Fatima's Fabulous Kitchen

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Kadhai Chicken

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I strongly believe that every  brown guy and every brown girl should have a good Indian chicken curry recipe on hand. Whether it’s to give your mom a break from the kitchen, get through an excruciating finals week, or impress a crush who just happens to also be a major foodie – a recipe like this one always comes in handy.

A good chicken kadhai is all about balance.

It should have just the right amount of oil – too little and it’s on the bland side; too much and you’re giving your guests a heart attack.

It should have the right amount of spice. Add too much garam masala and it’s unbearably overpowering. Too little …well you might as well have said that a white person made it.

It should have the right amount of sweet and sour. Too much yogurt and your lips are puckering, too little onion and the curry is bitter.

But when you do strike that balance, you get absolute magic.

What makes my version of this specific curry different than other chicken curry recipes is that I don’t use any garlic – just ginger.  Secondly, I sear off the chicken first rather than merely adding it to the gravy. The browning of the chicken adds extra flavor.

I start off by flavoring my oil with some bay leaves and cardamom. After searing down my chicken, I remove the pieces from the pan (I don’t worry about fully cooking it just yet, for now I simply want it to develop some color)  and caramelize my onions and add in pureed tomatoes, chilies,  and the following spices – turmeric, garam masala, cinnamon, nutmeg, chili powder, cumin, coriander.

I then softly stir in some yogurt, add my chicken back in along with some water, and allow it to simmer and cook down. Once the curry thickens, I add in a generous helping of kashuri methi or dried fenugreek leaves.

And that is as simple as it gets. Garnish with some cilantro and julienned ginger. Serve with some hot naan and basmati rice and your in for a real treat!

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Kadhai Chicken

A classic Indian chicken curry recipe consisting of onions, tomatoes, chicken, chilies, yogurt. 

Servings 3 people

Ingredients

  • 1.5 lbs chicken (bone-in)
  • 4 tbsp oil
  • 2-3 cardamom pods
  • 1-2 bay leaves
  • 1 2/3 cups diced onion (about 1 1/2 medium onions)
  • 1-2 green chilies
  • 1 1/2 tbsp grated ginger
  • 2 tomatoes (pureed)
  • 4 tbsp yogurt
  • 2 1/2 tsp salt (or to taste)
  • 2 cups water

Powdered Spices

  • 2 tsp garam masala
  • 1/4 tsp cinnamon
  • 1/4 tsp nutmeg
  • 1 tsp cumin
  • 1 tsp coriander
  • 3/4 tsp sichuan peppercorn optional - if you don't have it, you can leave it out
  • 1 tsp chili powder
  • 1/2 tsp turmeric
  • 1 tbsp kasuri methi (dried fenugreek leaves)

Instructions

  1. Make deep slits into your cleaned and washed chicken pieces. (This desi cooking tip will help the flavors of the curry penetrate the inside of the chicken.) Set aside. 

  2. Add your oil to a wide pan with a heavy bottom on medium-high heat. Toss in your bay leaves and cardamom pods. And cook for about thirty seconds. This will allow it to flavor the oil.

  3. Now add in your chicken and about a 1 tsp of the salt. Let the chicken brown for a few minutes on each side. Once it develops color, remove the pieces from the pan. 

  4. Now add in your onions. Allow them to caramelize (turn dark brown). 

  5. Once your onions have caramelized, add in your ginger. Allow it to cook down until it is no longer raw. 

  6. Then add in all your powdered spices (except the methi, we will add this at the end). Stir for about a minute or so.

  7. Now add in your tomatoes and remaining salt. Make sure they are pureed before you add them in as this will give a smooth texture to your curry. Mix well.

  8. Slowly stir in the yogurt. 

  9. Now add your chicken back into the pan along with your water. Allow the mixture to cook down and the curry to thicken. 

  10. Once the curry has thickened to your desired consistency, crush the kasuri methi in your hand and add it to the curry. Mix well. Taste and adjust for seasonings. 

