Chicken in Cashew Nut Sauce

Adapted this from the Best Ever Indian Cookbook

Ingredients
Paste of 1 onion
2 tbsp ketchup or tomato paste
0.5-1 cup cashews (grinded in spice grinder or food processor)
1.5 tsp garam masala
1 tsp chili powder
1 tsp crushed garlic
1 tbsp lemon juice
0.25 tsp ground turmeric
1 tsp salt
1 tablespoon yogurt
Oil
Fresh cilantro
2 Large Boneless Chicken Breasts, cubed
Chicken Stock or Water

Heat oil. Add onion paste and fry until brown. Add tomato paste, ground cashew, garam masala, garlic, chili powder, lemon juice, turmeric, and salt. Fry for a few minutes. When spices are cooked, add half the cilantro and the chicken. Fry until chicken is cooked and not pink anymore, and add 1.5 cups water or chicken stock. Cover and cook for about 15 minutes. Add the remaining cilantro and serve.

Another Naan Recipe

I keep trying to find the perfect naan recipe, yet none turn out like deshi naans. Some taste even better, but not the same. This one was pretty good too, but again was thicker and "breadier" than the deshi ones.

I adapted the recipe from the Best Ever Indian Cookbook:

Ingredients

2.5 cups bread flour
0.5 tsp salt
1 tsp dry yeast
4 tbsp plain yogurt
1 tbsp ghee or butter and more for brushing

Mix yogurt and yeast and let rest for 15 minutes. Sift flour and add salt. Add the yogurt mixture and  ghee to the flour. Knead for about 10 minutes. Put dough in an oiled bowl, cover with plastic and let rise in a warm place for 45 minutes.

Divide dough into 4 parts. Roll each into any shape naan you like.

Heat oven to 450F. Bake the naans for 3-4 minutes or until puffy. Remove from oven and brush with ghee or butter.

These are really filling!

Sweet Dinner Rolls

 This is the best dinner roll recipe I've found so far, the rolls are utterly soft and delectably sweet. I found it here from Allrecipes.com. Here's the recipe, modified in someways:

Ingredients

1/2 cup warm water (110 degrees F/45 degrees C)
1/2 cup warm milk
1 egg
1/3 cup butter, softened
1/3 cup white sugar
1 teaspoon salt
3 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 (.25 ounce) package active dry yeast or 2.25teaspoons

Directions
1. Mix water and milk and heat for a minute in the microwave. Add sugar and stir. Add yeast and let it sit until foamy (about 10-12 minutes).
2. In Kitchenaid mixer or by hand, add egg, 1/3 cup butter, and salt and mix. Add flour, half cup at a time and continue mixing.
3. If using mixer, continue kneading until it forms a ball and clings to hook. If kneading by hand, knead for about 10 minutes. Cover and keep in a warm place for 45 minutes to let rise.
4. Divide into small balls, about 16. Spray baking tray with cooking spray and put in the balls of dough. They may not all fit in one tray. Don't crowd the tray, keep atleast 2 inches gap between balls. Cover and let rise in a warm place for an hour.
5. Heat oven to 350F. Bake rolls for about 10-15 minutes.

You can also make the shape below as in the original recipe.

Clay Pot and Tablescape

I like watching Sandra Lee's Tablescapes on the Food Network. Although they look great, I've never made the effort to do a fancy table setting. But I got a claypot from Bangladesh and I rediscovered some table linens I had. So here it is:

The lovely claypot from Jatra. Can't wait to use it!

Shrimp in Ginger Chili Sauce

Ingredients


Shrimp:
Cornstarch
Salt
Raw shrimp
Cayenne Pepper


Sauce:
6 tablespoons soy sauce
2 tablespoon rice vinegar
5 tablespoons granulated sugar
1.5 tablespoon chinese chile paste (the jar with the green lid)
1/4 cup water
3 tablespoons chopped fresh ginger root
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
2 cloves minced garlic
1/4 cup very finely diced onion
1/4 cup slivered green chilies
1/4 cup green bell peppers

Shell, devein and wash uncooked shrimp. Dry with paper towels. Coat shrimp in cornstarch and season with some salt and cayenne pepper.

Heat oil in pan and fry shrimp until cooked and set aside.

In the same oil, saute the onion and garlic until slightly brown. Add ginger and fry for 30 seconds. Add the other ingredients and stir. Finally, add the shrimp and toss to heat through and coat with sauce. Add the chilies and bell pepper and stir for a few more minutes.


For this sauce I used almost the same recipe as the Crispy Ginger Beef.