Kitty Worries And Another WHB Entry

Do you ever have those days when you feel like you could sleep for a week? Or how about if you could have a masseuse to expertly work the kinks out of your neck and back? Of course, ideally they'd be doing it for free, and there would be no time limit (that ticking clock takes half the fun out of massages - just as you're finally beginning to relax, they're over!). I'm having one of those days, where I can't seem to stop yawning.

And it's mainly because of Ozzy. I'm having kitty worries at home. Nothing too major, but still. He's got a bit of an upset tummy, and has been throwing up for the last 4-5 days, which becomes evident every morning to us. Yup, nice little puddles just waiting for me to accidently step on as I stumble, bleary-eyed out of bed. Yes I know ... "blech". But moms will understand when I say this; your first instinct isn't usually "ewwwww disgusting" ... it's more like "oh noooo, are you okay baby?". And if any of you think it's weird that I'm very maternal with my cat, erm, welcome to my blog! 'Tis how it is! So anyway, the funny thing about cats is that throwing up occasionally is pretty normal, and cats usually recover immediately. But this time it's more prolonged than I'd like, so I've been worried. The good news is that the little guy seems perfectly normal today. I also spoke to his vet and we have a decent plan of action. So here's to hoping that the next few days see Ozzykins back to his regular, bratty self!

When you have vet visits thrown into the already hectic mix of grocery shopping, library, working out, office assignments (ugh), paying bills (quadruple ugh) ... it doesn't leave you with a lot of time to get gourmet in the kitchen. That's when you really appreciate the simple, mid-week recipes that you've relied on time and again - something that you can throw together without thinking about it too much, but can still pack a real flavor punch. Because of all the fresh herbs I use to freshen up this Chicken Qorma, I'm submitting it to this week's Weekend Herb Blogging round-up, hosted by Chriesi at Almond Corner - you should see the magic she's worked on some fresh arugula for her own submission to this event!

Chicken Qorma Lite (mainly following Fauzia's delicious recipe)
Serves 4+

Ingredients:
1.5 lbs chicken, skinless and cut into pieces
2 tbsp canola/vegetable oil
2 medium onions, sliced
2-3 small green chillies, chopped
1/3 cup fresh mint leaves, chopped plus more for garnish
1/3 cup fresh cilantro, chopped plus more for garnish
2 tbsp shredded coconut
1/2 tsp red chilli powder
1/2 tsp garam masala powder
1/2 tsp turmeric
1/2 tsp ground coriander seeds
1.5 tsp salt (or to taste)
1 tsp ginger paste
2 large cloves of garlic, minced
1 cup plain yogurt, whipped
1.5 cups water

Method:
1. Marinate the chicken with the salt, turmeric powder, garam masala, coriander powder, ginger and garlic for half an hour.
2. Heat the oil on medium-high and saute the onions till golden.

3. Then add in the marinated chicken pieces, plus red chilli powder, and stir-fry for about 5 mins.

4. To this, add in the green chillies, yogurt and sprinkle on the shredded coconut and stir about for another 1-2 mins.

5. Pour in the water and throw in the mint leaves and cilantro. Bring the whole mixture to a boil, then turn the heat down to medium, cover and let it simmer for 15 mins.

6. Remove the chicken pieces from the pot and keep them aside. Turn the heat off. Use your immersion blender to whiz the sauce till smooth (well, almost).
7. Add the chicken back to the sauce, turn the heat back on high and reduce the sauce till it gets to the consistency you like - another 5 mins or so (I like it saucy, because I'm that kind of gal). Garnish with more mint and cilantro and serve with white rice or hot rotis.

Verdict: This recipe is actually much lighter than the Chicken Qorma you've had in desi restaurants or at parties. And the significant amount of mint and cilantro that's added in during the cooking process (rather than just as a garnish) really freshens up the flavor and adds to the aroma. You'll also like the hint of coconut in there. When I first started making this, I wouldn't blend the sauce, but that left the texture a bit gritty because of the shredded coconut. Once I blended it though, that problem was eliminated and the whole sauce just had a more cohesive flavor. Overall, a very reliable and simple recipe.

