Curry Stand Chicken Tikka Masala Sauce
Ingredients:
• 2 tablespoons ghee (clarified butter)
• 1 onion, finely chopped
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tablespoon ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon ground turmeric
• 1 (14 ounce) can tomato sauce
• 1 cup heavy whipping cream
• 2 teaspoons paprika
• 1 tablespoon white sugar
• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
• 4 skinless, boneless breast halves, cut into bite-size pieces
• 1/2 teaspoon curry powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt, or to taste (optional)
• 1 teaspoon white sugar, or to taste (optional)
Directions:
1. Heat ghee in a large skillet over medium heat and cook and stir onion until translucent, about 5 minutes. Stir in garlic; cook and stir just until fragrant, about 1 minute. Stir cumin, 1 teaspoon salt, ginger, cayenne pepper, cinnamon, and turmeric into the onion mixture; fry until fragrant, about 2 minutes.
2. Stir tomato sauce into the onion and spice mixture, bring to a boil, and reduce heat to low. Simmer sauce for 10 minutes, then mix in cream, paprika, and 1 tablespoon sugar. Bring sauce back to a simmer and cook, stirring often, until sauce is thickened, 10 to 15 minutes.
3. Heat vegetable oil in a separate skillet over medium heat. Stir chicken into the hot oil, sprinkle with curry powder, and sear chicken until lightly browned but still pink inside, about 3 minutes; stir often. Transfer chicken and any pan juices into the sauce. Simmer chicken in sauce until no longer pink, about 30 minutes; adjust salt and sugar to taste.
General Tsao's Chicken
Ingredients:
• 1 1/2 pounds boneless, skinless thighs, cut 1/2 inch cubes
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon white sugar
• 1 pinch white pepper
• 1 cup cornstarch
• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 3 tablespoons chopped green onion
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 6 dried whole red chilies
• 1 strip orange zest
• 1/2 cup white sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
• 3 tablespoons chicken broth
• 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
• 1/4 cup soy sauce
• 2 teaspoons sesame oil
• 2 tablespoons peanut oil
• 2 teaspoons cornstarch
• 1/4 cup water
Directions:
1. Heat 4 cups vegetable oil in a deep-fryer or large saucepan to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).
2. Beat the egg in a mixing bowl. Add the chicken cubes; sprinkle with salt, 1 teaspoon sugar, and white pepper; mix well. Mix in 1 cup of cornstarch a little bit at a time until the chicken cubes are well coated.
3. In batches, carefully drop the chicken cubes into the hot oil one by one, cooking until they turns golden brown and begin to float, about 3 minutes. Remove the chicken and allow to cool as you fry the next batch. Once all of the chicken has been fried, refry the chicken, starting with the batch that was cooked first. Cook until the chicken turns deep golden brown, about 2 minutes more. Drain on a paper towel-lined plate.
4. Heat 2 tablespoons vegetable oil in a wok or large skillet over high heat. Stir in the green onion, garlic, whole chiles, and orange zest. Cook and stir a minute or two until the garlic has turned golden and the chiles brighten. Add 1/2 cup sugar, the ginger, chicken broth, vinegar, soy sauce, sesame oil, and peanut oil; bring to a boil and cook for 3 minutes.
5. Dissolve 2 teaspoons of cornstarch into the water, and stir into the boiling sauce. Return to a boil and cook until the sauce thickens and is no longer cloudy from the cornstarch, about 1 minute. Stir the chicken into the boiling sauce. Reduce heat to low and cook for a few minutes until the chicken absorbs some of the sauce.
Quick Chicken Piccata
Ingredients:
• 4 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
• Cayenne pepper, or to taste
• Salt and ground black pepper to taste
• All-purpose flour for dredging
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 tablespoon capers, drained
• 1/2 cup white wine
• 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
• 1/4 cup water
• 3 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, cut in 1/4-inch slices
• 2 tablespoons fresh Italian parsley, chopped
Directions:
1. Place chicken breasts between 2 layers of plastic wrap and pound to about 1/2-inch thick.
2. Season both sides of chicken breasts with cayenne, salt, and black pepper; dredge lightly in flour and shake off any excess.
3. Heat olive oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Place chicken in the pan, reduce heat to medium, and cook until browned and cooked through, about 5 minutes per side; remove to a plate.
4. Cook capers in reserved oil, smashing them lightly to release brine, until warmed though, about 30 seconds.
5. Pour white wine into skillet. Scrape any browned bits from the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon. Cook until reduced by half, about 2 minutes.
6. Stir lemon juice, water, and butter into the reduced wine mixture; cook and stir continuously to form a thick sauce, about 2 minutes. Reduce heat to low and stir parsley through the sauce.
7. Return chicken breasts to the pan cook until heated through, 1 to 2 minutes. Serve with sauce spooned over the top.
NAN Dining Guide Spotlight on 01/21/2018