Sweet & Spicy Chicken

I'm finally back! Yes this is Caroline, I have been such a huge twolittlechef slacker (sorry Kelly). I had a big family reunion, followed by another family reunion in that large nation just north of us, and then I returned home, packed up house and home and moved to my first real home. Meaning, my husband and I are no longer renters, but are homeowners. Needless to say, the last 6-8 weeks have been busy!

So here I finally return with an easy meal that is surprisingly good. In fact I decided to classify it under a Super Simple label. Yes, it does have move than 4 or 5 ingredients, but it really is a delicious meal for a novice and it is healthy.

Baked Rice Pudding

We didn't eat a lot of rice when I was a kid. Maybe less than once a month. Actually, I think the only time rice ever really made an appearance was in my mom's rice pudding, which I generally associate with our Monday family night desserts and the orangey-brown casserole dish it was always baked in. My momma believed that rice pudding should have lots of cinnamon on top (which often turned into a slightly scary looking but very tasty cinnamon-pudding crust) and be served with a dash of milk and a very large dollop of ice cream. That was dessert rice pudding.

The next morning the same rice pudding suspiciously appeared as our morning meal, but this time without the ice cream. That was breakfast rice pudding. There's a clear difference. I'm surprised you didn't notice how very clear it is.

Cuban Black Beans and Rice

I first had this dish at my brother and sister-in-laws house years ago when they lived in New York. They have since moved, but the dish still remains a favorite of mine. I love this recipe for a many reasons. It is good. It is vegetarian. It is inexpensive. It can easily be doubled, tripled, or even halved to feed whatever group is sitting at the table. You can add beef and it becomes even hardier. And it makes great leftovers. Oh, and one last thing, because it uses olive oil it almost has a silky texture. Oh, and one more last thing, it is easy to make.

Vegetable Biryani

 I can't get enough Indian food these days. And it certainly doesn't help that I work with about a dozen guys from Afghanistan who always bring The. Most. Delicious. smelling food for lunch. It's torture. Maybe one day I'll be "in" enough for them to share their food with me. But until that day (and I may be waiting a very long time), I'll have to do with my own South Asian cuisine.

A biryani is a spiced rice dish that is popular in countries all through South Asia. It can be meaty or meat-free.You'll find that unlike some other Indian dishes, this one is quite simple (throw everything in the pot) and doesn't have a huge list of ingredients, thanks to the tikka paste. Because your main flavoring comes from the paste, be sure you get a good brand. Of the ones I've tried, I like Patak, but couldn't find any at the store near me, and I think the flavor suffered a little as a result.

Bolinhos de Arroz (Rice balls)

Several years ago, my sister Kristi traipsed down to Brazil on a study abroad and before we knew it, she had found herself a Brazilian husband. Aside from being really awesome, my new brother-in-law (or should I say his mother?) provided a great service to my family by introducing my sister to a world of culinary deliciousness. Cheese bread, fried dough stuffed with guava, carrot cake, lime tort, and can we say barbecue? You haven't had good meat until you've had Brazilian "churrasco." And luckily Kristi makes some killer Brazilian food. Maybe not quite as good as her mother-in-law, but it keeps me coming back for more! -Kelly

Ham Fried Rice

As promised by guest poster Jessie, here is her recipe for Ham Fried Rice, and I can attest that it is good. After the Easter dinner I was sent home with some spiral cut ham, yum! Jessie had sent me this recipe so I gave it a try; having never made ham fried rice before I can guarantee that even the most novice cook will be able to make this recipe and be delighted with the results. Thanks again to Jessie! -Caroline

We love ham at our house. It is so versatile and so delicious. You can buy ham in all varieties at the butcher or grocery store: whole, half, portion, bone-in, boneless, ready-to-eat, ready-to-cook. Lately, I have taken to purchasing ready-to-cook butt or shank portions (appetizing names, I know). This type of ham tends to be less expensive then more prepared varieties, has more flavor, and allows me to prepare the ham to my desire.

Hawaiin Haystacks

At the request of one of our faithful commenters, here is a recipe to utilize some of the large quantity of rice she has before she moves this summer. Hawaiin Haystacks, a classic, easy, filling, and tasty dinner.

