Colonel Benjamin's Curry

Chicken
Ingredients
1 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons ground coriander
2 teaspoons ground cumin
2 teaspoons chili powder
1 tablespoon fresh ginger peeled and grated
1/2 tablespoon ground turmeric
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
4 cups yellow onions, finely chopped
2 cloves of garlic, minced
3 cups tomatoes, peeled and
coarsely chopped
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
12 bone-in chicken thighs (about 3 lb),
skinned
teaspoon salt
1 lb peeled baking potatoes, cut into
1-inch pieces
2 tablespoon cilantro, chopped
3 cups cooked rice
Directions
1. Combine the first 6 ingredients.
2. Rinse the chicken and pat dry with paper towels.
Season the chicken with teaspoon salt. Heat the
oil in a pan over moderately high heat. Brown the
chicken on both sides, about 5 minutes. Transfer the
chicken to a plate and set aside.
3. Add onion and garlic to the same pan, and cook
for 15 minutes, stirring frequently. Add cumin
mixture, tomatoes, and lemon juice. Reduce heat to
medium, and cook for 10 minutes, stirring
occasionally.
4. Add chicken and potatoes to pan; stir in chopped
cilantro. Bring to a boil, cover, reduce heat, and
simmer for 50 minutes or until chicken is done.
Serve over rice, and garnish with cilantro sprigs.





North African Harira
Ingredients
2 tbsp olive oil
lb boneless lean lamb, cut into cubes
1 yellow onion, chopped
cup dried chickpeas, soaked overnight in water to
cover, and drained
7 cups vegetable stock or chicken stockor just water
cup red or yellow lentils
2 large tomatoes, peeled, seeded and diced
1 red bell pepper, seeded and diced
1 tbsp tomato paste
1 tsp sugar
1 tsp ground cinnamon
tsp ground turmeric
tsp ground ginger
1 tbsp chopped fresh cilantro, plus extra to garnish
1 tbsp fresh flat leaf parsley
Scant 1/3 cup long grain rice
Salt and black pepper
Directions
1. Heat the olive oil in a large pan. Add the lamb
and cook over medium heat, stirring frequently, for
8-10 minutes, until lightly browned all over. Reduce
the heat; add the onion, and cook, stirring
frequently, for 5 minutes, until softened.
2. Increase the heat to medium, add the chickpeas,
pour in the stock, and bring to a boil. Reduce the
heat, cover, and simmer for 2 hours.
3. Stir in the lentils, tomatoes, bell pepper, tomato
paste, sugar, cinnamon, turmeric, ginger, cilantro,
and parsley and simmer for another 15 minutes. Add
the rice and simmer for additional 15 minutes, until
the rice is cooked and the lentils are tender.
4. Season to taste with salt and black pepper and
remove the pan from the heat. Ladle the soup into
bowls, sprinkle with little chopped cilantro and serve
immediately.

Salad "Olivier" / Russian Salad
Ingredients
3 large Russet potatoes, boiled,
cooled and peeled
2 large carrots, boiled, cooled
and peeled
4 large eggs, boiled
4 ounces low sodium ham
1 cup canned green peas,
drained
2 large dill pickles, chopped
1/3 cup onion, chopped
1 1/2 cup low fat Greek yogurt
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1 tbsp fresh lemon juice
2 tbsp fresh dill, chopped
Salt and fresh black pepper
Directions
1. Chop the potatoes, carrots,
ham, and the eggs. Put all the
vegetable, eggs and the ham in
a large bowl. Add the chopped
pickles, onions and the canned
green peas.
2. In another bowl, mix the
yogurt, mayo, lemon juice and
the fresh dill. Combine very well
and season with salt and black
pepper to your taste.
3. Pour the yogurt dressing over
the vegetables and the meat
mixture. Mix well, cover and let
sit in the fridge for at least 1
hour.
4. Serve cold with whole wheat
bread or whole wheat pita
bread.



Chicken with Tomato Curry
Sauce
Ingredients
2 lb boneless and
skinless chicken breast, cut into
1 inch cubes
1/3 cup canola oil
5 large fresh Roma tomatoes,
chopped
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp ginger powder
1 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
or 1/2 tsp for a milder flavor
1/4 tsp black pepper
6 tbsp tomato paste
1 tsp salt
2 fresh green chilies , thinly
chopped
fresh ginger, cut into thin slices,
for garnish
Directions
1. Heat the oil in a large skillet
and cook the chicken on both
sides until browned about 2-3
minutes per side.
2. Add the garlic and ginger
powder, salt, red pepper flakes,
and fresh tomatoes. Cover and
cook on low heat until the
tomatoes are soft; they must
turn into a paste. It will take
about 10 to 15 minutes.
3. Add the canned tomato
paste, black pepper, green
chilies and stir. Simmer covered
on low heat for another 5
minutes.
4. Serve on top of steamed rice
or Indian NAAN (Pita Bread).



Vegetable Fried Rice
Ingredients
1 cup long grain rice, uncooked
3 tbsp peanut oil or vegetable
oil
2 cloves of garlic, chopped
1 tbsp fresh ginger, minced
1/2 cup carrots, cubed
1/3 cup snow peas, chopped
1 small green bell pepper,
chopped
1 ounce canned baby corn,
drained
1/2 cup frozen peas, thawed
1 tbsp low sodium soy sauce
1 tsp sesame oil
Directions
1. Cook the rice in a saucepan
of boiling water for 15 minutes.
Drain well, rinse under cold
water and set aside.
2. Heat the oil in a preheated
wok or large pan.
3. Add the garlic and ginger and
stir-fry for 30 seconds.
4. Add the carrots, snow peas,
pepper and stir fry for 2
minutes.
5. Stir in the baby corn, peas
and rice and stir fry for another
2 minutes.
6. Sprinkle the vegetable fried
rice with the light soy sauce and
sesame oil, stir fry for another 1
minute. Transfer to a serving
dish and serve hot.
Note: Make sure the vegetables
are cut to a similar size in order
to ensure that they cook in the
same amount of time.