Meera Sodha’s Chicken Curry

Meera Sodha’s Chicken Curry

This simple curry serves as a fine introduction to the Indian home cooking of Meera Sodha, a British cookbook author whose “Made in India: Recipes From an Indian Family Kitchen” was released in 2015. The recipe for this curry, her "ultimate comfort food,'' derives from the one her Indian-born mother cooked for Sodha when she was growing up in Lincolnshire and for which she pined for during her college years in London. It provides a thick, gingery, garlic-flecked tomato sauce with deep notes of cinnamon and cumin, and a low flame of chile heat, surrounding small chunks of skinless chicken thigh, with slivered almonds scattered over the top at the end. —Sam Sifton

Yield: 4 servings

2 tablespoons unsalted butter or ghee

1 tablespoon neutral oil, like canola

1 teaspoon cumin seeds

2 cinnamon sticks, approximately 2 inches long

2 large white or yellow onions, peeled and finely chopped

12½ - inch piece of ginger, peeled and grated or minced

6 cloves of garlic, peeled and crushed

2 green cayenne or jalapeño peppers, stemmed, seeded and cut into half-moons

Kosher salt, to taste

¾ cup plus 2 tablespoons puréed tomatoes

2 tablespoons tomato paste

1½ teaspoons ground cumin

½ teaspoon ground turmeric

3 tablespoons whole-milk yogurt, plus 1 cup to serve with the meal

1 ¾ to 2 pounds skinless, boneless chicken thighs, cut into 1-inch chunks

3 tablespoons slivered almonds

1 teaspoon garam masala

Pinch ground cayenne pepper, or to taste.

Melt the butter or ghee in the oil in a large Dutch oven set over medium heat, and when it is hot and shimmering, add the cumin seeds and cinnamon sticks. Cook for a minute or two, stirring often, to intensify their flavors, then add the onions. Cook, stirring occasionally, until they are golden, approximately 15 to 20 minutes.

Meanwhile, put the ginger, garlic and peppers into a mortar and pestle with a pinch of salt, and smash them together into a coarse paste. (You can also do this on a cutting board, with a knife.)

Add the paste to the onions, and cook for 2 minutes or so, then pour in the tomatoes, and stir. Allow to cook for an additional 2 to 3 minutes, then add the tomato paste, ground cumin, ground turmeric and another pinch of salt, and stir to combine.

Add the yogurt slowly to the mixture, using a wooden spoon to whisk it into the sauce. It may be quite thick. When it begins to bubble, add the chicken. Lower the heat, put the lid on the Dutch oven and allow the curry to cook gently for 30 minutes or so, or until the chicken is cooked through. Add the almonds and the garam masala, along with a pinch of cayenne, and cook for 5 minutes more or so. Serve with basmati rice or naan, and the additional yogurt.

TIP: I decided to marinate the chicken in half a cup of Greek yogurt, the juice of one lemon, and all of the spices in the recipe -- ground cumin, turmeric, garam masala, cayenne, and a teaspoon of ground coriander as well. I let it sit for about 30 minutes while I prep the rest of the dish, then add the bowl of marinated chicken, yogurt, and spices in Step 4. The dish turns out far more flavorful, it's now a staple in my house.

I keep seeing a fundamental rule of Indian spice addition/cooking often not followed. For enhanced taste as well as possibly avoiding a stomach upset when spices are not cooked properly please avoid adding such spices to a liquid without having first cooked them even briefly in hot fat/oil. In this case, just add the spices in step3 in step1. I promise it wont take away from the dish!

Sautéing the chicken before hand is absolutely not necessary. It doesn't hurt, but slowly simmering the chicken until it's fully cooked will fully absorb all the flavor of the spices just fine. There is more than one way of cooking the chicken curry and both are just fine methods.

I agree with Sue: brown chicken thighs before adding them to the sauce. This will render out the chicken fat, most of which can be discarded for a lower calorie dish. Once well browned, the chicken pieces can be moved to a dish till the sauce is ready. You could then skip the neutral oil and use instead 1 T of the rendered fat for more flavor. Then add the ghee or butter and go from there. Why does a flavorful, healthy, and easy to prepare dish need to be authentic anyway?

