Chana Masala

Being on vacation makes me hungry. I don't know why, but I feel like I can never wait for the next meal, and since I have plenty of time to cook on my hands, I hunt down new ideas and new recipes that I can play with at my leisure. That's my favorite way to cook: glass of wine in hand, with Gogol Bordello blasting in the background. THAT is the good life!

One of the recipes I couldn't wait to try was some chana masala. I love chickpeas: they are so cute, tasty and versatile! I also love Indian cuisine, so when I found some recipes for chickpea curry, I started to drool. My beloved beans in a spicy stew with ginger and tomatoes?! Heaven!

I combined elements from a couple of recipes I found. It's a bit of a lazy version: I used canned beans and tomatoes, because I am not nearly patient enough to soak and cook dry chickpeas, and because I was fresh out of local tomatoes. Damn. If you have the time and the tomatoes, by all means, use them! Also, some traditionalists call for the tomatoes, onions, ginger and garlic to be pureed together before being cooked. I personally like my curries to be chunky and rustic, so I simply cut everything really small, so that it would still be saucy, but I would get the lovely tasty bits of onion and ginger...

With dishes like this one, that require the adding of a large variety of spices at the same time, I like to measure all my spices and mix them together in a small bowl so that I can literally add them all to the pot of a flick of the wrist. No time wasted scrambling about with measuring spoons while the onions burn and stick to the bottom of the pan!

One last note! If you can find amchoor powder (dry mango powder), you need to do 2 things:
1- tell me where you bought it: I couldn't find any at my usual bulk spices haunts...
2- use 1 tablespoon of it in your spice mix, and only use the juice of 1/2 lemon: amchoor powder adds a citrusy taste so will you need less lemon juice if you use it.

Without further ado, here is the recipe I came up with (with a little help from Madhur Jaffrey and Smitten Kitchen)!

1 tablespoon peanut oil
2 medium onions, finely diced
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
2 tablespoons fresh ginger, finely chopped
1 fresh chile, chopped small
1 tablespoon ground coriander
2 teaspoons ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 teaspoon turmeric
2 teaspoons paprika
1 teaspoon garam masala
1 (15-ounce) can of diced tomatoes, with their juice (or 2 cups of fresh tomatoes, cut small)
2/3 cup water
2 (15-ounce) cans chickpeas, drained and rinsed (or 4 cups of soaked and cooked chickpeas)
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 lemon, juiced
1 tablespoon yoghurt, preferably Balkan-style (optional)
Lemon quarters, for garnish
2 tablespoons fresh cilantro, chopped, for garnish

Heat the oil in a large skillet. Add the onion, garlic, ginger and chili pepper and sauté over medium heat until the onion begins to brown, about 5 minutes.

Turn heat down to medium-low and add the coriander, cumin, cayenne, turmeric, paprika and garam masala.

Cook the onion mixture with the spices for a minute or two, then add the tomatoes.

Add the chickpeas and carefully pour the water in so it just covers the other ingredients.

Simmer uncovered for 10 minutes, then stir in the salt, lemon juice and yoghurt (if using). Serve with basmati rice, lemon wedges and a sprinkling of chopped cilantro.

The smell of this curry is amazing! And it comes together in a snap; the hardest part if definitely the chopping. Though I admit that not sneaking spoonfuls of the stuff out of the pot while it was cooking was a challenge. It just smelled so damn good...

And it tasted as good as it smelled! Hot and spicy, but not too much, with the lovely sour kick of the lemon. A good balance between the heat and the sourness is often the make-or-break factor of a good curry, and the proportions in this recipe are really flawless.

I enjoyed a nice glass of C'est La Vie rose wine with my plate, and it was a perfect refreshing match for the sharp flavors of the curry.

There is a Pakistani version of chana masala called aloo chole, which is essentially the same recipe, with the addition of 2 medium potatoes, peeled, boiled and diced, and added to the curry along with the chickpeas (some people fry the potatoes instead of boiling them... how naughty!). Who doesn't love potatoes? You can certainly add them if you want to, but personally, I prefer chana masala in the summer, and aloo chole in the winter, when a nice starchy root veg adds a "comfort food" vibe to a simmered dish.

This curry reheats very well, so the leftovers are perfect for the next day's lunch. If anything, waiting a bit makes the taste of the spices more defined and delicious!

