Chicken Cauliflower Curry


CHICKEN CAULIFLOWER CURRY
This recipe was developed, written, and provided by my love, Tom.  It is reprinted here in his own words. He is a fabulous cook, an entertaining host, and I love it when he cooks.
INGREDIENTS                                                   

3 boned chicken breasts, cubed (bite-sized)
3 Spanish onions, thinly sliced
1 heaping Tbsp minced/grated ginger root
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp cayenne
1 tsp cinnamon
2 heaping Tbsp turmeric
5 black cardamom pods
4 skinny carrots
¼ head cauliflower
2 cans diced tomatoes
small bunch of cilantro      
1 tsp lightly toasted cumin seeds 
       
plain yogurt                                       


PREPARATION:
Warm your pan for sautéing.  Add a generous 2 Tbsp of your favorite oil. I used canola oil to keep it light, but use butter or olive oil, whatever floats your boat. Toss in the chicken and sauté at medium to low heat until it’s just cooked. Keep your eye on it. When the chicken’s done, remove it from the pan.

Add more oil and heat it up, then add onions. Let the onions start to brown, but don’t burn them. Add ginger and garlic, and let it cook a little bit, keep stirring. Add the cayenne. Don’t be afraid, it’s not as hot as you fear. After the cayenne cooks a little (cooking like this will make it less harsh) add cinnamon and turmeric. Don’t be afraid to go heavy on the turmeric. Choke it with turmeric, but don’t let it stick and scorch, keep stirring.

Now add carrots and cauliflower. Keep stirring and heat it up good. Add cardamom pods, chicken and tomatoes, and stir. Let it heat thoroughly. Add a liberal amount of salt. A New York liberal amount! Transfer all the above to your slow cooker. Set to high for 1.5 hours. Then 1 hour on low, and a couple more on warm.

Before serving heat up some cumin seeds in the toaster oven until they are fragrant. They will get toast at a pretty low heat, and that’s what you want, don’t let them burn. Add to pot. Chop a big fistful of fresh cilantro and throw that in, too. Serve over or alongside rice or whatever else you like, with some yogurt for topping. You’re welcome!

COMMENTS FROM THE CHEF:  This is made in a slow cooker.  My slow cooker has a stoneware pot that I can take out and put right on the stove for sautéing. If you don’t have that kind of rig, just sauté it in a pot then dump it in the slow cooker. You really want to use a slow cooker because it keeps things juicy and tender, and that’s why you’re making this dish.

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