Fried Fish Sandwich

Fried Fish Sandwich

This fried fish sandwich doesn’t stray far from the classic fast-food staple: breaded fish, a soft bun, a slice of cheese and tangy tartar sauce. The best part is you can put it together in just about the amount of time it would take to stand in line and order it at the counter. Capers, shallots and fresh dill make this tartar sauce feel a little fancy, but a splash of soy sauce adds the umami that takes it to a very familiar place. Flounder is an affordable choice for the recipe, but if you can’t find it, substitute with sole or any mild flat fish.

Yield: 4 sandwiches

For the Tartar Sauce

½ cup mayonnaise

¼ cup bread and butter pickle chips, finely chopped, plus 1 tablespoon pickle brine

1 small shallot, finely chopped

2 tablespoons coarsely chopped fresh dill

2 tablespoons (drained) capers, coarsely chopped

1 teaspoon soy sauce or tamari

Kosher salt

For the Fried Fish

1 cup vegetable oil

¼ cup all-purpose flour

2 large eggs, lightly beaten

2 cups panko bread crumbs

4 flounder fillets (about 1 pound), halved crosswise

Kosher salt

For Assembly

4soft white buns

4slices American cheese or Cheddar

Prepare the tartar sauce: In a medium bowl, whisk together mayonnaise, pickles and pickle brine, shallot, dill, capers and soy sauce. Season with salt to taste and set aside. (Makes ¾ cup.)

Prepare the fried fish: Heat oil in a large, straight-sided skillet over medium. Place flour, eggs and panko in 3 separate medium shallow bowls. Season flounder on both sides with salt and dredge in flour, dusting off excess, then transfer to egg wash, allow excess to drip off, then coat with panko.

Working in batches, fry about 4 breaded fillets at a time until golden brown and cooked through, about 1½ minutes per side. Transfer to a wire rack and season with salt. Repeat with remaining fish.

Assemble the sandwiches: Spread tartar sauce on both sides of each bun. Place 1 piece of fried fish on each bottom bun, then add a slice of cheese on top and another piece of fish on the cheese. The residual heat from the fish will help melt the cheese. Sandwich together and serve immediately.

Sheet-Pan Chicken Tikka Thighs

Sheet-Pan Chicken Tikka Thighs

Commonly cooked in restaurants and street stalls across India and Pakistan, chicken tikka is typically prepared with marinated bone-in pieces and cooked on coals or in a tandoor. This preparation of chicken tikka uses boneless, skinless chicken thighs and a broiler for the same effect — layered, slightly smoky flavor from charred edges of otherwise juicy, tender chicken thighs. With minimal cleanup, this dish is delicately sweet, deeply spiced and has a confetti of textures. The chicken is marinated in ginger, garlic and a mix of heady South Asian spices — red chile powder, cumin, garam masala — and yogurt is used as a tenderizer. Thirty minutes of marination does the trick but overnight is better. Bell pepper and onions sweeten during broiling and their edges char and crisp up too. Plus, juices from the spiced chicken further flavor the vegetables. Eat any leftovers in a salad or sandwich. 

Yield: 4 servings

2 tablespoons full-fat Greek or Indian yogurt

1 teaspoon ginger paste or freshly grated ginger

1 teaspoon garlic paste or freshly grated garlic

1½ teaspoons Kashmiri red chile powder

1½ teaspoons garam masala

1½ teaspoons ground cumin

½ teaspoon ground turmeric

Salt

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

1 pound boneless, skinless chicken thighs

2 large bell peppers, chopped into 1-inch pieces

1 red onion, chopped into 1-inch pieces

1 teaspoon cumin seeds

Cooked rice, for serving (optional)

In a large bowl, stir together the yogurt, ginger, garlic, chile powder, garam masala, ground cumin, turmeric, 1 teaspoon salt and 1 tablespoon oil. Add the chicken and stir until the thighs are completely coated. Using a fork, thoroughly stab the chicken thighs so the marinade may penetrate the meat. Set aside for 30 minutes or cover and refrigerate overnight to marinate.

On a medium sheet pan, about 13- by 9-inches, toss the bell peppers and onion with the cumin seeds and the remaining 1 tablespoon oil and ½ teaspoon salt. Lay the ingredients out in a single layer. Using a fork, hold up a chicken thigh over the bowl and scrape the excess marinade off with another fork, and lay it on the vegetables. Repeat the process for the remaining thighs.