There are several great things about Hawaiin Haystacks. First, they truly are easy to make, and you really can't "mess" them up. Next, if you don't have one of the ingredients, it really doesn't matter at all, just leave it out or replace it with something else you have in the kitchen, which leads me to my next Hawaiin Haystack quality, this is a great recipe to use up things that you have in the kitchen. Example, you have a half eaten can of pineapple bits in your fridge left over from making homemade pizza - perfect, throw it in! And finally, not only are these very filling, they are easy to make for any size crowd and allow each person to customize their meal.

Black Beans and Rice

This dish is no Brazilian rice and beans like my brother-in-law is always craving. For one thing, it's spiced with cumin, which is a definite no-no in Brazil. For another, there's not nearly enough oil (which is probably a good thing). Maybe one day I'll make a hearty feijoada (Brazilian bean stew served with rice), but today we'll have to make do with a fast, easy side that goes well with the Grilled Cuban Chicken if you'd like to make cumin the central flavor of your meal, or with our Jerk Chicken.

Arroz con Pollo

A few weeks ago, my youngest sister called to tell me that she had a surprise for me (a surprise she promptly told me, therein ruining the surprise). Apparently she had just visited my favorite, though seldom visited store (Antrhopologie), found a super awesome cookbook, and bought it with her very own money. And it wasn't even my birthday. Sweet, eh? When I received the book a few days later, it turned out she was right! A cookbook full of recipes from around the world, complete with pictures of each. I'll admit that right at first, I was a bit skeptical. Sometimes books like this have too much variety, leaving you with a myriad of mediocre recipes rather than a few truly fantastic ones. But after trying this 1-pot dinner of Spanish rice and a great recipe for molten chocolate cake, I'm becoming more convinced.


A few things to note about this recipe: (1) it has a lot of ingredients, and it should, since it's basically your whole dinner in one big pot. And you probably have all but the saffron* sitting somewhere in your cupboards/fridge, so it's a great weeknight dinner option. (2) The directions say to first cook this in a large stove-to-oven casserole dish (like a dutch oven) on the stove and then bake it in the oven. If you don't have a dutch oven (buy one, they're great!!), you can do the first few steps in a large pot on the stove, and then transfer everything to a 9 x 13 or something similar. I'm also assuming (though not guaranteeing-if you try this and it doesn't work for some reason, let me know) that you could do the entire thing on the stove in a large soup pot with a lid.

Mixed Rice with Red Pepper and Celery

This recipe started out as a bland wild rice/brown rice combo, nice in theory, but lacking in good taste. Since we didn't have any wild rice, we substituted white rice. But it was still kind of bland. With a little more tinkering, this is what we came up with. A simple, citrusy accompaniment to fish or chicken.

Mixed Rice with Red Pepper and Celery
Recipe by Kelly
Pictures by Caroline

1/2 cup white rice
1 cup brown rice
3 1/4 cups chicken or vegetable broth
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 medium red onion, finely chopped
1 red pepper, chopped
2 celery stalks, chopped
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsely

Dressing:
1/4 cup orange juice
1/4 cup lemon juice
1 teaspoon orange peel
1 teaspoon lemon peel
1/3 cup olive oil
1 teaspoon salt

1. In a large pot, combine 2 1/4 cups chicken broth and brown rice. Bring to a boil, cover, and lower heat to a simmer. Cook 35 minutes, or until rice is tender.
2. In a medium pot, combine 1 cup chicken broth and white rice. Bring to a boil, cover, and lower heat to a simmer. Cook 25 minutes, or until rice is tender. Combine white and brown rice in a large bowl.
3. When rice is almost done, heat oil in a medium skillet. Add onions, pepper and celery. Saute 5 minutes, just until peppers and onions are slightly tender. Add to rice.
4. Combine all ingredients for dressing in a small bowl. Pour over rice and stir. Season with salt and pepper, if desired.

