I've recently become interested in studying and learning to make Indian food. Last weekend we had a dinner party with friends to celebrate a friend's return from a trip to India. It was a really fun evening, highlighted with some amazing Indian food. For the dinner party, we each brought an Indian dish to share. Short on time last week, I found a really wonderful Indian market not too far from my house and purchased my dishes for the party. I could have spent hours in the market looking at all the fascinating items they sold. I settled on the homemade Chapati (flat bread, Pistachio Kulfki (a fluffy Indian ice cream) and Coconut Cookies as my dishes to bring for the party. After the party, I was inspired to purchase Mahur Jeffrey's Quick and Easy Indian Cooking. I already have several dishes flagged to try. I also want to make the Chai Spiced Rice Pudding I had planned to make for the party. In my quest to use the slow cooker more, I was inspired by this recipe for Vegetable Curry in Pillsbury's Slow Cooker Come Home to Comfort. Overall, this was a good, easy recipe. I served the curry alongside a Cinnamon Chicken inspired by a recipe I saw on Martha Stewart's website. Next time, I might consider adding the chicken to the curry in the slow cooker to make it a complete one dish meal. The recipe had a yogurt sauce to serve alongside but neither my husband or I cared for it. I think I would do a traditional cucumber raita next time.
Vegetable Curry with Couscous
2 teaspoons vegetable oil
1/2 cup chopped onion (1 medium)
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
2 teaspoons curry powder
1/2 teaspoon ground turmeric
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon ground red pepper (cayenne)
3 cups cubed peeled eggplant (3/4 to 1 inch)
2 medium tomatoes coarsely chopped (about 1 cup)
1 medium red bell pepper, coarsely chopped (about 1 cup)
1 cup sliced ready to eat baby carrots
1 can (15 oz) chick peas, drained
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
2 cups fresh baby spinach leaves (I forgot to add these at the end!)
2 cups uncooked whole wheat couscous
1. In 10 inch non-stick skillet, heat oil over medium heat. Add onion, cook about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally until translucent. Add garlic; cook stirring frequently until softened. Stir in curry powder, turmeric, cinnamon and red pepper; cook and stir about 30 seconds.
2. Spray 3-4 quart slow cooker with cooking spray. In cooker, mix onion mixture and remaining curry ingredients except spinach and couscous.
3. Cover; cook on Low heat setting 5-6 hours.
4. Stir spinach into curry in cooker. Cover; cook on low setting 5-10 minutes longer or until slightly wilted.
5. Meanwhile cook couscous as directed on package. Serve curry over couscous.
Source: Pillsbury Slow Cooker Come Home to Comfort, General Mills, 2009.
Cinnamon Chicken
Sprinkle chicken breasts liberally with salt, pepper and cinnamon. Roast in 350 degree oven until juices run clear. Approx. 45 minutes.
Vegetable Curry with Couscous
2 teaspoons vegetable oil
1/2 cup chopped onion (1 medium)
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
2 teaspoons curry powder
1/2 teaspoon ground turmeric
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon ground red pepper (cayenne)
3 cups cubed peeled eggplant (3/4 to 1 inch)
2 medium tomatoes coarsely chopped (about 1 cup)
1 medium red bell pepper, coarsely chopped (about 1 cup)
1 cup sliced ready to eat baby carrots
1 can (15 oz) chick peas, drained
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
2 cups fresh baby spinach leaves (I forgot to add these at the end!)
2 cups uncooked whole wheat couscous
1. In 10 inch non-stick skillet, heat oil over medium heat. Add onion, cook about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally until translucent. Add garlic; cook stirring frequently until softened. Stir in curry powder, turmeric, cinnamon and red pepper; cook and stir about 30 seconds.
2. Spray 3-4 quart slow cooker with cooking spray. In cooker, mix onion mixture and remaining curry ingredients except spinach and couscous.
3. Cover; cook on Low heat setting 5-6 hours.
4. Stir spinach into curry in cooker. Cover; cook on low setting 5-10 minutes longer or until slightly wilted.
5. Meanwhile cook couscous as directed on package. Serve curry over couscous.
Source: Pillsbury Slow Cooker Come Home to Comfort, General Mills, 2009.
Cinnamon Chicken
Sprinkle chicken breasts liberally with salt, pepper and cinnamon. Roast in 350 degree oven until juices run clear. Approx. 45 minutes.
3 comments:
I love all the flavors of this meal - yum!
Looks great, so great I gave you an award. You can go to http://chi-towncookincreations.blogspot.com/ to pick it up!
Yum, I can't wait to make the vegetable curry!
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