Green (Day) Thai Curry

O.K., so before the purists get their self-righteous panties in a twist, I confess for the record that yes, I do like Green Day. There, I said it. And I also happen not to really give a rat's backside about whether they are real punks or posers. Their music is fun: it makes me feel like jumping up on tables and kicking crockery to the floor. Glorious, mindless, somewhat infantile fun. We all need that every once in a while. Get over it.

Now that we got that out of the way, let's talk about food! And another, equally fun, but somewhat more "serious" punk band.

I had prepared a big pot of this curry not that long ago, when I came back from a long weekend in Toronto, but by some devilry, all the pictures I took of it inexplicably vanished from my computer AND camera... so I had to start all over again... *deep breath* Here we go!

It takes a lot to get me off the island of Montreal, but wanting to see my favorite band live is a huge motivation that will get me into action-hero mode. That's just the kind of crazy I am, so on May 23rd, I packed a bag and dragged my boyfriend to Toronto for the sole purpose of seeing Anti-Flag destroy the Hard Luck Bar two nights in a row. Yup, that's how much I love those guys!

I had a complete blast, pogoed like a maniac, hurt my ankle (still don't really know how I did that...), ate some awesome food, saw the Patti Smith exhibit: really good times! And of course, the two shows were mind-blowing! There is a reason I am willing to travel over 500 km (300 miles, for my American buddies) to see those guys: they are fucking awesome!

But I was less than impressed upon my return, to find my beautiful Montreal under a cold and rainy sky reminiscent of what you'd expect in March... Sigh...

Curries are my favorite comfort food when the weather is chilly, because they are stick-to-your-ribs chunky and the mix of spices is very warming, so I decided to play around with what I had in the fridge and make a Thai curry that would keep me from shivering too much as I unpacked. It got nicknamed the Green Day curry because everything I threw in it (except the tofu and mushrooms) was green.

It got inspired by Nancie McDermott's method in "Real Vegetarian Thai", but the recipe is just as easily adaptable for vegans (use soy sauce) or carnivores (use chicken), but I kept this version vegetarian, mostly because it could be my culinary homage to Anti-Flag, who are vegetarians. By the way guys, if you are reading this and are ever in Montreal, I would be thrilled to whip up a big pot of this green wonder for you! (yes, yes: I am a hopeless fan-girl, piss off!)

1 (15-ounce) can coconut milk
3 tablespoons green curry paste
1 zucchini, cut into half-moons
1 bunch scallions, coarsely chopped
1/2 cup vegetable broth
1 tablespoon cane sugar
2 tablespoons fish sauce or soy sauce
1 lime, juiced
1 pound extra-firm tofu, drained and pressed, cut into small cubes
1 container shiitake mushroom, stems removed, and chopped
1 green bell pepper, diced
1/2 bunch fresh cilantro, coarsely chopped

Shake the can of coconut milk. Open it and spoon about 1/3 cup of it in a large pot and bring to a gentle boil over medium heat. Cook, stirring, until it thickens, about 3 minutes. Add the curry paste and cook for 3 more minutes, mashing, scraping and stirring until the paste is completely combined with the coconut milk (this is where an angled stir-fry spatula comes in handy).

 
Add the zucchini and scallions, and stir to coat them well in the curry paste.

 
Add the remaining coconut milk, vegetable stock, sugar, fish sauce (or soy sauce) and lime juice, and stir well.

Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for 10 to 15 minutes, until the zucchini is tender. Taste the broth and adjust the seasoning. Add the tofu, mushrooms and bell pepper and stir gently. If you need to, add vegetable broth until the ingredients are just covered in liquid.

Let the curry return to a boil and remove from the heat. Let stand for 5 minutes before serving on jasmine rice, sprinkled with the fresh cilantro.

By the time I was done chopping everything, the sun had finally managed to get through the big grey clouds that welcomed me back home, but a big plate of those delicious veggies in a spicy, creamy broth really hit the spot. It was the perfect meal to enjoy after the long train ride and the eventful weekend, because it's easy to make and ready super quickly, which is a huge plus if you are starving because train food is... questionable...

This recipe is great to use up any vegetables that are laying around in the fridge, lonesome and forgotten, so you can adapt it to whatever you have left before going to the grocery store; just remember to add the firmer vegetables first, and the softer ones at the end!

