chicken curry

i know.  it's like the most basic dish ever.  but i don't want this to be a one-time-hit so i'm writing every little thing i did.  so can repeat the perfection again, and again, and again.

at least 4 hours before:

• rub chicken pieces with salt, pepper, spanish paprika, fennel powder, curry powder, and cumin.  sprinkle dried sage,  rosemary, oregano, and whatever herb whose bottle says it is good for poultry.
• rough chop some onions, garlic and ginger and slip in the pieces in between the skin and the flesh of the chicken
• keep in the ref till cooking time so the chicken can absorb all the flavor.

2 hours before mealtime:

• heat a bit of oil in a deep, wide pan and slide in your seasoned chicken.  keep the fire on low, switching the chicken on its sides to evenly brown and cook.  let simmer for an hour tops.

an hour before mealtime:

• remove chicken pieces, add about a cup of water so the drippings get unstuck and all the flavor goes to the sauce, add a carton of coco cream [i used Karo], salt and pepper, and slivers of red bell peppers.
• drop in equally sized potato and carrot slices,  scrape off the bottom as you bring the sauce to a simmer [now all that flavor will get into the potatoes and carrots as well.]
• taste-test and add more water if it is too rich, and more salt and pepper if needed.
• add back the chicken pieces when the potatoes and carrots are half-way done. keep to a gentle simmer for 5 minutes to allow the chicken to soak the flavor back in.

serve hot, with plenty of rice, and with a tangy or tart side dish to help cut the richness of the dish.

my version of potato salad

this is especially for my friend Faith. i hope you're not a pure vegan, if you are then leave out the eggs, cream, and mayo. Kaso, di ko na alam anong magiging lasa nito.

i love potatoes. anyway you cook them, i'll surely enjoy them. i was super hungry a while ago since i only took brunch and i remembered that i had left over boiled potatoes sitting in the ref.

so, i decided to make potato salad out of all the available ingredients i had. and again i was able to come up with a no fuss, no mess recipe that you can prepare in a jiffy.

plus you do not need to cook all but three of the ingredients. all you need is a big bowl, a serving spoon, your all around knife, and a vegetable-dedicated chopping board.

the trick is to not over mix it so you don't end up with goop. so start with all the solid ingredients first. chop the following into big chunks and scoop them into the bowl in no particular order: 2 large potatoes, 1/2 of a large capsicum, a handful of blanched green beans, 2 hardboiled eggs, 3 small pickled onions and a palmful of pickled baby cucumbers, if you have them [if not, then substitute with fresh ones]. then add 1 scoop of black olives, 2 cloves garlic -finely chopped, add a dash of salt, a dash of pepper, a dash each of dried tarragon, oregano and basil, a few drops of tabasco [if you want added zing], 2 big dollops of mayo[use the serving spoon], and about 1/4 cup cream. then slowly mix by folding in the ingredients together. voila! you're done.

because my potatoes were already cold, i didn't have to put the salad in the ref and wait for it to get cold.

it turned out really yummy, it had a bit of tartness because my pickles were not the sweet kind, it was creamy and not at all oily like when you only use mayo.

next to the fact that it's good, hearty and filling, the best part of this recipe is that you get a quick, yummy, healthy meal in 20 minutes tops!

enjoy!

p.s. this preparation is good for 2-3 people.