The Savory in Bittersweet

One of the great joys of being a chef is that I love to share tips on food and cooking. It is those tips and finishing touches that make a good dish into a great one. Growing up in India we always cooked with fresh ingredients. Once I moved here, no matter what I cooked never really tasted the same. Till I understood that I had to make the choice of using better ingredients. Now I love to shop at farmers markets and get bags of fresh fruits, vegetables and herbs.

One Pot Chicken and Tomato Stew

The center of this dish is vine-ripe tomatoes. My friend Atul loves one pot dishes, probably because he is a bachelor and wants everything to be simple and quick. When I make this for my daughter I omit the whole green chilies. Instead I garnish the dish with chopped green chilies when I serve the dish.

The Recipe
Gives 3-4 portions people Ingredients 5-6 pieces of chicken legs with skin & bone 2 tablespoons of canola/ vegetable oil 4 cloves of garlic Salt to taste 1 small onion roughly chopped 5 medium sized vine ripe tomatoes, roughly chopped 7 small whole green chilies A small bunch of cilantro, fine chopped, about ¼ cup	To Prepare Clean the chicken, leave the skin on and make 3 slant cuts on the leg. Wash under water and keep aside. Heat oil in a medium sized pot; make sure the pan has an air tight lid. Add whole garlic cloves and sauté for about a minute. Add the chicken legs. Stir and cook the chicken for 2 minutes, add salt to taste and cover the pot. The chicken juices will run. Stir occasionally and cook till all the water in the pan evaporates. Add the onion, tomatoes and whole green chilies, stir the mixture well, and add a little more salt for the tomato. Cook till the meat falls off the bone. Remove from heat, add cilantro and serve hot with rice and fresh bread.

The Recipe

Gives 3-4 portions people

Ingredients

5-6 pieces of chicken legs with skin & bone
2 tablespoons of canola/ vegetable oil
4 cloves of garlic
Salt to taste
1 small onion roughly chopped
5 medium sized vine ripe tomatoes, roughly chopped
7 small whole green chilies
A small bunch of cilantro, fine chopped, about ¼ cup

To Prepare

Clean the chicken, leave the skin on and make 3 slant cuts on the leg. Wash under water and keep aside.

Heat oil in a medium sized pot; make sure the pan has an air tight lid. Add whole garlic cloves and sauté for about a minute. Add the chicken legs. Stir and cook the chicken for 2 minutes, add salt to taste and cover the pot. The chicken juices will run. Stir occasionally and cook till all the water in the pan evaporates.

Add the onion, tomatoes and whole green chilies, stir the mixture well, and add a little more salt for the tomato. Cook till the meat falls off the bone. Remove from heat, add cilantro and serve hot with rice and fresh bread.

Taco With Refried Beans & Tomato Chat

I often toy with the thought of what to prepare for my daughter's lunch. A twist to beans and salsa is the recipe written below. I usually make the beans and tomato "chat" a day in advance and roll them in tortillas as needed. I have even used the preparations in a roti or toasted slice of bread and have had great results. I suggest not salting the tomato mix till use so as to minimize moisture loss. Ensure the tomatoes are drained well before using for sandwiches. You can eliminate chilies or other spicy ingredients if necessary.

The Recipe
Ingredients for re-fried beans: 6 oz black beans 5 cups of water Salt to taste 1/4 cup oil 1 small onion cut into thick rings 4 green chilies slit into quarters	To Prepare Wash the beans under running cold water, strain and add to a pot with measured water and salt. Bring the water to a boil and lower the heat to medium, cook the beans till done about 1½ hours. Add water as needed. In a medium sized pan heat oil. Add the onion rings and cook them till they turn dark brown in color. Remove the browned onions on paper towel and reserve for using later. Add green chilies to the hot oil. Let splutter for few seconds. Add beans with a third cup of cooking liquid Mash the beans in the pan using a potato masher, cook them till all of the water is absorbed and the beans bind together. Serve hot or warm.
Ingredients for tomato chat: 2 medium sized ripe-vine tomatoes, quarter inch diced 1 small green chilies, fine chopped 1 small bunch of cilantro, fine chopped 20 leaves of mint, finely sliced A pinch of crushed black peppercorn 1 tablespoon lemon juice 1 tablespoon honey 1/2 teaspoon balsamic vinegar A pinch of ajwain, lightly crushed Salt to taste	To Prepare Put all the ingredients in a bowl and mix well. Salt the mixture to taste. Reserve for use later
To assemble the taco (ingredients): 4 medium sized tortillas Refried beans Fried onion Tomato chaat 4 tablespoon plain yogurt	To Prepare Smear few drops of oil onto a hot skillet. Place the tortilla and warm through. Spread the refried beans equally between the four tortillas and sprinkle the top with the crunchy fried onion. Now equally distribute the tomato chat and yogurt above the beans on all tortillas. Roll the tortillas and serve immediately.