Turn the broiler on high. Place the sheet pan on a rack about 3 inches below the broiler. Broil for 7 to 10 minutes. Flip the thighs and broil for another 7 to 10 minutes, until parts of the chicken and vegetables are charred and crisp on the outside and chicken is cooked through (when a thermometer inserted into thickest part of a thigh reads 165 degrees). Serve with rice or as is, spooning the juices from the sheet pan over the chicken as sauce.

TIP: Doubled all the spices and used a single serve cup of Greek yoghurt, baked at 300 for 20/25 mins before broiling both sides. I also did the vegetables separately at 400 for 15/20 mins and put them under the broiler for the last 5 mins - turned out perfect and the marinade was delicious! Will be making this again

For anyone not familiar with it, Kashmiri Red Chile powder is not spicy. It's much more like paprika, so if you can't find Kashmiri chile powder, maybe just use paprika and a tiny pinch of cayenne pepper.

Just a heads-up (that most of you already know, but some may not, hence this note!) that dark meat (chicken thighs, legs) are best cooked to an internal temp of at least 175-180, with many credible sites saying 180-190. Spruce Eats, America's Test Kitchen, Epicurious and many more give that advice, as the higher temp breaks down the connective tissue in dark meat and makes the texture far better. It won't be dried out, unlike breast meat cooked to 180 or more

Chicken and Herb Salad With Nuoc Cham

Chicken and Herb Salad With Nuoc Cham 

Nuoc cham, a Vietnamese sauce bright with lime juice and chile, is tossed into this simple, satisfying salad to give it a salty-sweet finish. Thinly sliced bell pepper and shaved cabbage provide crunch, while meat pulled from a store-bought rotisserie chicken — or any leftover chicken — soaks up the dressing. Serve this by itself, or alongside steamed rice or room-temperature cooked rice vermicelli. 

Yield: 4 servings

2 tablespoons granulated sugar

1 garlic clove, minced

1 bird’s-eye chile or other small hot chile, minced with seeds

¼ cup fresh lime juice (from 2 limes)

3 tablespoons fish sauce

3 loosely packed cups chicken meat (12 ounces, pulled from store-bought rotisserie chicken or roast chicken)

2 cups thinly sliced red or green cabbage

1 small English cucumber, thinly sliced (about 1½ cups)

1 medium bell pepper (any color), thinly sliced

1½ cups peppery leafy greens, such as watercress with tender stems, arugula or mizuna

1 loosely packed cup Thai or sweet basil leaves

1 loosely packed cup mint leaves

½ cup crispy fried shallots or onions, store-bought or homemade

In a large bowl, combine the sugar and ¼ cup water. Whisk to dissolve the sugar. Add the garlic, chile, lime juice and fish sauce. Stir to combine.

Add the chicken, cabbage, cucumbers and bell pepper to the dressing. Toss to coat. Add the leafy greens and the basil and mint leaves. Toss to combine.

Divide the salad among bowls, garnish with the crispy shallots and serve immediately.

Smashed Cucumber and Chicken Salad

Smashed Cucumber and Chicken Salad

A few simple elements — shredded rotisserie chicken, smashed, salted and drained cucumbers, and a sweet and spicy dressing — come together quickly in this Sichuan-inspired salad. The end result: a fresh, crunchy, flavorful main, served cold with no cooking time, perfect for hot summer days when turning on a stove feels like a Sisyphean task. It keeps in the fridge for a few days and tastes even better once the cucumbers have had a chance to marinate and soak up the briny dressing overnight. For a whole other salad, add chickpeas to whatever’s left, or sandwich leftovers between a couple of slices of bread to make a far-from-ordinary lunch.

