Chicken Tikka Masala

Spices. They were originally used to add flavor but they also help to preserve food. In my own cooking, I don't generally use a ton of spices. I like to let the natural flavors or fresh, quality ingredients speak for themselves. However, I am not opposed to them in any way. This chicken Tikka Masala may not be authentic, but this dish is full of flavors and is an easy dinner to make for friends.
The Ingredients
2 lbs boneless, skinless chicken thighs and/or breasts
For the Marinade:
1.5 cups plain yogurt
2 teaspoons ground cumin
2 teaspoons ground coriander
2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
2 teaspoons turmeric
2 teaspoons black pepper
.5 teaspoon chili flakes
1.5 tablespoon grated ginger
4 teaspoon salt
For the Sauce:
2 tablespoons butter
1 large yellow onion, finely diced
4 cloves garlic, minced
1.5 teaspoons ground cumin
1.5 teaspoons ground coriander
1.5 teaspoons ground cayenne pepper
1 28oz can crushed tomatoes
1 cup cream
3/4 cup chopped cilantro
2 lemons, juiced and zested
The Method
Mix the marinade together in a large bowl, and put the chicken in.Make sure that all part of the chicken are coated. Place in the fridge for at least 4 hours, overnight is even better.Traditionally, the chicken is cut into bite sized pieces and skewered and then grilled. I opted with the non-traditional way of take the whole pieces and grilled them. They can also be broiled in the oven. Brown the chicken on both sides on high heat, until the chicken is half cooked. It should still be pink and juicy...mmmmm. It will continue to cook in the sauce. Set the chicken aside.In a large pan, melt the butter on medium high heat. Sweat the onions with a little salt until they start to brown. Add the garlic, and all the spices and cook for another minute or so until aromatic. Pour in the tomato sauce and let it simmer for about 10 minutes on low heat until thick and hearty.In the mean time, cut the chicken into bite sized pieces. Throw in the chicken, cream and lemon zest and juice into the sauce. When the sauce starts to bubble add the cilantro and give it a quick stir.Serve this flavorful stew over basmati rice. This will feed about 4-6 hungry college kids.

Asian Lettuce Wraps

Lettuce wraps maybe one of the best food ideas ever. You get to eat with you hands, the filling is bursting with flavor and there is always that satisfying crunch of the fresh lettuce. These wraps are so simple to make. We always have lettuce wraps at every Chinese banquet I go to; those are filled with dried oysters, meat, and other vegetable. Honestly, I am not a huge oyster fan but I always am one of the first to scarf them down. Here is a more home-friendly recipe that captures the essences and flavors of this refreshing dish.

The Ingredients
1 head of iceberg lettuce
1.5 lb ground turkey
1.5 lb ground pork
1 onion, minced
1 can water chestnuts, finely diced
10 dried mushrooms, soaked and minced
1 tablespoon grated ginger
4 cloves garlic, minced
half a bunch of cilantro
4 stalks of green onion
2 tablespoons soy sauce
2 tablespoons oyster sauce
1 tablespoon sesame oil
1.5 tablespoons sugar
dash of chili flakes
salt
pepper
oil
hoisin sauce

The Method
Separate the leaves of the lettuce and lay them on a platter. Cover them with a wet cloth to keep them crisp.
Heat up a large pan on medium high heat. Pour a tablespoon of oil and saute the ground meat until cooked. Place in a large bowl.
Heat the pan again with some oil and sweat the onions for a few minutes. Throw in the garlic, ginger and mushrooms and continue cook for another few minutes. Add the water chestnuts, oyster sauce, soy sauce, sesame oil, chili flakes and sugar. Crack some fresh black pepper.Pour the meat back in and add the green onions, and cilantro. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Take it off the heat and put it into a large bowl.
Take a leaf of lettuce, put a teaspoon of hoisin sauce on the bottom, lay on a couple spoonfuls of the filling and enjoy. This recipe will serve about 5-6 as a full meal or 8-10 as an appetizer.

Cantonese Chicken Claypot (without the claypot)

So I decided to ditch the claypot, mainly because I didn't have one, and chose to make it in a rice cooker instead. The results are about the same; although with the claypot, you can get a crunchy layer of rice at the bottom. But what college student has a chinese claypot on hand? Not this one. This Chinese dish takes many flavors and combines them to create a very homely dish.
The Ingredients
3 cups of rice (I used medium grain, but adjust water for long grain)
1.5 lb boneless, skinless chicken thighs or breasts
3 stalks green onion, chopped
2 inch piece of ginger, finely chopped
10-12 dried shitake mushrooms
3 chinese sausages (lop cheung), sliced
.25 cup cilantro, chopped
cooking oil
for the chicken:
3 tablespoons oyster sauce
2 tablespoons soy sauce
1.5 teaspoons cornstarch
.5 teaspoon sesame oil
.5 teaspoon sugar
.25 teaspoon pepper
for the rice:
4 cups of water
3 tablespoons soy sauce
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
pinch of salt

