Fragrant spices, a chilled glass of white wine...

WEEK #11 CULINARY ARTS SCHOOL:

The subcontinent of India encompasses an astonishing diversity of ethnic groups, religions and climates. Every climate can be found in India, from steamy coastal jungle in the south to the lofty snow-filled heights of the Himalayas, with vast, fertile plateaus in between, allowing the cultivation of all types of spices and herbs. No wonder then that India is the #1 exporter of spice in the world and has played an important role in global trade from the time of King Solomon.  The cuisine is renown for its complexity and variation. Herbs and spices thicken the sauces, provide the means for vegetarian food to have unlimited variety of flavors (the majority of Indians are Hindus who do not kill animals due to the principle of ahimsa--non-violence), and have beneficial health effects.

Two of the most important spice combinations are curry and garam masala.   Curry powder can be made from a long list of spices: coriander, turmeric, cumin, fenugreek, red pepper, ginger, garlic, asafoetida, fennel, caraway, cinnamon, clove, mustard, cardamom, mace, nutmeg, and black pepper. But the first five are the most frequent.  The other popular spice blend  is garam masala, which is made with black and white peppercorns, cloves, bay leaves, long pepper, cumin, cardamom, nutmeg, star anise and coriander. Regional variations are made with extra ingredients and in southern India are mixed with vinegar or coconut milk to make spice pastes.  Spices are usually roasted or dry-fried in the north. In class, my teammate Mike made lovely stuffed eggplant and Spencer whipped up a delicious, fluffy mango lassi and surprisingly pungent raita. I made tandoori chicken baked en papillote so it was juicy and tender, little wheat pani poori and a fresh pineapple/tamarind chutney.

Cooking the chicken en papillote (in parchment paper) with the lemon and onion steams the chicken and makes it extra juicy and tender.

Tandoori Chicken With Thin-Sliced Onion, Cilantro and Lemon En Papillote:


2 Tbsp. garlic
2 Tbsp. fresh ginger 

1/2 cup plain yogurt

3 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice
1/2 tsp. chili pepper

2 teaspoons salt

1 Tbsp. paprika

1 teaspoon turmeric

1 teaspoon ground cumin

1 teaspoon garam masala

2 pounds chicken--skinless chicken breast

1/4 onion

1/4 cup cilantro leaves

1 whole lemon
2 pieces of parchment paper baking tray liners, cut in half (or 4 pieces of roll parchment paper, each at least 1 foot x 1 foot in size)
Peel and mince the garlic and ginger. Mix it with the yoghurt, lemon juice, chili, salt, paprika, turmeric, cumin, and garam masala in a large glass or ceramic bowl. Cut the chicken breast into long 1" slices, then prick holes all over pieces with a sharp fork so the marinade can be rubbed into the chicken. Mix the chicken in the marinade and rub the marinade all over using the back of a spoon or clean hands. Marinate at least an hour, or better, overnight in the refrigerator with plastic wrap sealing the top of the bowl.
Preheat the oven to 350. Slice the 1/4 onion very thinly. Pull the leaves off the cilantro stems. Slice the lemon in 1/4" slices. For a nice presentation, grill the chicken briefly so the surface shows the grill marks--the inside of the chicken can be uncooked. (This step can be ignored, just proceed by putting raw chicken in the parchment). Lay out one piece of the parchment and put 1/4 of the onion slices on it. Put 1/4 of the chicken strips on top of the onion and top with 1/4 of the cilantro and a slice or two of lemon. Fold up opposite sides of the parchment paper then roll up the open ends and tuck them underneath the parchment packet. Prepare the remaining packets and place on an ungreased baking sheet. Bake in the oven for 20 minutes.
Serve the chicken in the parchment paper and cut the top away at the last minute, at the table with scissors or a sharp knife. When the packet is opened, the fragrant cilantro-lemon aroma will be released with the steam. Serves 4. Pour a Meritage white wine, like the 2006 St. Supery Virtu (52% Sauvignon Blanc, 48% Semillon) or the 2007 Consentino "The Novelist" (77% Sauvignon blanc 23% Semillon) which are both currently available at a great price on the Touring & Tasting website.
 Pani Poori:
1 cup semolina
1 cup whole wheat flour
1/2 cup white flour
1 tsp. salt
Mix dry ingredients, then stir in just enough water to moisten so the dough starts to come together (some flour will remain on the sides of the bowl--knead it into the dough). Turn out onto a well floured board and knead for five minutes. Wrap with plastic wrap and let sit for 15 minutes. Heat your deep fryer oil to 350 degrees. Unwrap and pat the dough into a rough rectangle. Cut into 1" cubes and roll each cube into a small ball with your hands. (Cutting the dough is preferable to pulling bits away because it prevents "creases" in the dough) Roll out each little ball into a thin round . Fry in oil until they puff in the middle and are cooked through. Drain on paper towels. Makes about 2 dozen little pani poori.
Pineapple Tamarind Chutney:
There wasn't time to measure ingredients in class, but basically, I cut 1/2 fresh pineapple into bite-sized chunks and simmered it in a bit of water with 3 heaping tablespoons of jarred tamarind paste, and a sprinkle of cinnamon, allspice, ginger powder, the zest of one lemon and about 1/3 cup sugar. It was sweet, but not cloyingly sweet, while preserving the distinctive tang of the tamarind.