Dakshin Murgh, Spiced Hominy, & Tamarind-Date Chutney

I am so tired, I think I'm coming down with something... My throat is sore, my head is swimming and my chest is tight... So I have nothing more to say than, here are some good recipes... Now, I'm off to take my vitamins and garlic!

The recipe for this chicken is from Suvir Saran's indian home cooking. He warns that this recipe isn't as fiery-hot as it should be, so the peppers can all be increased... which I will do next time. I was tempted to try this when I saw all the curry leaves! I love them!


For Dakshin Murgh:

  • 2 pounds chicken thighs, chopped
  • salt
  • 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
  • juice of 1/2 lemon
Spice Mix:
  • 14 curry leaves
  • 2 teaspoons black mustard seeds
  • 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
  • 3/4 teaspoon fenugreek seeds
  • 1 teaspoon black peppercorns
  • 6 whole cloves
  • 3 green cardamom
  • 3 tablespoons canola oil
  • 1/2 teaspoon black mustard seeds
  • 3 whole dried red chilies
  • 6 green cardamom pods
  • 1 fresh hot green chili, sliced into rounds
  • 1/4 cup unsweetened coconut
  • 1 (13/1/2-ounce) can coconut milk
Method:

Toss the chicken with 1/4 teaspoon salt, ground pepper and lemon juice and let stand at room temperature for 30 minutes.

For the spice mix, combine the spices in a frying pan over medium heat and cook, stirring, until fragrant. Grind to a powder in spice grinder and set aside.

Combine the oil, mustard seeds, red chilies, cardamom, green chili, and curry leaves in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Cover and cook until you hear the mustard seeds start to crackle, 1 - 2 minutes. Add the ground spice mix and cook, stirring, 30 seconds. Add the shredded coconut and cook, stirring, 30 seconds. Add the chicken and cook, stirring, until opaque, about 5 minutes.

Add the coconut milk and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Bring to a boil, turn the heat down, and simmer, partially covered, until the chicken is tender, 25 - 30 minutes. Stir two or three times during the last 10 minutes of cooking and scrape the bottom of the pan to keep the sauce from sticking. Taste for salt and serve.

For Hominy (which is something I came up with at the last minute needing a veggie)
  • 1 can hominy
  • 1 onion, chopped
  • 1/2 tomato, chopped
  • 1/2 teaspoon cumin seeds
  • 1 green chili
  • 2 - 3 teaspoons sambhar powder
  • 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
Method:

Heat oil in a skillet and fry cumin seeds till a shade darker. Add onion until it starts to caramelize. Add green chili and tomato and fry until tomatoes soften. Add hominy and sambhar powder and fry until hominy is hot.

For Tangy Sambhar Powder (from Betty Crocker's Indian Home Cooking)
  • 1/2 cup dried red chilies
  • 1/4 cup dried channa dal
  • 2 tablespoons sesame seed
  • 1 tablespoon tamarind pulp
  • 1 tablespoon coriander seed
  • 1 teaspoon cumin seed
  • 1 teaspoon black pepper corns
Mix all ingredients in a small bowl. Heat a 6-inch skillet over medium-high heat. Place mixture in skillet and roast 1 - 2 minutes, stirring constantly, until seeds crackle, spices turn one shade darker, and the mixture has a nutty yet pungent aroma. Transfer to a bowl, and cool 8 - 10 minutes. Transfer to a spice blender and grind until mixture looks like the texture of finely ground pepper. Mix well and store in airtight container.

For Tamarind-Date Chutney (from Betty Crocker's Indian Home Cooking)
  • 1 tablespoon tamarind concentrate paste
  • 2 cups warm water
  • 1 cup chopped dates
  • 1/2 cup packed brown sugar
  • 1/4 teaspoon (or I used 1/2 teaspoon) ground cayenne pepper
Mix tamarind paste with warm water in a 1-quart saucepan until tamarind is dissolved. Stir in remaining ingredients. Heat to boiling; reduce heat to medium. Simmer uncovered 15 - 20 minutes, stirring occasionally, to blend flavors. Transfer sauce to a blender. Cover and blend on medium speed until smooth. Tightly cover and store in refrigerator up to 10 days.

35 comments:

Renuka Bedre - Rao said...

Hey meeso, plate is looking mouth watering. gr8 entry.Get well soon and have a rocking new year celebrations!! Happy new year to u n ur family :)

Renuka
http://cookingyummy.blogspot.com

Sushma Mallya said...

what a delicious platter..looks delicious meeso...And i hope ur feeling much better,and a very happy new year to you and your family,wish this year brings lots of love & happiness....take care

Nammi said...

