Here on Cultured Cooking, we go to the roots of where food comes from and teach you how to cook popular dishes from different cultures with ease and happiness. Because when it's easy and you enjoy it, you're more likely to do it!
On this episode, we are going to India to make the most popular dish ordered in Indian restaurants around the world: Butter Chicken. And no Indian dish is complete with Naan, so we've got that too!
(This episode originally took place as a live, virtual event.)
Butter Chicken (makes 4 servings)
Ingredients
*1 ½ cups full-fat Greek Yogurt
*2 tablespoons Lemon Juice or half a Lemon
*1 ½ tablespoons Ground Turmeric
*2 tablespoons Garam Masala
*2 tablespoons Ground Cumin
*1.5 (1 ½) pounds Chicken thighs, bone in (about 1 lbs boneless) cut in 1 inch cubes
*¼ pound Unsalted Butter
*4 teaspoons Canola Oil*
*2 medium-size Red Onions (Chef's choice)
*4 cloves Garlic
*3 tablespoons fresh Ginger
*1 tablespoon Cumin seeds
*1 Cinnamon stick
*2 medium-size Tomatoes, diced
*1 Jalapeño pepper, seeded and diced
*Kosher Salt to taste
*⅔ cup Chicken stock
*3/4 cups Cream
*1 ½ teaspoons Tomato Paste**
*3 tablespoons ground Almonds (optional)
*½ bunch Cilantro, stems removed
*Low smoke oils such as Vegetable, Grapeseed, or avocado work well, too.
**Chef Jacobson recommends buying a tube of tomato paste that will keep refrigerated for a long time, unlike a can that must be used in a few days
Directions
-Whisk together the yogurt, lemon juice, turmeric, garam masala and ground cumin in a large bowl. Put the chicken in, and coat with the marinade. Cover, and refrigerate (for up to a day).
-Cut vegetables, chicken
-Heat a large pot (preferably a dutch oven) to about med high, toast the cumin, remove.
-In same pot, add chicken. Brown on both sides. Does not need to be cooked through. Save the marinade, it will be added later. Remove and hold on the side.
-In same pot add oil, melt the butter in the oil until it starts to foam. Add the garlic, ginger, and jalapeno, let cook for a minute. Add onion and cook until the onions start to brown. Add tomatoes, and stir.
-Add the tomato paste, keep stirring, scraping the bottom of the pot, about 30 seconds.
-Add the chicken and marinade to the pan, and cook for 5 minutes, then add the chicken stock. Bring the mixture to a boil, and then lower the heat and simmer, uncovered, for approximately 20 to 30 minutes.
-Stir in the cream, simmer for a minute or two.
(optional) Add the ground almonds, cook for an additional 5 minutes and remove from the heat.
-Put a healthy amount of the butter chicken onto a plate, garnish with the cilantro leaves, enjoy with the tasty naan.
Butter Chicken goes well with rice and vegetables of your choice to make a complete meal.
Homemade Naan
Ingredients
*1 teaspoon Fast-Acting Yeast
*2 tablespoons warm water
*Pinch of Sugar
*2 cups All Purpose Flour
*¼ tsp Salt
*1 teaspoon Baking Soda
*5 cloves minced Garlic
*2 tablespoons Yogurt
*100 mL Milk
*1 tablespoon Oil*
*5 tablespoons Butter, melted
On the top:
*4 tablespoons Butter
*3 cloves Garlic
*2 tablespoons Cilantro
*Ghee, or olive oil is best and healthiest, but any cooking oil will do
Directions:
-If using your oven, preheat it to 425.
-Add yeast, warm water and sugar in a small bowl and mix. Set to the side.
-In a bowl, add all dry ingredients, stir and mix well.
-In a separate bowl, mix wet ingredients including garlic. Add wet and dry together along with the yeast mixture. Bring together with a fork, when wet is absorbed into the dry mixture start to knead.
-Continue kneading until smooth on the outside. Cover with a towel for 30 minutes in a warm space.
-Once dough has finished proofing, divide into 4 balls. Roll each ball out until it is ½-inch thick
-Throw in one at a time onto a dry pan that has been preheated to about med high. Flipping it every minute (about 4 times) until golden on each side. You can also do this in an oven***
-Mix together the melted butter, garlic, cilantro and brush on top of naan after you take it out of the pan.
-Place on plate. Repeat with the last of the naan, stacking the naan.
**Oil a sheet pan lightly and put naan on the pan. Put in over for 7 minutes then flip. In addition, bake for another 7 minutes. Take out and turn the oven to Broil. Brush on garlic butter mix. Put in broiler for 2 minutes. Take out, let cool in a basket, and enjoy while still warm.
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