I should also give a spice warning: green curry is the hottest Thai curry (yellow is the mildest, and red is in the middle), and while it has a wonderful and exotic flavor, if you have sensitive taste buds, go easy on the curry paste! There is also no need to add garlic or ginger (or galangal, which is the Thai ginger) to a green curry, because there is already a lot of those (along with lemongrass, white peppercorns and lime zest) in the paste. The heat will be smoothed out by the coconut milk, but you can add a bit of cane sugar if you prefer a sweeter bite.

Enjoy the curry... and up the punx!!

Thai Eggplant Curry

I just love trying out new recipes, especially when they turn out to be fantastic finds! This little recipe (which I had shamefully overlooked for the past few weeks) is amazing for several reasons. Here they are in no particular order:

• Its super easy and quick to make. Once the chopping is done, you'll hardly need 20 minutes to get your meal on the table. Perfect for week nights!
• Its so tasty and flavorful, with the ginger, garlic, curry paste and coconut milk. Not too spicy, not too sweet; just awesome.
• Its a gorgeous, colorful plate of vegetables. A bright dish can cure the kind of winter blues that afflict so many of us at this time of the year, and we can all use a bit more veggies in our plate!

Eggplant is great in curries because it absorbs the flavor of the other ingredients, turning into tasty and tender little bites as it simmers. You could use any type of eggplant for this recipe, but I prefer the long Japanese kind here. Pick them smooth-skinned and as brightly purple as you can find! Unlike regular European eggplant, there is no need to salt them before you cook: they do not have the occasional bitterness you find in the larger eggplants.

3 tablespoons peanut oil
1 1/2 pounds Asian eggplants, cut into half-moons (3 or 4 eggplants)
2 orange or red bell peppers, diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 or 2 tablespoons fresh ginger, chopped
3 tablespoons Thai red curry paste (I used Thai Kitchen)
1 (14 ounce) can coconut milk (or coconut cream, for a luxurious, richer curry)
2 tablespoons fish sauce (substitute soy sauce if you want to keep it vegan)
1 tablespoon light brown sugar
1/4 cup Thai basil leaves
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Lime wedges, to garnish

Heat the oil in a large, deep pan over medium heat. Add the eggplants and bell pepper and sauté until the eggplant has begun to soften all around, about 5 minutes.

Add the garlic, ginger, and curry paste. Mix well until the paste covers all the other ingredients, and cook until aromatic, another 1 minute.

Pour in the coconut milk and bring the liquid to a simmer. Stir in the fish sauce and brown sugar. Cook for another 5 minutes, until the eggplant is very tender.

Stir in the Thai basil leaves and cook for another minute. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Serve with rice and lime wedges to squeeze over the curry.

You can bulk it up a bit more by adding 1 container of cremini mushrooms, thinly sliced, along with the other vegetables: their earthy flavor goes very well with the spicy, creamy sauce.

This recipe serves 4, but if you want to make it for a crowd or a pot-luck, double the coconut milk, garlic, ginger and curry paste, and add 1 pound of extra-firm tofu, drained, pressed and cut into 1/2-inch pieces, and add it to the pot when you set the curry to simmer. If you think there isn't enough liquid, add 1 cup of water or vegetable broth.

If you prefer green or yellow Thai curry to red, you should feel free to use those instead of the red curry paste. Just watch out because the level of heat varies from one "color" to the other, green being the hottest, and yellow the mildest.

It's the perfect quick dinner for those cold and damp February evenings!

Wicked Korma

As I have mentioned, my birthday was a few days ago. I did not really feel like having a party. I wanted to spend a quiet day at home doing some of the stuff I love best: talking shit with my girl Véronique and cooking. I took care of whipping up an awesome dessert, and she showed up with a bag full of ingredients with which to make the actual dinner.

Reproducing her cooking is usually tricky, because she is an intuitive cook who doesn't really measure ingredients, but I got lucky this time, because she based this korma on a recipe she dug out from an online food forum.

I have my own korma recipe which I make from time to time; this one is very different, and while both are tremendously tasty, I could not pick a favorite between the two. My recipe's sauce is not as thick, and the chewy chickpeas give it a very different feel than the much thicker sauce V whipped up. I guess my recipe is more dainty, and her's more hearty. When you think about it, that's actually very representative of our respective styles... I am keeping both preciously!