Yield: 2 to 4 servings

6 Persian or other thin-skinned small cucumbers

½ teaspoon fine sea salt

¼ cup unseasoned rice vinegar, or to taste

1 tablespoon sesame oil (untoasted or toasted)

2 teaspoons soy sauce

1 teaspoon honey (optional)

1 pound coarsely shredded cooked chicken, about 2½ cups (from a store-bought rotisserie chicken or 1 pound poached chicken breast, see Tip)

2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro

½ to 1 teaspoon red-pepper flakes

2 teaspoon toasted white sesame seeds (optional)

Trim off the ends of the cucumbers and halve the cucumbers lengthwise. Place the flat side of each piece on the chopping board and, using the back of a chef’s knife, mallet or other heavy tool, smash the cucumbers to flatten them. Further break the flattened cucumbers by hand, then place them in a colander set over a large bowl. Mix in the salt and refrigerate 20 minutes to chill and drain.

Remove the cucumbers from the refrigerator. In the same large bowl (wipe dry if necessary), whisk together the vinegar (feel free to start with less and add more after tasting), sesame oil, soy sauce and honey (if using). Add the drained smashed cucumbers and shredded chicken, and mix well. Top with cilantro, red-pepper flakes and sesame seeds, if you like. Though enjoyable at room temperature, this salad is best served chilled.

Tip: To poach 1 pound boneless skinless chicken breasts: Add 4 cups of cold water to a 4-quart (about 9-inch diameter) saucepan. Stir in 3½ teaspoons of salt. Place chicken breasts in a single layer in the pan, smooth side down. Cover the pot and bring the water to a boil over medium heat (this should take 10 to 12 minutes). Once the water begins to boil, flip the chicken breasts, cover the pot, turn off the heat and let the chicken cook undisturbed for 15 minutes. Transfer to a cutting board and let rest for 10 minutes.

Sheet-Pan Chicken With Black Beans and Squash

Sheet-Pan Chicken With Black Beans and Squash

This sheet-pan meal delivers big flavor with little effort. Bone-in chicken thighs, cubed squash (buy pre-cubed if you like), red onion and a can of black beans are all coated with smoky-warm spices before roasting. (To use boneless thighs, see Tip.) The chicken and black beans crisp, the squash and onion sweeten and everything is deeply seasoned with chili powder, cumin and chicken drippings. Bring contrast to the meal by adding cooling, creamy, fresh and crispy toppings, such as sour cream, pepitas, cilantro, raw onion and lime. This is sheet-pan cooking at its finest.

Yield: 4 servings

1 ½ pounds bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs, patted dry

1 pound cubed butternut squash

1 (15-ounce) can black beans, rinsed and shaken dry

1 red onion, thinly sliced, divided

3 tablespoons avocado or other neutral-tasting oil

2 teaspoons chili powder

1 teaspoon ground cumin

Salt

Cilantro, toasted pepitas, sour cream, or lime wedges or a combination, for serving

Heat the oven to 425 degrees. On a sheet pan, combine the chicken, squash, beans, half the red onion, oil, chili powder, cumin and 1½ teaspoons Diamond Crystal kosher salt (or ¾ teaspoon coarse kosher salt). Toss to coat, then spread into an even layer. Roast until the chicken skin is deeply golden and the squash is tender, 25 to 30 minutes.

Top the cooked chicken and vegetables as you like with the remaining red onion, cilantro, pepitas, dollops of sour cream and a squeeze of lime. 

TIP: To use boneless, skinless thighs, toss them in the seasonings, then remove from the sheet pan. Roast the squash, onion and beans for 15 minutes, then add the thighs and continue to roast until cooked through, another 10 to 15 minutes. Broil for more browning if you like.

Japanese Ground Beef Curry

Japanese Ground Beef Curry

This one-skillet Japanese curry combines ground beef, potatoes, carrots and peas with store-bought curry roux bricks for a meal that tastes complex but comes together with little effort. A Westernized, roux-based version of curry was introduced to Japan by the British Navy in the late 1800s and, over time, evolved to become a staple in Japanese households, with a number of variations like kare udon (served over noodles) and kare raisu (served over rice). In the 1950s, store-bought curry roux bricks were created, combining the roux with curry powder and a variety of other spices. In this recipe, those store-bought curry bricks do the heavy lifting. (If you’re particularly ambitious, you could make your own Japanese curry bricks with this recipe from Sonoko Sakai.) Serve this curry over rice, udon or lo mein, or alongside a breaded pork cutlet.

