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!

Kashmiri Masala Tofu, Take 2

Recipes are not static. They evolve, and they change as you learn about new ingredients and new cooking techniques. I've blogged about my favorite go-to curry before, but like any good old recipe, I ended up tired of always making it the same way and had fun throwing a few different things in it.

Recipes (mine, and everybody else's) are not gospels. Quantities can be changed, spices can be omitted, ingredients can be substituted. That's what's awesome about cooking: unless you are baking (and therefore conducting a chemical experiment requiring great precision), you can be as creative as you like. Make a recipe one way today, then make it with different veggies tomorrow. Just taste as you cook; trust your taste buds, nose and eyes.

No one's perfect, and everybody cooks duds every once in a while. Everybody burns food, cuts fingertips, ruins cooking pots. It is not a tragedy, and despite how I feel about it when it happens, no one dies from fucking up dinner. Cooking means learning from your mistakes as much as it means enjoying your success.

Enough philosophy! Here is my re-vamped Kashmiri Masala tofu!

2 tablespoons peanut oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon fresh ginger, chopped
1 yellow onion, diced
1 red bell pepper, diced
1/2 cup Kashmiri Masala paste
1 pound tofu, pressed and diced or cut into small triangles
1 (28 ounce) can diced tomatoes
1 cup plain yogurt (optional)

Preheat a large pan over medium heat. Fry the garlic, ginger, onion and bell pepper in a glug of oil.

When the onion is soft and golden, add the curry paste, and mix well so that the onions and bell pepper are coated in the paste.

Add tofu, and cook for about 10 minutes, stirring frequently, until the tofu is slightly browned on a few sides.

Add the tomatoes, and mix well. Cook for about 5 minutes, stirring often, until the liquid has reduced a bit. Bring the mixture to a boil, give the mixture a good stir, and simmer for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Remove from the heat, stir in the yogurt (if using) and serve with basmati rice.

This curry never fails to be satisfying and filling: big chunks of veggies and tofu in a fragrant, spicy sauce; can't go wrong there! This version has red bell peppers, giving it a lovely crunch, and the extra diced tomatoes make it super-saucy. With the cold days right at our door, the vitamin C from the bell peppers and the powerful immune boosters and anti-oxidants of the ginger, garlic and other spices will be much appreciated by your body! Use cubed chicken breasts instead of the tofu for a meaty bite; just let it simmer 25 minutes instead of 15, to make sure the chicken is tender and cooked through.

Have fun with your recipes: the only risk you are taking is being pleasantly surprised with the outcome!

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.

Vegetable Madras Curry

I recently had the urge to go vegetarian when I went to the supermarket and everything in the meat section was overpriced. And I mean even the lousiest imaginable cuts. I am not counting pennies, but I do respect my budget, and these prices were completely absurd. Besides, I can't deny the health and ecological benefits of reducing meat consumption (I may enjoy meat, but I am nowhere near deluded enough to think we can keep eating it at the rate we do without causing serious harm to the planet). And while I am lucky that my boyfriend eats tofu willingly, there is only so much soy curd I can cook in the same week before he'll start asking for a bit of variety, which is perfectly understandable.

I had a lovely eggplant in the fridge and a can of giant fava beans that had been sitting in my pantry for a while, so I improvised a vegetarian curry that contained no tofu whatsoever. A vegetarian curry does not have to contain a meat substitute to be delicious and nutritive. After all, isn't the word "vegetarian" derived from the word "veggie"? Time to make them the star of the show, don't you think?

A Madras curry is a thick, red stew, spiced with chile, tumeric and ginger, and given a sour kick with lemon or lime juice, or vinegar (but not both!). It turns out that although Madras curry was not invented in the south of India, but in the kitchens of England, it respects the culinary traditions of the region it's named after: it's hot! In fact, it seems to me that the further south you go in India, the spiciest the local cuisine gets. That region is also mostly Hindu, so it's safe to say that they would cook vegetarian curries.

I am not sure whether or not they have eggplants in southern India, but a veggie curry generally contains one (for lack of a better word) beefy vegetable, such as sweet potatoes, turnips, etc., that will take well to being slowly cooked in a spicy sauce, and other veggies to complement it. Eggplant is great in curry because it gets very tender and silky, and it absorbs the flavors of the sauce (but if you do not like eggplants, use carrots, or other firm root vegetables, like parsnip). You can either leave the skin on or peel them; if you do peel them, they will break apart and make your curry very saucy.

I added beans because I wanted a bit of protein in this dish. Giant fava beans were what I had on hand, and they are definitely meaty, but red kidney beans would have worked great here as well (though you can skip the beans entirely if you wish: I just loved the toothy-bite in contrast to the eggplant's texture).

