I went to my friend's Sangeeth this week. Sangeeths are 1 of about 30 pre wedding events where friends and family members perform coriographed dances for the engaged couple. This sangeeth was on a pontoon boat.

I ate chicken at 7 today that was alive at 3 today.

Shopping at the market...

Marinating chicken.

chicken--that was alive earlier today.

Dal (beans) and chilies.

Dal and chilies plus curry leaves.

Kitchen...

Mustard seeds, cumin seeds, and dried chilies for something we made.

Chili powder, corriander leaves, curry leaves, and garlic paste for something else we made.

Garlic, mustard seeds, cumin seeds, chili powder, curry leaves, salt, dried chilies for something.

Cumin seed, mustard seeds, curry leaves, fresh garlic cloves, dried chilies, and tumeric for something else.

Dinner!

Tomato-methi rice, dal, and spicy chicken.

(We eat with our hands.)

This is what we made:

Chicken curry

Steps:

1.       Marinate for 1 hour in refrigerator (makes softer and cooks faster)

a.       1 Lemons: nimbu: nimakya

b.      1 heaping tablespoon chili powder

c.       Little salt

d.      1 heaping tablespoon ginger garlic paste

e.      2 pinches turmeric

f.        2 tablespoons curd

2.       Cooking chicken: Tadka. Add oil then ingredients one at a time. Cook for 3-4 minutes. Close the lid. Add chicken. Let water cook out of chicken. After the chicken cooks, add more chili and salt to taste. Keep cooking until you can fry it.

a.       Oil (8 tablespoons)

b.      Cumin seeds (pinch)

c.       Turmeric (2 pinches)

d.      Chilis (4-5)

e.      Onions

f.        Ginger garlic paste

3.       Masala: grind and put in chicken before frying (5 minutes before it’s done).

a.       4-5 cloves

b.      Pepper

c.       Cardimum

4.       Garnish: add coriander

a.       Coriander leaves

Dal

Steps:

1.       Combine ingredients

a.       1 cup dal to 1 cups water

b.      Little chili (fresh or powder)

c.       Curry leaves

d.      Little salt

e.      1 small onion

2.       Cook on high about 20 minutes- until squeezable.

a.       Note: if cooking in a normal pot (not steamer/pressure cooker) add more water.

b.      When it boils over. Take off the lid and cook for 2 more minutes.

3.       Tadka: Posu

a.       Little oil (3 tablespoons)

b.      Cumin

c.       Mustard seeds

d.      Turmeric

e.      Curry leaves

f.        1 dried chili (or fresh)

4.       Tomatoes (after a little fried)

a.       Add a little water to keep from burning

b.      Add cooked dal from step 2 and little more water for thin dal.

c.       Add salt to taste.

d.      Add coriander leaves.

e.      Bring to boil and turn off.

Rice

Steps:

1.       Wash rice and drain.

2.       1 cup rice to 2 cups water

3.       Boil until boils over, then take off lid, leave on high until water cooks off

4.       Close lid and put on simmer for 3 or 4 minutes.

Tomato-methi Rice Tadka 

Steps:

1.       Tadka: put oil and add ingredients one by one in order listed. Keep burner on high. After adding onions, let cook for 2 minutes on simmer. Then add Methi, cook for one minute. Add tomatoes, close the lid. Let it cook for 2-3 minutes. Add chili powder and salt. Then add rice and mix. Fry for a few minutes.

a.       Oil (4 Tablespoons)

b.      Cumin

c.       Turmeric

d.      Curry leaves

e.      Garlic (no ginger)(paste or cut)

f.        Chilies

g.       Onions

h.      Methi (kasuri methi-dry form of methi)

i.         Tomatoes

j.        Chili powder

k.       Salt

l.         Rice

Grocery shopping in India is much like grocery shopping in America. Balaji is the local grocery store I visit most often.

When I get to the store, this man decides what kind of fruit I like and how much I want.



Then I go inside for dry goods.

Checkout.