Well, we're getting a little tired of the zucchini around the Szasz house, so I gave it a rest last night & went Algerian! Oh my! Fabulous stuff! My husband is not big on spicy, so I chose the Sweet Curry, but I've made this with the Spicy Curry too & if you like to go hot, this dish is a sock knocker!
A little prep time here, so put on the Jack Johnson, open a bottle of dark, peppery, red wine - might I suggest a Malbec? Yummers. Now hang on to your socks, 'cause here we go!
On the Menu:
Curried Chicken (Easy to turn veggie)
Algerian Flatbread
Creamy Cucumber Mint Salad (only if you're going with the Spicy Curry)
Preparation starts with:
Algerian Flatbread
3 cups wheat flour (you can also use some fun Indian or African flour,
if you can find it at your local whole foods / organic type store)
2 tsp. dry active yeast (or a cube of fresh yeast if you can find it)
1 tsp. salt
3/4 cup olive oil - divided
1 ½ cups water
2 tsp. cumin
2 tsp. paprika
2tsp. turmeric
1/2 cup fresh mint - chopped
In a mixer with a dough hook (you're suppose to do this by hand, but I'm waaay too lazy for that), mix flour, yeast, salt & 2 tblsp. of the oil. While it's running, slowly add the water until a soft ball forms.
Let the dough hook run for about 15 minutes
(or hand knead it if you've got the need to torture yourself).
During this 15 minute wait, you can mix the remaining oil (saving just a little to rub the dough with later), cumin, paprika, turmeric & mint in a bowl & set it aside. If you like the spicy stuff, you can add even a little spicy curry to this mixture - fabulous!
Then, after the 15 minutes is up, remove the dough bowl from the mixer, use your hands to cover the dough ball with the last of the olive oil, cover the bowl with a towel & let it rest for about an hour.
While you're waiting for the dough to rest:You should decide if you're going spicy or sweet on the curry. If you're thinking the sweet is more up your alley, skip the Cucumber Salad. It just adds more sweet & yummy on top of sweet & yummy. Not enough contrast. But if you're the hot & spicy kind, the Cucumber Salad will give you a super cool off between bites of the Curried Chicken! So, in this time space, you can make the Salad.
Creamy Cucumber Mint Salad
1 or 2 cucumbers - peeled and sliced thinly
1/2 cup yogurt
2 garlic cloves - minced
pinch of salt & pepper
handful of mint - chopped
Mix the yogurt with the garlic, salt & pepper to taste. Pour this over the cucumber, sprinkle the mint on top & put it in the frig to chill. Toss the salad before serving.
Now change the CD to maybe some Adele, refill your glass with wine & sit down with a good magazine for a while. Never forget the most important part of any recipe: Good food comes from happy cooks!
OK, now back to the Algerian Flatbread:
After it has had a good rest, divide the dough into 10 balls. Flatten one ball with a rolling pin on a lightly floured surface (keeping the others covered with a towel) into a 9" disk, & spread a big ol' tblsp. of the oil/spice mix on it.
Roll this into a long cylinder
& wind that into a coil.
Set this aside (keep covered with a towel) & repeat this with the remaining dough balls.
On a lightly floured surface, roll each of these coils into 6" disks.
Set them aside, layering between parchment or waxed paper. Let these sit while you refill your glass & work on the main course for a while.
Curried Chicken
2-3 chicken breasts (you'll be amazed at how good
tofu is instead, if you're a veggie)
1/4 cup flour
1 tblsp. Sweet Curry (or as much as you dare of the Spicy)
1 tsp. salt
pinch of pepper
1/4 cup butter
1/2 cup onion - big chunks
1 tblsp. fresh ginger - minced
1/2 cup golden raisins
1/2 cup frozen peas (if you use fresh, soak them in water
the night before)
1 1/2 cups rice - cooked al dente
2 cups chicken broth (or vegetable broth)
1 cup coconut milk (you can find it in the "Ethnic" food isle
at your grocery store - by the water chestnuts)
Cut the chicken (or tofu) into 1" cubes. Place the flour, curry, salt, & pepper in a large baggie. Shake it up, add the chicken cubes & do the hokey-pokey. Heat the butter in a large skillet over med/high heat & brown the chicken on all sides (about 5 minutes).
If you're going with the tofu, remove it from the pan at this point & set it aside until about the last 10 minutes of the 45 minute simmer time below. Don't want mushy tofu, do we?
Add the onion & ginger, stir & add the remaining ingredients, cover & simmer on low for 45 minutes.
Final step for the Flatbread:
Heat a large skillet (dry) over medium heat (my cooktop needs one notch above medium), place the bread disk into the hot pan, turning once until puffed & browned in spots, about 3-4 minutes total.
Place them on a plate as you go, covering them with a towel. When they're all done, put them in a warm place until ready to serve.
Now sit down & relax for a while since the chicken isn't done yet. OR, if you're like me, get the laundry into the dryer, clean up the flour mess on your counter, sweep the dog hair off the kitchen floor & set the table.
Now you're ready to serve it all up! Enjoy!
(Oh, & don't forget the salad in the frig. :)
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