  11. Garnish with fresh cilantro and ginger. Serve with naan or basmati rice. 

Spiced Butternut Squash and Orzo Soup

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Alright I’ve got a wonderful recipe for all your soup-lovers! Hearty and healthy, sweet and warm, thick and smooth – this spiced butternut squash and orzo soup is the perfect concoction for a cloudy October day, especially if you’re watching your calories.

To start this soup off, I chop and cube up a butternut squash. With its sweetness and versatility it’s one of my absolutely favorite seasonal vegetables and its vibrant orange color certainly a show-stopper in this soup.

I also use leeks, carrots, and kale. All autumn vibes. All good stuff that’s nutritious and guilt-free.  

For starch, I add in a nice serving of orzo. Now, orzo looks like rice but is actually made of semolina flour – and dare I say it, orzo in a soup tastes even better than rice in a soup. I used a brown whole wheat version which makes me feel even better about eating it from a health-wise perspective, cause you know complex carbs are better than simple carbs and all. But you can use whatever you like!

As for stock, I use concentrated vegetable stock that comes in the jar – I prefer this  product because I think it tastes a lot better than boillion cubes and the stock that comes in big boxes. Plus with this method, you can control how much flavor and salt goes into your soup – not to mention, it will last in your fridge for several months!

Many people complain that vegetable soups are bland – but this soup has a secret ingredient which elevates it into another realm – a heaping tablespoon of garam masala. The warmth of cinnamon, cloves, cumin, nutmeg, and all the other spices in your mix brings out tremendous depth and works amazingly with fall vegetables.

And there you have it! A healthy and comforting vegetable soup spiced with Indian flavors. Save your run to Panera and make this soup at home instead. You won’t regret it.

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Spiced Butternut Squash and Orzo Soup

A hearty fall soup consisting of butternut squash, leeks, carrots, kale, orzo, and seasoned with garam masala - a warm Indian blend of spices. 

Servings 4 people

Ingredients

  • 6 cups butternut squash cubed equivalent to 1 squash
  • 1 cup leek about 1/2 a leek
  • 1 cup carrot
  • 1 1/2 cup kale
  • 2/3 cup orzo
  • 3 1/2 Tbsp olive oil
  • 2 Tbsp concentrated vegetable stock paste (will be added to water to make stock) can substitute with 4-5 cups vegetable stock
  • 7 cups water (or to taste, depending on how thick you want your soup to be)
  • salt or to taste
  • 2 Tbsp garam masala
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 1/4 tsp black pepper

Instructions

  1. Chop up your vegetables - butternut squash, leeks, carrots, and kale. Set aside.

  2. In a large soup pot on medium-high heat, add in your olive oil.

  3. Now add in your vegetables. Stir and cook for a few minutes. Add in the salt and bay leaf. (Do not cook all the way through.)

  4. Add in your orzo. Stir. Now add in your vegetable stock paste along with the water. 

  5. Bring to a boil, then simmer on medium-low heat. 

  6. Stir in your garam masala, black pepper. Taste and adjust for salt. Your soup is ready! Serve with crusty bread. 

Indo-Chinese Shrimp Pot-stickers and Dumplings

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I’ve only had shrimp dumplings once in a Korean restaurant – (much to my disappointment most shrimp dumplings are also paired with pork which as a muslim I don’t eat leaving my experiences with traditional dumplings quite limited.) So I wanted to try my hand at making my own version of a flavorful shrimp dumpling, but with of course my own Indian twist.

I’ve had quite a few Indo-Chinese dishes – hakka noodles, chili chicken, vegetable Manchurian – but much to my dismay, I have yet to come across and Indo-Chinese dumpling which is quite a shame.

For the filling I went with ingredients you would find in a typical dumping – carrots, green onions, shrimp but also opted for adding one of my favorite Indian vegetables- Tindora. Tindora looks like fat little green fingers and tastes delicious and sweet when fried– perhaps the most similar common vegetable to it in taste is zucchini.

 

Instead of adding chili flakes for heat, I added in a serrano chilie and for flavoring I went totally Indian with some turmeric, achaar, and ginger-garlic paste.

