Sometimes simple is the way to go

April 25th, 2010
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Haven’t said anything in this venue recently about cooking. Work and school have kept me running around for the last month or two and so haven’t really had the time to do much of anything outside the “boil some noodles and pour the red sauce” over it cookery that you lapse into when you’re in a rush.

Well, we held a birthday party recently for one of my friends at the local tapas restaurant. Good food, better drinks, worth a visit should you find yourselves here in the capital of Cajun country. Yet, I think my body must have been thrown out of balance by the overindulgence and I found myself with the need for something simple.

So, a few days later I found myself fixing a variation of a nice little pot of chicken and rice. As I wanted something outside the realm of jambalaya/paella, I figured I try something spiced more on the Indian side. This is a variation of a recipe found in one of Chris Kimball’s (of America’s Test Kitchen fame) cookbooks:

Indian-style Chicken and Rice

Adapted from Chris Kimball’s The Yellow Farmhouse Cookbook

2 lbs. chicken
2 Tbs. olive oil
1 tbs. cinnamon
1 tbs. turmeric
1 tbs. ground coriander
1 tbs. ground cumin
1 medium onion, chopped fine
2 bell peppers, chopped fine
3 cloves garlic, minced
1.5 cups white rice
1 c. canned tomatoes
1/2 c. white wine
2 c. water
  • Rinse and pat dry chicken parts. Season with salt and pepper. Heat oil in large Dutch oven. Brown chicken until rather dark. Pour off all but 2 Tbs. of fat.
  • Add spices and allow to bloom in oil for about 20 seconds. Add onions, peppers, and garlic and saute until soft (about 5 to 6 minutes)
  • Add rice and stir for 1 minute. Add remaining ingredients.
  • If using mix of white and dark meat, add thighs, legs, and such into pot, cover with lid and let cook for 15 minutes. Uncover, add breast pieces and stir. Recover and cook for another 10 to 15 minutes until rice is done

Note that this cooks enough for 5-6 people. So, I save some for leftovers, and put some up in the freezer for those days when I have to take my lunch to work (or it’s towards the end of the month and I want to save money by not eating out at lunch).

Subtract out the cinnamon, turmeric, coriander, cumin, and bell peppers and you have Kimball’s base reciepe. It can be varied quite easily if you want something more like a paella, a Mexican-style arroz con pollo, or lots of others. Easy, quick and, most importantly, simple food for a simple evening.

Selah.

Eating, how?