Butter Chicken = Chicken Makhani

I chose the easy recipe that required just throwing everything in the slow cooker. I don't have any garam masala so used a mixture of spices on hand. This is the sort of dish that comes with lots of variations. For all the different tweaks you can do, see the notes below.

• 2 lb chicken (I cut up breasts but recipes recommend thighs)
• 1 onion, chopped
• 6 cloves garlic, chopped
• 4 T butter
• 2 1/4 t ground cardamom (or 15 pods if you have them)
• 2 heaping t curry powder (I used a madras curry powder)
• 1 t cayenne (I subbed paprika but next time use pure chili powder)
• 2 t tandoori masala
• 1/2 t ground ginger (or use fresh)
• 1 t garam masala (or substitute: dash of cloves, 2 dashes of cinnamon, 1/2 t ground cumin, 1 bay leaf, 1/2 t paprika, 1/4 t chili powder [should be cayenne], optional: nutmeg, coriander, cardamom, black pepper) (and I threw in some turmeric)
• 1 can coconut milk
• 1 c natural yogurt (optional)
• 1/2 c + 2 T tomato sauce (should use paste)
• 2 T lemon juice (didn't have any)
• salt

1. Dump everything in the slow cooker. Cook on high for 3-4 hours, or low 6-8 hours.
2. Salt to taste. Serve with rice or naan.

Variations

• Use whole breasts, whole thighs, or cut up chicken.
• Optional: Marinate the chicken first.
• Optional: Stir fry cut up chicken, onions, garlic with the butter before adding to crock pot.
• Add the cup of yogurt 15 minutes before serving, not at the beginning.
• Add more garam masala or curry powder at end of cooking to adjust to taste.
• Add half cup of peas.
• Use frozen solid breasts on low for 8 hours.
• To make matching rice, use jasmine rice and use coconut milk as part of the liquid. Add cardamom and cinnamon. 
• Sprinkle freshly chopped cilantro over the dish.
• If you only have lite coconut milk, add 1-2 T shredded coconut.
• Use tabasco sauce in place of cayenne.
• Add a diced potato 2 hours before serving.
• Substitute cinnamon stick (or powder) for cardamom pods
• Use sour cream instead of yogurt; milk + coconut extract instead of coconut milk.
• Use a pressure cooker instead of a slow cooker to drastically speed up cooking time.
• Add 1/4 c finely ground cashews to thicken. Or ground almonds.
• Use 1 freshly chopped tomato instead of the tomato paste.

Cauliflower, Carrot + Mushroom Stir Fry

Most of the work is chopping the vegetables. Once that's done the rest of the dish is easy.

• 1/4 c chicken broth (or vege broth if vegetarian)
• 1 T soy sauce (gluten-free if necessary)
• 1.5 t cornstarch
• oil
• 1.5 t fresh ginger, chopped
• 3-5 cloves garlic, minced
• red pepper flakes (to taste)
• 1 small head of cauliflower
• 2 fat carrots
• handful of mushrooms
• spicy pickled radishes

1. In a small bowl, combine the broth with soy sauce and cornstarch. Set aside.
2. In a sauce pan, heat oil over medium heat. Cook ginger, garlic and pepper flakes for 30 seconds.
3. Add the cauliflower with 1/4 c water. Let cook for 2 minutes.
4. Add the carrots. Let cook another 2 minutes.
5. Add the mushrooms and let cook 2 minutes.
6. Dump the broth mixture over the vegetables and cover. Let simmer until cauliflower is cooked through.
7. Add the radishes and stir. Let sit on low heat until ready to serve (with rice).

Variations

- use zucchini instead of mushrooms

- add bamboo shoots

- add 1 T orange juice to broth mixture

Carrot Whatever Soup

Had to use up some carrots and heat up the house, so made this soup tonight as an appetizer. The base is cubed carrots with stock, and then throw in whatever you want. It's based on all the related carrot soup recipes (linked below). Easy and delicious!

• remainder of a bag of carrots
• 1 large sweet potato
• oil
• 1 heaping tablespoon minced garlic
• red pepper flakes
• water
• chicken bouillon
• 1 knub fresh ginger, grated
• 1/2 t cumin powder

1. Peel and cut carrots into chunks. Same for the sweet potato.
2. In a large pot, heat oil over medium heat. Saute the garlic for several minutes.
3. Dump in the carrots and sweet potato. Stir.
4. Add enough water to cover the carrots. Bring the heat up to high. Add in bouillon to taste. 
5. Once it boils, reduce the heat to a simmer. Let cook until carrots are tender (10-20 min).
6. Add in the ginger and cumin. Let sit for 5 minutes.
7. Reserve some of the chunky bits in your serving bowl. Blend the remainder in batches.

