Quick Chicken Korma and South Indian Cabbage

"June Potluck", the theme for this week at I Heart Cooking Clubs (IHCC). We may cook from any of IHCC list of 12 chefs. Since I have the craving for some Indian meal, I turned to Madhur Jaffrey's books, and made two dishes for our weeknight dinner. 

I've made these two dishes, Quick Chicken Korma and South Indian Cabbage, served alongside some basmati rice. 

For the rice, I sauteed some cardamom pods, cloves and fresh curry leaves in a little oil until fragrant, add in the basmati rice (washed and soaked for 20 minutes, drain before used). Stir for a minute or two, till the rice is fragrant from the spices, transfer the rice to the rice cooker pot, add some water and cook accordingly (2 cups rice with 3-1/3 cups water). Please remember to discard the whole spices before serving, they are not meant to be eaten.

Quick Chicken Korma is pretty easy to cook and is delicious. I've used about 1.2 kg of chicken pieces, and only 1 can of chopped tomatoes instead of 3 cans of plum tomatoes, and it tasted really good with only 1 can. And for the spices, as usual I have increased some of the spices slightly, as I love bold flavours in my curries. Some cream is added at the end of cooking time, and the curry is cooked on high heat for the last couple of minutes until the sauce thickened. 

South Indian Cabbage is a veggie dish that I have cooked quite a number of times, usually as a side dish to serve with one of Madhur Jaffrey's curries. It uses asafoetida, a pungent spice and the smell is not what one would call pleasant. But once it is introduced into hot oil, it is somewhat aromatic and really brings a certain flavour to a dish. So do not be afraid to use a generous pinch, the dish needs it. 

Be sure to have all the ingredients ready as everything goes into the wok, in succession rather quickly. I've used yellow split peas which turned a little hard after frying in the hot oil together with the spices, but it is really nice, a nutty contrast with the wilted cabbage and I love it actually. This dish is further enhanced from the fresh fragrant curry leaves, from my garden pot. This is a really tasty veggie dish, and it makes a perfect accompaniment of any curry dish along with some white fluffy rice. 

Quick Chicken Korma (Murgh Korma)
(adapted from "100 Essential Curry", Madhur Jaffrey)
Serves 4
4 cm (1-1/2 in) piece fresh ginger, peeled and coarsely chopped
5-6 garlic cloves, peeled and coarsely chopped
6 tablespoons vegetable oil
3 bay leaves
5 cm (2 in) cinnamon stick
8 cardamom pods
4 cloves
1/4 teaspoon black cumin seeds
120 gm (4-1/2 oz) onions, peeled and finely chopped
1 tablespoon ground coriander (I use 2 tablespoons)
1 tablespoon ground cumin (I use 2 tablespoons)
3 tinned plum tomatoes, chopped (I use 1 can chopped tomatoes)
1.5 kg (3 lb) chicken pieces, skinned and cut into serving portions
1/4-1 teaspoon chilli powder (1 use 1 tablespoon)
1/4 teaspoon salt
3 tablespoons single cream

Put the ginger, garlic and 3 tablespoons water in the container of an electric blender. Blend until you have a smooth paste. (I use a pestle and mortar to pound into a paste).

Put the oil in a wide frying pan or saute pan and set over high heat. When very hot, put in the bay leaves, cinnamon, cardamom pods, cloves and cumin seeds. Stir once or twice and add the onions. Stir and fry for about 3 minutes or until the onions turn brownish. Add the paste from the blender, and the ground coriander and ground cumin, and fry for a minute. Add the chopped tomatoes and fry another minute. Add the chicken pieces, chilli powder, salt and 250ml (8fl oz) water. Bring to a boil. Cover, turn the heat to medium and cook for 15 minutes, turning the chicken pieces over now and then.

Remove the cover, add the cream and cook on high heat for another 7-8 minutes or until the sauce has thickened. Stir gently as you do this.

South Indian Cabbage (Dakshini Band Gobi)
(adapted from "World Vegetarian", Madhur Jaffrey)
1/4 cup peanut or canola oil
generous pinch of ground asafoetida
1 teaspoon whole brown mustard seeds
1 teaspoon urad dal, chana dal, or yellow spilt peas
5 to 6 whole fenugreek seeds
2 to 3 whole dried hot red chillies
10 fresh curry leaves, if available, (use fresh basil leaves as substitute)
1-3/4 pounds fresh green cabbage (about 1/2 large head), with its hard core removed and then shredded (as in coleslaw)
1 to 1-1/4 teaspoons salt

Put the oil in a large wok or large, wide pan and set over medium-high heat. When hot, put in the asafoetida. A second later, put in the mustard seeds and urad dal. As soon as the mustard seeds start to pop, a matter of seconds, put in the fenugreek seeds and red chillies. Allow the dal to get red and the chillies to turn dark. Now put in first the curry leaves and then the cabbage and give a few quick stirs. Add the salt. Stira and cook for a minute. Cover, turn the heat to low, and cook for 6 to 8 minutes, or until the cabbage has wilted completely. (You may add a sprinkling of water, if needed). Uncover and taste for salt. Stir and cook for another minute or two.

I'm linking this post with I Heart Cooking Clubs (IHCC), theme for this week 

"June Potluck"

and

Cook-Your-Books #24 @ kitchen flavours