1 pound eggplant
1 red bell pepper, diced
1 (19 ounce) can fava or red kidney beans, drained and rinsed
2 medium yellow onions, diced
1 (18 ounce) can diced or crushed tomatoes
1/2 cup Madras curry paste
3 or 4 cloves garlic, chopped
1 thumb-sized piece of fresh ginger root, finely chopped
1/2 fresh chile, finely chopped
1 lemon or lime, juiced
Peanut oil or ghee

Plain yogurt
1 small bunch fresh cilantro leaves
Lemon wedges

Cube the eggplant and place in a colander. Sprinkle with salt, toss around and let sit for about 30 minutes. Rinse under cold water and set aside. Preheat a large pan over medium-heat. Fry the garlic, ginger and chile in some peanut oil or ghee, until the garlic is lightly colored, about 3 minutes. Add the onions and the bell pepper, and fry until the onion is translucent, about 5 minutes. Add the curry paste and mix well to get everything coated. Add the eggplant and cook, tossing around, until lightly browned on a few sides, about 5 minutes. Pour in the tomatoes, stir in the beans and add 1 cup of water and the lemon juice. Give a few good stirs to mix and bring to a boil. Lower the heat to simmer, and cook, covered, for 20 to 30 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the eggplant is tender. Serve over basmati rice, garnished with cilantro leaves and lemon wedges, dotted with plain yogurt to taste.

I do not usually expect get a success on the first try of a recipe I create in the spur of the moment. But this curry was heavenly! Spicy (but not too hot), tangy, with an awesome mix of textures.

I read that you can also use 1 can of coconut milk instead of the water, if you want a creamier version of the curry; something I shall experiment with as soon as I get a chance. I tried it, and though it makes the curry softer on the palate, it doesn't change much to the overall taste. Personally, I prefer my original version, but adding the coconut milk might be a good idea for those of you who are more sensitive to the spicy heat.

I tried it with tofu and with chicken (both versions were delicious, especially with chickpeas!), but the eggplant was so melt-in-your-mouth tender and tasty that it is still my favorite version. It actually makes me quite curious to try my other curries with this veg!

Like with most curries, I find something cold and slightly fruity is the best kind of drink to wash the spicy bites down with. Try a light beer, or a surprisingly nice Italian white wine I recently discovered: Soave. Awesome funky bottle and it tastes great with almost everything!

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.

Tikka Masala Chicken

As I mentioned before, my boyfriend loves spicy food, and he introduced me to the wonder that is curry. Of course not everyone handles spices like he does: some of us have sensitive taste buds that could be shocked into oblivion by a first encounter with an extremely hot Indian treat. Luckily, there are plenty of mild curries out there that can warm us from the inside out without making us feel like we are going to self-combust. Even when it comes to the spicier curries, I prefer to tone it done a wee bit because I love to taste the great variety of different flavors within a dish. And many yummy things are thrown in a curry; it would be a shame to drown out any of those flavors!

Curries make amazing winter food (and comfort food, for that matter), not just because of the spices, but also because they are generally really rich and full of chunks of veggies. Served with rice, they can be a complete meal, totally satisfying and very tasty. I prefer the creamier ones with chicken and the more robust blends with pork or lamb, but all the curry recipes I post are easily veganized by substituting the meat for tofu. I've veganized all my curries at one point or another, and I always loved the result. Just adjust your cooking time, as tofu doesn't need to cook as long as dense meat cubes! I'll usually make sure my pieces of tofu are nicely browned on a few sides, and let the curry simmer for 15 to 20 minutes: it does the trick.

Tikka Masala is a lovely mild curry that can make a great introduction to making Indian food at home. You need few ingredients and the method is very simple. It's a curry that is incredibly popular in Britain, so the Indian authenticity of tikka masala is as debated as the true blue Chinese origins of General Tao chicken. But hey, they both taste awesome, so let's enjoy!

As with my previously posted Kashmiri Masala, I recommend you use Patak's curry paste for this recipe. The main spices in Tikka are chile, paprika and cayenne, and the paste in wonderfully fragrant and gooey.

Use this curry when you need an elegantly presented, super-easy to make meal. It's incredible what some slivered almonds, a dollop of plain yogurt and some lemon wedges can do to make this dish gorgeous!

