Bitchin' Homemade Curry

Hello Lovelies.

This weekend I decided to try out a new recipe. I also wanted to make a cabbage curry recipe that I have grown fond of.

Buttered chicken has become my new comfort food when it's cold and shitty outside. Since I'm from Seattle, that is often. I work near a Indian restaurant that has the most amazing buttered chicken. It's always perfectly smooth and amazing. It has this hint of cinnamon. I think it's cinnamon. Whatever it is, it makes the flavor completely addictive.

I wanted to try out making buttered chicken so I googled slow cooker recipes and came up with this one, http://www.mealplanning101.com/2008/09/slow-cooker-butter-chicken.html

I liked this one because of the use of cardamom and yogurt instead of heavy cream. I'm in the processing of converting myself into the paleo eating habits. Eliminating dairy completely will be a toughy. I didn't deviate from the recipe at all. I even went out and got boneless chicken thighs. It came out really good. My mom was blown away. She loved it. I always know I did good when my mom starts talking to me like she's mid-orgasm. For me personally, it was okay. It didn't compare to the buttered chicken at the Indian restaurant. I was really looking for that flavor. But that doesn't mean it wasn't good. It was really good but it left me wanting more from it.

Here's a picture of the finished product in the crock pot. The green is the fresh coriander I threw in at the end. Don't ever skip this step. It gives any curry dish that finishing flavor. OH!! It was a little runny for my taste so I threw 1 TBSP of corn starch mixed with 2 TBSP of water to thicken it up.

Next I made, Buttered Cabbage. The name is deceiving. There's no butter in this recipe. It's actually a very light and delicious recipe. I love my mom and I love my mom's cooking but at times she can use a little too much oil in her cooking and this makes my digestive tract very angry. VERY ANGRY. So, I like this one because it only uses 2 TBSP of oil. 

I first made this recipe while I was in Montana visiting an old roommate. She had this book, Classic Indian Cooking by Julie Sahni. We were invited to her friends BBQ pot luck so we picked out this recipe because it was easy and universal. All the white people loved it and they enjoyed the fact that is was accompanied with a genuine Indian person. 

Buttered Cabbage by Julie Sahni 

2 TBSP oil 

1 1/2 tsp cumin 

1 tsp turmeric 

1 cabbage head, quartered, stem removed and thinly sliced 

1 large tomato diced 

1 TBSP grated ginger 

2 green chilies diced, or red pepper flakes (to taste) 

2 tsp salt (to taste) 

1 cup hot water 

1 small bunch of coriander chopped up 

Heat up your oil in heavy bottomed pan or pot on medium or medium-high (depending on your stove top) Once it's hot toss in your cumin and let it brown up. Make sure it doesn't burn or else you have to start all over. Once your cumin is brown throw in your cabbage and toss your turmeric on top. Continue to stir everything well for about 5 minutes. You want your cabbage to wilt down. Then toss in your tomato, ginger and green chili (or red pepper flakes). Again, stir for about 5 minutes. You want everything well incorporated. Turn your heat down to medium-low and throw your water and salt in. Cover and let that cook up for about 20 minutes. Be sure to check on it and stir to prevent burning. You want most of the water to be dissolved. If it's still pretty watery after 20 minutes turn the heat up and let the water cook off a it. Pay attention when doing this to prevent burning. Once it's all cooked up throw in your coriander and toss. 

Here's how mine turned out! 

All of these passed the Indian mother test. Enjoy!! 

~ Ashika