Here is how to make Véronique's wicked korma, for 4 people. She used beef when she cooked it for my birthday, and it was wonderful, but chicken is the traditional meat used in a korma.

1 1/2 pound stewing beef or chicken breasts
1 heaped tablespoon of finely grated fresh ginger
3 cloves of garlic, minced
1 cup thick plain yogurt (preferably Balkan)
2 dried red chilli
2 finely chopped onions
1 tablespoon ghee
1 tablespoon ground coriander
1 pinch of ground white pepper
1 teaspoon turmeric
1 teaspoon garam masala
Water

1 (14 ounce) can coconut cream
Sea salt, to taste
2 heaped tablespoons ground almonds
1 large handful raisins
Finely chopped cilantro leaves, to garnish
1/2 lemon, juiced

Cut the meat into bite sized chunks. Mix the meat with the ginger, garlic and yogurt.

Cover and marinade for 12 hours or in the fridge overnight. Blend the chopped onion and red chilies with an immersion blender (add a little water if you need to). Blend until smooth. Heat the ghee in a pan. Add the ground coriander, ground white pepper, turmeric and garam masala and stir fry for about 1 minute over a low heat.

Turn up the heat, add the onion and chili paste and stir fry for 10 minutes. Add the meat and the marinade and continue to stir fry for another 10 minutes.

Add the coconut cream and enough water to just cover the meat and bring to a boil, stirring until the coconut is dissolved. Stir in the ground almonds and raisins. Reduce heat to low, cover the pan and simmer until the meat is tender (45 minutes to 1 hour for beef, 30 to 40 minutes for chicken).

Remove from heat, add lemon juice and salt to taste. Mix well. Serve sprinkled with the chopped cilantro leaves.

As usual with the V-Wonder's cooking, the quantities are approximate because she eyeballs everything. Taste your sauce and adjust the seasoning until you taste-buds are happy! My taste-buds were certainly utterly satisfied: rich, creamy spicy curry goodness tends to have that effect on me.

The texture of the sauce, from the onions being pureed instead of simply being chopped, was amazing, and it is a trick I will certainly use next time I make some curry! Also, using coconut CREAM is crucial to get the desired thick... well... creaminess. In a regular can of coconut milk, the "cream" is the thick blob that floats at the top of the can. You can buy whole cans of that rich stuff: fat, but delicious!

Thanks again for the wonderful birthday dinner, V! Much love! xx

Butter Chicken or Murgh Makhani

I adore butter chicken. And I can't think of anyone (in my omnivorous acquaintances, anyway) who doesn't. Thick, creamy, spicy sauce and tender pieces of chicken... This stick-to-your-ribs richness is addictive and universally satisfying, all year-round. For some reason, Indian food and hot weather go very well together, and I had a craving.

My friend Marie (who is the cutest mommy in the world) made me realized I had never bothered to make some from scratch before; I used to commit the mortal sin of jarred-sauce with butter chicken. Mea culpa, mea culpa, mea maxima culpa. In order to redeem myself, I got to work!

Despite the name, there is not that much butter involved in this recipe. I am guessing the name comes from the intense, buttery texture of the sauce. However, that doesn't make it diet food! To get that texture, you can't skimp on the cooking cream, but you can do minimal damage by using the 15% stuff. There are a few steps to making this classic Indian treat, but it's nothing very complicated. The recipe was originally created to use up leftover tandoori chicken, so you need to marinate and cook yourself some chicken and THEN, make the sauce. If you have a tandoori chicken recipe you like, try making some extra next time you whip up a batch, or simply give my marinade a shot; it's delicious!

But really, the trickiest thing about butter chicken is mostly getting your hands on all the spices, some of which may require a bit of hunting (I am looking at you, cardamom and fenugreek!). I was lucky to find all the spices I needed pre-ground at the bulk store where I usually shop, but having a mortar and pestle comes in handy if you want to be authentic about it and make a paste out of some of the ingredients and spices. But if you don't have a mortar and pestle, you can always use a food processor.

