Menu Monday, January 21, 2013 (Korma)

Mmmmm.... wintery weather and crispy cool temperatures just beg for warm spicy food, don't you think? It's been awhile since I've participated in Menu Plan Monday, but was inspired this week(Just a little late getting my post in on MONDAY... on the east coast, anyway). :)

Tonight I made a recipe based on my dad's Chicken Korma recipe (he was taught to make it by his room-mate in Bible College who was a native East Indian). This version has a few shortcuts and substitutions, but I thought it turned out fairly decent, and so did everyone else in the family, apparently, as all the bowls were scraped clean! :)

Quick Chicken Korma

Chop 1 onion and saute over medium heat. While it is cooking,
Chop 1 pepper in medium to fine dice (I used orange) and add it to the pot. While those are cooking,
Slice 4 large carrots into fairly thin slices and add those to the pot.

Cook these three ingredients until they are fairly soft(10-15 minutes?), then
Add 3-4 minced garlic cloves.

After about 2-3 minutes stir in the following spices (These are measurements to start with, but please adjust to taste~ I plan to play with them a little more myself, because they weren't quite "perfect" tonight, while still being quite delicious)
3 tsp cumin
2 tsp tumeric
2 tsp chili powder
1/4 tsp cloves
(2-3 tsp curry powder is optional, I didn't use it this time around... wasn't feeling curry-ish)

Stir the veggies and the spices over medium heat for 3-5 minutes then add your chicken.
I tend to made an open space in the middle of my saute' pan, leaving the veggies around the sides, and cook the chicken there in the middle. 
I used 3 chicken breasts, cubed into about 1 inch pieces. We could have used a little more meat, but this is a good way to s-t-r-e-t-c-h that grocery budget! :)

When the chicken is reasonably cooked (about 5 minutes),
Toss in 1.5 to 2.5 cups whole cashews. Stir for a bit then

Add 2 cans purred tomato (I just whip diced tomatoes in the blender) and
4 cups broth (use your choice... I have been using Knorr's Concentrated vegetable broth)

Let this mixture come to a boil, then simmer for at least 1/2 hour (While you make your rice). It's even better if it can simmer for 1-2 hours to let the flavors meld.

If the sauce is a little too "soupy" it's great to add some freshly grated coconut. I grated in about 1/4 of a fresh coconut this time around (Yay for husbands who pick up ingredients like that! and it was a good one this time, too!)

Serve over rice.

For the rest of the week:

Lentil stew/soup
"Leftover Pasta"
Deli Meat/Cheese wraps
Sausage and Potato Frittata
Saturday is "Boys Fend For Themselves"~ Eldest and I will be eating at Rein's New York Deli on our way home from a Feis

What's cooking at your house? Feel free to comment here, post your menu plan, or browse for inspiration over at Menu Plan Monday. I'm also posting on "Try a New Recipe Tuesday" so head on over there for some more inspiration!

Blessings~