CHITARNEE
Calcutta
Sweet-And-Sour Chicken In Onion Sauce adapted from
Jewish Food: The World at Table by
Matthew Goodman
Aromatic, glossy, its flavors in perfect balance, chitamee is one of the jewels
of Calcutta Jewish cuisine. This recipe comes from Rahel Musleah of Great Neck,
New York , whose family emigrated to the United States
when she was six. Hers was a distinguished Calcutta
family: Her father, Rabbi Ezekiel Musleah, was the author of the highly
regarded history On the Banks of the Ganga ,
while her cousin. Mavis Hyman, wrote the books Indian-Jewish Cooking and Jews
of the Raj. Ms. Musleah is herself an author and educator who lectures widely
on Indian Jewry.
SERVES 4
No Count
• 4 chicken breasts
• Salt
• Freshly ground black pepper
• 2 pounds onions, sliced
• 2 or 3 garlic cloves, chopped
• 1 teaspoon peeled and minced fresh ginger
• 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin
• 1 1/2 teaspoons ground coriander
• 3 cardamom pods
• 1 teaspoon turmeric
• 1/2 teaspoon chili powder, or to taste
• 1 x 400g can whole tomatoes, drained
• 2 tablespoons lemon juice
• 1 to 2 teaspoons sugar or Splenda
1.
Rinse the chicken pieces and pat them dry. Season them with salt and pepper.
2.
Spray a large pan with spray oil over medium-high heat. Add the chicken and
cook until browned on all sides. Remove.
3. Lower the heat to medium. Add the
onions to the pan and cook, stirring often, until soft and translucent. Add the
garlic, ginger, cumin, coriander, cardamom pods, turmeric, and chili powder and
cook for 5 minutes. Add enough water just to cover the onions. Cover the pan
and continue cooking until the water is almost gone but the mixture remains
loose, 20 to 25 minutes.
4. Add the tomatoes and another 1/2 teaspoon salt and stir to combine,
breaking up the tomatoes with a wooden spoon. Return the chicken to the pan,
cover, and simmer until the chicken is cooked through, about 35 minutes. When
the chicken is cooked, remove the pieces to a large serving platter and cover with
aluminum foil to keep warm.
5. Raise the heat slightly and cook the sauce, uncovered, until the liquid is absorbed and the sauce becomes thick and shiny, about 15 minutes. Stir in the lemon juice and sugar /Splenda and cook for another minute. Taste and adjust for seasoning. Remove the cardamom pods. Pour the sauce over the chicken. Serve hot.
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