Indian Curry Dinner, American Style

Indian Curry Dinner, American Style

by | Recipes, Sharing Meals

recipes with Indian flavor

Recipe with Indian curry flavor

Not a traditional or authentic recipe, this Indian Curry Chicken came from an Amy Vanderbilt recipe book from long ago (when I was first married!).

It has been a family favorite through the years, not only for the delicious flavors of the chicken curry sauce, but from the addition of fresh, chopped fruits and veggies. This is a quick meal to whip up for a light summer evening repast.

Colorful bowls of toppings have the added benefit of allowing each person to create their own version of the dinner with flavors that all combine deliciously. There is no wrong way to put it together!  If you wish for other side dishes, to try alongside, make some samosas, and a mustard fruits relish.

 

 

 

 

Chicken Curry Quick Dinner

- Great Summer Meal-
Indian inspired flavors of curry in a cream sauce. Redolent with sautéed onions and topped with fresh ingredients are a great change of pace that is lovely for spring and summer meals.
This is best if you have small bowls of side dishes to heap on top. Any, or all, are delicious.
Print Recipe
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Indian
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

  • 1 lb Roasted chicken pieces
  • 3 TBS Butter
  • 1 large Onion sliced
  • Curry Powder
  • ½ pint Sour Cream or 1 cup yogurt or 1 cup yogurt (more if more sauce is wanted)
  • Salt to taste

Method
 

  1. In large frying pan melt the butter, add sliced onion and cook until translucent, add chicken pieces, cook until heated, add curry powder and salt, then turn down heat.
  2. Stir in sour cream or yogurt; you can thin the sour cream with a little milk if you desire.
  3. Adjust seasoning, heat through, and serve over rice. Good with a side of petite peas and onions served separately.
Topping Suggestions
  1. Try these to start:
    chopped fresh tomato,
    sliced bananas,
    pineapple pieces,
    shredded coconut,
    Chutney,
    chopped peanuts,
    chopped apple

Notes

    Tips
  • Don't use high heat when you cook with sour cream, it will curdle.
  • Do use a good quality curry spice mix. Fresh spices make a difference. "Madras" is a type of spice formulation that will have a mild curry taste. Adjust the strength to what you like. there are some very hot curries available.
  • Add hot sauce, or some cayenne, to taste if it isn't hot enough for you. Sour cream cuts the heat.
  • You don't need to chop the onions, big slices are fine, but cook until soft and translucent.

Serving This Indian Curry Dinner

Small decorative bowls to hold the toppings will be attractive and practical.

The Perfect Summer Dinner

The Perfect Summer Dinner

by | Recipes, Sharing Meals, Summer Season

If you were looking for a summer dinner which incorporates wonderful seasonal fruits and perfectly paired flavors, this is the meal to try.

Start with a simple roasted chicken. I have a page of how-to information on roasting a chicken; there is nothing better or easier for a summer dinner because it is healthy, tasty, and the cold leftovers are wonderful for more meals, later.

Yes, Saffron rice takes a little more time to prepare, but the aromatic addition will add special flavor that takes this side dish to the next level.

What makes the entire meal stand out for June, or any point during the summer, is the inclusion of cherries. The salad has dried cherries, but you could substitute fresh sweet ones. The fruit flavors plus a kick of spice from smokey chipotle pepper makes the rest of the meal sing. 

Finally, serve up a home made cherry dessert. Accompany with iced tea.

Sour Cherry Sauce for Poultry

A wine and chicken stock sauce with cherries and spices.
Print Recipe
Course: Sauce
Ingredients Method

Ingredients
  

  • 1 sweet onion finely diced
  • 4 tablespoons butter divided
  • 2 teaspoons cinnamon
  • 2 teaspoons paprika
  • 2 cups chicken stock
  • 2 cups dry red wine such as Cabernet
  • ½ cup sour cherries (can use dried) chopped if large1
  • ½ cup sour cream
  • kosher salt and pepper to taste

Method
 

  1. Soak the cherries in hot water to soften, if using dried cherries
  2. Sauté the sweet onion in 2 tablespoons butter until translucent.
  3. Add the cinnamon and paprika and stir 1 minute. Add the chicken stock and reduce to 3/4 cup. Add the red wine and reduce to 1½ cups. Add cherries.
  4. Turn off heat and stir in the sour cream (so it won’t curdle from the heat). Season with salt and pepper to taste.
  5. Add the finished sauce to plated meat.

Highlighted with Pie Cherries

This is an easy, yet spectacular summer season dinner. Fresh cherries are in season during late June, but you can use frozen or canned, just as well during other times of year. Put on your cute cherry apron and get started! The main dish for a perfect summer menu starts with a roasted chicken, to find out how to perfectly roast a chicken check out the  Roasted Chicken recipe collection. Make a sour cherry sauce to serve with it.

