Maya Kaimal is the author of Curried Favors: Family Recipes from South India, winner of the IACP Julia Child Award for First Cookbook in 1996. She has appeared on the Today show and the Food Network, and has written about food for Food & Wine, Saveur, and the Los Angeles Times syndicate. Kaimal lives in New York and frequently travels to Kerala to visit her family.

Peppery Chicken Curry

Serves: 6 Recipe

Marinating Time: 1 Hour
Preparation Time: 1 Hour
May be prepared in advance through step 3.

A Christian friend, Celine Sani, served this dish to our family over twenty years ago, and my father could never forget it. The curry has a nice balance of sweet coconut milk and pungent peppercorns, but it's the cashews that are the surprise. Serve with any vegetable stir-fry and plain rice.

Ingredients

Ground masala:
2 teaspoons coriander
2 teaspoons cumin
1/2 teaspoon turmeric

1 1/4 teaspoons black peppercorns, coarsely ground with a mortar and pestle
1 teaspoon salt
2 pounds boneless skinless chicken thighs, trimmed and cut into 1-inch cubes
4 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 cups sliced onion
1 1/2 teaspoons minced garlic
1 1/2 teaspoons minced ginger
1 teaspoon minced fresh green chili
(Serrano or Thai)
3/4 cup canned coconut milk
1 tablespoon Ghee or butter
1/2 cup halved or broken raw cashews
1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice

Instructions

1. Mix together the ground masala, black pepper, and 1/4 teaspoon of the salt. Rub the chicken pieces with this mixture and refrigerate for 1 hour.

2. In a wide deep nonstick pan heat the oil over medium-high heat and saute onions until they are medium brown. Add the garlic, ginger, and green chili and fry for 1 minute. Put in the marinated chicken and remaining 3/4 teaspoon salt and fry, stirring frequently until the chicken pieces lose their pink color. Stir in 1/4 cup of the coconut milk and 1/4 cup water, cover, and simmer for about 30 minutes over low heat.

3. Heat the ghee or butter in a frying pan. Saute the cashews until golden brown, stirring constantly over medium heat. Set aside.

4. When the chicken is cooked add the remaining 1/2 cup coconut milk. Bring to a simmer and remove from the heat. Stir in the lemon juice and taste for salt. Garnish with cashews and serve.

Eggplant in Tamarind Sauce (Eggplant Thiyal)

Serves: 6

Preparation Time: 1 Hour
Recipe may be prepared in advance and reheated.

This is an intensely flavored side dish with an underlying hint of sweetness. Thiyals, one of the Hindu specialties of Kerala, are characterized by their combination of tart tamarind and deeply toasted coconut.

Ingredients

1/2 cup grated unsweetened coconut

Ground masala:
4 teaspoons coriander
1/2 teaspoon cumin
1/2 teaspoon cayenne
3/4 teaspoon turmeric

1/2 teaspoon tamarind concentrate
3 cups (1 1/2 x 1/2-inch matchsticks) Japanese or Italian eggplant
6 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 1/2 cups sliced onions
1 fresh green chili (Serrano or Thai), split lengthwise
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon mustard seeds
2 dried red chilies
10 to 12 fresh curry leaves

Instructions

1. In a frying pan, toast the coconut over medium heat, stirringconstantly until it turns cinnamon brown and no whiteremains. Add the ground masala and continue toasting togetherover medium heat until the spices give off their aroma. Do notburn the coconut.

2. Place the coconut and spices in a blender with 1/2 cup wateror more and process to form a finely ground paste, like a thickpesto. Set aside.

3. In a small bowl combine the tamarind concentrate with 2tablespoons of hot water. Rub with your fingers to dissolve. Setaside.

4. In a wide nonstick skillet fry the eggplant in 3 tablespoons ofthe oil until it browns and softens and the eggplant releases its liquid (about 10 minutes). Remove the eggplant pieces to a plate, leaving behind any oil. Add another tablespoon of oil and fry the onions and green chili over medium-high heat until the onion is browned.

5. Return the eggplant to the frying pan and add the coconutpaste and dissolved tamarind. Stir in the salt and 3/4 to 1 Cupwater, and cook until the eggplant is very soft (10 minutes). Itshould look like pieces of eggplant in a thick sauce. Add more water as needed to maintain the proper consistency. Cover and remove from heat.

6. In a small frying pan, heat the remaining 2 tablespoons of oil over medium-high heat. Add the mustard seeds and cover. When the mustard seeds have popped add the dried red chilies and curry leaves. After the leaves crackle for a few seconds, pour the mixture over the cooked eggplant and stir.