OT: Project Chicken Curry 04/24/2010

I’m scared of raw meat.  I don’t know what to do with it.  I’m a novice cook, and the only time I’ve handled raw meat is when I used to sandwich deboned chicken thighs between the plates of my George Foreman Grill in college.  Oh, the days.  But after watching this Chicken Curry being made – because I promised a friend that I would get the recipe after being asked for it – I feel confident that I can make this myself.  Though, I admit, I haven’t tried it…yet.  But practice makes perfect, right?  Julia Child didn’t even know how to cook before she became an icon.

The following recipe will be an OT, off topic, post for this blog.  I apologize for some of the non-specific measurements, because the person who cooked this recipe cooks by estimation and feel.  It will give you an idea of how to make it, though, and you could always tweak it to fit your own preferences.

The final recipe ended up with skinless chicken, although you can leave the skin on if you prefer.  There are many different ways to cook chicken curry, some even include coconut milk, but this is the specific recipe for the dish in the picture.

HOW TO MAKE CHICKEN CURRY

What You Will Need:

• A big pot, like really big, but not too big
• Family pack (~12 pcs.) of chicken thighs or drumsticks; you can also mix it up with half a pack of the thighs and drumsticks
• Ginger- About a palmful of diced pieces
• Onion- 1/2 to 1 large yellow onion, quartered then cut into smaller square-like pieces
• Carrots- about 6 small or 4 large sliced carrots
• Peas- about 1 cup or less if you don’t want too much (I love peas, that’s why); we used thawed frozen peas
• Potatoes- 4 large or 6 medium diced potatoes
• Chicken base- 2 Tablespoons; we used Better Than Bullion chicken base from Costco, which is like a paste and is better than the powder kind; if you’re using a low sodium bullion, then add salt to taste
• Curry powder- 1-2 Tablespoons depending on how spicy you like it; we used S&B from an Asian store
• McCormack Parsley Patch (or you favorite seasoner, but this one is good)- This particular brand contains garlic, oregano, rosemary, basil, red pepper, onion peel, onion, parsley, paprika and celery
• Salt and pepper- add to desired taste
• Water
• Celery (optional)- about 2-3 sliced stalks
• Corn starch (to thicken the soup)- we used about 3 large serving spoons until the desired consistency was reached
• NOTE: All measurements are an estimation

Directions:

1. Season the chicken with McCormack Parsley Patch, or your favorite seasoning, until covered sufficiently (see, I told you about the unspecific measurements).  The cook was adamant about rinsing the chicken first under a running tap, but you don’t have to.
2. Add the chicken to the pot along with the diced ginger and cook covered on medium high for about 15 minutes.  However, after about 7 minutes, remove the skin from the chicken.  We prefer to eat the final dish without the skin but leaving it on for a few minutes will add flavor to the dish.  Stir the chicken around occasionally.
3. You will notice water from the chicken will accumulate in the pot.  Continue to cook on med high or high heat, uncovered, for about 40 minutes, until the water evaporates.  Stir occasionally.  After a certain amount of time, the water will evaporate and the oils in the chicken will draw out.  You will notice the oiliness on the bottom of the pan as opposed to the water.  Also, cut open a piece of chicken to ensure that it is no longer pink and cooked down to the bone.
4. While the chicken is cooking, prepare your vegetables: onions, potatoes, carrots, celery (optional) and peas.
5. After the oil seeps out of the chicken, add the onion and cook until they are wilted or translucent.
6. Add water to the pot until the level covers the top of the chicken.  Cook on high until it reaches a boil, then lower the temperature to medium.
7. Add the curry powder and chicken base to the mixture.  Stir well.
8. Then add the potatoes and carrots (and celery if you’re using it).  When the potatoes are done, add the peas.  Stir.
9. To thicken the soup into a thin, gel-like consistency as in the picture, fill a small bowl with some water and dissolve the cornstarch into it.  Add the cornstarch to the stew while stirring to ensure the curry will not get lumpy.  You can also lower the temperature to low-medium.  This is the trial and error stage.  After a couple of minutes, if the stew is too watery, repeat this step until the stew has thickened properly.  If two large spoons of cornstarch did not work, try another half or full spoon.
10. Taste the soup and add salt and pepper to adjust the seasoning.  You may even add more curry if it’s not spicy enough.
11. Voila!  It’s dinner time.  Bust out with your favorite rolls or bread to sop up the soup and wipe your plate clean.  Enjoy!

Estimated cooking time: About an hour and forty minutes.

You can also debone the meat after it is done cooking, so that the stew is easier to eat.  I know when I’m hungry, I just like to dig in and grub without worrying about any bones.  Plus, it makes it easier for children to eat.  Once again, enjoy!  And if you try it, I really hope it works out for you.

Foreign Flick Friday: Children of Heaven

I know, it’s not Friday.  I’m a day late.  But I just now came up with the idea of a “Foreign Flick Friday” post, because I rent quite few movies with subtitles, and many are often overlooked by movie buffs, especially the ones who don’t like to read while watching a movie.  Give it a try, people, because you are missing out on some great movies.

Oh, and one more thing.  Don’t ever watch a foreign flick in dubbed English, because it never captures the true meaning of the film.  They will often change the meaning of the original words just to better match the movement of the actor’s mouths.   I’d rather listen to the actor’s real voice and read the subtitles – a far better experience than cheating.

The most recent foreign film I’ve seen is called Children of Heaven, which is the sweetest brother-sister movie you will ever see!  And to think, it was about a pair of shoes.  Doesn’t sound interesting, you say?  Not so.  Ali goes out to get his little sister’s, Zahra, shoes repaired, only to lose them on the way home.  He dares not tell his father because he is sure he will be beaten, and he knows that his modest family cannot afford to buy new shoes to replace them.  Zahra needs her shoes to go to school.  What to do?

This movie is sweet, but not overly syrupy, and it will make you want to call up your sibling to talk about childhood memories, especially the times when you hid something from your parents to avoid getting in trouble.  It was also heartwarming and heart-wrenching, at times.  The little boy who played Ali can cry in an instant!

I liked the way it ended, which may seem a little premature, to some, but not ambiguous.  I understood what the next scene was going to be, but it didn’t really have to be played out on screen.

You have to see what these little kids had to go through just to have some shoes to go to school with.  Which reminds me of the shoes I have in boxes on the top shelf in my closet – some of them never worn or gently used.  I need to bust out with them and put them to use!

4.5 out of 5 stars