Yield: 4 to 6 servings

2 tablespoons sunflower, safflower or canola oil

1 pound ground beef

Salt and pepper

1 large yellow onion, chopped

1 large garlic clove, minced

1 (1-inch) piece fresh ginger, peeled and minced

1 large carrot, peeled and chopped into ⅓-inch pieces

1 large russet potato, peeled and chopped into ½-inch pieces

1 (3.2-ounce) package Japanese curry roux bricks (preferably medium-hot S&B Golden Curry)

¾ cup frozen peas

Cooked rice, udon or lo mein noodles, for serving

Heat a large skillet over medium-high. Add the oil and when it shimmers, add the ground beef, a generous pinch of salt and a couple pinches of ground pepper. Using a spatula, break up the beef and spread it into one layer on the skillet. Let cook undisturbed, until browned on the bottom, about 3 minutes. 

Stir and push the beef to one side of the skillet, add the onion to the other side and season the onion lightly with salt. Let cook, stirring occasionally, about 2 minutes. Add the garlic and ginger, stir all the ingredients to combine and continue to cook, about 3 minutes more. 

Stir in the carrots and potato and cook until the edges begin to soften, about 4 minutes. 

Add the roux bricks and 2 cups of water and stir, breaking up the bricks until they melt into a sauce and start bubbling. Cover, lower heat to low and let simmer, stirring occasionally until the liquid has reduced into a rich, viscous sauce, about 15 minutes. If the sauce has reduced to the point of drying at the bottom of the skillet, gradually add up to ½ cup water, a few tablespoons at a time, to reach the desired consistency. (Sauce should be glossy and saucy, not gloopy or congealed.) 

Add peas and cook until bright green, 3 to 5 minutes. 

Serve over cooked rice, udon or lo mein noodles. Any curry leftovers will keep, refrigerated, for up to 3 days.

TIP: Just made this...a classic dish sure to please children (milder roux.) I think this version is even better than the classic chicken and is really about as easy a weeknight hearty meal with many leftover meals possible. Being very familiar with Japanese cuisine, one can't resist tinkering. In my case I added a small cup of apple sauce (Japanese often add Fuji apple to boost the sweet/tart.)

*I agree 100% on the applesauce! I also like to add a bit of tomato paste before adding the water and roux blocks. In the past I’ve added a bit of unsweetened cocoa too. This recipe lends itself nicely to tinkering with the ingredients!

*we discovered Torokeru curry

Roasted Cabbage Salad With Spicy Lime Dressing

Roasted Cabbage Salad With Spicy Lime Dressing

This winter cabbage salad takes a cue from a classic Vietnamese cabbage and chicken salad and has plenty of kick from lime juice, serrano chiles and fish sauce. Tempeh and peanuts are roasted with the cabbage for varied texture and a hit of protein. Add more vegetables if you like: try halved cherry tomatoes, cucumber or charred green beans. The fish sauce and lime juice are your flavor makers, so don't be afraid to add more of either to suit your taste. The cabbage salad keeps for up to 5 days in the refrigerator and is great at room temperature, perfect for a quick lunch. 

Yield: 4 servings, plus leftovers

1 small green cabbage, about 1 ½ pounds

Kosher salt (such as Diamond Crystal)

1 bunch scallions

2 serrano chiles

2 garlic cloves

6 tablespoons lime juice, plus more to taste (from 3 limes)

1 tablespoon fish sauce, plus more to taste

2 medium carrots

One (8-ounce) package soy tempeh

¾ cup roasted unsalted peanuts, roughly chopped

2 tablespoons avocado or olive oil

Freshly cooked long-grain white rice, such as jasmine, for serving

1 bunch cilantro or mint leaves (or a combination)

Heat your oven to 400 degrees. If you have a convection function, turn it on.

While your oven heats, quarter the cabbage through the core, cut away and discard the core, then slice the cabbage into shreds. Place on a sheet pan and sprinkle with 2 teaspoons salt. Squeeze the salt into the cabbage and arrange in one layer. Allow the cabbage to sit while you prep the remaining ingredients. 

Trim the scallions , then cut off the scallion whites and cut them in half lengthwise. Place on top of the cabbage. Chop the scallion greens and place them in a large bowl.

