Tuesday, February 22, 2011

Intimidated? I think not!

I have discovered that some people are intimidated by thought of  cooking an ethnic meal.  I was!!  I remember the first time I tried to make falafels for my family.  They ended up more like something you would take with you skeet shooting than a crispy little patty of love.   PULL!
Intimidated or not, it's fun to step out of your comfort food zone.  You can learn so much about one's culture by experiencing their native cuisine, or at least the flavors.   When it comes to preparing foods that you may not be familiar with, S.O.S....Start out simple.  Here is a delicious, but simple Indian stew recipe that will tantalize your tastebuds.  It also provides a great source of protein.  Perfect post workout!

Indian Chicken Stew

2 lbs chicken breast, cut into 1 inch pieces
1 medium onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
5 tsp. curry powder....don't be intimidated!!
2 tsp. ground ginger
1 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp black pepper
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper (opt.)
2 15-oz. cans garbanzo beans, drained and rinsed
2 15-oz. cans diced tomatoes, undrained
1 cup chicken stock or broth
1 bay leaf
2 Tbsp.  lime juice
1  9-oz. package fresh spinach
   Hot cooked rice

Lightly coat your crockpot bowl with some non stick spray.  Add chicken, onion, and garlic.  Add all your spices and toss to coat.  Gently stir in drained beans, tomatoes, broth and bay leaf.  Cover and cook on high for 4-5 hours or low for 8-10.

After the stew is done cooking, hit it with the lime juice and stir in spinach leaves.  Let the heat from the stew wilt the spinach for about 2-3 minutes.  Make sure you remove your bay leaf and serve it up with rice.

Who's intimidated now?!  The wonderful spices create an inviting flavor.  The lime brings a amazing brightness to the stew, that in all honesty, will make your body thank you for treating it with such kindness.
Hope you enjoy!!

1 comment:

  1. I love this set up you've got, dude! For those of us that don't live in Lacey and can't get to the fabulous places you review, it's nice to have a follow-up tasty treat we can make ourselves. Will have to try this soon. You rock!!

    ReplyDelete

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