Oblique Comfort food

Comfort Curry
Granted, I had never thought, considered or desired to step foot in an Indian (think Sheba) until I met my now husband. It was one of those situations that we all get ourselves into when dating. Trying to seem adventurous by doing something off the charts, to show your date that you really are that interesting, and willing to experience things from his past. Brian, had returned the previous year from living in a community with heavy Indian influence and was still enamored by their food. Thus, he dragged his entire apartment with dates to the local Indian restaurant for a cultural experience. The best part of the evening was certainly a dish I still craved called mushroom matter. A close second came when the idiot roommate ordered the vindaloo in “hot” fashion and turned more than one shade of the rainbow as he too tried to impress his date. I must admit I have yet to recreate the mushroom dish but here is my version of a comforting Indian style curry similar to the one my husband orders.
Sear 4 room temperature chicken breasts sliced into ½ in chunks ( boneless skinless) lightly in a nonstick pan with enough oil to coat pan.
Cook an extra minute just to get the breasts mostly cooked- they will finish later in the sauce.
Remove from pan and set in a bowl.
In same pan put 1t-1T of oil or clarified butter and add 2 tsp curry powder and ½ t garam masala. If you like you can find a recipe for your own on the internet. More work but you know the freshness of the spices.
Roast spices until they start to smell toasty, not burnt.
Puree I medium onion and 2 cloves peeled garlic until pulpy.
Add to pan with roasted spices and cook for 3-5 min until onion just translucent.
Add any fresh or frozen veggie you want at this point. I love cauliflower, potatoes, spinach, canned mushrooms, okra, or flat green beans let you imagination run, just remember to wait o add frozen peas. You are going to want about 1- 1.5 cups veggies per serving if not using any meat. If you want to add meat, use cooked leftovers. The best part is that there are so many spices in this dish most preparations turn out fabulous.
Cook until just tender adding water or chicken stock as needed to keep from sticking.
Lastly add 1 8 oz can tomatoes sauce on top with peas if using, and stir turn the heat down to low. Then just cover the whole mess of it, and go set the table or fold some laundry. It will be done in about five-ten minutes, but the long you give the flavors the better. Dish over rice and you will be in heaven. Warm tortillas if you whish and forget the silverware for a night to make the experience a little more authentic.
PS Curry can get spicy so read the label on the spice mix, and have some plain yogurt or fresh cucumber on hand to cool any over-heated palates.
Smile and savor every bite.
Ms Brownie