Cut the stems of the chiles off and discard, then quarter them lengthwise. If desired, remove the seeds, then dice the serranos and place them in the bowl with the scallion greens. Mince the garlic cloves, then toss them into the bowl. Add the lime juice, fish sauce and 1 teaspoon salt. Grate the carrots into the bowl, mix and allow to sit while the cabbage roasts. 

Transfer the sheet pan with the cabbage to the oven and roast for 10 minutes. Remove from the oven and crumble the tempeh on top, then add the peanuts and oil and, using tongs, toss to combine. Return to the oven and roast, tossing once halfway through, until edges of cabbage and scallions are browned and peanuts and tempeh are golden, 15 to 20  minutes. 

To serve, transfer the contents of the sheet pan to the bowl with the dressing, and toss to coat. Taste for fish sauce and lime juice. Scoop a generous amount of rice into bowls and top with a very generous serving of salad. Top with cilantro or mint leaves. The salad keeps for up to 5 days in the refrigerator and is great at room temperature.

Salmon Gyro Bowls

Salmon Gyro Bowls

These rice bowls apply the flavor of classic gyros to tender, buttery salmon. The bowl is piled with a spiced roasted onion and tomato mixture and a simple cucumber salad; a lemony, dill and feta–flavored yogurt and mayonnaise sauce completes the dish. Rice is the base for these bowls, but you could opt out of it entirely and nestle the toppings in pita bread, serve them over a bed of salad greens, or enjoy with a side of Greek-style lemon potatoes. 

Yield: 4 servings

For the salmon

¼ cup olive oil

1 lemon, juiced (about ¼ cup)

2 tablespoons chopped cilantro leaves

3 large garlic cloves, grated

1 ½ teaspoons ground cumin

1 teaspoon paprika

1 teaspoon dried oregano

¾ teaspoon fine sea salt

½ teaspoon ground black pepper

¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper

4 (5- to 6-ounce) skin-on salmon fillets 

1 medium red onion, sliced

3 large vine tomatoes, chopped 

Cooked white rice, for serving 

For the white sauce

¾ cup plain Greek yogurt

½ cup crumbled feta

¼ cup mayonnaise 

1 teaspoon chopped fresh dill

2 large garlic cloves, finely grated 

½ medium lemon, juiced 

½ teaspoon fine sea salt

Black pepper, to taste 

For the cucumber salad

1 English cucumber, halved lengthwise and sliced

¼ large red onion, sliced crosswise 

⅛ teaspoon fine sea salt

Black pepper, to taste 

Heat the oven to 400 degrees and arrange racks in the upper and lower third of the oven. Line one large sheet pan with parchment paper and another with aluminum foil.

Prepare the salmon: In a large bowl, combine the olive oil, lemon juice, cilantro, garlic, cumin, paprika, oregano, salt, black pepper and crushed red pepper. Dip the salmon into the marinade until evenly coated. Transfer the salmon to a plate and set aside. 

Add the onions and tomatoes to the large bowl and mix until coated. Spread the onion-tomato mixture evenly on the foil-lined sheet pan and roast for 20 minutes, stirring once or twice as needed.

After the onion-tomato mixture has roasted for 20 minutes, transfer the salmon, skin side down, to the remaining sheet pan along with any leftover sauce. Add to the oven to roast until the fish is tender and flakes easily; continue roasting the onion-tomato mixture until it has softened significantly and gets slightly browned around the edges, 12 to 15 minutes.

While everything roasts, combine the ingredients for the white sauce in a medium bowl. 

Once the salmon and vegetables are done roasting, combine all the ingredients for the cucumber salad and lightly toss. 

To serve each portion, place the amount of rice you’d like into a bowl. Top with salmon, the roasted tomato-onion mixture and cucumber salad, and finish off with a generous dollop of white sauce. 

Lamb Biryani

Lamb Biryani 

In India, you’re just as likely to have biryani as a lunchtime delivery at the office as you are to see it as a stunning centerpiece at a wedding feast. The dish is pervasive, with many modern interpretations and regional permutations rooted in Muslim communities of the subcontinent. Hyderabad is famous for its style of biryani, which traditionally involves a layer of raw meat and gravy that cooks the rice as it steams in a tightly sealed pot. This Sindhi-style biryani is the one I make for special Sunday lunches and parties. With multiple layers of parcooked rice, fresh herbs, caramelized onion, saffron-infused milk and braised lamb, it’s a project, but a rewarding one. Two tips: Meat on the bone isn’t a rule, but it’s consistently better than meat off the bone. Potatoes are welcome; add a pound of small boiled potatoes to the cooked meat if you want to stretch the pot and feed a few extra people.