4 skinless, boneless chicken breasts
2 medium yellow onions
1 fresh red chile
1 thumb-size piece of fresh ginger root
1 small bunch of fresh cilantro
Peanut of vegetable oil
1 teaspoon of butter
1/2 cup Tikka Masala paste
Sea salt and ground pepper
1 (14 ounce) can diced tomatoes
1 (14 ounce) can coconut milk
1 cup natural yogurt
1 small handful of sliced almonds
1 lemon

Slice the chicken breasts lengthways into 3/4 inch strips. Peel, halve and finely slice the onions. Finely slice the chile. Peel and finely slice the ginger. Pick the cilantro leaves and set aside, then finely chop the stalks. Put a large casserole-type pan on medium heat and add a couple of glugs of peanut oil and the butter. Add the onions, chile, ginger and cilantro stalks and cook for 10 minutes, until the onions are soft and golden. Add the curry paste and the chicken strips. Stir well to coat everything in the paste, and carefully season with salt and pepper. Add the tomatoes and the coconut milk. Fill one of the empty cans with water and carefully pour it into the pan and stir again. Bring to a boil, then turn the heat down and simmer for 20 minutes with the lid on, stirring occasionally. Add water if it seems to be drying out. When the meat is cooked and tender, taste and add a bit more salt and pepper if necessary. Serve with basmati rice, a few dollops of yogurt, a sprinkling of almonds, the cilantro leaves as garnish, and lemon wedges to squeeze over.

I was out of yellow onions that night, so I used a red onion, which gave the dish a pink hue, and a slightly sweeter taste than usual, but I do love the piquant taste of red onions, so there were no complaints. Cooked in this rich and creamy sauce, the chicken strips become very tender. It's a beautiful dinner for a cold evening, and it tastes delicious reheated, so save the leftovers for the next day!

Kashmiri Masala Tofu

Punk Housewife will go through a little revamping quite soon: my friend and photographer extraordinaire, JD, took some rather brilliant pictures of me in my lovely kitchen. They will soon be on this little blog's background. As fun as it was, please don't imagine I usually cook in such fancy outfits; it's more often jeans and Threadless t-shirt than a cute dress and platform heels. But it was awesome!

Now while he took those pictures, I couldn't just stand there and be pretty, so I got busy and whipped up a lovely Kashmiri Masala tofu for my awesome crew! Although, I confess I did make them chop the onions, for fear that I would ruin my make-up. And need I say I loved watching them do it! I took care of everything else, and JD took great pictures of that, so I will show them off along with the recipe, because they really are beautiful shots. I wish he could take pictures of every meal I cook so that I could post them here, but I imagine his living in my kitchen might upset his fiancée...

I have my gorgeous Russian boyfriend to thank for my appreciation of curry. I can't handle as much spice as he can (freakin' ex-smoker stainless steel taste buds...), but the comforting heat and flavors of a lovely tomato-based curry such as this one are a constant hit with me. I have not yet attempted to make my own home-made curry paste, but it's high on my to-do list. In the meantime, I use Patak's pastes. One little jar contains enough paste to use about 4 times, and I have yet to be disappointed with the different kinds I have tried. Some grocery stores carry them, but if you can't find it at yours, hit a gourmet or Asian market.

Kashmiri Masala literally means "blend of spices from Kashmir"; this paste is mainly chile and garlic. I doubt the tofu is traditionally Indian, but it goes oh so well here, as it absorbs the flavors of the paste in chewy little bites of spicy goodness. The yogurt at the end is optional; it softens the heat without drowning the flavor, and makes the texture creamier. You can either mix it in at the very end like the recipe says, or dollop a spoonful or two on top before serving.

I love this curry recipe because it is very simple and basic; it's my "I-dunno-what-to-cook-but-want-something-tasty-that-can-be-made-with-the-almost-nothing-left-in-the-fridge" solution. And as we are now moving in the colder months of the year, a little spice is never a problem. It is not my spiciest curry, but dose the paste carefully if you don't want to cry while enjoying your plate.

Kashmiri Masala (for 4 to 6):

1 clove garlic, minced
1 yellow onion, diced
1 heaping tablespoon Kashmiri Masala paste
1 pound tofu, pressed and diced or cut into small triangles
1 (14 ounce) can diced tomatoes
3/4 cups water
1 cup plain yogurt

Preheat a large pan over medium heat. Fry the onion and garlic in a glug of olive oil. When the onion is soft and golden, add the curry paste, and mix well so that the onions are coated in the paste. Add tofu, and cook for about 10 minutes, stirring frequently, until the tofu is slightly browned on a few sides. Add the tomatoes, and mix well. Cook for about 5 minutes, until the liquid has reduced a bit. Carefully add the water, give the mixture a good stir, and simmer for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove from the heat, stir in the yogurt and serve with basmati rice and naan bread.

If you are going to substitute the tofu for chicken or lamb (two delicious alternatives), add the tomatoes when the meat is browned, and simmer until cooked through and tender, so you may need to adjust your simmering time. I would say 25 minutes for chicken, and 30 to 35 minutes for lamb.

As you can see, JD is an amazing photographer! Check out his website http://jdominic.info/! He rocks!