It is the use of fresh cherries and the ease of preparation that makes this the ideal summer repast.

Summer Dinner Menu

  • Roasted Chicken
  • Sour Cherry Sauce
  • Saffron rice
  • Cherry Chipotle Spinach with Cashews Salad
  • Cherry Dessert...hmm which? Cobbler, Cherry Delight Cake, or Cherry Pie?

Saffron Rice

Try this recipe, from 'An Edible Mosaic', for the rice: .
Print Recipe
Servings: 4 people
Ingredients Method

Ingredients
  

  • 1 1/2 cups basmati rice
  • 2 tablespoons canola oil
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 2 whole cloves
  • 1 pod cardamom crushed
  • 1/2 teaspoon fine salt
  • 1 1/2 cup boiling water
  • 1 pinch saffron threads or 1/2 teaspoon turmeric
  • 1 tablespoon boiling water

Method
 

  1. Put half a kettle of water on to boil.
  2. Put rice in a mesh sieve and rinse under cold running water a couple minutes until water runs clear; set aside.
  3. Add oil to a medium saucepan with a lid over high heat; once hot, add bay leaf, cloves, and cardamom pod and cook until fragrant (1-2 minutes).
  4. Add rice and salt and cook (stirring occasionally) until fragrant (about 2 minutes).
  5. Add 1 1/2 cup boiling water to rice and bring to a rolling boil. Give it a stir, cover the pot, turn heat down to low, and cook 10 minutes (don't open the pot while the rice cooks).
  6. After the rice is cooked, let the pot sit with the lid on for 15 minutes, then fluff the rice with a fork. Transfer half the rice to a separate bowl.
  7. In a small bowl, combine 1 pinch saffron threads (or turmeric, if you prefer) with 1 tablespoon boiling water; steep 1-2 minutes.
  8. Stir the colored water into half the rice (the rice will turn yellow).
  9. Serve with the chicken and cherry sauce.

Cherry Chipotle Spinach Salad with Cashews

When you want the salad to be something special, serve this.
Print Recipe
Course: Salad
Cuisine: California
Ingredients Method

Ingredients
  

Cherry vinaigrette
  • 7 fl. oz. seasoned rice vinegar
  • ½ cup cherry concentrate
  • ¾ tsp. kosher salt
  • 1 oz. minced shallots
  • 2 ¼ tsp. chipotle pepper in adobo sauce pureed
  • ½ cup mayonnaise
  • 2 ¼ cups oil
Salad Ingredients
  • 8 cups spinach leaves
  • 1 cup red apples diced
  • 1 cup Mandarin oranges
  • ½ cup dried cherries
  • ¼ cup cashew pieces

Method
 

Cherry vinaigrette
  1. Blend all ingredients except oil. Slowly add oil and blend until smooth. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
  2. Combine ingredients and toss.
Hungarian Cucumber Salad, Uborkasalata

Hungarian Cucumber Salad, Uborkasalata

by | Sharing Meals

cucumbers

photo by Smitten Kitchen

This is a refreshing salad and the perfect foil for Chicken paprikash. Great summer cold plate dish. Essentially, it is a refrigerator pickle and tastes even better when it has been made the day ahead.

Hungarian Cucumber Salad, Uborkasalata

Super easy, refreshing salad for summers or with Hungarian entrees anytime.
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Course: Salad, Sidedish
Cuisine: Hungarian
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

  • 2 Good fresh cucumber - I like the long English cukes.
  • ¼ cup Light vinegar- white or white wine - white or white wine
  • 2 tbsp water
  • salt to taste
  • pepper to taste
  • 5 scallions sliced
  • (opt) fresh dill sprigs torn into little pieces

Method
 

  1. First, use a vegetable peeler to get the cucumber sliced as thinly as possible, yet keeping the round slice.
  2. Then, mix vinegar and water to taste I like 1:2 ratio of vinegar to water. You may like it stronger... taste it to give the acidity you like.
  3. Sea salt and Cracked fresh black pepper to taste.
  4. Five or so scallions sliced thin
  5. Mix and refrigerate, covered, for an hour or more.
  6. That's it! If you have the dill sprinkle it on top for a nice variation.

Notes

Some recipes call for additions of sour cream or sugar. I like neither, but you can fix it that way if you want.Some add oil and I say "no,no, no"
Alternative recipe:
  1. Slice thinly into a bowl, 2 Cucumbers washed and peeled.
  2. Sprinkle 2 teas. salt. and small onion. Mix and set aside 1 hour.
  3. Meanwhile, mix 3 Tbs. water, 1/2 teas. sugar, 1/4 teas. paprika, 1/4 teas. pepper.
  4. Squeeze cucumbers a little at a time, discarding liquid and put in bowl.
  5. Pour vinegar mixture over cucumbers and toss.
  6. Sprinkle 1/4 teas. paprika. Chill 1 hour.

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