Green Lentils and Rice

I love lentils. I love rice. When I found this recipe, I was ecstatic- you mean I can combine two of my favorite sides to make one even better one?! Hurrah! And this dish is not your run-of-the-mill rice dish. It has just the right amount of spice combined with a nice warm hint of cinnamon. Sounds weird, I know (but after the sweet potatoes with black beans, no combination of spices can scare me), but it's really great.

Try serving with Chicken Saag or Chicken Curry Korma.

Green Lentils and Rice
Recipe adapted from India's 500 Best Recipes
Pictures by Caroline

1 3/4 cups rice (basmati recommended)
3/4 cups green lentils, rinsed
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 onion, finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
1 inch piece of ginger root, peeled and grated
2 jalepeno peppers, chopped
1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon turmeric
1/2 teaspoons salt (or to taste)
3 1/2 cups water

1. Place lentils into a small bowl. Pour cold water over the top until lentils are covered. Soak about 20 minutes.
   
2. Pour lentils and water into a medium saucepan. Simmer 10 minutes. Drain.
   
3. Meanwhile, heat the oil on medium heat in a large pot. Saute the onion, garlic, ginger, peppers, cloves, cinnamon, turmeric and salt until the onion is soft (about 5 minutes).
4. Add the lentils and rice and saute 2-3 minutes. Add 3 cups of water and bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and cook about 20-25 minutes, checking periodically to add more water if needed. Cook until all the water is absorbed and rice is tender.
   

Chicken in Persian Pomegranate Walnut Sauce

This dish is a specialty from a Persian kitchen. Although its unique flavor and slightly chunky texture are definitely a change from the typical American/European sauces, it's easy to love. The first time I served it to my "American dishes only" father-in-law, he was slightly wary of the sweet cinnamony scent and brownish color of the sauce. But after his first bite, he went back for more...and more...and more.

This recipe is fast enough to make on a week day and elegant enough to serve to company. Pair with Asian Pear Salad with Honey Balsamic Vinaigrette and Chocolate Pound Cake.


Chicken in Persian Pomegranate Walnut Sauce
recipe adapted from Feast from the Mideast
Pictures by Caroline

2 tablespoons olive oil
3-4 chicken breasts, chopped into 1-inch pieces
1 large onion, chopped
1 1/2 cups walnuts, finely chopped
1 tablespoon flour (optional)*
1 1/2 cups pomegranate juice
1/2 cup water or chicken broth
1 tablespoon tomato paste
3/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1 tablespoon sugar
juice of half of 1 lemon
salt and pepper, to taste

1. Heat oil in large skillet. Add chicken and saute over medium-high heat until brown. Remove chicken from pan.
2. Add onion to pan and saute over medium heat for about 5 minutes, or until golden. Reduce heat to low and stir in flour and walnuts. Cook over low heat, stirring, for 1 minute.
3. Stir in water (or broth) and pomegranate juice. Bring to a simmer, stirring frequently.
4. Add chicken. Cover and cook over medium-low heat until chicken is cooked through, about 15 minutes.
5. Add tomato paste, cinnamon, lemon juice, and sugar. Simmer 3 more minutes. Serve over rice.

*The flour will make the sauce slightly smoother and thicker. I usually include it, but it doesn't hurt to leave it out.

Mushroom Risotto

Welcome to risotto, the Italian version of rice. But what's the difference between a plain old rice dish and risotto? Here's what trusty wikipedia has to say about it: "the main feature of a risotto dish is the maintenance of starch at the end of cooking that binds the grains together as a cream...Properly cooked risotto is rich and creamy but still with some resistance or bite (al dente), and with separate grains. The traditional texture is fairly fluid...it should easily spread out but not have excess watery liquid around the perimeter."

In other words, first, you coat the rice in butter. Then you add some kind of wine (in this case, white wine). Once the liquid has been absorbed into the grains/evaporated, you increase the heat and gradually add liquid (in this case, vegetable broth) in small amounts while stirring very frequently. This process allows the starch inside of the rice to escape into the liquid, creating a creamy texture. And this creamy texture is what makes risotto different from any other rice dish.

It's not a difficult dish to make, but it does take some patience while adding the liquid and stirring. We definitely think it's worth it.