4 skinless boneless chicken breasts

Marinade:
1 cup plain yogurt, preferably Greek or balkan style
1 lemon, juiced
2 teaspoons ground cumin
2 teaspoons ground coriander
2 teaspoons cayenne pepper, or to taste
1 teaspoon garam masala
1 teaspoon ground turmeric
2 tablespoons minced fresh garlic (or ground to a paste)
1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger (or ground to a paste)
1 teaspoon kosher salt

Sauce:
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
1 yellow onion, finely sliced
1 to 2 tablespoons fresh ginger, finely chopped
4 to 5 garlic cloves, finely chopped
4 to 5 cardamom pods, or 1 teaspoon ground cardamom
1 teaspoon garam masala
2 teaspoons dry fenugreek leaves, crushed, or 1 teaspoon ground fenugreek
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
1/2 teaspoon paprika
1/2 teaspoon cayenne
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 cup cashews or almonds, ground to a paste
1(28 ounces) can crushed tomatoes
1 cup water
1 cup cooking cream

Combine the yogurt, lemon juice, cumin, coriander, cayenne, garam masala, turmeric, garlic, ginger and salt in a medium bowl. Put the chicken in a freezer bag and cover with the marinade. Toss around to cover the chicken with the yogurt mixture and refrigerate, from 2 hours to overnight.

When ready to cook, preheat the oven 425 degrees. Place the chicken on a rack over a roasting or baking pan (line your pan with aluminum foil, cuz that marinade can be a biatch to clean up) and roast for 25 to 30 minutes, until cooked through. Set aside, and when the chicken is cool enough to handle, cut into bite-sized pieces.

Put all your spices together in a small bowl. Ground your garlic and ginger together with a mortar and pestle or small food processor to form a paste.

Preheat a large pan over medium heat. Melt the butter, add the onions, and cook until softened, 7 to 10 minutes. Add the garlic, ginger and spices and cook until fragrant, about 5 minutes. Add the tomatoes and the cashew or almond paste. Add the water, stirring, until the sauce has the desired consistency. Reduce the heat to low and simmer for about 10 minutes.

Add the pieces of chicken, and simmer for another 5 minutes. Remove from the heat and stir in the cream.

Serve hot, over basmati rice and naan bread.

If you have nut allergies, skip the almond or cashew paste; you can always add 1 or 2 tablespoons of tomato paste, to give your sauce the proper "body".

Whew! It's a lot of work but tender chicken in this subtly spicy sauce is totally worth it! Wash it down with dry white or rosé wine, served very cold.

Chicken Korma

Lately, I came to observe that the world's population can be split into 2 categories: coconut-lovers and coconut-haters. Neither side is right or wrong, but they both have very strong opinions. I am a coconut-lover, but I am also a food-lover; there are very few things I won't eat, or at least try. But I figured I'd warn coconut-haters: this curry is not for you. It's uber-coconuty, spicy, creamy and delicious.

It's also a classic mild curry, so you can try it even if heat scares you. This one builds up it's spices nice and slow. Just like butter chicken, Korma has become a very popular Indian dish that's enjoyed all over the world. As with most popular recipes, it means that "real" chicken Korma is described differently by everyone who has a favorite way of making it. Being a fan of the Patak's curry pastes, I use it here instead of making my own spice mix (yes, yes, I need to get around to trying to make my own curry pastes!), but adding extra coriander and tumeric will heighten the flavors and the beautiful sunny color!

1 3/4 pound chicken breast, cubed
1 cup plain yoghurt, preferably balkan-style
2 tablespoons fresh ginger, chopped
3 cloves garlic, chopped
2 medium onions, finely sliced
1 fresh green chile, seeded and sliced
1 small bunch fresh cilantro, leaves picked
1 (15 ounce) can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
Peanut oil
1 pat of butter
1/2 cup korma paste
1 (14 ounce) can coconut milk
2 tablespoons ground almonds

2 heaped teaspoons unsweetened shredded coconut (optional)
Sea salt and ground pepper
1 lemon

Mix the yoghurt with the chopped ginger and garlic. Add the chicken to the yoghurt mixture and marinate for 3 hours, up to overnight. Put a large casserole-type pan on a medium-high heat and add a couple of lugs of oil. Add the onion, chile and chopped cilantro stalks to the pan, along with the butter. Cook for about 10 minutes, until the onions are golden. Add the curry paste, the chicken and the yoghurt marinade, the coconut milk, the chickpeas, the ground almonds and the shredded coconut (if using). Add a bit of water to just cover the meat, and give the mixture a good stir. Bring to a boil, then turn the heat down to simmer for 30 minutes with the lid on. When the chicken is tender and cooked, taste and season with salt and pepper. Serve with basmati rice, garnish with a few cilantro leaves and lemon wedges.