The Method
Chop the chicken into large chunks and mix it with the chicken seasoning. Let this marinade for at least 3 hours or overnight. Soak the dried mushrooms in water for at least half an hour until soft. Cut them in half. Slice the sausages, and chop the green onions, cilantro and the ginger.Mix the water and rice seasonings in the rice cooker. Press the cook button.
Put a large pan on medium high heat and pour some vegetable oil to prevent sticking. When the pan is hot, place the chicken and mushrooms in a single layer. Brown the chicken and make several batches if you need too. Throw in the ginger and chinese sausages. Take the chicken out when it is about half cooked and place in a large bowl. When the rice has about 7-8 minutes left and is dry, add the chicken, mushrooms and sausages. Close the rice cooker and let it cook. When the button pops up or beeps sprinkle the green onions and cilantro on top, and set a timer for 12-15 more minutes. This will continue to cook the chicken and let the flavors mix. Serve with additional cilantro and green onion. This recipe feeds 4-6.

Amaretto Pear Crisp

There is something satisfying about slightly sweet fruit baked with a crunchy, golden brown topping on it. The only thing to make it better is a generous scoop of vanilla bean ice cream. This recipe is really easy. It is based off of Auntie Noreen's apple crisp recipe.

The Ingredients
4 cups of peel, sliced pears (about 4-5 pears)
3 tablespoons of Amaretto
.5 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup AP flour
3/4 cup sugar
6 tablespoons butter

The Method
In a mixing bowl, mix together the pears, and amaretto.
Throw the flour, sugar, salt, and sliced butter into the food processor. Pulse until the mix resembles damp sand. A pastry cutter can be used too; it will take longer though.
Butter a 10x6 pan, pour in the apples and sprinkle on the crumb mixture. Bake for 40-45 minutes at 350, or until golden brown. Let it cool for about 10 minutes to avoid a scalding mouthful. Scoop a hefty scoop of ice cream on top and enjoy!

Capellini Aglio Olio e' Peperoncino

This pasta is very simple to make; it only takes 5 ingredients and 5 minutes. Pure flavors and simplicity are the essences of this dish.
The Ingredients
(serves 3)
.5 pound of capellini
2 cloves of garlic, sliced paper thin
.5 teaspoon of peperoncino
5-7 basil leaves thinly sliced
2 tablespoons of olive oil
salt
The Method
Bring a large pot of water to the boil and add salt. Throw in the pasta and be sure to stir to prevent sticking.
Start with a cold pan, add garlic, chili flakes and olive oil then turn the heat to medium heat. The oil will start to heat and the garlic will start to sizzle and lightly brown. Drain and add the pasta and sprinkle in the basil. Toss to coat and serve.

Split Pea Soup

Split pea soup. I forgot how good this stuff was. I remember my mom would always make this when I was little. It's hearty and will keep you full for a long while. This soup is fairly easy but it does take a little time, so it's not exactly your grab and go kind of meal. However, this rich soup is full of flavor and make that foggy weather so much more enjoyable.
The Ingredients
3 cups of dried spit peas
2 cups of diced ham
ham hock/ham rind
2 onions finely chopped
1.5 cups of carrots diced
2 bay leaves
7 cups of water
olive oil
butter
salt
pepper
2 tablespoons cream

The Method
Take a large pot and pour in about 2 tablespoons of olive oil and about 1 tablespoon of butter. Sweat the onions and carrots with a pinch of salt. Add the ham, ham hock, and ham rind if you have it. Throw in the bay leaves and water. It is important to rinse the peas before adding them because they have have dust or dirt on them. Be sure to do this right before adding, otherwise they stick into a large strainer-shaped clump.
Bring this all to a boil and then reduce the heat to low and cook for about an hour to an hour and a half. Look for all the peas to be gone and for the soup to be thick. Season to taste and finally add the cream. Serve with some crusty bread. This can also be done with lentils as well.

Coconut Sticky Rice with Fresh Berries

Rice...for dessert? For those of you who have not tried this Thai dessert, I can understand that this may seem a little weird. It's good, I promise. The match of the sweet, creamy yet slightly salty rice pairs perfectly with the sweetness of seasonal fruit. I usually prefer mangoes with the sticky rice, and it is indeed more traditional. Sadly, the mangoes were not-so-great so I opted with fresh strawberries and blackberries instead.

The Ingredients
2 cups of Thai sweet rice
3 cups water
1 can of coconut milk (not lite)
3/4 cup white sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
Strawberries
Blackberries
sesame seeds

The Method
The traditional way of preparing Thai sweet rice is to soak it for hours and then steam it in a special basket. I have found that if you put the rice with the water in a rice cooker, it turns out pretty well. However, it's important to let it soak for at least 20 minutes and then press the cook button.
Meanwhile, put a small saucepan on medium heat. Pour in the coconut milk, sugar and salt. Take the cooked rice and pour it into a large mixing bowl. With a rubber spatula, fold the rice to fluff it. Pour in the coconut milk mixture. It will look pretty soupy at first but let it set covered for about 10 minutes and the rice should adsorb it all. Fluff once more and plate a small mound and sprinkle it with the fresh berries and sesame seeds.
This serves around 6-8 hungry college students craving this Thai dessert.