Mushroom Risotto
Recipe adapted from Bon Appetit December 1999
Pictures by Caroline

3 14 1/2-ounce cans vegetable broth
3 tablespoons butter
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 small red onion, chopped
1 pound assorted mushrooms (such as oyster, crimini or stemmed shiitake), sliced
1 cup arborio rice* or medium-grain rice*
1/2 cup white cooking wine*
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese (about 2 ounces)
3/4 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme

1. Bring vegetable broth to simmer in medium saucepan. Reduce heat to low; cover and keep broth hot.
2. Melt 3 tablespoons butter with olive oil in heavy large saucepan over medium heat. Add chopped onions; sauté 1 minute. Add mushrooms; cook until mushrooms are tender and juices are released, about 8 minutes.
   
3. Add rice and stir to coat. Add wine and simmer until liquid is absorbed, stirring frequently, about 8 minutes.
   
4. Increase heat to medium-high. Add 3/4 cup hot vegetable broth and simmer until absorbed, stirring frequently. Add remaining hot vegetable broth 3/4 cup at a time, allowing broth to be absorbed before adding more and stirring frequently until rice is just tender and mixture is creamy, about 20 minutes.
   
5. Stir in Parmesan cheese and chopped fresh thyme. Serve warm.

*Our grocery store was out of arborio rice, so we used what we happened to have: sushi rice! It worked just fine.
**I usually avoid using cooking wine when I cook (which seems odd, I know, since it's called "cooking" wine. Personally I don't think cooking wine should even exist) because it adds so much extra salt to your dish. But if you don't have any regular white wine, cooking wine is an acceptable substitute. I would, however, recommend using low-sodium broth if you're using cooking wine.

Thai Mango Sticky Rice

If you've never had Thai Mango Sticky rice, you haven't lived. I think it just might be my current favorite dessert (maybe tied with something lemon). I love the sweetness, offset by the mango, the creaminess, thanks to the coconut milk, and the fact that it's rice because that makes it healthy, right? Right? Plus, it's so easy- the worst part is peeling the mango, but that can be easily avoided by serving strawberries or kiwi instead. And while I can't vouch for the authenticity of this "ethnic" recipe, I can promise that it will taste good when you eat it.


Thai Mango Sticky Rice
Recipe by Kelly
Picture by Caroline

1/2 tsp salt

2/3 cup sugar

13.5 oz can of regular coconut milk (or sweetened for a sweeter version)

1 1/2 cups sticky rice*

2 mangoes, peeled and sliced

1. Cook rice according to directions on the package.
   
2. In a small saucepan, heat the salt, sugar and coconut milk. Bring to a boil and cook for 3 minutes. Remove from heat.
   
3. Combine rice and coconut milk mixture in a bowl. Let rice stand, covered, 20-30 minutes, or until milk is absorbed.
4. Serve with sliced mango on the side.
   

*If you can't find sticky rice, look for "glutinous" rice like sushi rice. Jasmine rice will also work, but it may take more time to absorb the coconut milk.

Thai Red Chicken Curry

One of my very, very favorite types of food is Thai. And since I can't afford to eat out all the time, I've been forced to try making it at home. This is my attempt at something slightly resembling authentic Thai food, and although I don't claim to be a true Thai chef, I think my curry is still pretty tasty.

This recipe calls for some ingredients that you may not have hanging around your fridge. It is, however, well worth going to the store and investing in those ingredients: fish sauce and curry paste. Both of them last for ages, so you need not worry about using them quickly. And since fish sauce is a staple of many Asian dishes, you might even use it again for something else.

Thai Red Chicken Curry
recipe by Kelly
Pictures by Caroline

1 tablespoon olive oil
1 onion, chopped
1 large red bell pepper, cut into strips
1 small sweet potato, chopped into 1 inch cubes (Optional)
1-2 tablespoons Thai red curry paste*
1 14-ounce can unsweetened light coconut milk
1 tablespoon fish sauce
1-2 tablespoons brown sugar
1/2 cup pineapple pieces, with juice
1/2 cup frozen peas
2 chicken breasts, cooked and shredded**

1. Heat oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add the onions and cook about 2 minutes; add curry paste and stir until onions are soft (I suggest adding 1 tablespoon at first, in case you are sensitive to spice. After you've added the coconut milk and stirred, try the sauce and add more paste if desired). Add red peppers and cook another 2 minutes.
   
