Coconut Chicken Fry. My first dabble into Indian Cuisine.

I'm very anxious to report that all is well here on the homestead post-Isaac, albeight soggy and wind-blown. The Lord protected us in a very real way over these past few days and I am very thankful that the storm has now blown by, for the most part.  The forecast is rain, rain, rain for the next few days - but it's a welcomed change from the swealtering heat.  

Thank you all, again, for your prayers.  Let's continually keep Louisiana in our prayers, as they're still in the aftermath of it all.

Sigh.

Well, the change in weather around here made me crave warm, delicious food - no doubt - and since I promised my next recipe post would be something delicious and savory, here we are.  Normally I tend to take a few days to mull over the pros and cons of a particular recipe before I post it for the world to see, but this meal was so dang good, I had to share it right away.

Seriously, it was fantastic.

I have my dear reader Courtney to thank for encouraging me to dabble into making Indian food.  I've never really made it, or eaten it for that matter.  It's not that I didn't like it, I just, I don't never, never really gave it a thought?  Yet here is this wonderful cuisine that is based on wonderful aromatic spices, just begging to be tasted and savored.

One of my favorite traits of Indian food thus far is that it is already a very whole-food based cuisine, in that you're not having to find a supplement for "Cream of Mushroom Soup" like you do with so many American recipes these days.  From what I've read, it's pretty basic: lots of veggies, lots of spices, lots of citrus, lots of rice, lots of lentils, and lots of flavor.

Now that's what's up.

I could probably babble on about this wonderful new discovery for awhile, after all, I tend to get a little enthusiastic about food - especially new food!  But without further delay...

Oh wait.  Take note that this recipe does include a lot of fragrant spices.  Instead of stocking up on bottles of spices from the grocery store, head to your local health food store or food co-op where you can by spices from larger containers.  This way, you can get a few little baggies of whatever you need - at a fraction of the cost.  

Okay.  Now without further delay...

Coconut Chicken Fry
You will need: 
 - 3 tablespoons coconut oil or butter
 - 1 cinnamon stick
 - 6 cardamom pods, whole
 - 6 cloves, whole
 - 1 onion, sliced thinly
 - 2-3 large green chilis, halved
 - 1 1/2 inch fresh ginger, grated
 - 6 cloves garlic, minced
 - 1 1/2 pounds of pastured chicken thighs and/or drumsticks
 - 2 teaspoons garam masala (this is an Indian spice that you should be able to find with the rest of 'em)
 - 6 ounces unsweetened flaked coconut
 - 1 1/2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
 - Chopped cilantro, for serving
 - Salt and pepper, to taste

Step One:  Heat the oil in a skillet.  Add in the cinnamon stick, cardamom pods, and cloves until fragrant (30 seconds or so).  Then, add in your slices onion and good for 3-4 minutes, or until it starts to colorize.  

Step Two:  Now, add in your green chilis, fresh ginger, and garlic.  Cook for another 3-4 minutes, until fragrant and delicious looking.  Yummmm....

Step Three:  Add in the chicken and allow it to hang out with the spices for a few minutes, giving it a chance to brown a bit.  Sprinkle with the garam masala and add hot water to about half-way up the side of the chicken.  Cover with a lid and allow to simmer for 10-12 minutes or until the chicken is completely cooked.

Step Four:  Smell.  Inhale deeply.  Isn't this looking wonderful?!

Step Five:  Remove the lid, turn the heat up, and allow any excess water to evaporate.  When it's not 'soupy' (the photo above depicts said 'soupiness'), but not by any means dry, add in the flaked coconut (Stuart actually scrapped this from a fresh coconut...it was heavenly!), lemon juice, and salt and pepper.  Let it linger for about a minute.

Step Six:  Top it off with some freshly chopped cilantro and serve with fragrant basmati rice.  Mmmmmm!!!! I cannot even describe to you the wonderful aroma this dish possesses.  Worth.  Every.  Minute.

Practically every other bite either Stuart or I was saying, "Oh, this is so good...."

And after the horrible butternut squash risotto disaster I had last night, let me tell ya, it meant a lot to have this turn out so well.  I love that fact that it would be super easy to double, or triple, and serve to a large crowd very easily.  I also love the fact that it left a wonderful, warming sensation in my chest.  I also, also loved that it was packed full of spices that are rich in health boosting properties, it'd take me years to blog about it all.

Even G-love ate her share!  She's such a trooper.

I ate my share too.

Actually, I ate two shares.  One for me and one for peanut.

Sweet, sweet perks of pregnancy.

For other great meal ideas, no matter what your dietary restrictions, check out the meal planning service I use: Real Plans.

Coconut Chicken Fry

• 3 tbsp coconut oil or butter
• 1 cinnamon stick
• 6 cardamom pods, whole
• 6 cloves, whole
• 1 onion, sliced thinly
• 2-3 large green chilis, halved
• 1 ½ inch fresh ginger, grated
• 6 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 ½ pounds pastured chicken thighs and/or drumsticks
• 2 tsp garam masala (this is an Indian spice that you should be able to find with the rest of 'em))
• 6 oz unsweetened flaked coconut
• 1 ½ tsp fresh lemon juice
• Chopped cilantro, for serving
• Salt and pepper, to taste

1. Heat the oil in a skillet.  Add in the cinnamon stick, cardamom pods, and cloves until fragrant (30 seconds or so).  Then, add in your slices onion and good for 3-4 minutes, or until it starts to colorize.  

2. Now, add in your green chilis, fresh ginger, and garlic.  Cook for another 3-4 minutes, until fragrant and delicious looking.

3. Add in the chicken and allow it to hang out with the spices for a few minutes, giving it a chance to brown a bit.  Sprinkle with the garam masala and add hot water to about half-way up the side of the chicken.  Cover with a lid and allow to simmer for 10-12 minutes or until the chicken is completely cooked.

4. Smell.  Inhale deeply.  Isn't this looking wonderful?!

5. Remove the lid, turn the heat up, and allow any excess water to evaporate.  When it's not ‘soupy' (the photo above depicts said ‘soupiness'), but not by any means dry, add in the flaked coconut (Stuart actually scrapped this from a fresh coconut…it was heavenly!), lemon juice, and salt and pepper.  Let it linger for about a minute.

6. Top it off with some freshly chopped cilantro and serve with fragrant basmati rice.  Mmmmmm!!!! I cannot even describe to you the wonderful aroma this dish possesses.  Worth.  Every.  Minute.