The Recipe

Ingredients for re-fried beans:

6 oz black beans
5 cups of water
Salt to taste
1/4 cup oil
1 small onion cut into thick rings
4 green chilies slit into quarters

To Prepare

Wash the beans under running cold water, strain and add to a pot with measured water and salt. Bring the water to a boil and lower the heat to medium, cook the beans till done about 1½ hours. Add water as needed.

In a medium sized pan heat oil. Add the onion rings and cook them till they turn dark brown in color. Remove the browned onions on paper towel and reserve for using later.

Add green chilies to the hot oil. Let splutter for few seconds. Add beans with a third cup of cooking liquid Mash the beans in the pan using a potato masher, cook them till all of the water is absorbed and the beans bind together. Serve hot or warm.

Ingredients for tomato chat:

2 medium sized ripe-vine tomatoes, quarter inch diced
1 small green chilies, fine chopped
1 small bunch of cilantro, fine chopped
20 leaves of mint, finely sliced
A pinch of crushed black peppercorn
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 tablespoon honey
1/2 teaspoon balsamic vinegar
A pinch of ajwain, lightly crushed
Salt to taste

To Prepare

Put all the ingredients in a bowl and mix well. Salt the mixture to taste. Reserve for use later

To assemble the taco (ingredients):

4 medium sized tortillas
Refried beans
Fried onion
Tomato chaat
4 tablespoon plain yogurt

To Prepare

Smear few drops of oil onto a hot skillet. Place the tortilla and warm through.

Spread the refried beans equally between the four tortillas and sprinkle the top with the crunchy fried onion. Now equally distribute the tomato chat and yogurt above the beans on all tortillas.

Roll the tortillas and serve immediately.

Punjabi Quick Kadhi

I remembered coming home from school in those summer afternoons and making this as it was so easy to make. Cooling and light I usually devour it with vegetable pulao, papad and sweet mango chutney. This recipe calls for no chickpea flour since the consistency of yogurt in the US is thicker.

The Recipe
Gives 3-4 portions people Ingredients 1/2 teaspoon fenugreek 1 tablespoon cumin seeds 1 large white onion finely chopped 2 tablespoon ginger garlic paste 7-8 small green chile, finely chopped 1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder 1/2 teaspoon red chile powder 1 large potato, peeled, cut into quarter and sliced into 1/4 cm thick slices 2 cups of water Salt to taste 4 cups plain yogurt 1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro 1/2 teaspoon crushed black peppercorn (optional) 1 teaspoon garam masala	To Prepare In a medium sized pan heat the oil, add fenugreek and cumin seeds, roast till golden brown. Add the white onion and sauté till the onion sweat a little and start wilting, quickly add the ginger garlic paste. Cook till the mixture turns golden brown in color; keep stirring the mixture to avoid burning. Now add the green chiles and cook for an additional minute before you add the turmeric powder and red chile powder. Stir for a few seconds and add the potatoes, one cup of water and salt to taste in the pan. Cover the pan and cook till the potatoes are done. Add the yogurt and remaining one cup of water. Salt to taste and bring the Kadhi to a quick boil, remove from flame and pour into a serving bowl. Add cilantro, crushed black peppercorn if you want it spicier and garam masala. Serve it at room temperature with hot rice.

The Recipe

Gives 3-4 portions people

Ingredients

1/2 teaspoon fenugreek
1 tablespoon cumin seeds
1 large white onion finely chopped
2 tablespoon ginger garlic paste
7-8 small green chile, finely chopped
1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder
1/2 teaspoon red chile powder
1 large potato, peeled, cut into quarter and sliced into 1/4 cm thick slices
2 cups of water
Salt to taste
4 cups plain yogurt
1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro
1/2 teaspoon crushed black peppercorn (optional)
1 teaspoon garam masala

To Prepare

In a medium sized pan heat the oil, add fenugreek and cumin seeds, roast till golden brown. Add the white onion and sauté till the onion sweat a little and start wilting, quickly add the ginger garlic paste. Cook till the mixture turns golden brown in color; keep stirring the mixture to avoid burning.

Now add the green chiles and cook for an additional minute before you add the turmeric powder and red chile powder. Stir for a few seconds and add the potatoes, one cup of water and salt to taste in the pan. Cover the pan and cook till the potatoes are done.

Add the yogurt and remaining one cup of water. Salt to taste and bring the Kadhi to a quick boil, remove from flame and pour into a serving bowl. Add cilantro, crushed black peppercorn if you want it spicier and garam masala. Serve it at room temperature with hot rice.