Dose the chili and ginger to taste; the coconut milk will keep everything nice and smooth, but the underlying spicy bite can be a bit stronger, if you swing that way. Ground almonds and shredded coconut are optional, but they give the sauce a nice body and a very interesting texture. As for the chickpeas, they make the curry a bit more bulky, and add a toothy bite to the tender, marinated chicken.

If there is no korma curry paste handy, you can use the following spices blend:

1 tablespoon ground coriander
1 pinch of ground white pepper
1 teaspoon turmeric
1 teaspoon garam masala

Simply add the spices when you would add the curry paste, and voila!

I love the blend of smooth coconut milk and the hint of heat from the chile and ginger: it's a very satisfying and complex flavor mix. For a vegetarian version, forget the yoghurt marinade: add the ginger and the garlic to the pan along with the onion and chile, and replace the chicken with 1 pound extra-firm tofu, drained, pressed and cut into bite-sized cubes. You can also go full-veg with a combination of the following:

1 head cauliflower, cut into small florets
1 head broccoli, cut into small florets
1 medium zucchini, cut on a bias in 1/4-inch slices
1/2 pound carrots, peeled and cut on a bias in 1/4-inch slices

All the delicious flavor and texture, 100% plant-based! Enjoy!

Frankenstein Bhuna Curry

"Bhuna" is a very popular curry - so popular, in fact, that no one can quite agree on what goes in it anymore. That makes me feel pretty guilt-free about making up my own recipe after getting a jar of Patak's Bhuna curry paste and being seduced by the aroma. I read several bhuna curry recipes, and none sounded quite as yummy as the one I put together from various recipe pieces. Franken-recipe!

The idea behind a bhuna curry is more about the cooking process than about the spices, anyway. Frying spices in oil first makes them toasty and loaded with flavor. Meat (chicken and lamb being the traditional choices) is then added to the pot and cooked in it's own juices, making a relatively dry but rich tasting curry.

However, toasting the spices can be a little time consuming: using the curry paste makes the process speedier (a.k.a. weeknight dinner material!) and it's just as tasty. And since we like it hot in my kitchen, I loaded my version with a few extra spices!

Olive oil
3 or 4 garlic cloves, chopped

2 yellow onions, chopped
3 to 5 scallions, finely sliced

1 thumb-size piece of fresh ginger, peeled and minced

1/2 fresh chile, finely chopped
1 green bell pepper, sliced
1 package mushrooms, sliced
2 chicken breasts, cut into finger-sized strips

1 (14 ounce) can crushed tomatoes

2 heaping tablespoons Patak's Bhuna curry paste
1/2 cup dry white wine
1 lemon, juiced
1 cup plain yogurt (optional)

Preheat a few glugs of olive oil in a large casserole-type pan over medium-heat. Add the garlic, onion, scallions, ginger and chile and fry until the onions are soft, 5 to 8 minutes. Add the curry paste. Mix with the other ingredients to cover everything with the spices and fry for another 3 minutes. Add the green bell pepper and cook for a couple of minutes, then add the mushrooms and cook for another 2 or 3 minutes. Add the chicken strips and stir for about 5 minutes, until the meat is browned. Add the crushed tomatoes, white wine and half of the lemon juice. Mix well, and bring to a boil. Turn the heat down and simmer for 25 minutes, until the chicken is tender and cooked through. Let simmer uncovered for the last 5 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the rest of the lemon juice and the yogurt (or spoon a tablespoon or two of yogurt over the curry on your plate). Serve over basmati rice, with extra lemon wedges for squeezing over.

You'll get yourself a fresh, tangy and spicy curry with a thick, sauce-like texture that may be a pleasant surprise if you are used to the stew-type curries. The contrasting texture of the veggies and chicken is awesome. If you fancy using lamb instead of chicken, substitute the 2 chicken breasts for 1/2 pound of lamb stewing cubes, and simmer your curry for 45 minutes, instead of 25.

I must apologize to the vegetarians: this curry is not as tofu-friendly as I expected, as tofu has no natural cooking juice. If meat is a big no-no in your kitchen, cut 1 block of extra-firm tofu in small cubes or triangles and use diced tomatoes instead of crushed. Fry the tofu with the veggies until it's crispy on a few sides, proceed with the recipe and let the curry simmer for 20 minutes. It won't be quite as saucy, but you won't miss out on the flavor.