Hi meeso, happy new year. your chickn curry looks delish. Get well soon.

Cham said...

Hope u should feel better soon! That is lool like a feast Meeso! Happy New Year to U, daughter and BF :)

Priya Suresh said...

Such a lovely spread Meeso, Get well soon and have a wonderful new year..

Sanjana said...

Betty Crocker has an Indian cookbook? Man, there are so many things I never new about that 'woman' and they're all slowly coming out of the woodwork! Lol... I still can't believe she's not real! Sorry to hear that you're not feeling well... get well soon and have a wonderful and safe new year! See you in 2010! x

Magia da Inês said...

Olá, amiga...
Conheci o seu cantinho e amei!
Você é muito talentosa...parabéns!

Que a fé e a esperança num mundo melhor sejam revividas a cada dia em seu coração!
Feliz 2010!!!

Beijinhos.
Itabira - Brasil

Sunitha said...

All the recipes sound wonderful.. thats quite generous to share three for one post :) thank you much.

Vrinda said...

Yummy and delicious platter,gr8 way to end this year..wish u a happy and prosperous new year..

sabah said...

Happy new year to you and your family!!

chakhlere said...

Hey Messo all those spreads look so yummy and tempting!!!


Wish you and your family a very Happy New Year!!!

Mandira said...

that plate is absolutely mouth watering meeso. Happy new year!

Arabic Bites said...

Yumm... all the recipes looks delicious...
I'll for sure try Dakshin Murgh soon :D
I hope you feel better now :)

Happy new year meeso :)

Linda said...

Wow Meeso -- such a tempting plate! I'll be right over ;)

Hope you are feeling better quickly -- Happy New Year to you all!

Unknown said...

So mouthwatering recipes,wonderful plater looks so yum. HAPPY NEW YEAR TO YOU MEESO.

Dershana said...

hope you are feeling better. happy new year to u and family.

amna said...

Have a lovely 2010 :)

delhibelle said...

Nice spread.
Have a fantastic new year.

Bong Mom said...

Happy New Year to you too dear

The Dakshin Murg sounds delicious

Cilantro said...

Wish you and your family a very Happy New Year!!!

Vani said...

Happy New Year, Meeso! That platter looks fab! Loved the pic of you and your daughter in your previous post. She is taller than you now! Lovely pic. Hope you are doing well. Thanks for the NY wishes and my best wishes to you for a lovely 2010!

Siri said...

Dear meeso,

Wishing you and your family a very Happy and Joyous 2010. May all your dreams come true.

Cheers,
Siri

Namitha said...

What a yummy platter....Would love to taste that chicken curry..Take care and get well soon...Happy New year too !!!!

Malar Gandhi said...

Oh my gosh, the plate looks very tempting to me...so well done, all the recipes I mean...simply awesome:)

Wish you and your family a very Happy New Year.:)

Di said...

Meeso! I hope you're feeling better.

This whole entire spread looks delicious. I'll have to try out the Dakshin Murgh, looks heavenly.

Happy New Year! I wish you much happiness and love! :-) May all of your dreams come true in 2010!!

Pari Vasisht said...

Hi Meeso, wish u a very happy new year. I would love to make a veg version of this curry.

Uma said...

Wishing you and your family a very happy New Year :)

Pavithra Elangovan said...

Oh wow thats wonderful and tempting plater...everything looks so so delicious. Get well soon. Wish you Happy new year!!

Vikis Kitchen said...

Wish you and family a very happy and prosperous New year dear.
Lovely platter...makes me hungry:)

Ann said...

That is quite an impressive spread, I adore Suvir Saran, I missed out on buying his latest cookbook, and have regretted it since. Chicken looks fantastic!

Anu Nandu said...

Meeso - I love your plates - they are so wholesome - a little bit of this and a little bit of that - wow!

Arabic Bites said...

I tried the recipe for "Dakshin Murgh" meeso ... it was so delicious I used coconut milk as the recipe call & also add a small amount of cream :D
Yum... the recipe is a keeper for sure ;)

Dori said...

~ I'm so happy you tried it :) Did you add more pepper? I love your addition of cream, yum :)

~ Thanks, everyone :)

Arabic Bites said...

Hi meeso,
I didn't add more pepper... but I'll next time since my dad ask me to make it for him again with lamb & he want it very hot :D

Have a good day :)

Dori said...

~ Wow, you made it for your dad! It can definitely be made much hotter and I bet it would be mouthwatering with lamb, I might even have to try that :) I'm glad you liked it, though :)