What’s Cooking in Kelli’s Kitchen - A Bit of Indian Cuisine

Have you ever wondered why the regional cuisine in places with hot climates has a prevalence of dishes that include spicy chiles? While counterintuitive, eating spicy foods helps your body cool down. When you eat chiles, the active compound capsaicin stimulates your nerve endings, causes a burning sensation, and sometimes makes your eyes water. Once that initial sensation subsides, your body responds to the capsaicin by triggering a mechanism that cools you down. This is because heat is a threat, and to protect itself, your body attempts to cool you down by sweating. As your sweat evaporates, you cool down and feel more comfortable in hot weather. Perhaps this explains the sudden pivot in Kelli’s Kitchen to Indian cuisine.

Consider your home experimentation with Indian Cuisine as a coping strategy for dealing with the hot, stagnant air that comes with a heat dome.

Here are two recipes that we have enjoyed in Kelli’s Kitchen:

Green Masala Chicken (Hara Masala Murgh)

INGREDIENTS:

• 3 T coconut oil
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 1 t whole peppercorns 
• 1 t cumin seeds
• 1 lb chicken breasts, sliced ¼” thick
• 1 T grated ginger
• 1 T grated garlic (about 3 cloves)
• 1 t Kashmiri red chile powder or other red chile powder
• ¾ t sea salt
• 1 ½ c cilantro leaves and tender stems, finely chopped
• 1 ½ c mint leaves, finely chopped
• 4 Thai green chiles, chopped
• ½ c full-fat Greek yogurt or coconut milk or Coco-June fermented coconut
• 2 T almond butter or other nut butter
• 3 T fresh lemon juice
• ½ t garam masala

DIRECTIONS:

1. Heat coconut oil in a medium pot for about 30 seconds over medium. Add the onion, peppercorns, and cumin seeds. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the onion is translucent (about seven minutes). Add the chicken, ginger, and garlic and cook on medium-high, stirring regularly, until the chicken is no longer pink and the onions have softened (about 10 minutes).
2. Lower the heat to medium and stir in the chile powder and salt. Continue cooking for about 30 seconds. Add 1 c cilantro, 1 c mint, and the green chiles, and stir until all the ingredients are incorporated.
3. Stir in the yogurt and almond butter. Turn off the heat and stir in the remaining ½ c cilantro and ½ c mint. Sprinkle with the lemon juice and garam masala and serve.

Butter Chicken

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 ½ c full-fat Greek yogurt
• 2 T lemon juice
• 1 T ground turmeric
• 2 T garam masala
• 2 T ground cumin
• 2 lb chicken thighs on the bone
• ¼ lb unsalted butter
• 4 t vegetable oil
• 1 large yellow onion, chopped
• 6 cl garlic, minced
• 3 T ginger, grated
• 1 T cumin seeds
• 1 cinnamon stick
• 2 medium tomatoes, diced
• 1 jalapeno, seeded and diced
• Kosher salt, to taste
• ⅔ c chicken stock
• 1 ½ c cream
• 1 T tomato paste
• ½ bu cilantro, stems removed

DIRECTIONS:

1. Combine yogurt, lemon juice, turmeric, garam masala, and cumin in a large bowl. Add the chicken and turn to coat. Cover and refrigerate for up to 24 hours.
2. In a large pan over medium, melt the butter with the oil until it starts to foam. Add the onions and cook until translucent, stirring often. Add the garlic, ginger, and cumin seeds and continue cooking until the onions start to brown.
3. Add the cinnamon stick, tomatoes, chiles, and salt. Cook for another 10 minutes, stirring regularly.
4. Add the chicken and marinade to the pan, cook for five minutes, and then add the chicken stock. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer uncovered for about 30 minutes.
5. Stir in the cream and tomato paste and simmer until the chicken is cooked through approximately 15 minutes. Garnish with cilantro leaves and enjoy.