Sri Lankan Goat Curry

I love Sri Lankan food for its spiciness and rich curries. Lip smackingly hot!

1 lb goat/ lamb, cut into bite sized pieces
1 medium onion, chopped
1 small green chilli, diced
2 tsp fenugreek seeds
10 curry leaves
1/4 cup thick coconut milk

Marinade:
1 tbsp coriander pwdr
1/2 tbsp cumin pwdr
1/2 tsp turmeric pwdr
1 tbsp red chilli pwdr
1/2 tbsp black pepper pwdr
2 tbsp ginger-garlic paste
salt


In a bowl, mix the cut meat with the marinade spices along with 1/4 cup of water to make a thick paste. Coat the meat and allow to marinate for 1/2 hour.

In a pressure cooker, take some oil and heat. Add the fenugreek seeds, green chilli and curry leaves, and when spluttering, add the onions. Allow to brown nicely. When golden, add the meat with marinade and brown on high heat for 2 minutes. Add 1 cup water and pressure cook for 10 minutes.

Once cooled, open the cooker and set back on open fire. Check salt and add as needed.
Add the 1/4 cup of coconut milk and bring to a boil. Enjoy!

Chicken Stew with Kale and White Beans

I made this dish some weeks ago on a very COLD Chicago evening. Warming and hearty, and I found another use for kale! Serves 6-8.



3 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
5 medium mixed potatoes; diced (I used Yukon gold, red and purple)
1 teaspoon fresh thyme
4 tablespoons olive oil
Kosher salt
freshly cracked black pepper
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 medium onion; chopped
1 large shallot; minced
2 carrots; peeled and diced
6 cups chicken stock
2 sprigs fresh thyme
2 tablespoons Parmesan cheese; finely grated
5 cups chopped kale
15-ounce can white beans; drained (the original recipe asked for cannellini beans which I could not find)
salt and pepper to taste


Warm the olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the onion and shallot and sauté, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes. Add the carrots and cubed potatoes and cook 15 minutes until softened. Add in chicken stock, thyme, chicken cut into cubes, Parmesan, salt and pepper bring to a simmer. Add the kale and beans and simmer for another 20 minutes, until the kale is tender and the beans are hot.

Enjoy with crusty bread, or on its own!

Bagara baingan

Deepthi's authentic andhra recipe(sorry we ate it up before we could photograph it!)

Serves 4

8 small eggplant slit partially
Onions, 1 1/2, sliced
Green chillies, 4-5 slit lengthwise
Ginger-garlic paste, 2-3 tsp
Whole roasted peanuts, handful
Curry leaves, 10
Cilantro, handful chopped
Cinnamon, whole, 2" stick
Cloves, 2
Bay leaf, 1
Methi seeds, 1 tsp
Jeera, 1 tsp
Dhania Pwdr, 1 tsp
Haldi, 1 tsp
Chilli Pwdr, 1 tsp
Tamarind paste, 1 tsp
Salt, oil to taste

Put slit brinjals on a baking sheet and broil for 10 mins till skin is charred.

Heat oil in Wok. Add jeera, cinnamon, bay leaf, cloves, and methi seeds. When spluttering, add add onions, chillies, and brown. Add Ginger-garlic paste and cook till raw smell disappears. Add peanuts, salt. Roast for a bit and take off flame. Grind to a paste in the blender. Add back to the wok, and add tamarind and water (1cup). Put in remainder of powders. Let simmer. add the brinjals that have been broiled along with curry leaves. Let cook for 5 mins. Take off gas and garnish with dhania leaves. Enjoy with white rice!

Gujarati Dal

1 cup toor dal

1/2 cup masoor dal

1/2 tomato, chopped in big pieces

1 chilli, chopped

1 tsp lime juice

1/2 tsp sugar

1/2 tsp chilli pwdr

1/2 tsp turmeric

1/2 tsp cumin pwdr

1/2 tsp coriander pwdr

mustard and jeera seeds, for seasoning

Cook dal with 2 cups water in a pressure cooker with the tomato, chilli, salt. Once cooked, open cooker and mash dal with additional 2 cups water. Put it back on the stove, and bring to a boil. Add the chilli, turmeric, cumin and coriander powders, lime juice and sugar. Once boiling, season with mustard and jeera seeds in oil.