The Mighty Vindaloo

Montreal has been buried under a ton of snow and freezing rain has made walking in the streets a very dangerous activity. Oh, the joys of winter in my city… When I am cold and miserable (getting drenched in freezing rain and being in a crowded grocery store does that to me, go figure), there is no better cure than my favorite curry, devoured while watching "Scott Pilgrim vs. The World".

I wasn't a fan of pork until the first time I tried this delicious vindaloo recipe, but cooked like this, it becomes so tender and tasty that I need a responsible adult to make sure I don't wolf down the entire pot. The fresh ginger and tomatoes in the broth also make me happy beyond reason, and the intense heat from the chile is ideal for cold weather. Be warned: this is one hot-hot-hot curry (some Indian restaurants don't even carry it, because most customers can't handle it)! But what I love about it is that the flavors are balanced perfectly; the spices do not overwhelm and you get to enjoy every element of the tasty combination! I cheat and smooth it out a bit with a few dollops of plain yogurt, but that doesn't hide any of this vindaloo's glory.

I served it to my friend Michael, who is very British (the Brits are experts on curry, so I figured he'd give me constructive commentary), and he cleared his plate and declared it "bloody good!", which was the highest compliment I could have hoped for. But don't take his word for it: the Ramones literally sing vindaloo's praise in "I Just Want to Have Something To Do"!

A bit of history: vindaloo is a bit of a bastard curry, i.e. it is not purely Indian. It was originally derived from a Portuguese dish of pork, cooked with wine and garlic. This recipe made it to Goa, India, where the wine was substituted for vinegar, and chiles and other traditional spices were added. It's often made with chicken or lamb, instead of pork, and potatoes are sometimes added to it. The recipe below is as close as possible to authentic Indian vindaloo, though perhaps a bit less fiery. I'll leave the dosing of chile to your discretion.

I will repeat my old chile warning: if you are working with a type of chile you haven't tried before, go with very little at first, and adjust to your taste as you go along… cuz once it's in the pot, there is no taking it out! Also make sure you handle them carefully with plastic gloves, wash your hands and every surface the chile came in contact with. Better safe than on fire and very, very sorry to have rubbed your runny nose.

From "Jamie's Food Revolution", this wonder-curry feeds 4 to 6:

2 medium yellow onions
4 cloves of garlic
1/2 fresh red chile

1 thumb-size piece of fresh ginger
1 small bunch of fresh cilantro
4 ripe tomatoes
1 3/4 pound of diced pork
1/2 cup of vindaloo curry paste
1/3 cup balsamic vinegar
1 tablespoon honey
a pat of butter
peanut oil
1 cup natural yogurt

Peel, halve and finely slice the onions. Peel and finely slice the garlic and ginger, Finely slice the chile. Pick the cilantro leaves and finely slice the stalks. Cut the tomatoes into quarters, an cut each quarter in half lengthwise. Get a casserole-type pan on medium heat and add a couple of lugs of peanut oil and the butter. Add the onion, garlic, chile, ginger and cilantro stalks and cook for 10 minutes, until the onions are soften and golden. Add the pork and curry paste. Stir well to cover everything in the paste. Add the tomatoes, balsamic vinegar, honey and 1 cup of water (don't be tempted to put more or you'll drown your curry!) and stir again. Bring to a boil, then turn the heat down and let simmer for 45 minutes with the lid on. Check the curry regularly to make sure it is not sticking to the pan. When the meat is tender and cooked, carefully season with a bit of salt and pepper. Serve with basmati rice and a few spoonfuls of natural yogurt on top, and the cilantro leaves.

As you can see, once everything is chopped up, this curry comes together in a snap and you get to sit with a good book until it's ready: another reason to love it! The acidic bite of the balsamic vinegar with the ginger is unusual, but highly addictive. Try it with lamb, chicken or tofu, if pork is not your thing. It never fails to be delicious. Just be mindful to adjust the cooking time: 30 minutes for the chicken and 25 for tofu (the cooking time for lamb and pork will be pretty much the same).

If you want to serve a wine with this, go with a crisp white, such as C'est La Vie chardonnay-sauvignon, that will shock your palate with a cool feeling before you go for the next bite of spicy goodness. A nice blond beer is also a great idea.