Yield: 8 servings

For the Lamb

4 green finger chiles (or serrano chiles), stems removed

8 garlic cloves, peeled

1 (4-inch) piece fresh ginger, peeled

2 medium yellow onions, peeled and quartered

2 Roma tomatoes, quartered

1 cup full-fat yogurt

1 cup fresh mint leaves

1 cup fresh cilantro leaves

1 tablespoon ground coriander

1 tablespoon ground cumin

1 teaspoon Kashmiri chile powder, plus more as needed

½ teaspoon ground turmeric

2 teaspoons kosher salt, plus more as needed

2½ to 3 pounds lamb chops (or boneless or bone-in lamb shoulder pieces)

3 (½-inch) Indian cinnamon sticks, or 1 large cinnamon stick

12 whole black peppercorns

6 cloves

6 green cardamom pods

1 tablespoon garam masala

For the Fried Onions

1 cup neutral oil, such as grapeseed or canola

2 yellow onions, thinly sliced

½ teaspoon kosher salt

For the Rice

Kosher salt

3 cups basmati rice

For Assembly

6 tablespoons whole milk

½ teaspoon saffron threads

2 cups mixed fresh cilantro and mint leaves

6 tablespoons unsalted butter, sliced

Prepare the lamb marinade: Add the finger chiles, garlic and ginger to a food processor and process until finely chopped. Add the onions and tomatoes, process until smooth, and scrape into a bowl that will hold all the lamb and fit in your fridge. Add the yogurt, mint, cilantro, coriander, cumin, chile powder, turmeric and salt, and stir to combine. Add the lamb to the bowl and toss to coat in the marinade, then cover and refrigerate overnight.

Prepare the fried onions: In a Dutch oven or heavy pot, heat the oil over medium. Add the onions, season with salt, and sauté until browned, stirring occasionally, 25 to 30 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer fried onions to a paper towel-lined plate. Using your hands, pull apart the fried onions to separate to prevent them from sticking together, and set aside.

Add the cinnamon, peppercorns, cloves and cardamom to the remaining hot oil, and fry over medium until fragrant, about 1 minute. Stir in the meat, its marinade and 1 cup water, and bring to a simmer over medium heat. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the meat is tender and the sauce is very thick and dark, about 2½ hours, adjusting the heat as needed to maintain a low simmer. Stir in the garam masala and taste, adjusting with salt and chile powder as needed. Set aside.

Heat the oven to 350 degrees. Prepare the rice: Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil and add the rice. Stir well and cook for 3 minutes, transfer to a colander in the sink to drain. Run some cool water on top to cool the rice; set aside.

Prepare the saffron milk for assembly: Warm the milk in a small saucepan over medium heat just until it steams. Remove from heat and add the saffron, crumbling it with your fingertips as you drop it into the milk. Set aside.

In a large, heavy, lidded pot, add about a third of the meat mixture in an even layer covering the bottom of the pot. Sprinkle the meat with a third of the herbs and a third of the rice, assembling lightly without packing the layers. Drizzle 2 tablespoons saffron milk over the rice and add about a third of the fried onions. Build two more layers of meat, herbs, rice, saffron milk and onions. Top with pats of butter and cover the pot with foil.

Put the lid on the pot of rice, transfer to the oven and bake until piping hot, about 1 hour. Let rest for about 10 minutes, then serve hot, digging all the way to the bottom of the pot with the serving spoon. To reheat, warm the biryani covered in the oven, or microwave.

TIP: I was intrigued by this recipe but had no lamb. I substituted bone-in chicken thighs and basically followed recipe with a few changes. I browned chicken thighs before browning onions (scraping off the marinade and drying the thighs with a paper towel) and then, at the point of assembling the biryani, I deboned the chicken, discarding the skin and shredding the meat. Flavors were excellent. I highly recommend. 