2. Add coconut milk, fish sauce and brown sugar. Stir until blended, then add sweet potato, if desired. Bring to a boil, then cover and simmer until potatoes are tender.
   
3. Add the remaining ingredients. Bring to a simmer. Season with salt and pepper. Serve with jasmine or basmati rice.
   

*You can find red curry paste in the ethnic/foreign food section of the grocery store. One common brand usually found in almost any store (yes, even the ones with a relatively low ethnic food selection) is "Thai Kitchen." Fish sauce is usually located in the same general area.

**I like to broil my chicken and then, since I'm not a big fan of cubed chicken, I usually shred it. But if you prefer to cubed or slice it, that's also fine. You could also leave the chicken out and go vegetarian for the night.

Chicken Dhansak

This dish is a delicious combination of Indian and Iranian flavors. Dhansak is a type of curry that traditionally includes lentils. I love the flavor, slight spice of the dish, and the texture of the lentils.

Like many Indian dishes, it's fairly easy to throw together, but contains several ingredients or spices you may not have on hand. I would recommend just biting the bullet and buying all the spices you'll need for this recipe; once you've collected all of them, you'll be able to make almost any Indian dish.



Chicken Dhansak
from India's 500 Best Recipes
Picture by Caroline

1/3 cup green lentils*
2 cups chicken broth
1 tablespoon oil
1 teaspoon cumin seeds
2 curry leaves
1 onion, finely chopped
1 inch piece fresh root ginger, chopped
1 fresh green chili, chopped (optional)
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon ground coriander
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon chili powder
1 14 oz can chopped tomatoes
4 chicken breasts
6 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
1 teaspoon garam masala

1. Rinse the lentils under cold running water. Put into a pan with the stock. Bring to a boil, cover and simmer for about 15-20 minutes.
   
2. Heat the oil in a large, heavy pan and fry the cumin seeds and curry leaves for 2 minutes. Add the onion, ginger, and chili and fry for about 5 minutes. Stir in the cumin, coriander, salt and chili powder with 2 tablespoons water.
3. Add the tomatoes and the chicken pieces to the spices. Cover and cook for 10-15 minutes.
4. Add the lentils and the stock, half the chopped cilantro and the garam masala. Cook for a further 10 mintues r until the chicken is tender. Garnish with the remaining fresh cilantro and serve over rice.

*Before cooking the lentils, be sure to pick them over and remove any small twigs that may have hidden themselves amongst the lentils.

Rice Pudding

Breakfast or dessert? This has always been my quandary when eating rice pudding- when should it be served? Is it a too-sweet breakfast (like my mom always used to feed us) or is it a light evening dessert? I don't know what the "right" answer is, and frankly, I don't think it matters one bit. I'll eat it anytime, anywhere, in any of its many delicious forms.

Rice Pudding
recipe by Kelly

3 cups milk*
4 cups cooked rice (preferably cold)
1/3 cup sugar
2 tablespoons butter
1 cinnamon stick (or 1/2 teaspoon powdered cinnamon)
pinch of salt
1/3 cup raisins (optional)
2 egg yolks
1 teaspoon vanilla

1. Combine 2 cups of milk, rice, sugar, butter, cinnamon stick and salt in large saucepan. Simmer over medium-low heat until rice is warm and mixture is creamy. Stir frequently (being careful not to burn the milk, although using a heavy saucepan should prevent this from happening)
2. Remove from heat. Discard cinnamon stick. Stir in raisins and vanilla.
3. Whisk egg yolks in a small bowl to blend.
4. Pour 1 cup of milk into a small saucepan. Bring to simmer. Gradually whisk hot milk into beaten yolks.
5. Pour egg-milk mixture into saucepan with rice mixture. Stir over medium heat for about 2 minutes (do not boil).
6. Remove from heat and serve warm.

