Chicken Korma!

Wednesday is Chicken Korma.  The recipe we use comes from Indian:  A Collection of Over 100 Essential Recipes, Parragon Publishing, Bath, UK, 2008.  It is a yummy dish that we love at our house.  This is not overly hot but very flavorful.  I serve this over rice, and usually with, you guessed it, peas.

Chicken Korma
1 chicken, weighing 3 lb.
1 c. butter
3 onions, thinly sliced
1 garlic clove, crushed
1 inch piece fresh ginger, grated
1 t. mild chili powder
1 t. ground turmeric
1 t. ground coriander
½ t. ground cardamom
½ t. ground cinnamon
½ t. salt
1 T. chickpea flour
½ c. milk
2 c. heavy cream
fresh cilantro leaves to garnish
freshly cooked rice, to serve

Put the chicken into a large pan, cover with water and simmer for 30 minutes.  Remove from the heat, lift the chicken, and set aside to cool.  Reserve ½ c. of the cooking liquid.  Remove and discard the skin and bones.  Cut the flesh into bite-size pieces.

Heat the butter in a large pan over medium heat.  Add the onions and garlic and cook, stirring, for 3 minutes, or until softened. Add the ginger, chili powder, turmeric, coriander, cardamom, cinnamon and salt and cook for an additional 5 minutes. Add the chicken and the reserved broth.  Cook for 2 minutes.

Blend the chickpea flour with a little of the milk and add to the pan, then stir in the remaining milk.  Bring to a boil, stirring, then reduce the heat, cover and simmer for 25 minutes.  Stir in the cream, cover and simmer for an additional 15 minutes.  Garnish with the cilantro leaves and serve with the rice.

Friday is Baked Chicken Breasts with Curry-Lime Butter.  Again this is a yummy main dish.  It has been a while since I've made this, but it makes a lot.  

Baked Chicken Breasts with Curry-Lime Butter

8 T. butter, softened
2 t. minced ginger root
2 t. freshly grated lime peel
1½ t. lime juice
1 T. curry powder
½ t. salt
12 boneless chicken breast halves
2 eggs
1½ c. fine dry bread crumbs

Mix 6 T. butter, the ginger, lime peel, lime juice, curry powder and ¼ t. salt; chill until firm.  Cut a 3" slit in the underside of each chicken breast to form a pocket.  Fill each breast with 1½ t. of the butter mixture; smooth the flesh over the butter.  Whisk the eggs and ¼ t. salt in a shallow dish.  Dip each breast half in the egg, then in the crumbs to coat well.  Arrange 1" apart on 2 greased jelly roll pans.  Dot with the remaining 2 T. butter; cover with foil.  Bake in a preheated 425° oven for 10 minutes. Uncover; turn each piece and bake 10 minutes longer or until the crumbs are golden brown and the chicken is tender when pierced. TO FREEZE:  COOL COMPLETELY, WRAP INDIVIDUALLY IN FOIL.  TO REHEAT:  PLACE FROZEN WRAPPED PORTIONS ON A BAKING SHEET IN A PREHEATED 400° OVEN 15 MINUTES, OPEN FOIL AND BAKE 10 MINUTES LONGER OR UNTIL HOT. Serves 12.