Catch the Spoon

Meredith says that curry is somewhat of a mystery to her.

I was browning some chicken with an uncertain future tonight, and asked her how she’d like it. Lemon pepper? Garlic? Sauced? We decided on curry, and I showed her a simple, basic curry, full of deep, smoky flavor and the tang of tomato sauce, made from pantry items.

Quick Tomato Curry

Ingredients:

• 2 lbs chicken drumsticks
• 3 tablespoons butter
• 1/3 cup curry powder*
• 4 cups tomato sauce

Melt the butter in a dutch oven or heavy stock pot over medium-high heat. Add chicken and cook until lightly browned. Add curry powder; stir to coat. Cook until highly fragrant. Add tomato sauce. Reduce heat to medium-low and cook for 1 hour or until chicken is fully cooked and tender and sauce has reduced. Serve over rice or cous cous; garnish with yogurt if desired.

*I use my own mild homemade curry powder. There are plenty of recipes on the internet for mild to hotter varieties. Whether you use your own or a store-bought variety, I’d recommend tailoring the quantity to your taste.

Tip: If you prefer to use store-bought curry, seek out your local ethnic market, where you can find fresher, less expensive curry powder than what you’ll find in your supermarket’s spice rack.

I’ve posted my personal funny cake recipe on this site before, but this week my Aunt Beth sent me a scanned copy of my Grammy’s recipe, complete with a “good luck” note at the bottom. Almost all my memories of Grammy are from the kitchen, whether she was cooking or sitting at the kitchen table being outspoken and fabulous. I’m proud as hell to be able to share this here. (Click to enlarge)