*If you like your rice pudding a bit thinner, add a little extra milk; if you prefer a thicker, more custard-like pudding, use a little less milk.

Zucchini Eggplant Curry

Feeling vegetarian tonight? This recipe is healthy, easy and versatile. And if you're not a fan of eggplant, simply omit and increase the amount of zucchini. I would highly recommend serving this dish with some basmati or jasmine rice, rather than regular rice. But just for clarification, let me explain the differences.

Basmati and jasmine rice each have a slightly different flavor and texture. Basmati is a long grain rice that is native to the Himalaya region. It also smells delightfully nutty when cooking. Jasmine is also a long grain, but has a slight jasmine scent and taste (no surprise there) and is a bit stickier than Basmati. Usually jasmine is used in Thai recipes and basmati in Indian, but I usually use whichever one I happen to have on hand. I promise it will taste better than regular rice.

Zucchini Eggplant Curry
adapted from www.epicurious.com
Pictures by Caroline

1 garlic clove, chopped
2 teaspoons finely grated peeled fresh ginger
1 to 2 teaspoons chopped fresh jalapeño chile including seeds (optional)
2 teaspoons salt
1 tablespoon curry powder*
1/4 teaspoon ground coriander
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
3 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 large onion, thinly sliced
3 medium green zucchini, cut crosswise into 1/2-inch thick slices
1 small eggplant, cut crosswise into 1/2-inch thick slices
1 (13 1/2- to 14-oz) can unsweetened coconut milk, well stirred
1/2 cup toasted slivered almonds

1. Pound garlic, ginger and chile pepper to a paste with 1 teaspoon salt (using the back of a spoon). Then stir in curry powder, coriander, and mustard and cumin seeds.
   
2. Heat oil in a large pan over medium high heat until hot. Then sauté onion, stirring, until golden, about 8 minutes. Add curry paste and cook, about 2 minutes.
   
3. Add zucchini and eggplant and cook, stirring, until it begins to appear moist, 3 to 5 minutes. Add coconut milk and remaining teaspoon salt and bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer, covered, stirring occasionally, until zucchini is just tender, 5 to 10 minutes.
   
4. Serve over rice and sprinkle with almonds.

*In this dish, using a good quality curry powder makes a big difference. I suggest a medium hot variety. You might also want to check and make sure your curry powder hasn't been sitting in the cupboard for years. It starts to lose its flavor after a while.

-Kelly

Saffron Rice and Red Pepper Pilaf

Saffron is, in my opinion, one of the most interesting, delicious, and seldom used flavors out there. It's found in abundance in Spanish or Persian recipes, but often missing in American dishes. Unfortunately, it's also very expensive. But then, when you're dealing with a spice that comes from the 3 stigmas found inside of a saffron crocus flower, it's not really a surprise. Luckily, it's a very strong spice, so a little will go a long way. It's definitely well worth the price.

This dish makes an elegant, yet simple side dish that goes well with chicken and a green salad.

Saffron Rice and Red Pepper Pilaf
from August 2003 Bon Appetit
Pictures by Caroline

5 tablespoons butter
1 1/2 cups chopped red bell peppers
3/4 cup chopped onion
1 1/2 cups basmati rice or other long-grain white rice
3 cups (or more) low-salt chicken broth
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon (generous) crushed saffron threads
6 tablespoons freshly grated Parmesan cheese
3 tablespoons chopped fresh chives (optional)
Parmesan cheese shavings

1. Add peppers and onion. Sauté until soft, stirring often, about 5 minutes. Add rice; stir 1 minute.
   
2. Mix in 3 cups broth, 3/4 teaspoon salt, and saffron. Bring to simmer. Reduce heat to low, cover, and cook until liquid is absorbed, about 18 minutes.
   
3. Remove from heat; stir in 6 tablespoons grated cheese. Season with salt and pepper.
   
4. Stir 1 1/2 tablespoons chives into pilaf. Mound in serving bowl. Top with cheese shavings and remaining 1 1/2 tablespoons chives.

-Kelly