Welcome Back!

Wow, a lot has happened since I wrote last. Lets just some it up with, I've joined the real world and school is in my past! A huge relief for me! Because now I can focus on cooking again (I gave up during my last year of school!) I now cook for 2, since I moved in with my boyfriend, which is also exciting. So what to do with the hours after work, cook new things! My boyfriend and I are going to compile a list of meals we both like. One suggestion thrown out was Curry Chicken. Well I didn't have anything else better to cook tonight so I found a recipe online, during work ;), and ventured to Whole Foods after work to get the necessary ingredients. Came home, quickly cooked the chicken and curry sauce. And served it on the dinner table. And the reviews were less than amazing. It's always sad when you don't like what you cook let alone the other people you cooked it for..... But hey I tried something new. I ventured out of my mexican favorites! So I will be proud of that. Here's the recipe with notes of where I might have messed up. Any suggestions? I'm sacred to try it again.... But I have a bunch of spices now....



CHICKEN CURRY (INDIAN OR MALAY)

1 whole chicken (3 lbs.)- I used 2.15 lbs chicken breasts
2 med. yellow onions, chopped
4 cloves garlic, minced
2" piece of ginger, minced- Pretty sure I used WAY too much, like the only flavor I could taste.
2 tomatoes, chopped
1 tsp. yellow mustard seeds
1 tsp. cumin seeds
1 tsp. turmeric
3" stick cinnamon
2 c. chicken stock
2 tbsp. curry powder
1 tsp. gharum masala
1 c. coconut milk (opt.) -I used light, probably didn't help either.

1. Cut the chicken into pieces and brown in oil.
2. In a pot, add chopped onion. Saute until tender.
3. Add garlic and ginger, make sure there is enough oil so that nothing sticks.
4. Add cumin and mustard seed. Fry until the mustard seeds begin to "pop".- I didn't hear this, probably not hot enough.
5. Add the turmeric and curry powder and stir constantly to prevent any sticking. Stir the "paste" until the curry powder becomes fragrant; this usually takes 1 to 2 minutes (be careful not to burn the curry powder). - What does curry even smell like?!
6. Add the chopped tomatoes and stir until they form a sauce (3-4 minutes).
7. Add the chicken broth, cinnamon stick and chicken (& coconut milk).
8. Cover and simmer until chicken is cooked (approximately 45 minutes).
9. Stir in the gharaum masala and serve with white rice.- I used brown, of course.