a galapogos phantasm

tonight i had some people over to celebrate my new stove. i haven't cooked in my own home since 2004, so this was very exciting. i made chicken vindaloo with rice and naan, and galub jamun for dessert. to commemorate the event, here are the recipes i used. i got them from recipezaar.com.

Chicken Vindaloo by Ranikabani
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 medium onions, chopped up
1 1/2 tablespoons ginger garlic paste (one 1 inch cube ginger blended with an entire bulb of garlic and 2-3 tablespoons water)
6 whole cloves
4 whole cardamoms
2 two-inch cinnamon sticks
1/2 or 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/3 teaspoon turmeric
3/4 teaspoon cumin
1/2 teaspoon allspice
2 medium tomatoes, chopped up
1 tablespoon vindaloo paste (not sauce, i use neera's brand)
1 whole chicken, skinned, washed and cut up OR 4-6 boneless skinless chicken breasts
2 tablespoons fresh chopped cilantro
1. heat oil in a large pot (like a dutch oven or stew pot) over medium or medium-high heat.    2. add onions, ginger garlic paste, cloves, cardamom, and cinnamon and cook until onions are golden brown    3. combine cayenne pepper, turmeric, cumin, allspice, and a small amount of water to make a watery paste.    4. add spice paste to onions and cook for another 3 minutes.    5. add tomatoes to the pot and cook for 5 to 10 minutes longer or until tomatoes release juices to make a sauce.    6. add vindaloo paste and cook for 2 minutes.    7. add chicken and a cup of water, cover and cook for 30 to 45 minutes (depending on size and amount of chicken pieces), stirring occaisionally.    8.add cilantro and continue cooking until chicken is done all the way through, 15 minutes or so.

the original recipe didn't include any cooking times after adding the chicken, so those might need to be adjusted. also, i uncover the pot after its halfway done to let the sauce thicken  or adding 1/2 cup of water instead of a whole cup might work, too. i'm still fiddling with this recipe. i serve this over plain white rice.  the next recipe is for naan, a central asian flatbread. you'll need a baking stone for this one.

Naan by SnowHat
2 1/2 cups warm water (100 - 110 degrees F)
2 teaspoons active dry yeast
6 cups all purpose flour
1 tablespoon salt
vegetable oil
1. in a large bowl, dissolve the yeast in the water.    2. add 3 cups of flour, 1 cup at a time, stirring with a wooden spoon in one direction for one minute between cups.    3. sprinkle mixture with salt.    4. stir in 1 or 2 more cups of flour, 1 cup at a time, until dough is stiff.    5. turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead vigourously for about 10 minutes, adding remaining flour gradually as dough gets sticky.    6. wash and dry mixing bowl and generously coat interior with vegetable oil.    7. shape dough in a ball and place in bowl, cover with a moist towel and let rise in a warm place for 1 1/2 hours or until dough doubles in bulk.    8. place baking stone in center of oven and preheat oven to 500 degrees F.    9. deflate dough divide into 4 equal pieces and shape each piece into a 8 by 6 inch oval.    10. let dough rest for 10 minutes.    11. wet fingers and "dimple" the dough by pressing your fingertips into it and stretching it as thin as you can. holes are okay. (i divide my ovals in half before this step to make 8 pieces of naan because i have a smaller baking stone).    12. carefully transfer dough to baking stone and bake for 5 minutes or until naan is golden on top and brown and crusty on the bottom.

Galub Jamun by Mercy
Dough:
2 cups dry milk
1/2 cup flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 cup melted butter or margarine
1/4 cup milk
Syrup:
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup water
1 pinch ground cardamom
1 pinch saffron threads
2 teaspoons rose water
1. combine all syrup ingredients in a small saucepan and bring to a boil.   2. lower heat and simmer for 10 minutes or until thickened.    3. preheat oven to 375 degrees F.    4. combine all dough ingredients in medium mixing bowl.    5. scoop balls of dough onto a greased cookie sheet (i make 9 or 12) and bake for 6 to 8 minutes or until golden.    6. arrange the dough balls in a shallow dish or bowl and pour syrup over the top. the dough will absorb most of the syrup.

hahahahaha. i said balls. saffron is terribly terribly expensive (check it out next time you're at the HEB) and i've heard turmeric can be used in its place, but i've never tried. here's to my new stove!