Yearning-For-Spring Risotto

All rain and no sun makes this foodie a nasty grouch. I'm tired of looking at these bare trees. A month ago I was still able to appreciate their stark beauty, but now they just look like they're taunting me. I started this blog in the dead of winter, but now I want to start incorporating some cheerful outdoor shots into my posts! There's only so much inspiration I can get from chilly winds and dull grey skies.

There's also this other thing that's making me grumpy. Usually DH and I like to take one "honeymoon" trip every year - you know, while we can (no kids, yet!). Well, this year we started to think about our annual vacation, and what with this recession raising its ugly head, we've basically decided to go on a "budget" vacation. Ugh. Look, call me high maintenance or whatever, but I used to think that going on vacation meant getting away from it all, including worrying about the budget! Don't get me wrong, I do agree that this year we have to cut back, but that doesn't mean I can't gripe about it, right? I'll do the right thing, but I'll do it kicking and screaming dammit! *Sigh* ... oh don't worry, this is just a phase. It's called "initial resistance" - I'll be a happy camper (it's just a phrase, I will not go camping as my much-needed annual vacation, so please don't suggest it dear readers!) once we decide on a place that really speaks to us. I'm open to suggestions! It just needs to be in the continental US. I have a feeling you're a well-traveled lot, my dear readers, so spill.

To make up for the lack of green outside, I went and brought some for my insides - gorgeous, leafy swiss chard. I came across this good-looking recipe that Brys posted on Cookthink (me likey this site a LOT), and decided that this was a great way to not only use up the chunk of leftover gorgonzola I had in my fridge, but also a delicious way to use this chock-full of nutrients veggie. Swiss chard is an excellent source of vitamins C, E, and K, carotenes, chlorophyll, and fiber. It's also rich in several minerals including potassium, magnesium, iron, and manganese. Then there's vitamin B6, protein, calcium, thiamine, selenium, zinc, niacin, and folic acid ... *whew* - that was a mouthful. I just think it's purrdy.

Risotto With Chard, Gorgonzola & Walnuts (original recipe on Cookthink; I made some changes)
Serves 2-3


Ingredients:
1 cup arborio rice
1 medium white onion, finely chopped
2 tbsp olive oil
1 or 2 cloves of garlic, finely chopped
5 cups vegetable broth
Half a bunch swiss chard, washed, sliced into thin strips
1/2 crumbled gorgonzola (or more, per your taste)
1/4 cup walnuts, chopped
Half a lemon, zested
Salt and freshly ground black pepper


Method:
1. Set the vegetable stock to boil. When it comes to a boil, turn down the heat so that it's simmering.

2. Toast the chopped walnuts in a tsp of oil, and keep aside.

3. Heat the olive oil in a saucepan over medium-high heat. Saute the onions till transparent, then cook the chopped garlic in there for another minute.

4. Add the rice, and stir about for 1-2 mins, till all the grains are coated with the oil.

5. Pour in a ladle full of the simmering broth, and keep stirring occasionally till the liquid is absorbed by the rice. Do this until the rice starts to soften, 8-10 mins.

6. Stir in the strips of swiss chard, and continue with adding one ladle at a time of the broth, waiting for the liquid to absord between each time, until the rice becomes tender. Another 10 mins.

7. Finally, throw in the toasted walnuts, gorgonzola, salt, pepper and lemon zest. Stir for another 2 mins, then you're done! Best to eat this right away, which shouldn't be too hard.

Verdict: I felt really good about this recipe. Maybe it was all those nutrients coarsing through my clogged veins. Maybe it was simply delicious. It's definitely a keeper, and I'll make it again when chard is in its peak season. There are no real spices in this dish, so you have to make sure your ingredients are flavorful enough to really shine through. The crunch of the walnuts is a really special touch here. Nothing like a successful kitchen experiment to get me out of my funk! Oh, and the fact that DH liked it too (enough to have seconds), well, that's just sweet sweet icing.

The first time I tried out this dish, there was still snow on the ground ... which wasn't that long ago!

I'm sending this in as my second entry to the Weekend Herb Blogging event, hosted this week by Ivy at Kopiaste (go on, venture into some amazing Greek cuisine by visiting this site!).