Punjabi Feast

Jim has been champing at the bit to cook Indian food after our wonderful meal at Ajanta last Friday night. Peta picked the Punjabi Feast in the Ajanta Cookbook that we bought after our meal there . We spent a good chunk of time at the spice man at the Oxbow Market and got everything that we needed except the pomegranate seeds. We subbed mango powder to impart the sour flavor, but it may have been lacking in sweet. We'll try to find this ingredient for the next go round. The food was ingredient and time intensive but the results were excellent. The chicken was only marinated for three hours the first day and the second round was better (hotter and more flavorful) the next day.

• Khumb Alu Tikki with Cilantro-Mint Chutney
• Chicken Makhanwala
• Baingan Bartha
• Haldi Chaval
• Gajar Kai Chutney
• Keeray Ka Raita

We did not make the Parathas. But we will for leftovers. Nor did we make the dessert, Aam di Kulfi. No real interest in or taste for desserts with either of us. Less so even for Indian desserts. We were a great team this night. Jim made the Chutney, Peta the Raita. Then Jim butchered two chickens and Peta made the marinade. Then Peta made the Khumb Alu Tikki and Jim made the Cilantro-Mint Chutney. Then we smoked the eggplant and put the sauce together. Then Peta grilled the chicken and Jim cooked the rice. Ho. Lee. Crap.

But what a meal...

Oh yes. After butchering the chickens, Jim put the carcasses and the one in the freezer (minus the livers) into the stockpot with the aromatics and spices.

Brandied Cherries
The cherries that Jim has been putting into his cocktails (we believe that it's the Star brand) have a horrible chlorine-like aftertaste. In an effort to build a better cherry and avoid having to wait for a shipment of Luxardo cherries, Jim went with this recipe.

The first cherries out were a bit too lemony, so we added more brandy and sugar. We'll see how they do after a few days of mellowing...