Simplifying Indian Cuisine

Indian food is believed to be too complicated to cook, and not without reason I suppose.  There is a lot of prep work that goes into creating a dish.  Finely chopped onions are an integral part of a dish, as are ginger, garlic and freshly ground spices.  But not all Indian food necessarily has to include all these components.  Think if you will in terms of Thanksgiving dinner and then compare that to what you would normally fix for dinner.  The same can be accomplished when you think Indian food.  All you need are a few ingredients and a little imagination.

I have a few quick and easy recipes up my sleeve.  Some of these are my own, while others have been shared with me from wonderful people to whom I will be forever grateful.  In an effort to pay it forward, I am sharing with you one of my recipes that I think is almost ridiculous in its simplicity to make.  The main ingredient is a staple in my pantry, Pickle Masala.  It is available in any Indian grocery store. My favorite brand is "Deep", and is a combination of split mustard, split fenugreek, red chile, cumin and other spices.  By the way, the brand name Deep is pronounced with a soft d, and means "oil lamp".  Back to what I was saying - a few spoons of pickle masala, some raisins, a splash of white vinegar added to chicken is all it takes.  The result is almost magical.  If you find it too spicy, you can add half a cup of chopped onion to tone it down.   Also, be warned that the fenugreek renders a slightly bitter flavor that is an acquired taste, to be sure.  You can add more raisins to neutralize the bitterness.  

Please feel free to critique this recipe if you try it.  Good luck! 


"PICKLE MASALA" CHICKEN

2 lb boneless, skinless chicken, cut into 1inch pieces
2-3 tbsp pickle masala (more if you can handle it)
1 tbsp black raisins
2 tbsp + 3 tsp white vinegar
2 tbsp canola or vegetable oil
1/2 cup chopped onion (optional) 2 tsp coarse salt
Chopped Cilantro to garnish

• Wash the chicken and pat dry with paper towels.  
• In a blender, grind pickle masala and raisins with 2 tbsp vinegar into a smooth paste.  
• Marinate the chicken in this paste for about 1/2 hour.
• Heat the oil in a fry pan.  
• If using onions, fry them in oil until golden brown.  
• Add chicken and salt.  Cook on high heat, stirring together, for 10 minutes.  
• Lower the heat and cook covered for about 15 minutes.  
• Turn up heat again and cook, stirring constantly until excess liquid has evaporated. 
• Turn off the heat and let the dish sit for about an hour to cool.  
• Stir in remaining 3 tsp white vinegar. 
• Garnish with cilantro.  
• Serve with white rice or hot chapattis.