Variations

• Add potatoes, squash, pumpkin (with the carrots).
• Add Thai red curry paste (with the ginger).
• Add onions (before the garlic).
• Add milk or yogurt for a dairy version.

Related

• Carrot and Potato Soup with Cumin and Ginger
• Creamy Sweet Potato and Carrot Soup
• Sweet Potato and Vegetable Soup
• Spicy Carrot Soup

He Fen

made this several months ago. turned out ok. just found the recipe paper while cleaning the desk.

• 1/2 c stock
• 1 T oyster sauce
• 1 T soy sauce/black bean sauce
• 1 T rice wine
• 1 T sugar
• 1 T cornflour/tapioca starch
• 1 t salt
• 1 t sesame oil
• 1 pkg hefen, separated
• veggies
• garlic, chopped
• ginger, grated
• tofu or meat
• oil

1. Fry noodles for 1 minute. Place into bowls.
2. Fry the garlic and ginger in oil.
3. Add veggies and tofu, cooking over high heat for 5 minutes.
4. Pour in the sauce and simmer.
5. Serve over noodles.

Angel Biscuits

Make the dough ahead of time and use within 1 hour to 4 days. Divide into into batches to have biscuits for several days. This recipe is from one of my favorite cookbooks - Jeanne Lemlin's Vegetarian Classics.

• water
• yeast
• flour
• salt
• buttermilk
• butter
• baking soda

GF Pancakes

Gluten-Free pancakes. These came out incredibly soft and thick. They get 4 stars for taste and texture but 3 stars overall - because unless you need gluten-free it's still a lot easier to make regular pancakes.

• 1 c rice flour
• 3 T corn starch
• 1/3 c potato starch
• 1.5 t powder
• 1/2 t soda
• 1/2 t salt
• 1/2 t xanthan gum
• 1 ripe banana
• 2 eggs
• 2 c buttermilk
• 3 T oil
• milk, as needed
• optional: mini chocolate chips

1. Combine the flour, starches, rising agents, salt and xanthan gum. 
2. Add the eggs, buttermilk and oil.
3. Mash in the banana.
4. If the batter is too thick, add milk.
5. Lightly butter a pan on medium heat. Spoon or pour 1/4 c batter units into pan. Top with chips. If the pancakes are very thick then you won't see the bubbles that are the usual sign for flipping. 

Other Pancake Recipes

• Apple Pancakes
• Crepey Pancakes
• Glutenful Pancakes

Mint Chocolate Chip Ice Cream (2)

Simple Recipe ****
I was looking for "heavy cream" but only saw whipping cream (35%), table cream (18%) and light cream (10%) at the supermarket. So I went with table cream, which is the fat equivalent of light cream in the US. Grr. But with C's advice I went with a simple recipe to have some ice cream anyways. It turned out ok, considering. So this makes for a good emergency ice cream recipe.

• 1 small container table cream (18% MF)
• 1/3 c sugar
• 1-2 t peppermint extract
• ~1/4 c mini chocolate chips
• optional: pinch of salt

1. Combine cream and sugar (and salt). Stir until sugar is dissolved.
2. Add the extract.
3. Pour into hand crank machine. Stir for 10 minutes.
4. When mostly thickened add the chips (if you add earlier they sink to the bottom). Stir for another 5 minutes.
5. Transfer to container and freeze. Enjoy the same night!

Custard Recipe
1/30/2011 This time I made sure to get whipping cream at the store. I also went to the effort to make a custard base. It was MUCH smoother than the last one. MM raved when he had another helping after it sat a couple days in the freezer.

• a bit of evaporated milk (leftover from canadian sized tin from making pumpkin pie)
• 1 c milk (I used 2%)
• 1/2 c sugar
• 1 egg
• 1 c whipping cream
• 1 t vanilla
• 1 t peppermint extract
• plenty of mini choc chips

1. Combine the milk and sugar in a sauce pan. Stir over low heat until sugar is dissolved.
2. Turn off the heat and whisk in 1 egg.
3. When smooth, put back over low heat and continue to whisk until the mixture thickens. About 10-20 minutes. Do NOT let it boil. Optional: Run a strainer through the liquid to get out any lumps.
4. Let it cool to lukewarm. 
5. Stir in cream and extracts.
6. Refrigerate until thoroughly chilled.
7. Pour into ice cream maker. Once thickened, dump in chips. Continue to stir. Transfer to container and freeze until ready to eat.

Notes

The amount of extract depends on the brand you use. Some are stronger than others. 

Mini chips are the right size for ice cream. You can use any chocolate but smaller is better - so something like grated chocolate is better than regular morsel size.