan and had no idea it was so easy. I found this recipe at Liz's Cooking Blog. I think I'll try adding some fresh garlic next time!

Naan
Ingredients:

• 2/3 cup warm water (110 degrees F/45 degrees C)

• 1 teaspoon active dry yeast
• 1 teaspoon white sugar
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 cup ghee or oil
  
• 2 tablespoons plain yogurt

Instructions:

1. Whisk the warm water with the yeast and sugar until the yeast is dissolved. Cover and let stand in a warm place for 10 minutes.
2. Sift flour and salt three times into a large bowl add the yeast mixture, half of the ghee or oil and all the yogurt. Mix into a soft dough then knead on a floured surface for about 5 minutes or until dough is smooth and elastic. Place the dough in a large greased bowl, cover and let stand in a warm place for 1 1/2 hours or until the dough is doubled in size .
3. Punch down dough then knead for 5 minutes. Divide dough into 6 pieces. Let rise for an additional 10-30 minutes if you have the time. Roll each piece out into 8 inch round naans.
   
4. Brush the naan with a little of the remaining ghee or oil. Heat oil in a large flat skillet. Pan fry naan one at a time for about 2 minutes on each side or until puffed and just browned, adding additional oil as necessary.

Quick Curry Chicken

Oh, how we love curry! This recipe was inspired by one at Good Things Catered. It was easy, but not particularly quick with all of my additions :)
Nonetheless, it was a delicious meal and I would most definitely make this again!


Quick Curry Chicken

Ingredients:
3 large (4 modest) boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut in 1 1/2 in cubes
1 Tbsp olive oil, divided
salt and pepper to taste
1 large onion, cut into 1 in. chunks
1 summer squash, sliced about 1/4 in thick
1 large carrot, chopped into chunks
1 c. cranberry potatoes, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
8-10 oz. red curry saute sauce

Directions:
-In wide braiser pan over medium heat, heat 1 tsp olive oil until almost smoking
-Meanwhile, pat chicken breast dry and season with salt and pepper.
-Add cubed chicken to pan and cook until side has lightly browned, about 2 minutes.
-Flip cubes and cook until other side has lightly browned, about 2 minutes.
-Remove chicken from pan, place in covered dish, and set aside.
-Add 1 tsp of oil to pan, repeat browning with remaining chicken and set aside.
-Heat remaining oil in pan and add onion pieces.
-Cook, stirring occasionally until beginning to cook down, about 3 minutes.
-Add potatoes and carrots, cook until just beginning to soften, about 10 minutes.
-Add summer squash and cook, stirring occasionally until vegetables have begun to brown, about 5 more minutes.
-Stir in garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds.
-Deglaze pan with scant 1/8 c. of water, scraping browned bits from bottom of pan.
-Stir in chicken and curry sauce
-Turn heat down to a low simmer, cover pan and cook for 10 minutes, or until chicken has cooked through.
-Can be served immediately over fragrant rice.
Greta's rating: She loved this, but she loves anything with rice. She especially liked the cooked carrots, the squash- not so much.

Curried Coconut Chicken

I'm always looking for the perfect curry recipe. This one was very good. Next time I make it I will probably omit some of the tomato in the hopes of a more "coconutty" flavor. The original recipe is from allrecipes.com
As always, I've made a few changes and the recipe below is how I prepared it. I made this for some friends and everyone liked it! (Or they are good liars)

Curried Coconut Chicken

2 lbs boneless, skinless chicken breast- cubed
salt and pepper to taste
2 T. Olive Oil
2 T. Red curry paste
1/2 onion thinly sliced
2 carrots, chopped
2 garlic cloves, crushed
1 (14 oz)can lite coconut milk
1 (14 oz) can diced tomatoes, drained
1/4 (14oz) can tomato sauce (will omit next time)
3 T. sugar
1 T. cornstarch
dried, unsweetened coconut

Chop chicken into chunks and salt and pepper. In large skillet over medium high heat, heat oil and curry for 2 minutes. Stir in onion, carrots and garlic. Cook one minute more. Stir in chicken and coat with curry mixture. Cook until chicken is done, approx 10 more minutes.
Add coconut milk, tomatoes and sugar. Stir. Remove approximately 1/3 c. of sauce and mix with cornstarch. Return cornstarch mixture to skillet.
Cover and simmer for 30-40 minutes. Serve with a sprinkling of dried, unsweetened coconut on top and over Basmati rice.

Indian Lentil Soup

This is another recipe from one of my favorite blogs, Gillian's Goodies. I love Indian spices and was in the mood for lentils at lunchtime today. This soup is quick to put together and I already had all of the ingredients on hand. The finished product was delicious. This would also be great over rice.

Indian Lentil Soup

Ingredients:
2/3 cup green lentils
1/2 onion, chopped
1/2 tsp. ground cumin
1/8 tsp. turmeric
1/2 tsp. coriander
1/2 tsp. curry powder
1 large clove of garlic, minced
1/4 cup carrot, diced
3 T. oatmeal
1 tsp. tomato paste
4 cups water or vegetable broth(this was even awesome using water)
Vegetable oil (I used olive)
Juice of 1 lemon
Method:
1. In a heavy-bottomed saucepan or Dutch oven, heat 2 tbsp. olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the cumin, coriander, curry powder, and garlic. Stir for 1 minute until the flavours bloom/become fragrant. Add the onion and saute until translucent. Stir in the tomato paste.

2. Add 4 cups water or broth, carrots, lentils, and oatmeal. Bring to a boil and then lower to a simmer. Simmer for 30 minutes or until the lentils are soft. You can add salt and pepper to taste if desired.(I added the lemon right before the lentils were done)

**Note, the original recipe also called for 1/3 cup diced potato.**

Reference:
This recipe is from "Fresh Mama's: Whole Cooking for Our Whole Families"

Chicken Tikka Masala

I got this recipe from Mrs. Presley on the Nest's Food board.
It tasted just like an authentic Indian restaurant. It was a little spicy for our taste, so I've adjusted the recipe to how I will make it the next time I prepare it.

CHICKEN TIKKA MASALA

Marinade:
1 C. plain yogurt
1 T. Lemon juice
2 t. cumin
1 t. cinnamon
1 t. cayenne pepper
1 1/2 t. ground black pepper
1 T. minced fresh ginger
1 t. garam masala
1 t. salt
3 boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into chunks

Sauce:
2 T. butter
4 garlic cloves, minced
2 t. cumin
2 t. paprika
2 t. garam masala
1 t. salt
2 (8oz) cans of tomato sauce
1 can diced tomatoes
2 c. fat free evaporated milk
*cilantro to garnish :)

In large bowl, combine marinade ingredients with chicken. Refrigerate for one hour or up to overnight.

Grill chicken chunks in George Foreman grill or skewer and grill on high heat.

Melt butter in large skillet over medium heat. Saute garlic for 1 minute. Season with spices and salt. Stir in tomato sauce, tomatoes and milk. Simmer on low until sauce thickens, about 20 minutes. Add chicken and simmer for 10 minutes. Serve over Basmati Rice.