On The Fridge

Wednesday, May 10, 2006

Dinner in 40 Minutes

Parsee Red Chicken Curry

4 to 6 servings

There's only a small amount of garam masala in this curry dish, and, as is customary, it is not added until just before serving (see "Garam Masala Test," at right). But many of the spices that constitute garam masala are included in a paste that infuses the chicken with its pungent flavor. For convenience, we've substituted prepared coconut milk for grated, soaked and strained coconut.

We're giving a wide range of chili peppers so you can achieve a sweet-heat balance you're comfortable with. If you can stand the heat, use all 10 chili peppers and don't discard the seeds from some of them. Too much heat? Dilute the sauce with water.

Serve with basmati rice. Adapted from "50 Great Curries of India," by Camellia Panjabi, a 1996 book that has just been released in paperback by Kyle Books.

5 to 10 red chili peppers, seeded and coarsely chopped

1/2 teaspoon cumin seeds

1 teaspoon coriander seeds

1 teaspoon sesame seeds

3 whole cloves

6 black peppercorns

1-inch cinnamon stick, broken into pieces (may substitute 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon)

3 cardamom pods

3/4 -by- 1/2 -inch piece ginger root, peeled with a spoon and coarsely chopped

4 large cloves garlic, coarsely chopped

3/4 cup onion, coarsely chopped

1/3 cup vegetable oil

6 skinless, bone-in chicken thighs (about

1 3/4 pounds)

2 medium tomatoes, seeded and finely chopped

Salt

One 13.5-ounce can unsweetened coconut milk

1 teaspoon cider vinegar

1/2 teaspoon garam masala

Place the chili peppers, cumin, coriander, sesame seeds, cloves, peppercorns, cinnamon stick, cardamom, ginger, garlic and onions in a food processor. Pulse, scraping down the sides as necessary, to form a paste (don't worry if it isn't smooth), adding 1 to 2 tablespoons water if necessary. Set aside.

Heat the oil in a medium pot over medium to medium-high heat. Add the spice paste and cook, stirring, for about 5 minutes. Add the chicken and cook for 5 minutes, turning once, until brown on both sides. Add the tomatoes and salt to taste and cook for 5 minutes. Add the coconut milk and reduce the heat to medium-low so that bubbles just break the surface. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 10 to 15 minutes or until the chicken is cooked through (an instant-read thermometer inserted into a piece of chicken should register 165 degrees). Add the vinegar and garam masala. Taste and adjust seasonings. Serve immediately.

Per serving (based on 6): 446 calories, 28 g protein, 10 g carbohydrates, 34 g fat, 0 mg cholesterol, 15 g saturated fat, 61 mg sodium, 3 g dietary fiber

Recipe tested by Marcia Kramer; e-mail questions tofood@washpost.com

-- Marcia Kramer

SHOPPING CART {vbar}Garmam Masala Test

What makes one garam masala different from another? Freshness and the right flavor balance. The literal translation for the Indian spice -- which typically includes ground cinnamon, clove, coriander, cumin, cardamom and fennel -- is "warm spice blend." Garam masala is most often sprinkled lightly over a finished dish such as curry. To rate five of the brands most commonly found at grocery stores, we invited some Washington area experts: Monica Bhide, an author of Indian cookbooks and a cooking teacher; Shivani Miglani, executive chef and co-owner of Tandoori Nights at 2800 Clarendon Blvd. in Arlington and Gaithersburg; and Vikram Sunderam, executive chef of Rasika downtown. The results of the taste test are below.