rajeev@sftri.UUCP (S.Rajeev) (04/10/85)
Here's a moderately spicy mock-Indian recipe (Chicken Calcutta): it's pretty easy to make and quite tasty. 3.5 lbs chicken 1 tbsp vegetable oil 1 med. onion finely chopped 2 med. garlic cloves minced 1 tsp. ginger 2 tsp. coriander 2 tsp. cumin .5 tsp. crushed hot red pepper 1 cup tomatoes, chopped (or canned peeled) 1 tbsp. cider vinegar 2 tsp. dark brown sugar .5 tsp. salt 1-2 medium potatoes, quartered Fry onions in oil. When golden brown, add garlic and ginger. Fry for 2 min. Add other spices, mix well. Add chicken pieces and fry for another five min. Stir in one cup of water, tomatoes, vinegar, brown sugar, salt and potatoes. Bring to boil and simmer uncovered for 20 minutes or until meat is tender. Now, the flame: many Americans seem to labour under some misconceptions regarding curry -- a) it is that awful yellow stuff you get in Chinese restaurants b) all curries taste the same c) curry is a single spice, like cinnamon or cardamom. In point of fact, none of these is true. "Curry" is a generic term, much like "pie" or "stew". There is a large variety of types of curries, and none of them is made with the commercially available "curry powder", which is usually an abominable mix of spices. Authentic curries are made with different mixes of spices, by varying the proportions of such spices as cumin, coriander, pepper, ginger, garlic, chili pepper, cinnamon, cardamon, cloves, nutmeg, and so on. The delicate flavours are lost in commercial curry powder, which is mostly turmeric. There are, though, some curry pastes available commercially for specific dishes like tandoori chicken, and these are pretty decent. Exhortation: if you want to cook real Indian food, go out and buy small quantities of these spices. Also, avoid powdered ginger, garlic, onions etc. The fresh stuff tastes considerably better. End of lecture and of flame. I hope anybody who posts a recipe with "curry powder" will be laughed off the net, now that you have all bee edified! -- ...ihnp4!attunix!rajeev -- usenet ihnp4!attunix!rajeev@BERKELEY -- arpanet Sri Rajeev, SF 1-342, Bell Labs, Summit, NJ 07901. (201)-522-6330.