Kheema

I like to think I'm fairly adventurous when it comes to food.  I mean, come on, a girl cannot grow up moving around the world (thanks Dad!) and not be willing to try a few things.  Like anyone, there are certain things I don't like, but even then I try to find workarounds for those foods.

When it comes to food genres, I think I'm pretty predictable there.  I love the typical "American" grub.  I frequently crave Mexican food.  And there are those days when, of course, only Chinese takeout can make things right again.

Indian food though, has never really entered my thought process....until now.

Kheema
Recipe adapted from Aarti Sequeira

3 tbsp canola oil
1 large onion, finely diced
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 (1 1/2-inch thumb) fresh ginger, peeled and grated
2 tsp ground coriander
1 tsp paprika
3/4 tsp garam masala
1/2 tsp ground cumin
1/2 tsp cayenne
1 lb ground beef
2 medium tomatoes, chopped
1/2 cup beer
1/2 cup water
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 cup frozen peas
2 tsp apple cider vinegar
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro, plus a few extra leaves for garnish, optional
4 chapatis, tortillas or pitas, warmed

1.  In a large skillet, warm the oil over medium-high heat. Add the onions and cook until golden. Add the garlic and ginger, and saute for another minute. Stir in the coriander, paprika, garam masala, cumin and cayenne, if using and cook for 1 minute.

The perfume of all these spices warming is INSANE

2.  Add the beef, breaking up lumps with a spoon, and saute until the meat is no longer pink. Add the tomatoes, beer, water and season with salt and pepper. Stir well and simmer, uncovered until some of the liquid evaporates, about 5-8 minutes.  Sprinkle in the peas and simmer an additional 5 minutes.

Drained, canned diced tomatoes work too, but fresh ones are better if you have them

3.  Stir in the vinegar and chopped cilantro. Garnish with torn cilantro leaves and serve with warm chapatis, tortillas, or pita bread.

Love that fresh, bright green!

The first time I made this, I almost didn't make it again, it was that BLAND.  Even with all these incredible spices, I couldn't believe that the flavor just was not there.  But I persevered, made a few adjustments the second go around (which you'll notice if you compare the above to her original recipe).  The one thing I was to recommend for this though is to NOT measure.  No seriously, don't be exacting with this one.  If you really like ginger, then grate some more in.  If garam masala is your thing, go for it!  But, please, do not reduce the amount of cayenne.  I promise that if you do any less than a 1/2 tsp you will not taste it; this dish needs that heat.

Chicken Biryani

I'm a planner.  You know this, right?  I have to be able to plan out my meals for the week so that I know what to shop for.  Nothing drives me crazier than wanting to make a dish and discovering I'm missing That One Ingredient.  Argh!!

But life has been topsy-turvy though since Kieran was born so my meal planning isn't as stellar as it used to be.  I have a bunch of meals in the freezer but I'm trying to space those out so they last as long as possible.  So there have been days where the calendar remained blank for that day's dinner.  Those days I have all day to obsess about what to make based on what I have available.  Sometimes that's fun.  Sometimes, not so much.

One day I got lucky though.  A friend of mine posted a link to a recipe she was trying out, and in looking it over, I realized that I could make it too WITHOUT heading to the store first!  Excellent!!

Chicken Biryani
Recipe adapted from Confections & Musings 

2 tsp canola oil
1 lb boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1-inch pieces
1 cup chopped onion (about 1 medium onion)
1 jalapeño pepper, seeded and minced [I made this optional since I didn't have one handy]
1 tsp minced fresh ginger
1 1/2 teaspoons garam masala 
3/4 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 cups chopped plum tomato [Or be like me and use a drained can of petite diced tomatoes]
1 cup uncooked basmati rice [I used whatever I had in my pantry canister]
1/3 cup raisins
1 3/4 cup low-sodium chicken stock
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro [optional but it REALLY brightens the flavor if you have it]
1/4 cup sliced almonds [optional but that little crunch adds awesome]
4 lime wedges

1.  Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add chicken to pan; sauté about 3 minutes. Add onion and jalapeño and cook another 3 minutes.

Psst! It's easier to cut up chicken while it's still a little frozen.

2.  Add ginger, garam masala, cumin, salt, and garlic; sauté 30 seconds. Add tomato, rice, raisins, and broth; bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer 15 minutes or until rice is tender.

I keep my ginger peeled and in the freezer.  Lasts longer that way.

3.  Stir in cilantro. Sprinkle with almonds; serve with lime wedges.

Oooohhhhh delicious!

If you don't have Garam Masala on-hand, I'd really recommend getting it.  It's AMAZING and becoming more popular so you should be able to find it with the spices at your grocery store.  Otherwise you probably could make some of it yourself, since it's a blend of cinnamon, cumin, coriander, nutmeg, and other more common spices.

This dish is YUMMY.  So yummy in fact that I cannot wait to make this again, this time using more of the ingredients I felt were optional, especially the jalapeno.  If you aren't a fan of the heat though, leaving it out is just fine.  Because of the blend of spices in Garam Masala, you have this flavor that's somewhere between sweet (from the cinnamon) and spicy, but not HOT spicy.