*the oil is for deep frying the onions, but you wouldn’t need that if it’s going to simmer for over 2 hours. It won’t change the taste and lamb has enough of its own fat to cook in.

Eliminating the butter on top of the rice may leave it less rich,

But having made biryani growing up, it’s still going to be really really delicious without.

These seem like restaurant style additions that sacrifice health for additional flavor.

Save yourself the 2600 calories. It’s still going to be awesome.

*Am I reading this correctly that in Step 3 we're supposed to use ALL of the remaining 1 cup of oil? In other words, the finished biryani has 1 full cup of oil (in addition to the 6 Tbsp of butter)? If so, it is what it is (no judgement) but just wanted to confirm.

Chocolate Zucchini Loaf Cake

Chocolate Zucchini Loaf Cake

This simple, one-bowl loaf cake is a sweet way to make the most of zucchini season. Chocolate cake batter is flecked with shreds of raw zucchini and studded with bittersweet chocolate chips for a summertime cake that’s fit for either breakfast or dessert. While some recipes call for squeezing the excess water out of the shredded zucchini, this loaf cake takes full advantage of the summer vegetable: The zucchini is taken directly from the grater to the bowl for additional moisture. The resulting cake strikes the perfect balance; it's rich and fudgy, but still maintains a tender crumb. The cake will keep on the counter for 4 to 5 days, loosely covered, and only gets better with age.

Yield: 1 loaf (about 8 servings)

Nonstick cooking spray or neutral oil

2 large eggs

1½ cups/330 grams packed light brown sugar

¾ cup/180 milliliters neutral oil (such as vegetable or safflower)

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1 teaspoon kosher salt (such as Diamond Crystal)

2 cups/280 grams lightly packed coarsely grated zucchini (from about 1 large or 2 small zucchini)

1¾ cups/223 grams all-purpose flour

⅔ cup/63 grams unsweetened natural cocoa powder

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 cup/173 grams bittersweet or semisweet chocolate chips

1 tablespoon coarse sugar (such as turbinado or Demerara)

Heat oven to 325 degrees. Grease a 9-by-5-inch loaf pan with nonstick cooking spray and line with a strip of parchment paper that hangs over the long sides to create a sling.

In a large bowl, vigorously whisk together the eggs, light brown sugar, oil, vanilla extract and salt until smooth and glossy, about 30 seconds. Add the grated zucchini and mix with a rubber spatula until incorporated.

Using a fine-mesh strainer, sift the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder and baking soda directly into the bowl and stir with a rubber spatula just until combined and no pockets of unincorporated flour remain. (Try not to overmix.) Add all but 1 tablespoon of the chocolate chips to the batter and stir until evenly distributed.

Transfer the batter to the prepared pan. Sprinkle the top with coarse sugar and the reserved chocolate chips, pressing them in slightly so they stick. Bake until the cake puffs slightly and a skewer or cake tester inserted into the center comes out clean with just a few moist crumbs attached or with smudges of melted chocolate chips (the chips will be dark brown versus the lighter color of uncooked cake batter), 75 to 80 minutes.

Let the loaf cake cool in the pan for 15 minutes. Using the parchment paper, lift the cake out of the pan and let cool completely on a rack before slicing, about 2 hours.

Tip: The cake can be baked in a 9-by-2-inch round cake or springform pan. Grease the pan and line the bottom with a parchment paper round. Bake until a cake tester inserted into the center comes out clean with just a few moist crumbs attached, 50 to 55 minutes.

* Last week I asked about substituting fat-free Greek yogurt for some of the oil. I figured it out and it was perfect - instead of 6oz of oil I used 2oz oil and 3oz of yogurt. Delicious, and eliminated 2/3 of the oil. Super moist and chocolatey.

I have tried many zucchini breads and cakes, but was always bothered by their oiliness. I have now made this one twice substituting the 3/4 cup oil with 1/2 cup buttermilk and 1/4 cup either oil or melted butter or combination of the two ( to equal 1/4 cup). Found that hint on the King Arthur baking site. It really works well.

So very good! I also like that the zucchini doesn’t have to be drained. I used bittersweet chunky chips and I made these as muffins. It made 15 regular muffins and I baked them at 350 for 30 minutes.