 

 

 

To my understanding, with dumpling filling you blitz everything up in a food processor, combine your seasonings and start assembling. But when I did that I found the tindora to still be slightly raw and the ginger-garlic paste to be way too overpowering. So for this recipe I did cook-down the tindora a little bit in oil along with my ginger-garlic paste and I instantly noticed the difference in taste.

 

 

When it comes to dumpling folding, I am a complete amateur and am quite lazy (kudos to all the people who have the ability and patience to fold wonton wrappers in intricate designs) so I simply folded them in half and sealed them with some water and cornstarch.

There are two directions you can go with these – the steaming route or the frying route.

Steaming is a wonderfully healthy way to enjoy your dumplings. If you have a bamboo steamer, you can align it with some parchment paper and place it in a large pot filled with an inch of water. If you do not, no worries. You can improvise with a colander and a pot. (Just make sure to lightly oil the bottom so the dumplings won’t stick – I learned this the hard way!)

If you fry these, you simply cannot go wrong. You can now call them potstickers and serve them as an appetizer for your next party!

 

 

These dumplings are mind-blowingly good. The achaar, turmeric, and ginger-garlic paste make these incredibly flavorful and very-Indian tasting. As potstickers they are crunchy and fun. As steamed dumplings they are chewy and guilt-free.

 

 

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Indo-Chinese Pot-stickers and Dumplings

An Indian-Chinese fusion shrimp dumpling seasoned with achaar, turmeric, ginger-garlic paste

Servings 6 people

Ingredients

  • 1 lb shrimp (peeled and deveined)
  • 1 large carrot
  • 2 green onions
  • 1/2 bell pepper (orange, red, or yellow)
  • 1 cup chopped Tindora (may substitute with another vegetable)
  • 2 serrano chilies
  • 1 1/2 tsp achaar of your choice
  • 1/2 tsp turmeric
  • 1 1/2 tsp ginger-garlic paste
  • 1 tsp lime juice (or to taste)
  • 1/2 tsp salt (or to taste)
  • 1 packet wonton wrappers
  • 2 tsp oil
  • 1 tbsp cornstarch (combined with water for sealing) may also substitute with eggwash

Instructions

  1. In a food processor combine your shrimp, carrots, chilies, bell pepper, green onion. Set aside.

  2. Finely chop your tindora vegetable. In a small pot/pan, add in some oil on medium-high heat. Cook down your tindora. Once softened, add in your ginger-garlic paste, achaar, and turmeric. Allow it to cool.

  3. Once cooled, in a medium-sized bowl - combine all your ingredients from the food processor along with the cooked down tindora and seasonings. Add salt and lime juice to taste. Mix well. 

  4. In a small ramekin or bowl, combine a tablespoon of water and a tablespoon of cornstarch. Mix thoroughly. This will serve as your glue. You may also use egg-wash if you'd like. 

  5. Lay out your wonton wrapper. Place 1 tsp in the center. (Try not to overfill by adding too much). Using your clean finger or a brush, cover the border with the cornstarch/water mixture. Seal the edges shut. (Make sure to cover the wonton wrappers with a damp kitchen towel so they don't dry out while you work!)

Potstickers - Frying Method

  1. Fill a heavy-bottomed pot or pan with an inch of oil. Allow to come to a temperature of about 350 F. 

  2. Add a few potstickers at a time. Fry on each side until golden brown. This should not take longer than a few minutes. Let them sit on a plate lined with paper-towel to drain excess oil.

Steaming Method

  1. Fill a large pot with an inch or two of water. Place on medium-high heat and bring to a simmer.

  2. Line your bamboo steamer with parchment. If you do not have  a steamer, you may use a colander. Lightly grease it. 

  3. Place your dumplings into the steamer and place the lid on top of it. 

  4. Allow dumplings to steam for about 15 minutes, or until translucent. (Try not to keep opening the lid to peak, this will only make the cooking time longer.) Make sure there is enough water in the pot at all times. If there isn't much left, add more.