Father's Day fixins

Just another day with the kids all working or out of town. A very, very quiet weekend for us.

I made Chicken Korma, my first attempt to decipher a zillion recipes, all different but the same. Some with tomatoes, some not. Not a lo cal meal at all, this one had a nut paste in it made of cashews and almonds. The side was an Aloo Gobi type treatment to zucchini and potatoes. The zucchini got a little soft so I would think harder about this combo again.

The paleness of the dish denies its intense flavor. Chicken braised in a gravy made from pureed nuts, cream and various spices. This one was a bit hot but I have my Masala Dabba mixed up. Cayenne and Chili are not the same thing...oops. Luckily we can handle a bit of heat and it really added to the dish.

Chicken Korma

2 pounds chicken boneless breast and thighs cut into chunks
1 tsp curry powder
plain Yogurt
1/2 cup almonds/ cashews in 1 cup water, boil 10 minutes
1 med-large onion cut into petals
2 T olive oil
1 tbl butter
1 tbsp ground Cumin
1 tbsp ground coriander
12 cardamon seeds crushed (I removed the husks and crushed the seeds)
1/2 tsp turmeric
1/4 tsp hot chili powder (I used about tsp or more of Cayenne)
bay leaf
4 cloves
2 tsp sugar
2 tbsp garlic ginger paste
salt and pepper
1 can diced tomatoes
Green onion and Cilantro leaves for garnish
1/4 to 1/2 cup Cream (hold to just before serving)

First I marinated the chicken pieces in 1/2 cup yogurt and 1 tsp curry for a few hours. Set aside in the fridge.

I boiled the nuts in 1 cup water and processed them with an hand blender till smooth. Set aside.

Heat oil and butter, add onions and saute till soft then add spices, garlic/ ginger paste.
Add the nut paste and cook for a few minutes, add the tomatoes and extra water if needed.

Turn the heat to simmer and add the chicken pieces, nestle into the sauce, cover and let braise for 40 minutes slow heat. Adjust seasoning with salt and pepper, remove cloves.

Chicken should be tender. Thicken gravy if needed, I used Wondra, then add cream to finalize the sauce. I mixed a bit of the cilantro into the gravy as well as a garnish on top with sliced green onion.

On Saturday, I just did not feel the cooking genie so we opted for a Charcuterie tray with various salami and cheeses, some deli chicken fingers, blue cheese dressing, cheese, olives and fruit.

I added a few Shishito peppers, blistered in olive oil and salted liberally.Delicious.

To top off the relaxed weekend, Brenda found a new Gin and Tonic recipe so I made that for her

The scotch and soda was for me.

Lemon Blackberry Gin and Tonic

Juice 1/2 lemon in a cocktail glass. Add 2 mint leaves, 2 plump blackberries and 2 tbsp simple syrup (1 cup water and sugar dissolved). Muddle then add 1 1/2 oz gin, ice and top with tonic water. I hate gin but this was pretty good.