Recipes: Chicken Vindaloo (dry with no gravy)

4 chicken breasts - skinless boneless, cut into 1/2 inch cubes

1/2 tsp salt

1/4 cup flour

3 tbs corn oil

3/4 tsp cumin seeds

1 inch cube fresh ginger minced

1 medium onion cut small

1 jalapeno minced

4 tbs Patak Brand Vindaloo Curry Paste

3/4 cup fresh cilantro chopped

Cube chicken breast pieces. Sprinkle with salt and coat in flour. Set aside.

Heat oil on med-hi, Add Cumin seed and stir. Add ginger onion and jalapeno and reduce heat to med. Cook until onion are translucent. Add chicken and seer on all sides. Cook for 5 minutes turning frequently. Add curry paste and continue to cook for 5 min on med-hi until chicken is cooked throughout. Stir in cilantro.

Serve over rice.

Servings: 4

Recipes: Crock Chicken Curry

2 Tbs Olive Oil

2 medium onions chopped

2 chili chopped fine

4 clove garlic sliced thin

1 inch ginger sliced thin

2 tbs cilantro chopped

4 Tbs Instant Sambar Powder

2 Tbs Garham Masala Powder

1 tsp salt

1 1/2 lb chicken breast cut in 2 inch pieces

1 14 oz can crushed tomato

1 14 oz can diced tomato

Layer all ingredients in a crock pot starting with olive oil and ending with canned tomatoes. Cook 3 hours hi and 2-4 hours on low or cook 6-8 hours on low.

Serve over hot rice and with a dolop of sour cream or nonfat plain yogurt.

Recipe #20: Curried Swiss Cauliflower Soup

6 Cup cut cauliflower (about 1 whole cauliflower)
3 (each 14 oz) Can Chicken or Vegetable broth
1/2 tsp salt

4 Tbs divided 3 and 1 Tbs unsalted butter
2 cup 1/2 and 1/2 milk
6 Tbs Flour

1 C minced onion
3 Tbs celery chopped fine
3 Tbs Carrot grated
1 tsp Dill fresh (if dry use only 1/2 tsp)
1 tsp Garlic minced
1 tsp tumeric
1-2 tsp graham masala
1/2 tsp cayenne

1/2 pound baby swiss cheese

Combine first 3 ingredient in crock pot for 4 hours

Heat butter add flour til glossy cook for 5-10 min on low
Add milk (warmed) one ladal at at time and stir in until glossy
Remove from heat add cheese

In a separate pan heat 1 Tbs butter add onion, carot, celery cook til soft about 5 min. add spices and cook 2 min . add the hot broth and exclude the cauliflower.
REmove from heat cool blend add to cheese mixture.
Fold in cauli and heat to warm.

Makes 12 servings.

Recipe #18: Curried Lentil Soup "The Best You'll Ever Have!!!"

This is one that my friends ask for over and over again. It is to die for and it is low fat!! If you need any of the ingredients shoot me an email at AskUshaiInMacon@gmail.com. Happy Cooking!

1 Cup Red Lentils (Rinsed with water)
½ tsp salt
3 Cup cut cauliflower (about 1/2 cauliflower)
1.5 Cup carrots (cubed)
1.5 (14 oz) Can Chicken or Vegetable broth

3 tablespoons Olive Oil
1/4 tsp cumin seed
1/4 teaspoons mustard seed
10 fresh curry leaves (optional)
1 Tbs fresh ginger minced or 1 Tbs ginger paste
3 clove garlic (sliced thin) or 1 Tbs garlic paste
1 large onion (chopped medium)

1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp turmeric
3 tsp garham masala ( See Ask Usha Recipe: garham masala -spice combo)
1.5 tsp sambar powder (See Ask Usha Recipe: sambar powder-spice combo)

1 (28 oz) can hunts petite diced tomatoes

2 Tbs tamarind paste or 1/2 lemon (fresh squeezed juice)
½ Cup fresh cilantro (chopped)
1  Cup fresh dill (chopped)

Combine Lentils, salt, cauliflower, carrots and stock in a crock pot. If the liquid of the stock is not enough to cover everything in the crock pot just add enough water to cover vegetables. Set on High for 2 hours, Medium for 4 hours or low for 6 hours.

In a medium sauce pan, heat olive oil on Medium High. Add cumin and mustard seed. Once the mustard start to pop, add the curry leaves. Use a lid so the oil does not splatter. After 1 minute, add ginger, garlic,and onions. Stir for 1 min. Once the onions turn translucent, add the Turmeric, Garam and MTR powders and stir for 1 min. Add Diced Tomatoes and stir for 1 min. Pour in the stock,lentil and vegetables. Fold in the mixture carefully as to not mash the cauliflower. Reduce heat to Med-Low for 10 min. stirring occasionally. Turn heat off and add lemon juice and cilantro. Stir and serve.

Yields: 10 one cup servings.
Serving Suggestions: Serve as a soup with a dollop of nonfat yogurt or sour cream.
Serve over 1/4 cup cooked rice.
Serve with over Idles(rice dumplings).
Variations: Spicy version - Add 1-2 minced chilies at the same time as onions.
I like to add jalapenos.
Hardy winter version - Add red potatoes (peeled and sliced thin) at the
same time as the cauliflower and carrots.

SPICE ADVICE: Turmeric is considered a "Super Spice". It is used for a variety of medicinal purposes including reduction of inflammation and pain relief. It is thought to prevent Alzheimer's disease, stop the progression of MS and can naturally enhance the body's ability to fight cancer,IBD,and Arthritis. Turmeric has been used throughout history as a condiment, healing remedy and textile dye. Don't spill it on your clothes because it will never come out.